Orange Wine: Ancient Style, Modern Buzz

Every year on 6th October, wine lovers around the globe raise a glass to celebrate International Orange Wine Day. But what exactly is orange wine – and no, it’s not made with oranges (though wouldn’t that make breakfast more exciting?).

What Is Orange Wine?

Orange wine is made with white grapes but produced like a red wine. In usual white wine making the grapes are crushed and pressed, leaving only the juice to ferment into wine and discarding the skins. In orange wine production, the juice remains in contact with their skins for days, weeks, or even months. This process extracts colour, texture, and flavour. In red wines this gives a deep ruby colour from the ripe red skins, in orange wine the colour of the ripened grapes is a yellow-gold, giving the wine its distinctive orange colour. 

How Does It Taste?

Classic tasting notes for orange wine often include dried apricot, honey, hazelnut, and tea-like tannins. The texture is more robust than most white wines, with a slight grip on the palate that makes it especially food-friendly. Depending on the grape and region, flavours can range from zesty citrus and stone fruit to spice, herbs, and savoury earthiness.

Where It All Began

This isn’t some new kind of trend. Orange wine has roots going back thousands of years, with evidence of skin-contact winemaking in Georgia as early as 6,000 BC. In fact, the traditional Georgian clay fermenting jars called qvevri are still used today. The style spread through Eastern Europe and has only recently been rediscovered and embraced by winemakers worldwide.

Why It’s Popular Today

So why are people talking about orange wine now? A few reasons:

• Food pairing versatility – the balance of freshness and structure makes it perfect with everything from roasted vegetables to rich curries.

• Curiosity – adventurous wine drinkers love exploring styles that sit outside the usual white/red/rosé spectrum.

• Natural wine movement – many orange wines come from artisanal producers with sustainable and low-intervention practices, something increasingly valued by today’s consumers.

Join the Celebration

This International Orange Wine Day, consider opening a bottle and discovering why this ancient style feels so refreshingly modern. Whether you’re new to the idea or already a fan, orange wine is a wonderful reminder of how diverse, innovative, and downright delicious the world of wine can be.