Orange wine is one of those things people encounter and immediately want to know more about. The colour stops you: too golden for a white, too pale for a rose, and nothing like anything else on the shelf. Then you taste it and realise it occupies a world entirely its own, somewhere between white and red, with a texture and depth that neither quite achieves.
This guide covers everything you need to know: what orange wine actually is, how it is made, what it tastes like, how to choose the right bottle, and where the best orange wines come from. If you are already a convert and just want to explore what we have at Forest Wines, you can go straight to our orange wine collection. But if you want the full picture first, read on.
What is orange wine?
Orange wine is a white wine made like a red wine. That is the short version and it is the one that tends to make everything click.
In conventional white winemaking, the juice is separated from the grape skins immediately after pressing and then fermented on its own. In orange winemaking, the juice is left in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, sometimes a few days, sometimes several months. That skin contact is where everything interesting happens.
The skins give the wine its colour, which ranges from pale gold to deep burnished amber. They also contribute tannin, texture, and a whole layer of flavour compounds that you simply do not get in a conventional white. The result is a wine with more structure, more complexity, and a character that sits confidently in its own category.
Orange wine is also known as skin contact wine or amber wine. All three terms refer to the same thing: white grapes fermented with their skins. In Georgia, where the style originated, it has been called amber wine for centuries.
How is orange wine made?
The process begins with white grapes, just as it does for any white wine. What happens next is what sets orange wine apart.
Rather than pressing the grapes and discarding the skins, the winemaker leaves the juice in contact with the skins and seeds throughout fermentation. Depending on the producer and the style they are aiming for, this skin contact might last a few days or as long as a year. Longer maceration produces deeper colour, more tannin, and a more complex, sometimes drier style. Shorter maceration gives you something lighter and more approachable, closer to an unusual white than a full-on orange.
Fermentation typically happens with wild, native yeasts rather than commercial ones, and most orange wine producers work with minimal or no added sulphur. This is partly philosophy and partly practicality: the tannins from the grape skins act as a natural preservative, giving the wine a stability that conventional whites without sulphur would lack.
The wine might then be aged in clay amphorae, wooden vessels, or stainless steel, each of which brings its own influence. Georgian producers traditionally use qvevri: large clay vessels buried underground, which provide a naturally stable temperature and a subtly oxidative environment that gives Georgian amber wine its distinctive depth and character.
What does orange wine taste like?
This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is that it depends on the wine. Orange wine is not a single flavour profile. It is a method, and within that method there is enormous variation.
That said, there are some characteristics that tend to show up across the category. You will often find:
- Dried and stone fruit notes: apricot, peach, dried orange peel, sometimes quince or fig
- A nutty, savoury edge: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, sometimes a hint of oxidation
- Texture and grip: tannins give orange wine a chewiness you do not get in white wine
- Good acidity: orange wines tend to be dry and fresh, with a lively backbone
- Earthy, herbal complexity: dried herbs, tea, spice, and sometimes a slightly funky wildness
If you are coming from white wine, the tannin and texture will be the biggest surprise. If you are coming from red wine, the freshness and acidity will feel familiar but different. Most people find it somewhere between the two, which is exactly where it lives.
Lighter examples, with just a few days of skin contact, taste closer to a full-bodied white with added texture. The deeper styles, from long maceration or qvevri ageing, can be genuinely complex and age-worthy, with flavours that evolve in the glass.
Orange wine vs rose wine: what is the difference?
This comes up a lot. Both orange and rose are named after their colour, and both involve grapes sitting with their skins for a period. But they are made from different grapes and produce completely different wines.
Rose is made from red grapes with a short period of skin contact, typically just a few hours, to extract a light pink colour without too much tannin. The result is a light, fresh, often fruity wine. Orange wine is made from white grapes with an extended period of skin contact, which extracts the amber colour along with tannin, texture, and much greater complexity.
Think of it this way: rose is a red wine pulled back towards white. Orange wine is a white wine pushed forward towards red. They come from completely different directions and land in completely different places.
Where does orange wine come from?
Orange wine is ancient. The technique of fermenting white grapes with their skins dates back at least 8,000 years, and the earliest evidence comes from Georgia, in the South Caucasus. Georgian winemakers have been making amber wine in qvevri, large clay vessels buried underground, for millennia. It is a continuous tradition, not a revival, and Georgian amber wine has a depth and identity that is entirely its own.
But orange wine is made all over the world now. Here are the regions worth knowing about:
Georgia
The spiritual home of orange wine. Georgian amber wine is typically made in qvevri, with long maceration periods that produce wines of remarkable depth and tannic structure. The key grape varieties are Rkatsiteli, known for its citrus peel and stone fruit character with firm tannins, and Kisi, which tends to be more aromatic and explosive. If you want to understand what orange wine can really be, Georgian amber wine is where to start.
Italy
Italy produces some of the most varied and exciting orange wine in the world. The Friuli region in the north-east, particularly around Gorizia near the Slovenian border, is where the modern natural orange wine movement really gathered momentum in the 1990s. Producers working with Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, and Pinot Grigio set a template that spread across the country. Italian orange wine can range from light and fresh to deeply structured and complex, and it often pairs brilliantly with food.
Slovenia
Closely connected to Friuli across the border, Slovenia has a strong natural wine tradition and makes some outstanding skin contact whites. The Vipava Valley and Goriška Brda are the regions to look for. Slovenian orange wines tend to have good freshness and texture alongside their colour and depth.
France
France is not traditionally associated with orange wine, but interesting things are happening, particularly in the Loire, Alsace, the Jura, and among natural producers in the south. Producers working with indigenous varieties and low-intervention methods are producing skin contact whites that feel genuinely rooted in their places.
Austria
Austrian natural producers have embraced skin contact, particularly in Burgenland and the Wachau. The wines tend to be vibrant, citrus-forward, and full of energy, often with a lovely freshness that sets them apart from the deeper, more oxidative Georgian style.
Spain
Spain is increasingly producing excellent orange wine, with producers working with native varieties across the country. Jumilla, Navarra, and the Basque country all have producers making interesting skin contact whites that reflect their particular terroirs.
How to choose an orange wine
With so much variation in the category, the best way to choose is to think about what you want from the wine. Here are a few useful ways to narrow it down.
If you are new to orange wine
Start with a lighter example: a wine with just a few days of skin contact, a pale amber colour, and approachable fruit. You want something that introduces the texture and complexity of orange wine without going too far into tannin or oxidation. A French or Spanish skin contact wine in the £18 to £25 range is a good entry point. Our Salamandre Orange by Chateau de Saint Cyrgues is exactly this: ten days on skins, gentle and floral, with peach and stone fruit and just enough grip to intrigue you.
If you want something serious and structured
Go for a Georgian amber wine. These are the most tannic and complex orange wines made, and they reward patience. The Andrias Gvino Kisi and Andrias Gvino Rkatsiteli are brilliant examples: made in traditional qvevri with long maceration, they have a depth and intensity that asks for food and attention. Not a casual Tuesday wine, but extraordinary with the right dish.
If you want something in between
A Slovenian or Italian orange wine in the middle price range tends to hit a sweet spot: more structure and complexity than a light skin contact white, but more approachable than a full Georgian amber. Our Bela Vipava White from Burja in Slovenia is a great example: floral and tropical on the nose, with good texture and that lively streak of acidity that keeps you going back.
If you want something a bit unusual
Orange wine is made all over the world now, and some of the most interesting bottles come from unexpected places. Our Balido from Other World Wine in Uruguay is a brilliant example: Trebbiano with Petit Manseng skins, 90 days of maceration, and a mineral, tea-leaf finish that feels completely its own.
Our orange wine picks at Forest Wines
We have a carefully chosen selection of orange wines at Forest Wines, ranging from gentle entry-level bottles to serious Georgian amber wine. Here are some of our favourites right now.
Salamandre Orange, Chateau de Saint Cyrgues
Southern Rhone, France | Grenache Blanc | Organic | £17.00
A great entry point. Ten days on skins gives you peach, citrus zest and orange blossom on the nose, with juicy stone fruit and a gentle tannic grip on the palate. Finishing dry and gently savoury, this is the orange wine to start with. Brilliant with mezze, grilled halloumi or roasted squash.
Suelo Vivo Blanco, Azul y Garanza
Navarra, Spain | Garnacha Blanca | Organic, Vegan | £20.00
A great introduction to skin contact wine. Ripe apple, refreshing citrus and a touch of honey on the nose; creamy and textural on the palate with tropical fruit and just over a week of skin contact to add interest without overwhelming. Easy to love, hard to put down.
Parajes del Valle Macabeo Maceracion
Jumilla, Spain | Macabeo | Organic, Natural, Vegan | £20.00
Tangerine, melon and nutty notes lifted by fresh citrus, with a waxy texture and a Campari-like bitterness in the finish. Vibrant and versatile, this works beautifully with a range of dishes and gives you a real feel for what Spanish skin contact wine can be.
Burgenland, Austria | Chardonnay, Weissburgunder, Roter Traminer | Biodynamic, Vegan | £22.00
Two weeks on the skins and 18 months in amphora and oak give this a gentle structure and a burst of blood orange and citrus. Low intervention from a family who have been farming biodynamically for decades. Brilliant with seafood, sushi or a creamy risotto.
Y'a Plus Qu'a, Domaine Kumpf et Meyer
Alsace, France | Sylvaner, Auxerrois | Organic, Natural | £24.00
Untamed Sylvaner and Auxerrois from organic Alsatian vineyards, given skin contact to add depth and texture. Big florals and herby aromas lead to tropical fruit, orange peel and wet stone on the palate. Fresh acidity and good tension. The kind of wine that makes you reconsider your assumptions about Alsace.
Kakheti, Georgia | Rkatsiteli | Organic, Natural, Low Sulphite, Vegan | £29.00
Seven days on skins, then a year aged in qvevri without skins or stems. Stone fruit, dried apricots, citrus peel and herbal notes on the nose; a structured, mineral-driven palate with stunning depth and a refined precision. The classic Kakhetian amber wine, more approachable than most but still unmistakably serious.
How to serve orange wine
A few simple things will help you get the best from any orange wine.
- Temperature: serve cool, not cold. Between 12 and 16 degrees is usually right. Cold temperatures amplify tannin and mute complexity, which is the opposite of what you want. If you have chilled it too much, let it warm in the glass for a few minutes.
- Glassware: a larger glass helps. More surface area means more aroma, and orange wine has a lot of aroma worth getting.
- Decanting: lighter orange wines are fine straight from the bottle. More serious, tannic examples, especially Georgian amber wines, can benefit from fifteen to thirty minutes in a decanter.
- Food: orange wine is one of the most food-friendly styles in the world. It works with dishes that challenge lighter whites: spiced food, fermented ingredients, strong cheeses, rich fish, grilled vegetables and mezze all sing alongside a good orange wine.
Is orange wine natural wine?
Often, but not always. There is significant overlap between orange wine and the natural wine movement. Many orange wine producers work organically or biodynamically, ferment with wild yeasts, use minimal or no sulphur, and avoid fining and filtration. The extended skin contact that defines orange wine is itself a low-intervention technique.
But orange wine is a style defined by method, not philosophy. You can make an orange wine with added yeasts and sulphur and call it skin contact white. The wines we stock at Forest Wines tend to sit firmly in the natural camp: organic farming, wild yeasts, minimal additions, and a genuine commitment to expressing where and how the grapes were grown.
Ready to explore?
We stock a wide range of orange wines at Forest Wines, from gentle entry-level skin contact whites to serious Georgian amber wines aged in qvevri. Whether you are trying orange wine for the first time or looking for something new to add to a collection, we can help you find the right bottle.
Browse our full orange wine collection on the website, or come in to the shop and ask us. We are in Walthamstow and we love talking about this stuff.
You might also want to read our guide to pairing orange wine with food if you want ideas for what to open a bottle alongside.
