Wine Education

Orange Wine

Neither white, nor red, nor rosé — orange wine is white wine made like a red, with extended skin contact that creates its distinctive amber hue and complex, tannic character.

What is Orange Wine?

Orange wine — also known as amber wine or skin-contact white wine — is made by leaving white grape skins in contact with the juice during fermentation, just as red wine is made. This process, which can last from a few days to over a year, extracts tannins, colour, and complex flavour compounds from the skins.

The technique is ancient, dating back over 8,000 years to Georgia, where winemakers still ferment wine in traditional clay vessels called qvevri, buried underground. Today, natural winemakers across the globe — from Friuli in Italy to Slovenia, Austria, and beyond — have embraced this method.

How Orange Wine is Made

Step 1

Grape Selection

White grape varieties are harvested, often slightly riper than for conventional white wine.

Step 2

Extended Maceration

Grapes ferment with their skins for days to months, extracting colour, tannins, and phenolics.

Step 3

Qvevri or Tank

Traditional Georgian qvevri (clay vessels) or modern tanks are used for fermentation.

Step 4

Minimal Intervention

Most orange wines use wild yeasts and little to no sulphites, embracing natural winemaking.

Tasting Profile

Colour

AmberDeep GoldCopperBurnt Orange

Aromas

Dried ApricotHoneyBruised AppleNutsTea

Palate

Tannic StructureOxidative NotesTexturedSavoury

Finish

LongDryingComplexEarthy

Common Varietals

While any white grape can be made into orange wine, these varietals are particularly well-suited to skin-contact winemaking.

Rkatsiteli

Georgia

The ancestral grape of orange wine, with notes of dried apricot and honey.

Pinot Grigio

Italy

When skin-contact, develops copper hues and rich, textured mouthfeel.

Gewürztraminer

Alsace / Austria

Aromatic intensity amplified with lychee and rose petal notes.

Ribolla Gialla

Friuli, Italy

A Friulian classic producing structured, tannic orange wines.

Sauvignon Blanc

Slovenia / France

Herbaceous notes softened by extended skin contact.

Mtsvane

Georgia

Often blended with Rkatsiteli for complex, amber-coloured wines.

Food Pairings

Orange wine's tannic structure and savoury character make it incredibly food-friendly, bridging the gap between white and red wine pairings.

Aged hard cheesesMoroccan taginesKorean BBQMushroom risottoCharcuterie boardsRoasted vegetables

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