Domaine Des Mathouans Mine De Rien
Some wines just have that intangible drinkability factor. And this one from France’s Roussillon region qualifies. For it, Muscat a Petit Grains gets the whole-bunch treatment, with a semi-carbonic maceration lasting about 20 days.
The result is an utterly joyful expression of grapiness and all things aromatic, with the merest hint of barnyard rusticity that says “don’t take me seriouslyjust drink and be happy.” It’s a total smoothie when it comes to texture, but in terms of body and depth is a different beast to a standard non-skin fermented Muscat.
And as for the namemine de rienit means “no BS.” Indeed.
Best Overall: Cos Pithos Bianco
Courtesy of Vivino
Region: Sicily, Italy | ABV: 11.5% | Tasting Notes: Apricots, Yellow raisins, Mandarin
Produced in the heart of the Cerasuolo di Vittoria appellation of Italy, COS wines have become some of the most beloved natural wines across the United States. Crafted at the hands of Giusto Occhipinti, one of the most influential winemakers in all of Italy, this varietal skin-contact Grecanico jumps with juicy flavors of apricots, yellow raisins, and mandarin. For those looking for a fresh, easy-drinking expression of orange wine, check out this delicious bottle. Made with organic/biodynamic fruit, native yeasts, and 30+ days of skin contact.
I enjoy orange wines as often as possible, with as many friends as allowed, says Eric Plambeck, co-owner of , a bar in Williamsburg. Plambeck also affirms his disdain for the idea of the seasonality of wine. I drink rosé in the winter and bubbles any chance I get, he says, noting that with regards to food, orange wines pair well with basically everything. I dare to say orange wine almost always has acid or tannin, so it goes well with almost anything. Youll see the same bottle popped at Wus and a BYOB Italian joint.
Buy Georgian Orange Wine
In our assortment you can buy different Georgian orange wines. Not illogical, because Georgia is increasingly being rediscovered as a wine country. The thousand-year-old wine traditions provide the Georgian orange wines with the necessary shine. It is therefore the perfect wine to serve at a drink or as a promotional gift. It is a real surprise for wine lovers, but you can also serve these wines during an evening with friends.
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Why Is It Trendy Now
Khorramnejed believes that the recent trendiness of orange wine is no different from fashion trends: They say fashion always repeats itself, and its the same with wine. Every time we go back to our roots or traditions, we find old things that seem new to us.
Another explanation for orange wines recent popularity is the wines connection with eat local and organic food movements. MacLean attributes orange wines trendiness to interest in all things authentic or natural. People are like, dont interfere with my wine and food! I want it in its most original, pristine, pure state, she says.
Food Pairing With Orange Wines
Orange wine paired with food at Klinec in Gorika Brda, Slovenia
Because of their boldness, Orange wines pair well with equally bold foods, including curry dishes, Moroccan cuisine, Ethiopian cuisine , Korean dishes with fermented kimchi , and traditional Japanese cuisine, including fermented soybeans . Due to the high phenolic content and the nutty tartness they exhibit, orange wines pair with a wide variety of meats, ranging from beef to fish.
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The Orange Wine Guide: 10 Sommeliers And Experts Pick Their Favorite Autumnal Bottles
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Fall is here, and with it, an inclination towards orange wine. If refreshing rosé is the drink of the summer, and full-bodied red goes with winter, the amber-hued alcohol is the perfect sipping companion for shoulder season as the temperature idly drops along with the leaves.
A quick breakdown: orange wine, also known as skin-contact wine, is crafted from white wine grapes whose skins are left on for longer during the maceration part of vinification. As a result, the juice absorbs their color, and the beverage morphs into a marmalade shade.
This process also contributes to orange wines taste: The fermentation on the skins is used to give texture, tannin and oomph to white wine, explains Tamy Rofe, partner and sommelier of Colonia Verde and Disco Tacos.
This skin-on technique has been around for many thousands of years, especially in its birthplace of Georgia. However, it recently gained traction in the United States around 2016, coinciding with the natural wine movement. Four years later, it has popped up in liquor stores and restaurants from Portland to Brooklyn. Its time to taste white wines that are electric and expressive, says Rofe.
Below, their picks.
How Do I Drink Orange Wine What Do I Pair With It
According to Nicole Campbell and Krista Oben, who host natural wine education events in Toronto as the Grape Witches, orange wine is best when you serve it a bit less cold than you would a typical white wine. Theres no need for an ice bucket. The warmer it is the more of its personality will come through.
Orange wine has the acidity of a white wine with the body and structure of a red wine, which means it pairs well with a wide range of foods. Campbell and Oben suggest pairing orange wine with strong flavours. Often, orange wine is made from aromatic grape varieties like Muscat and Gewürztraminer these have sweet smells and flavours, but are bone dry and savoury. This super-special combination makes them amazing with any spicy food.
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The Origins Of Orange Wine
Its easy to dismiss orange wine as a fad, but these wines find their roots in ancient techniques. The origins of orange wine date back thousands of years to regions in current-day Georgia. In this area, wines were fermented inside qvevri, or large clay anfora used for aging wines. In fact, some winemakers still use these terra cotta containers today.
Modern-day orange wine-making has seen a resurgence in the last 20 years, led by a handful of Italian producers who have embraced a return to these ancient and traditional winemaking practices. Although still quite niche, orange wines are becoming more and more popular and sought-after throughout Europe and the U.S. And yes, you can find a selection of Italian orange wines at your local Eataly!
About Orange Wine In Slovenia
Orange wines in Slovenia are mostly grown in the Primorska wine region. Orange is the fourth color of wine, however, dont mistake the orange wine with rosé. Orange wines are also not made of oranges, which is a common misconception when it comes to this variety of top Slovenian wine.
Orange wines in Slovenia are actually made through a special process. Orange wines in Slovenia are a mixture of white wine made through a process that is intended for red wines. Interesting, right? In Slovenia, orange winemakers use this old process of producing white wines through the process for red wines, which has later spread across the world and gained much popularity among wine experts and wine enthusiasts alike.
The main feature of orange wine in Slovenia is maceration or prolonged contact with grape skins. Winemakers in Slovenia decide on different maceration times for the orange wine depending on the type of grape as well as the wine production philosophy. Thus, maceration time for orange wines in Slovenia can be either short or very long .
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Gut Oggau Theodora Weiss 2020
Les Vin Pirouettes is a project by the pioneering biodynamic winemaker Christian Binner. It operates a bit like a record label, with Binner releasing affordable and approachable wines from like-minded Alsatian winemakers, made from their own grapes, exactly as they want them made. This “Bullette” is an orange of 100% Riesling that’s mild, easy, and lovable, with flavors of juicy nectarine, peach fuzz, and apple cider. -Rafa García Febles, sommelier and beverage director atBar BlondeauandLe Crocodile
Deovlet Wines Pinot Grigio Ramato This Time Tomorrow
Edna Valley, where Ryan Deovlet sources the grapes for this wine, is a very warm part of southern California. Yet he found a few tricks up his sleeve to ensure that this first vintage of his ramato remains lively. And with winemaking experience culled from time spent in Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, Deovlet is no stranger to challenging climates.
Part whole-cluster fermented and part fermented in sandstone amphoras, with a whopping eight months of skin contact, this wine gets its charming hue from Pinot Grigio‘s innately pink skins, along with aromas of rhubarb and redcurrant. And the texture is silky smooth and elegant.
Ramato refers originally to an old Venetian wine style, where Pinot Grigio was lightly skin fermented for 24-48 hours . Deovlet was partially inspired to make this wine after reading a book about orange wine entitled Amber Revolution, written by some fellow by the name of Simon J. Woolf .
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Is Greek Wine Strong
Like any other wine-producing country, Greece is home to a wide range of wines, some of which are stronger than others. But in general, Greek wines are no more powerful than the wines of any other major wine-producing nation. This is true whether youre talking about Greek white wine or Greek red wine.
Orange Wine Tasting And Food Pairing
The Slovenian sommeliers serve orange wines slightly warmer than a classic white, and slightly cooler than a red. Slovenian sommeliers say the best temperature for drinking orange wines is around 12ºC. Its also perfectly acceptable to drink orange wines in Slovenia slightly cooler, around 10ºC degrees if its hot outside and you want them to be very refreshing.
Orange wines in Slovenia have often been described as robust and bold, with honeyed aromas of jackfruit, hazelnut, bruised apple, wood varnish, linseed oil, juniper, sourdough, and dried orange rind. On the palate, orange wines in Slovenia are big, dry, and even have tannin like a red wine with a sourness similar to fruit beer.
Because of their boldness, orange wines pair excellently well with equally bold foods, including curry dishes, Moroccan cuisine, Ethiopian cuisine, Korean dishes with fermented kimchi, and traditional Japanese cuisine.
Due to the high phenolic content and the nutty tartness they exhibit, orange wines pair with a wide variety of meats, ranging from beef to fish. Orange wines can also be paired with more traditional meals of the surrounding region.
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The Best Orange Wines For 2021 Are:
- Best overall Bodegas Moraza Rioja viura moraza 4 caminos 2018, 11%: £24, Buonvino.co.uk
- Best with pizza Calcarius orange Puglia 2020, 11%: £23.00, Juicedwines.co.uk
- Best for BBQ Winzer Krems orange gruner veltliner 2019, 13%: £10.99, Majestic.co.uk
- Best with spicy dishes Sicus a wine work orange, 11%: £13.77,
- Best with seafood La Maceration du Soula blanc no 19, 13%: £35, Fortnumandmason.com
- Best for casual drinks Rigal vin orange, 12%: £10, Groceries.morrisons.com
- Best English wine Litmus orange bacchus 2020, 12.5%: £14.99, Grapebritannia.co.uk
- Best for drinks on the patio Lambert Spielmann this is muska, 12.5%: £33, Lowintervention.com
- Best vegan wine Macerao naranjo orange, 13.5%: £8.99, Waitrose.com
What Is Orange Wine
Ardor Natural Wine
Orange wine is a pretty umbrella term for wines that are made with the skins still on the grapes, leaving them with a hue that appears orange or amber. Owner Molly Ringe of Mollys Bottle Shop defines the style for us a little further:
Rosé is red grapes with small skin contact. White wine is made with no skin contact they crush it and then take the skins away to make the wine. Orange wine is the same as Rosé but with white grapes. You take them and crush them with the skins on and let them stay with the juice, and now you have orange wine.
There is no set amount of time that the grapes must come in to contact with the skins, which is why some bottles that fall into the orange category actually carry more of a pale yellow shade like white wine, or at times a more pink shade similar to a Rosé.
While many people distinguish orange wines due to the skin contact, that shouldnt be the only signifier. I dont like the term skin contact to describe orange wine because orange wines arent the only wines made with skin contact, Martinez says. Any wine with color is a skin contact wine, any wine without color is not a skin contact wine. So, while you might see skin contact on a wine list as its own category, it doesnt mean all of the wines are orange. They also might be Rosé or red wines, depending on how long the skin remained in contact.
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Orange Wine Festival In Slovenia
Orange wines are still rare, but many countries like Slovenia have a growing interest in this natural winemaking style. The popularity of orange wines in Slovenia has rapidly grown over the last couple of years, hence there is a whole festival dedicated to this variety of top Slovenian wine.
This year the Orange Wine Festival will be held in Izola ob October 24, 2020. Learn more about the festival here.
Eight Orange Wines To Look For
Yetti and the Kokonut 2018 Mt Savagnin $35, 93 points. This is a positively fun minimal-intervention wine made from Savagnin, the Jura variety often made into vin jaune. This expression of the variety receives five days of skin contact and large helpings of Aussie sunshine. Its vibrant buttercup in color, and aromas of pineapple, orange, honeyed nuts, hay and beeswax rush from the glass and then onto the palate, where a viscous texture is lifted by crystalline acidity. Savory and mineral, this would be a top pairing with autumnal dishes like chestnut soup or risotto. That said, its totally delicious on its own. Vine Street Imports. Editors Choice. Christina Pickard
Tenuta Fontana 2017 Vigneti ad Alberata $33, 91 points. Nearly amber colored, this unusual but compelling wine initially has a shy nose that eventually shows dried sage, dried yellow stone fruit, citrus and flinty mineral. Vinified and aged in amphora, the smooth, almost syrupy palate also has a surprising weightless quality, offering dried apricot, mature orange zest and tangy oyster shell alongside fresh acidity. It closes on a hazelnut note. While its not for everyone, fans of orange wine will be impressed. Wine Twist. Kerin OKeefe
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So Which Bottles Should We Try
Now that you know all about what orange wine is and is not, its time to taste. Weve selected a handful of bottles to help you explore the range of what orange wine can be. Pick up a few and distinguish what you like about each and what doesnt suit your fancy as well.
We have this educational opportunity in the shop to say Hey, lets just try them, and we can find what people like because so many are very different and thats the value of orange wine.
No matter what, get to know your wine shop, Ringe adds. Be honest with them, tell them what you did and didnt like.
With the openmindedness and eagerness to learn and explore new things in the West, were at an advantage to learn, taste, and explore natural wine at the height of its rise in popularity. So if you sip something and are not a fan, dont write off orange wine altogether. Let your local shop or bartender know what you didnt like about it, and try something at the other end of the spectrum.
Here are a few orange wines to whet your palate:
Scribe Skin Fermented Chardonnay Carneros 2019
I am truly impressed how a small family-owned tiny farm can produce wines that speak of a sense of place much more than some of the most heralded wines from other well-known regions. Here is a clear snapshot of what Croatia can do with some with these indigenous varieties, truly suited to this growing environment. It is natural, uncomplicated, raw, and expressive with dozens of aromatic layers and delicate textures. A lovely orange wine. -AJ Ojeda-Pons, sommelier atTemperance Wine Bar
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How Is Orange Wine Made
In modern winemaking, to make fresh white wine, pale-skinned grapes need to be pressed immediately after harvest so that the juice can ferment free from the skins and seeds. In ancient winemaking they didnt have presses or other fancy winery equipment so made use of the tools at handmainly just vats for fermenting. This skin-contact style dates back to the 6th millennium BC in what is modern day Georgia . At that time, they fermented ripe white grapes together with their skins, seeds and stems in a clay amphora, called a qvevri, which were sealed and buried in underground vessels for 5-6 months.
Origin Of Orange Wine
Orange wines are mostly produced in the wine regions of Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia. Wine producers in the mentioned countries all use the old process, which results in orange wine. However, the origin of Orange wine is in Georgia. There the production of orange wines represents a long tradition. The orange wine production goes on in so-called kvevris clay amphoras buried in soil, where the orange wine is kept in contact with grape skins for a long time after fermentation.
Orange wine in Slovenia originated in the valley of the Vipava and Karst wine region. Many Slovenian wine producers located in Slovenian Istria have also started to produce the orange wines. Today, many winemakers produce orange wines in all three of our wine-growing regions . Among the orange pioneers are certainly the Slovenians in Italy Joko Gravner and Stanislav Radikon, Aleks Klinec, and Valter Mlenik from the Vipava valley. There are around 60 orange wine producers in Slovenia at the moment.
Originally Slovenian winemakers started to professionally produce orange wines in the 90s when they gained more traction around the world.
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