ORANGE WINE

ORANGE WINE– Wines Produced From White Grape Which are Macerated or Fermented With Their Skins.

  • Grapes That Go Through a Portion or Majority of Maceration and Fermentation On Their Skins, Creating a Deep Orange-Hued Wine. Producing White Grapes In Red Wine Method.
  • ~Etymology~ “Orange Wine” Refers to  the Orange Tint That the Wine Possesses.
  • VITICULTURE– Varieties That Work F0r Orange Wine
    • White= Chardonnay, Kisi, Malvasia, Marsanne, Muscat, Pinot Grigio, Ribola Giallo, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Viognier
  • VINICULTURE– PRACTICE– Macerated “On Skins” For Hour/ Days or Years.
    • White Wine Skin Maceration-
      • Days In Contact With Skin Pre-Fermentation.  This Period Draws Out Aromatic Compound and Terpenes. White Wine Skin Maceration is Generally Done at Lower Temperatures In a Reductive No Oxygen Environment.
    • White Wine Skin Fermentation-
      • On Skins During Fermentation, This Brings Out Tannins, Increase Texture.  White Wine Skin Fermentation is Generally Done In Oxidized Environment.  Oxidizing Your Orange Wine is a Style Choice Within a Wine Style.
    • *Generally– Slightly More Mature Skin Phenolics Are Helpful In Process.
      • Macerated In Cement or Ceramic Vessels, No Temperature Control.
      • A Natural Process With No Additives, Only Native Yeast.
      • Some of the Orange Color/ Tannin Are From Lignin In Grape Seed.
      • +AGED/ Often/ Aged to +5 Years.
      • Grapes Are Sometimes Whole Cluster, Sometimes Destemed.
    • HISTORY– 5,000 Year History
      • Caucasus(Modern-Day Georgia), Fermented In Kvevri(Large Subterranean Vessel)
        • Traditionally Vinified In Qvevri Buried In Underground Cavities, Surrounding by Sand to Give Stability, Acts as Natural Temperature Control, All Year Around.
      • Wine Wine Was Almost Exclusively Macerated and Fermented On Its Skins.
      • 1990’s @The World– Modern Resurrection of Orange Wine.
  • ORANGE WINE EVALUATION
    • OLD WORLD- Croatia–Istria,  Georgia–Kakheti,  Slovenia–Brda,  Italy–Friuli(Collio DOC.)
    • NEW WORLD- America–Sonoma(Russian River AVA.), New York(Finger Lakes AVA.)
      • Australia–South Australia(Adelaide Hills GI.), Chile–Central Valley(Colchagua DO.)
    • VITICULTURE- White Grapes Macerated/ Fermented  For Week/ Months On “Skins”.
      • Promenade Producers- Cotar, Dario Princic, Gravner, Mlecnik, Vovia, Radikon, Skerk, La Stoppa, Vodopivec, Zorjan
    • VINICULTURE- Orange Wine is a Style of Wine That Can Be Produced In Any Region.
      • Sight: Amber, Apricot, Fanta, Orange, Orangina, Peach, Yellow
      • Aroma: Nutty(Almond, Hazelnut, Macadamian), Wood Varnish, Sourdough, Ginger, Lychee, Marjoram, Saffron, Kumquat
      • Palate: Dry, Oxidative, Bruised Apple, Orange Rind, Peach, Grapefruit, +Phenolics
      • Structure: Medi Tans, Abv., Medi-Acid
        • FOOD PAIRING…Fermented Kimchi, Moroccan, Ethiopian Cuisine, Curry
        • CHEESE PAIRING…Bri

**Refer to “BIBLIOGRAPHY/ Sources” For Details On Scholarly Works Referenced.