It used to be so incredibly simple. There was red wine, there was white wine and there was rosé. Now there is a new contender to deal with as orange wine becomes increasingly popular.
The name was coined in 2004 by wine importer David Harvey due to the wine’s warm, amber colour but the wine-making technique is ancient and originates from what is now Georgia.
Orange wine is produced using white grapes but with a red-wine technique, where the juice is fermented with the skins and seeds of the grapes for weeks or even months. Which is why it’s also known as ‘skin-contact wine’.
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The resulting wine is dry and has a range of nutty, fruity and floral tones. Confusingly, white wine can be produced using red or white grapes; the difference is that the skins and seeds of the grapes aren’t used. Red wine and rosé are produced from red grapes.
Why drink orange wine?
Orange wine isn't necessarily any better than its companions, this will simply come down to a preference in taste.
Unsurprisingly, it sits somewhere in the middle between red and white. It leaves a slight grip on the tongue that you don't get with white wine and tends to be fruiter.
You'll want to pair this with spiced, fermented or earthy full-bodied foods. Because it sits somewhere between red and white, you can pair orange wine with more things.
It works great with spicy foods, aged cheeses, roast chickens, mushroom dishes and anything that has a particularly strong taste.
Main image: Getty
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