Is it more like a red wine? Sort of, but it would be a stretch to compare them. Red wines made from red grapes, left in contact with seeds and skins, have full-bodied palates of ripe fruit, big tannins, and a variety of earthy aromas. Orange wines, also left in contact with the seeds and skins, gain color and tannins in the maceration process, but the winemaking style doesn't make white grapes taste and look like red. It is most definitely not a red wine.

Is it similar to a rosé? Not really. Rosé wines are made from red grapes, and like red wines, they spend time in contact with the seeds and skins, although it is a much shorter contact period than red wine. Time spent with seeds and skins results in just a blush of color and very light tannins. Again, not like orange wine. It is truly its own category.

A Little History of Orange Wine

First made in the Caucasus region of what is now the Eurasian country of Georgia, early winemakers developed the style around 6,000 years ago. Unearthed relics carry remnants of the casks, called Qvevri, that were used by Georgians to ferment and store wine. The casks were completely lined in beeswax and buried underground, using the stable subterranean temperatures to every advantage. Similar to amphora clay vessels, Georgians take issue when comparisons between the two arise, citing older history and distinctive technology of Qvevri compared to Roman and European amphorae. The latter was used above ground, or at most, partially buried, and smaller in size with handles, to facilitate transport. Qvevri, tucked into the soil up to the neck, are stationary vessels.

Qvevri are quite large, ranging in sizes that hold from 100 and up to 10,000 liters. Pure, unglazed terra cotta constructed in the built-coil method, the smaller qvevri are preferred for fermentation and the larger for storage. Fashioned into a shape resembling an inverse cone, the seeds and skins sink to the narrow bottom, minimizing their influence on the wine. The porous material allows the wine to breathe, introducing a very small amount of oxygen during the long, slow process of gradual fermentation that, ultimately, does not present an oxidized wine but a richly textured and colored pour unlike any other.

Modern Orange Wine Production

Not all modern orange wines are aged in underground jars or casks, although many winemakers follow the ancient winemaking style. Innovative experimentation with wood, concrete, and other materials, and additional grape varieties has developed a broad interpretation of the category still searching for its place among established wine styles.

The simplicity of orange wine, often left to its own devices without additives, holds appeal as an accompaniment to rustic, farm-to-table style menus, finding favor in surprisingly sophisticated niches. Worthy orange wines are labor intensive, and as a result, expensive with small production numbers, not expected to develop a mainstream profile soon. Having such a long history, however, and showing such versatility, this option pairs well with palates preferring old school handcrafted fare to manufactured products.