Orange wines

What are orange wines?

The term “orange wine” can be somewhat misleading, although it is practical and easy to understand. The name comes from the orange hue, often closer to amber, that some skin-contact wines display. This is why they are sometimes also called amber wines.

In reality, what defines an orange wine is not its colour but the way it is made. An orange wine is a white wine produced through a special method that is very similar to the one used to make red wine.

When we speak of an orange wine, we are referring to a wine in which the must, the fermented juice of the grape, remains in contact with the grape skins for a certain period of time. Sometimes, the stems, or grape bunches without the grapes, are also left in contact with the must.

In industrial winemaking, skin contact is typically brief, sometimes lasting only a few hours. However, among low-intervention producers, it is uncommon to call a wine orange if the maceration period is that short. Usually, the must stays in contact with the skins for several days, often more than a week, or even throughout the entire fermentation. The duration of this contact is up to the winemaker and can range from a few days to several months, or even years, depending on the grape variety, the vintage, or the region.

When well executed, skin contact, as we understand it, is not primarily about the colour, which is more affected by oxidation than by maceration itself. The goal is to achieve greater complexity. This process produces wines with more noticeable tannins, a more structured mouthfeel, and flavours that go beyond the primary aromas such as floral, fruity, vegetal, or mineral notes from the grape.

In essence, an orange wine is a white wine with greater structure, more complexity, and less primary aroma and flavour than its conventional white counterpart made without skin contact.

Explore our selection of Orange Wines here!