Orange wine
Orange wine (also called amber wine) is a style of white wine made by fermenting white grapes with prolonged skin contact, a process that imparts deeper colour, tannic texture and distinctive flavour characteristics[1]. The style differs fundamentally from rosé, which is made from red grapes with brief skin contact.
Historical origins
The origins of orange wine are closely linked to the Caucasus, especially Georgia, where archaeological evidence shows that skin-fermented white wines have been made for several millennia using large clay vessels known as qvevri[2]. These wines formed part of a broader cultural and religious tradition and represent one of the oldest continuous winemaking practices in the world[3].
Winemaking technique
Orange wine is produced through extended maceration, where the skins of white grapes remain in contact with the must for weeks or months, rather than being removed immediately after pressing as in conventional white winemaking[4]. Traditional qvevri or amphorae are still used in some regions, while oak barrels and stainless steel tanks are employed in modern cellars[5]. The method increases phenolic extraction, resulting in wines with notable tannin levels and amber to orange hues.
Regional expressions
Georgia
In Georgia, orange wines remain central to viticulture, often produced from local varieties such as Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. Qvevri winemaking was inscribed by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage in 2013[6].
Friuli and Slovenia
The modern revival of orange wine in Europe is often traced to Friuli-Venezia Giulia in north-eastern Italy and to western Slovenia, where winemakers in the 1990s deliberately reintroduced extended skin contact in white winemaking[7]. The style gained international recognition through small artisanal producers and export markets.
Broader Europe
Skin-contact wines are now found in Austria, Croatia, and parts of Spain, where producers experiment with local white grapes to achieve complex, structured wines[8].
International adoption
Outside Europe, producers in the United States, Australia, South Africa, and South America have adopted the style, often aligning it with natural winemaking philosophies and experimental cellar practices[9].
Sensory profile
Orange wines display colours ranging from deep gold to amber. Their texture is often fuller and more tannic than conventional white wines, with flavour descriptors that include dried fruit, nuts, tea, honey, spice and oxidative notes[10]. These features make them distinctive in food pairings, often bridging qualities of both red and white wines.
Modern significance
The resurgence of orange wine has been tied to the natural wine movement and to consumer interest in historic and artisanal production methods[11]. The OIV has issued formal definitions for skin-contact wines to provide clarity in labelling[12]. Today, orange wines appear on wine lists across major cities, attracting both specialist appreciation and debate about stylistic consistency. Their spread reflects both a reconnection with ancient traditions and an emblem of modern experimentation in global winemaking.
References
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015, entry: orange wine/amber wine. ISBN 978-0198705383.
- ↑ Woolf, Amber Revolution: How the World Learned to Love Orange Wine, Interlink Books, 2018. ISBN 978-1623719661.
- ↑ Johnson & Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 8th ed., 2019, Georgia section. ISBN 978-1784724030.
- ↑ Palliotti & Silvestroni, “Extended maceration in white grapes”, South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 2008. ISSN 0253-939X.
- ↑ Ribéreau-Gayon et al., Handbook of Enology, Vol. 2, 2006. ISBN 978-0470010396.
- ↑ Woolf, Amber Revolution, 2018.
- ↑ MacNeil, The Wine Bible, 3rd ed., 2022. ISBN 978-1523515327.
- ↑ Stevenson, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, 2011. ISBN 978-0756686840.
- ↑ Johnson & Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 2019, Friuli & international overview. ISBN 978-1784724030.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, 2015.
- ↑ Woolf, Amber Revolution, 2018.
- ↑ OIV, “Skin-contact wines definitions”, https://www.oiv.int