Orange wine is the trend to follow this summer
Orange wine is cropping up on the wine lists of the hottest bars and restaurants on the planet...and we've selected the best bottles.
Words: Anna Spooner
They say that the best things come in threes, and that has undoubtedly been the case for still wine lists for some time. Red, white or rosé, Sir? But there’s a new kid on the block, a wine that has all the trendiest tongues wagging: orange wine.
Orange wine is cropping up on the wine lists of the hottest bars and restaurants on the planet. Just a few years ago, the Ritz declared it would start selling a Georgian orange wine by the glass; and it shortly followed with five more for its ‘by-the-bottle’ list.
So, what is this mystery orange wine? Well, it may sound like wine made from orange fruit: but it’s most certainly not. It’s actually an intensified white wine, perfect for those who like a little more ‘oomph’ in their glass.
A wine’s colour originates from the skins of the respective grapes. Usually, when white wine is made, those skins are removed quickly to create that pale hue that wine aficionados around the world just love to love.
However, orange wine makers allow those skins to remain in a technique also known as ‘skin contact’. This affords the orange wine its alluring colour, as well as a little tannic grip. Orange wine is often very rich, and carries hefty overtones of exotic fruits; and because it’s made in such a natural way, it can also be very nutty. Then there’s its bitter aftertaste, which can carry associations of a craft fruit beer at times: making orange wine an intriguing choice for those who usually opt for something ‘hoppy’.
Orange wine — or ‘amber’ wine, as it’s sometimes known — is an ancient wine style, so it tends to be the countries with the most traditional practices who do it best. Having said that, there are some new world kids kicking up a pretty decent orange wine storm too. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best orange wines you can buy this summer — to give those hazy, balmy months that extra bit of ‘oomph’ we have no doubt you’re craving.
Savage Grace Oak Ridge Vineyard Orange Gewürztraminer 2018
Hailing from organic vines in the Columbia River Gorge, this spicy, evocative orange wine is breathtakingly bright on the eyes, and divinely rich on the palate. It’s positively brimming over with delectable flavours: lychee, rose petal and tangerine peel all make themselves abundantly known, together with delicate hints of exotic spices and pleasant murmurs of bitter herbs.
Bone dry in true orange wine fashion, this is the perfect accompaniment for any of your spicier summer dishes: from a gentle katsu to a powerful rendang curry, this orange wine will be your ally throughout.
Domaine Le Soula La Macération du Soula Blanc No 19
This characterful orange wine originates from the Fenouillèdes: an ancient region between Catalonia and the Languedoc. The mountainous terrain (we’re talking harsh climate and poor soil) gives the wines a notably distinct character: and none more so than this orange wine.
This wine stems from Lo Soula, one of the oldest vines in the region. There’s a definite earthy note to this particular viticulture — wines from this mountainous region have often been compared to sucking stones — and with the oxidative style common to many orange wines, this particular bottle is guaranteed to be a treat for wine aficionados and beginners alike.
Keltis Cuvée Extreme
If you can’t wait to finally invite friends over for those long-awaited al fresco dinners in the garden, this is the wine to place on that groaning, much-laden table. Grown from grapes including Sivi Pinot, Traminec and Muškat Ottonel, this delectable orange wine is guaranteed to be both a central talking point and a delight for even the most discerning palate.
Pair it with any fish-based main dishes (or, equally, any dishes featuring white meat) to bring this wine to its outstanding potential: and enjoy!
Roditis A-Grafo
This divine orange wine has its roots in Greece: and it’s about as delectable as those scintillating orange wines come. On the palate, it’s both young and complex with discernible notes of red apple and green apricot, and subtly wafting hints of pineapple. We mentioned that orange wine tends to be delightfully heavy on the fruit, and this is a prime example if ever there was one.
In terms of food pairings, this orange wine will come into its own when paired with any pork dish (especially pork sausages); and it wouldn’t go badly with duck or wild game, either. If you tend to err away from meat, it can also successfully stand next to blue cheese, walnuts and mango chutney. A versatile orange wine, indeed.
Tragolargo Blanco 2020, Bodegas Vinessens, Spain, Levant
This orange wine hails from Alicante, Spain: and grown as it is from Moscatel and Merseguera grapes, delicately hand harvested from the stony soils of the region with an absence of any fining or filtration, it’s guaranteed to be that superb natural organic wine you’ve been dying to try.
On the palate, it’s bursting with citrus fruits and orange pith in true orange wine fashion. It breaks from orange wine tradition, though, with its reduced bitterness, thanks to the abundance of fresh fruit — and those expertly integrated dry tannins give it a wholehearted structure and a divinely long finish.
Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Orange 2019
We’ve hinted at the natural, organic origins of many an orange wine: but this particular New Zealand option takes those natural qualities to another level. This is a biodynamic orange wine, which has been fermented in a mix of amphora and stainless steel, before being matured for eight months in oak.
The result? A deliciously nutty wine, with discernible notes of soft roasted peach, bitter burnt orange rind, sweet apricot nectar and delicate dried wildflower all appearing on the palate in a cacophony of delectable flavours. This truly is a summer wine, in every sense of the name — guaranteed to take the starring role at any summer drinks party.
Vino Bianco Macerato Rukh 2019 - Nove Lune
This is a true trailblazer of the orange wine variety in every possible sense. The vineyard cultivation is organic, and the grapes (in this case, Bronner and Johanniter) are harvested by hand, before being de-stemmed with open rollers to leave them intact. Fermented in terracotta amphorae, the wine then continues to age in the amphorae after separation from the skins before bottling.
This particular orange wine is beautifully intense, in both colour and flavour. There’s a delightful complexity, owing to the strong citrus notes: and the overwhelming sense on the palate is a savoury one, with a gently tannic aftertaste. Pair with aged cheeses or a fish-based main dish for the perfect orange wine experience.
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