Orange wine is trending. Here’s what to know about the buzzy drink all over your feed
These are the aesthetic bottles to try.
Orange wine has been all over TikTok and Instagram shaking up the gradient of white, rosé, and red shades typically associated with wine. That’s doubly true for Tinto Amorio’s bottles thanks to the stylish packaging and photogenic pours. But, what is it anyways?
What is orange wine and what does it taste like?
There are no orange grapes. Instead, keeping the skins and seeds of white grapes intact at least partly through the fermentation process gives the color in the glass. It’s a similar process to rosé though the skin contact tends to be a little longer. This technique is thousands of years old — even older than taking the skins off to make wine — and is how orange wines got their other name, “skin-contact white wine.”
When it comes to flavor, it can run the gamut, but you can typically expect a tipple that’s a little tarter, bolder, and tannin-heavy than you might immediately imagine when you think about varietals like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewürztraminer. It’s often also described as more savory, nutty, or having a bruised fruit vibe.
Are orange wines natural?
Well, the color comes from the grapes and fermentation process rather than any dyes. And while orange wine has gained popularity alongside “natural wines,” the two terms mean pretty different things. However, many orange wine makers are dedicated to sustainable practices and making wines that use fewer added chemicals. Tinto Amorio, for example, uses certified-organic grapes and minimal sulphur. The company also opts for wild fermentation, rather than using the lab-grown yeasts many companies use. And while some winemakers use animal byproducts, Tinto Amorio doesn’t and is vegan.
Tinto Amorio is known for its orange wines, but also makes wine spritzers and a lightly carbonated red.
