What is orange wine?

[JimHow]

So I was at the annual Androscoggin County lawyer Christmas party last week. And judge Driscoll was there, commenting on my wines, and then she asked me, what do you think about "orange" wines? And at first I thought, what the hell is she talking about, then I thought maybe she's taking about rose, but no, she was talking about "orange" wine. I had no idea what she was talking about, and quickly moved on to some other boring conversation with some other boring lawyer. Then I ran into this nitwit on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urjXjlvhFfM

I watched 1:02 minutes of this pretentious video before stopping, but before I could turn away he made mention of "orange" wine. So now, in my entire three decade career of drinking fine wines, in the past week, for the first time ever, I have now TWICE heard reference to "orange" wine. WTF are these people talking about?

[DavidG]

White wine made with more skin contact. Not much experience here, have had a couple that were just ok, some I didn’t care for. None memorable enough for me to… remember them. A hot thing for a while with some sommeliers.

Here’s what Wikipedia says: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_wine

[PghMike]

About eight years ago I had quite a few in Croatia. One I recall was from Villa Dobravac called Simfonija. My wife and I liked it then and still talk about it whenever we hear about an orange wine, but it was earlier in our journey into wine. Can't say what I'd think of it today.

Found this link that notes some others in addition to the Simfonija.

https://www.exoticwinetravel.com/croati ... mber-wine/

[StBlGT]

White wine with skin contact. I had my first one in 2016 at the Finger Lakes...Shaw Vineyard. It was a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris (IIRC). While not bad, I just didn't like it enough to purchase.

IMO, I think it's more of a fad in the states...more popular with the natural wine movement and producers. However, I believe it's been a thing in the country of Georgia for quite some time. I'm not sure when exactly it caught movement in the states.

[Nicklasss]

I tried probably 15 orange wines, and 1 was decent. I quit.

[marcs]

I tried probably 15 orange wines, and 1 was decent. I quit.

This has been my experience, except I quit before 15. There’s a reason why after centuries of experience winemakers decided to make red wines with skin contact and white wines without.

You can tell Jim is up in benighted Maine because if you’re in a big city and exposed to supposedly sophisticated fancy restaurant wine culture orange wines are almost unavoidable. That and natural wines are two of the big ways sommeliers try to make wine interesting without using well aged French wines the way God intended

[Nicklasss]

I tried probably 15 orange wines, and 1 was decent. I quit.

This has been my experience, except I quit before 15. There’s a reason why after centuries of experience winemakers decided to make red wines with skin contact and white wines without.

You can tell Jim is up in benighted Maine because if you’re in a big city and exposed to supposedly sophisticated fancy restaurant wine culture orange wines are almost unavoidable. That and natural wines are two of the big ways sommeliers try to make wine interesting without using well aged French wines the way God intended

You're right Marcs, i should have quited before. But i really give it a try, to understand all the fuzz about it, but not for me finally.

At the end, what i thought, is that orange wines would be the result of winemaking some onions! Almost brought tears to my eyes.

[jckba]

I had a ‘98 Gravner with a cheese course at a friends 10 years ago that was lights out and have been trying to replicate the experience but without really ever coming close.

[Claudius2]

Guys
It used to be called Amber wine - not sure why it's now called Orange instead.
I've tried a few in central Europe and a few from Australia including the well-to-do Cullen.
Yes there is a lot of skin contact and some oxidative characters and frankly I could not be bothered.

[DavidG]

Guys
It used to be called Amber wine - not sure why it's now called Orange instead.

Marketing.

[Claudius2]

Guys
It used to be called Amber wine - not sure why it's now called Orange instead.

Marketing.

Funny, I though "Amber" was a more interesting name.
Oh well. Maybe new buyers are unaware of the word.

[Tom In DC]

Gravner and Radikon are probably the two high priests. If you open the bottles and give them as much air as you might give a Barolo from the 50's or 60's, they become wonderful accompaniments to grilled fish or seafood stew.

Usually not worth what's charged here. And it seems like a terrible choice in a restaurant where it'll be popped-n-poured.

[Hm$(still)]

NE Italy makes a bunch. Lots of chaff, little to no wheat among Orange Wines. Not worth the time or expense of trying to separate them IMHO.

Hm$