Orange wine: the new old wine colour

There is something special about orange wines that makes them a fascinating choice at any time of year. They combine in a unique way the refreshing qualities of white wines with the structure of red wines. The intense colour that a glass of orange wine displays can brighten any moment and create a soothing atmosphere. In recent years, these wines have conquered a steadily growing following, even amongst the most sceptical and traditional wine lovers. Let us delve deeper into this special type of wine that unites wine cultures and traditions. Perhaps along the way we will discover more about the appeal of these remarkable wines…

The Origins of Orange Wine

The name „Orange Wine“ was first used in 2004 by wine merchant David Harvey when tasting some of them in Italy. He may have named them, but he neither invented them, nor was Italy their place of origin…

First, how do we make orange wine? The deep, intense colour is created through prolonged contact with the skins during maceration of white grapes. We basically use the same system as in red wine production, but with white grapes. The juice can typically remain in contact with the skins (and sometimes also with the seeds and even stems of the grapes) for anywhere from a week to a year. This variation determines not only the intensity of the colour (due to the pigments), but also the extracted substances: more or less intense aromas and subtle or grainy tannins.

Another important part of the process of making orange wines is the vessel in which they macerate (and eventually mature): Probably the most well-known is the Qvevri, a type of large amphora, often buried in the ground. (You can read more about amphorae here.) Winemakers can, however, also use wooden barrels, stainless steel tanks, concrete or glass vessels… In most cases they prefer containers with an open side, so that they can regularly push down the skins floating on the surface of the must and thus prevent microbial problems.

Georgia: The Home of Orange Wine

Now that we have already mentioned the Qvevri, it is time to travel to the region that is widely recognised as the home of orange wines: Georgia. I can never emphasise enough how closely wine is connected to social and political change, and the wine history of Georgia is the perfect example. The production of wine in the region, in which grapes, skins and seeds ferment together in buried Qvevris for nine months, has been known since at least 6,000 BC. The first threat to this magnificent tradition came from German immigrants who brought the „European“ winemaking style in the 19th century.

In many places, Qvevris were replaced by wooden barrels and the classic skin contact with white grapes was abandoned. What nearly wiped out Georgia’s wine heritage, however, was the rule of the Soviet Union in the 20th century. The industrialisation of every winemaking process to meet consumer demand favoured quantity over quality. Very little of Georgia’s traditional winemaking remained. Fortunately, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some foreigners discovered a few producers who were still using the traditional method.

This was the beginning of a movement that made another region with a very complicated history into a kind of „second home“ for orange wines: Friuli, specifically the area known as Collio, and its „cousin“ Goriška Brda on the Slovenian side. It would take another newsletter just to talk about the number of producers from this region and how they have influenced modern orange wine production. To name just two, Joško Gravner and Stanko Radikon will probably always be remembered for their contribution. Gravner and Radikon brought Georgian amphorae to Friuli and became the new prophets of skin-fermented white wines.

Let’s go orange!

Orange wines are now being produced in many regions beyond their countries of origin, Georgia and Northern Italy. Here at Living Wines, we have selected two very different estates in style and result from Sicily and Austria. They will show you how this ancient technique has evolved over time.

Marco de Bartoli, Sicily

Marco de Bartoli is a name that comes up frequently not only in this newsletter, but generally in any discussion about Sicilian wine. Try a glass of his iconic Vecchio Samperi at the end of your meal or perhaps an aperitif with his lightly oxidised Terzavia Cuvée VS and you will immediately understand why we love him so much!

But today we are interested in his Integer Grillo Sicilia, one of two orange wines produced by the estate. „Integer“ is the Latin word for „whole“, „untouched“ and perfectly reflects the philosophy behind this wine. The Integer Grillo Sicilia DOC is made only from Grillo, an indigenous Sicilian variety from the Contrada Samperi, a vineyard site over 20 years old just outside Marsala. The field is treated with minimal intervention and the same applies in the cellar: spontaneous fermentation in contact with the skins in used barrels and amphorae and bottling after ten months on fine lees without filtration or fining.

The result is a wonderful introduction to the world of orange wines. The citrus notes typical of Grillo are followed by dried orange peel and fine oxidative notes. On the palate, the polished tannins from skin contact emerge and create the texture for (once again) some fresh citrus notes, pleasant bitterness and a pronounced saline character.

We recommend drinking it between 13° and 16°, paired with full-flavoured cuisine.

Heinrich, Burgenland

Let’s head to Austria: Heinrich is quite a well-known name in the natural wine movement and an estate that has shaken up the Austrian wine world.

„Shaking things up“ is also what they propose with their Muskat Freyheit… it’s written on the back of the bottle, you can easily check it! A completely different example of orange wine, somehow at the other end of the spectrum from Integer Grillo. The Muskat Freyheit presents itself in the glass with a radiant, cloudy yellow. The colour is partly due to 15 days of skin contact and partly due to the decision to bottle it unfiltered (shaking the wine will move the sediments and create a more balanced experience across the entire bottle). Between maceration and bottling, the wine spends nine months in the amphora.

The vineyards are managed according to biodynamic principles and the grapes are hand-harvested. Similar to de Bartoli, we see the commitment to minimal intervention in every aspect of the process.

In this case, the subtle tannin structure resulting from skin contact complements the fresh and perfectly integrated acidity ideally. If the nose is a wonderful bouquet of white flowers (jasmine, linden, orchid…), the palate reveals a clean, fresh wine with a long-lasting finish of citrus and spice notes. Be creative with your food pairing, this is a wine that tolerates experimental cuisine!

Enjoy discovering this exciting new old wine colour.

Here you will find the complete Orange Wine range

by Living Wines

Text: Jonathan Gobbi
Photo Credits:
Matassa bottle: Mitya Taits
Shavnabada Monastery: By Paata Vardanashvili from Tbilisi, Georgia – Shavnabada, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3239201
Gernot Heinrich: Weingut Heinrich