Orange wine is a play on words. The fact is that in English orange means “orange color” and “orange”, so you might think that the drink is made from citrus fruits. In fact, technically, this is almost an ordinary white wine, just after kneading the berries, the winemaker does not immediately separate the skin, pulp and seeds, the juice ferments along with them, due to which the drink acquires a rich orange hue. This wine is combined with almost any appetizers, while having a complex bouquet and unusual aroma.
Technology
Grapes of white varieties are pressed and left to ferment with all the seeds and skins for a period of four days to several months. Other additives are not required, some winemakers do not even use cultured yeast strains and do not control the fermentation temperature, all processes take place naturally.
Simply put, this is a white wine made using red technology. The result is a sour drink with distinct nutty notes, very different in taste from classic white counterparts.
History
The term “orange wine” was coined by British wine importer David Narvey in 2004. This is not an official name, so some winemakers call such products “amber wine”, others generally question the need to separate this wine into a separate category. There is also the term “red wine” (Ramato, Italian), but it refers mainly to the Italian orange wine from the Pinot Grigio variety.
However, the style itself is by no means new: in Eastern Europe, white wine has been macerated (fermented with skins and seeds) since time immemorial, and in Georgia it has been like this for thousands of years – thanks to tannins, it was stored longer.
Mentions of orange wine can be found in Slovenian literature of the 24th century, but the fundamental development of the style began only at the very end of the XNUMXth century, when winemakers began to look for ways to “squeeze the maximum out of berries” in every sense. The maceration period has increased from the XNUMX days prescribed by old recipes to several months; it has been empirically found that the most delicious wine is obtained from varieties with a dense and fragrant skin.
Today, the best orange wine is produced in Georgia, Italy and Slovenia, in other countries the style has not taken root so far.
Opinions and characteristics
The unusual color scares consumers and critics alike. Many believe that the orange color indicates increased oxidation, and prolonged contact of the liquid with the skins spoils the taste of the drink. However, with the observance of technology, all fears are in vain. Some sommeliers, on the other hand, claim that the style is very pleasant, balanced, fresh, slightly tannic.
Fruit tones, nuances of honey, breadfruit, nuts, juniper, dried fruits, etc. are felt in the taste of orange wine. The drink slightly resembles fruit beer, but is much stronger – in terms of alcohol content, it is closer to red than to white samples.
Famous brands
The most famous producers of orange wine: Gravner (Italy), Radikon (Italy), Lagvinari (Georgia), Skerk (Italy), Weingut Muster (Austria), Klinec (Slovenia), Movia (Slovenia), Tbilvino (Georgia), Salinia (USA) ), Red Hook Winery (USA), Jean-Yves Peron (France), Testalonga (South Africa).
How to drink orange wine
Orange wine is not drunk young, the best examples are aged up to 7 years. The drink is cooled to + 10-15 ° C and served with curry, meat, lean fish.
It is also noted that orange wine goes well with Korean and even Ethiopian cuisine, but is rather “heavy”, so it is not suitable as an aperitif.
