Orange Wine - The Unsung Hero.

Orange wine a style which has recently gained a lot of popularity in the wine world, but as the evidence suggests the technique of producing it has been around for centuries. The name orange wine can make us feel like it has been made from oranges, but it is not!

What exactly is Orange wine? 

Orange wine is a skin contact wine which is also known as Amber wine. When we say skin contact, it always happens while making red and rosé wines, but what makes an orange wine different from them? The difference here is that it is produced by leaving the white skin grape in contact with the juice of the white grapes during fermentation instead of removing it. By doing so it helps the winemaker to extract tannins, colour and the flavour profile from the grape skins which is unique to orange wines.

@Georgian Kvevri's

Where did the orange wine-making technique come from?      

This technique is picking up momentum the wine world, but according to the evidence from the archaeological sites from Greece, it is found to be nearly 8000 years old. That time it might not have been known by the name from which we know today, but it seems to have been produced in a similar manner. Traditionally the Greeks use to crush whole berries and transfer it to Kvevri (Clay Vessel) for fermentation and then they used to seal the jar either with clay or beeswax or even resin and bury the vessel underground to keep the wine cool for maceration.

This technique was adopted by Italians in the early 2000s and now it is being used around various countries like Georgia, Slovenia, Croatia, France, U.S.A and Australia. In Italy, the grape used for production is Pinot Grigio and Ribolla Gialla. This grape Ribolla Gialla is ancient and is from northern Italy, but also grown in Slovenia. In Georgia, the varietal used is Rkatsiteli, which is as ancient as the wine.

The wine is known by the term "Orange wine" but, the colour is usually yellow, amber, gold or pink. The wine at times might look like your usual white wine or a rosé, but it is a totally different experience once you taste the wine.

What do orange wines taste like?

Orange wines are mostly fuller-bodied than white wines, as well are more structured with supple tannins, softer acidity and warming alcohol. They tend to have flavours of dried apricot, bruised apples and also have some honeyed and nutty notes in the background.

@Glasses filled with Orange wine

Pic credits: Traci Gates

Are they "natural"?

Not all orange wines are natural, as some might have additives. It completely depends on the producer who's wine you try. As they have some tannins compared to white wines, the wine will or will not require any additional sulphur dioxide. However many orange wines are produced bio-dynamically and can be termed as zero-intervention or natural wines.

      

@Gravner Breg, Fruili-Venezia Giulia, Italy

All though orange wines seem to be widely experimented with internationally, it might take some time for them to land on Indian soils or even for any Indian producer to try out the style and have a home-grown orange wine. 

In the mean while here are some orange wine labels to look out for:

• Gravner Breg, Fruili-Venezia Giulia, Italy
• Movia Lunar, Primorska, Slovenia
• Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli, Kakheti, Georgian Republic
• Channing Daughters 'Ramato', Long Island, USA
• Radikon, Ribolla, Venezia Giulia IGT, Italy

Article by: Nikhil Surve, Certified Sommelier.