Orange wine: what are they and what do they taste like?

The type of orange wine is essentially identified by the particular orange color , due to the transfer of the pigments of the skins into the grape must. The polyphenols present on the skins of white grapes are flavones, leucoanthocyanins and catechins, present in different ways depending on the variety , degree of ripeness , territory and vintage . For this reason the particular orange color, due to the prolonged contact of the skins in the must , can depend on all these factors, as well as, obviously, on the contact time . Generally, the longer the maceration period, the more the white wine will tend to take on an orange colour, but this is not always true: many producers have testified that the skins of some varieties, after having transferred all the aromatic substances and polyphenols to the must, tend to partly reabsorb them.

Simplifying, we can talk about white wines vinified in red , with long macerations on the skins, which can last from a few days up to several months. This production technique dates back to the origins of viticulture and has remained active and constant only in Georgia . In the rest of the world, however, the custom of maceration on the skins had been lost since modern technologies made it possible to quickly separate the must from the skins, in order to obtain white wines of great cleanliness and stylistic clarity .

In Italy this tradition was maintained only in some regions such as Friuli , Emilia and Liguria , in small farmers' production. Starting from the 1990s, a group of winemakers from Oslavia, a small hamlet in the Collio Goriziano , trying to best express a difficult grape variety like Ribolla Gialla, revitalized with great success the practice of maceration on the skins: "maceration gave us great satisfactions. So much so that with each new harvest we increased the contact time between the skins and the must".

The best orange wines are characterized by great aromatic richness , a light volatile acidity and intense aromas of yellow fruit, candied fruit, aromatic herbs and much more, depending on the grape variety used. On the palate they often reveal concentration and intensity, but also momentum, freshness and flavor.

Orange wine: pairings and production

Today orange wines are produced throughout Europe and in all regions of Italy, especially in Sicily, Tuscany and Emilia, where many producers have never forgotten the ancient peasant traditions and have always continued to macerate the Malvasia di Candia, producing iconic labels such as Ageno from the La Stoppa winery and Denavolino.

Orange wines represent, for many enthusiasts, the truest and most traditional face of viticulture. For their production it is in fact necessary that the grapes are healthy , in perfect shape and that they have been grown without abusing pesticides or synthetic chemicals. During the winemaking phase, the presence of polyphenols in the must makes it richer and more resistant, making correction interventions unnecessary. To preserve the most authentic and integral soul of the products, the producers avoid using additives and carrying out filtrations, strongly limiting the use of sulphites and resorting to spontaneous fermentations.

It is therefore not always easy to pair an orange wine with food. The best expressions can in fact be considered for meditation , but they have also proven to accompany rich and structured dishes based on red meat, game and cheeses . Our advice is to pair the lighter, Mediterranean orange wines with tasty first courses or vegetable-based preparations; while the more intense, rich and structured ones include red meats, blue or very mature cheeses.

The best orange wines: producers and prices

These producers are today considered masters and points of reference when it comes to Orange Wine:

• Radikon, a great producer in the Collio area and a point of reference for the typology
• Gravner, master and colossus of the Oslavia area and in the use of amphorae
• Dario Princic, an artisanal winery that produces true liquid witnesses of the Collio
• La Castellada, a renowned company capable of producing territorial expressions with natural methods.

Throughout the Italian and Slovenian Collio, as well as in the Karst, new generations of producers have followed their example, achieving great results; among these stand out: Podversic , Paraschos , Zidarich , Terpin , Klinec , Skerk , Movia and many other small artisans.

Starting from the example offered by these Friulian and Slovenian winemakers, the peasant practice of maceration of white grapes has been rediscovered throughout Europe by new generations of winemakers.

Buy orange wines for sale online on Callmewine now and on offer at the best price. On Callmewine you can find a vast selection of producers and orange wines from all over the world. They start from tens of euros up to significant figures for the most legendary expressions of the Collio. Discover now many bottles selected for you by our sommeliers.