Orange wines, a.k.a. the fourth-colour-wines, are getting more popular by the day around the world, though not so much in our city-state (and no, they’re not made out of oranges). Is it the novel colour, unusual taste or a mere craving for something new? Whatever it is, it’s always good to know more about wines.

Origin

The first fourth colour wine was produced in the modern-day Georgia (the country) area, which is also the first region that started producing wines. Although their first production dates back thousands of years ago, the hype only surfaced in the recent decades.

So what are orange wines exactly?

How They’re Made

Simply put, orange wines are technically white wines that are vinified as reds. Unlike normal white wines that can be made from both red and white grapes, orange wines can only be produced with white grapes. But like reds, the juice of the grape is fermented in contact with the skin in ceramic or cement vessels for a week to a year (whereas for white wines the skin is separated from the juice). This gives the deep orange-hued colour as well as a more tannic structure and bitterness like red wine.

Flavour Profile

On top of its tannins and golden to amber colours, orange wines have flavours and aromas that you cannot find in white wines. They are described as robust and bold with honeyed aromas of jackfruit, with hints of nuts as well. On the palate, they are full-bodied and tannic. Due to their high levels of fruitiness and bodyness, orange wines can be paired easily with bolder cuisine such as Korean (fermented spicy cabbage: kimchi, spicy bibimpap), Moroccan (tagines), and Japanese (fermented soybeans: natto) dishes.

Now “orange” you glad that you have another option of wine?