Collection: Orange Wine | Skin-Contact White Wine

Discover Orange Wine - Skin-Contact White Wine

Explore our captivating collection of orange wine, the ancient winemaking style experiencing a modern renaissance. Despite the name, orange wine isn't made from oranges—it's white wine made like red wine, with extended skin contact that gives the wine its distinctive amber, orange, or copper hue. These textural, complex wines offer a unique drinking experience that bridges the gap between white and red wines.

What is Orange Wine?

Orange wine is created by fermenting white grape varieties with their skins, seeds, and sometimes stems for an extended period—from days to months. This ancient technique, dating back thousands of years to Georgia and northeastern Italy, extracts tannins, colour, and complex flavours from the grape skins. The result is a wine with amber to deep orange colour, grippy tannins, and oxidative characteristics that set it apart from conventional white wines.

European Orange Wine

Experience authentic orange wine from traditional European producers, including Cramele Recas Solara Orange Naturel Wine from Romania. This organic, vegan, and preservative-free expression showcases the natural winemaking philosophy behind orange wine, delivering complex flavours of dried apricot, honey, nuts, and tea with distinctive tannic structure.

Flavour Profile & Characteristics

Orange wines typically offer complex aromatics including dried stone fruits, orange peel, nuts, honey, hay, and floral notes. On the palate, expect textural richness, moderate to firm tannins, and flavours ranging from apricot and quince to tea, spice, and oxidative notes. The extended skin contact creates wines with remarkable depth and ageing potential.

Natural & Organic Winemaking

Many orange wines embrace natural winemaking principles, using organic or biodynamic viticulture, native yeast fermentation, minimal intervention, and little to no added sulphites. This philosophy aligns with the ancient origins of the style, producing wines that express pure terroir and grape character.

Food Pairing Excellence

Orange wine's unique structure makes it exceptionally versatile with food. The tannins and texture allow it to pair with dishes typically reserved for red wine, whilst the acidity and fruit character complement white wine pairings. Try orange wine with Middle Eastern cuisine, Moroccan tagines, roasted vegetables, aged cheeses, charcuterie, fried foods, rich fish dishes like salmon, and spicy Asian cuisine.

Serving Orange Wine

Serve orange wine slightly cooler than room temperature (12-15°C) to appreciate its complex aromatics and textural qualities. These wines benefit from decanting or generous aeration, which helps soften tannins and reveal their full aromatic complexity. Orange wines often improve with age, developing greater harmony and tertiary characteristics.

The Orange Wine Movement

Orange wine has become a favourite amongst natural wine enthusiasts, adventurous sommeliers, and wine lovers seeking something beyond conventional styles. These wines celebrate ancient traditions whilst appealing to modern palates looking for authenticity, complexity, and distinctive character.

Browse our orange wine collection today and enjoy great value pricing on these fascinating skin-contact wines, with convenient delivery across Australia.