Getting In Touch with Orange Wines

Orange wines are having a moment. Rosé has been the go-to wine of the summer for a handful of years, but as consumers become more and more educated about wines, they are looking to expand their horizons. While orange wines are as versatile as the reds, white, and pinks we’ve all grown to love, summer is a great time to try new things and enjoy some well-earned time off, wine included.

A History Lesson

For those not yet familiar with the world of orange wines, let’s explain the basics. These golden-hued wines are made from white grapes that stay in contact with the skins during the production process—anywhere from a mere few hours to a year. This is why you might also hear orange wine referred to as skin contact or amber wine. In comparison, white wines are made by completely removing the skins from the grapes, while red wines leave the skins on during production, resulting in higher tannin and darker-colored wines.

And even though you might have only heard about orange wines recently, the beverage dates back 8,000 years, when it was first made in the Republic of Georgia. Luckily, other countries have caught on to the refreshing wine and producers have popped up all over the world.

First of Its Kind

With more education and exposure comes more popularity, and that’s something Doreen Winkler, founder of Orange Glou, is capitalizing on. A longtime lover of orange wines and sommelier, Doreen always made it a priority to include these special wines on the lists she curated for restaurants. In 2019, she teamed up with Jack Wan to launch an orange wine subscription service. This allowed consumers to try a “a broader range of orange wines than they could easily find on their own and it was a big hit,” Doreen explained. The success of the subscription service inspired her to open a brick-and-mortar store focusing solely on orange wines right in the heart of New York City.

Finding What You Like

“There is really no comparison to other wine styles given the tremendous range within the orange category,” Doreen told us. “I encourage my customers to learn what they like so that they can look for the producers and style they expect to enjoy. It’s more about finding a store, distributor, or even a bar or restaurant you really trust rather than looking for a specific wine.”

For someone new to orange wines, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. After all, there is a huge, diverse range of options available, from tropical to savory to full-bodied to light. As Doreen wisely puts it, “There are options to fit every climate, every mood, and every type of food.”

Doreen recommends trying a variety of different orange wines to help you get a sense of what you enjoy. “This is exactly why we offer 3- and 6-bottle surprise and subscription boxes, each of which always has one sparkling and a range of still orange wines. Tastes vary and everyone should experience the range of colors, textures, structures, grapes, and wine-making methods to find the orange wines they really enjoy.”