You know the deal; the more some folks learn about a topic, the more shortcuts/slang/acronyms/initials/technical jargon can be tossed around. I’m here to help you understand those sometimes mysterious words and phrases, thus – Wine Words Demystified! This week’s term is Orange Wine...
According to Ray Isle of Food & Wine magazine…
“Orange wines“—a current favorite of hipster sommeliers—are white wines that are kept at length on the grape skins as they are made. One result: their resistance to oxygen is increased, so they stay fresh longer when opened.
In other words, an “orange wine” is a white wine made applying red wine techniques. Rather than the typical white wine process of pressing the juice off the skins, the juice is allowed to macerate, like you would when you make a red wine. And instead of keeping the process sealed from oxygen, you allow the fermenting fluid to breathe.
Because the skins remain in contact with the juice during the fermentation process, the wine takes on qualities you’d normally associate with a red wine: tannins, structure and fuller body that doesn’t come from aging in oak, or high alcohol content.
The practice of making wines using this process dates back thousands of years to Eurasian wine producing countries of Armenia & Georgia. In more recent years, the epicenter for orange wine is Friuli, Italy. However, there is a nascent insurgency against the traditional method of making white wines afoot in Oregon, and California.
From what I’ve been able to discern, the most common grape used to make orange wine has been Pinot Gris, but it also being made from white Rhone varietals such as Marsanne and Roussanne. And while the wines are commonly an orange hue, they may be other colors such as a salmon. So the name orange wine has more to do with the process than the color per se.
Right now, orange wines are a niche category; mostly the province of sommeliers, and wine geeks. It will be interesting to see how far the orange wine movement will go.
I’m looking forward to trying my first orange wine soon. I won a bottle of wine from my cousin on a bet when my Forty-Niners crushed the Monsters of the Midway (Da Bears). I went with a bottle of 2011 Donkey & Goat Stone Crusher Roussanne.
Have you tried an “orange” wine? If so, what did you think?
I have tried several. It is worth pointing out that the current vogue began in Georgia, E Europe where the tradition for making wine this way never dies. They are an acquired taste, I’d say. Often quite tannic; sometimes quite oxidized (if they are “natural” wines produced without SO2). Nutty, rich, interesting… but not really stuff I want to own or drink.
Hi Robert…thanks for pointing out the E. European connection and for stopping by. I suspect the New World versions will be somewhat different, than the Old World versions. I appreciate your feedback!
With all due respect to the orange movement, my…forgive me…our 49ers mangling of the Bears deserved better than your first orange fix. I hope you are more appropriately rewarded for playoff victories. 😉
Dave…LMAO…no doubt, but my curiosity got the best of me! Thanks for stopping by! Go Niners!
I have been looking for them for the last 6-9 months. They are hard to find. Did manage to pick up a few of them, a couple of 2009 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium and the 2010 Donkey and Goat. Have to say, I agree with Robert.
Barry – thanks for the feedback. I gather you didn’t care much for the 2010 Donkey and Goat? It’s funny, while not an “orange” wine per se, I’ve enjoyed the 2001 Lopez de Heredia Rose – a Rose that was release after 10 years of aging. It has a slightly oxidative quality to it (as do other Lopez de Heredia whites), but damn good with spicy fare.
I llike to try differnt wines, that’s why my search. I find that they tend to have great aroma and bouquet, very interesting on the palate, glad I tried them, but not really crazy about going back for a second glass.
An “orange wine” from Slovenia.
Made from grapes Malvasia, Vitovska, Sauvignon, Chardonnay.
http://avvinatorebloggato.blogspot.it/2012/08/drazna-belo-06-di-cotar.html
Thanks for the comment Rinaldo. I enjoyed your description of the wine!
Interesting. I’ve heard of them but not tasted any. Kind of like a cross of red, white and sherry! Now I’m intrigued!
Thanks for stopping by Nancy…let me know if your curiosity gets the best of you and you try one. Stayed tuned because I’ll be taking the dive soon!