I was working in a wine shop a couple of months ago and on that day, spoke to at least 3 customers who would like to taste and perhaps buy ( if they liked ) a bottle or two. I asked one of the customers about her interest in this style of wine and the reply came back that Orange wines were being talked about on morning TV.
But what is orange wine and how did it get its name? I suppose that you could describe it as a white wine that is produced like many red wines. i.e.. the juice is fermented with their skins. The longer you ferment with the skins, the deeper the colour -pale to golden yellow and you will then get more flavours as well. Orange wine is a technique and not a style.
Georgia is a region that has produced orange wines for a very long time, fermenting the juice, skins and stems in clay pots that are buried under the ground. These are called “qvevris” and date back centuries.
Last week I bought a bottle of orange wine from Majestic and I must say, it was delightful. The wine was Winzer Krems “orange” Gruner Veltliner from Austria. It was golden in colour, with hints of spicyness (peppers) and then the softness of a honeyed taste but not sweet. We had it with a meal of spicy sausages and vegetables.
Looking around i noticed orange wines also from Crete, France and Georgia.
Priestly Palate 