It’s a while since we heard the phrase ‘the future’s bright, the future’s orange’ because the brand in question disappeared from the UK almost a decade ago. It feels like we’ve been talking up orange wine for almost as long, so is summer 2024 when this enchanting style finally ‘goes mainstream’?
Data released by Ocado earlier this year suggests as much, with sales of orange wine increasing by 99% year-on-year. One national newspaper has already declared it ‘the drink of summer’, attributing the phenomenon to Tik Tokkers with Aperol-Spritz fatigue. In reality, the rosé revolution means orange wine is still a way off the default choice when the temperature climbs but consumers seem increasingly adventurous and the quality of what’s on offer has undoubtedly improved. Orange wines are now much more widely available too.
Is summer 2024 when orange wine finally ‘goes mainstream’?
So what is an orange wine? To be clear, there is no citrus fruit added (although, ironically, my tasting notes often mention oranges, which also feature in the branding of many examples), as it is basically a white wine made like a red. The enticing, social-media friendly hue comes from the fermentation of grapes with their skins, giving different aromas and richer flavours when compared to a conventional white wine. The process results in tannin, as you’d expect from a red, with a subtle savoury character that makes it the ultimate ‘Marmite wine’; fascinating, food-friendly, divisive and delicious. Though orange wines can be made by conventional means, the technique is inextricably linked with the ‘natural’, low-intervention movement, with the skin-contact wines offering an enticing by-the-glass option for voguish wine bars.
Whether or not the future is, indeed, orange, the style remains rooted in the past, dating back to the origins of wine itself and its birthplace, Georgia, where it’s known as ‘amber’, a term that sounds more elegant and less suggestive of Lucozade.
‘Amber wines hold deep cultural meaning and symbolism for Georgians because they have a continuous tradition of making wines in this way,’ says Sarah Abbott MW. ‘This is not some new hipster fashion for them, as such wines have always been in the mix, alongside sparkling, red, white and rosé, like a fifth element.’
She explains that Georgians have mastered such wines over thousands of years, across a range of different styles from light and fragrant to tannic and serious, using techniques that have scarcely changed down the ages: ‘Amber wines from Georgia are closely associated with qvevri, the egg-shaped clay vessels that are an 8,000 year-old example of engineering intelligence, and whose use in winemaking is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.’
Orange wine is the ultimate ‘Marmite wine’; fascinating, food-friendly, divisive and delicious
For all its illustrious history, orange wine still occupies a niche in the UK wine market, evidenced by trying to find the term on a mainstream retailer’s drop-down menu. With a reputation for being adventurous, M&S was one of the first big chains to offer such wines and has recently seen year-on-year sales growth of 120% for its ‘Found’ range that champions vinous diversity.
‘We are seeing customers experiment more than ever and our skin contact, organic Verdil fitted perfectly into this range and has been a huge success since launch,’ says M&S senior wine buyer, Joseph Arthur. ‘For summer sipping, the style certainly appeals to those experimental customers, offering more texture and complexity than your average white wine. I also think it lends itself incredibly well to food, particularly dishes that are generally difficult to pair, such as anything with a bit of heat.’
Abbott concurs, suggesting tangy cheeses, such as feta or haloumi, cheesy pizza or ‘anything from Ottolenghi’ as potential pairings for Georgia’s amber wines. Whatever the temperature, avoid the temptation to overchill an orange wine, as it heightens the tannins and mutes the complexity, so aim for cool, rather than cold.
Five top orange wines for summer
M&S Found, Verdil
An excellent introduction to the category from Valencia’s rare Verdil grape, a variety that’s faintly orange in colour, appropriately enough. There’s zesty citrus and nectarine skin on the inviting nose, while there’s a delicious salinity to the textured palate. Refreshing rather than serious, a summer sipper that’s perfect for garlic prawns.
£9, Ocado, M&S
Lyrarakis, Assyrtiko-Vidiano Orange Wine, Crete
From Crete’s renowned Lyrarakis family who have been making wines since 1966, a blend of Assyrtiko and Vidiano grapes, grown at 500m altitude, macerated on skins for seven days before resting in concrete for five months. There’s marmalade and ripe apricot, supported by a subtle minerality and silky, seductive structure. A delicious, versatile wine, ideal for pairing with waxy cheeses.
£13.99 or £11.99 in a mix six, Majestic
The Orange Point, Artisans of Naoussa Vignerons 2022
A gentle, inviting blend of Assyrtiko and Roditis from Greece’s Naoussa region, with gentle skin contact and minimal sulphur addition, notes of blood orange and clove lead into a pillowy textural feast of citrus and stone fruits, with a delicate, faintly nutty savoury undertow. Tested on my partner, an orange wine sceptic, who declared it ‘delicious’.
£13.50, The Wine Society
Teliani Valley, Glekhuri, Kisi Qvevri 2020
An amber wine from Georgia’s indigenous Kisi grape, grown in the villages of Kakheti, whole bunches are fermented in qvevri pots for six months, adding colour, richness and depth. Spiced citrus, apricot jam, wild honey and bruised apple are among the complex flavours in this fascinating wine that’s an outré option for roast chicken.
Domaine des Tourelles, Skin, Merweh 2022
From Lebanon’s indigenous Merweh grape, fermented in clay jars, boasting orchard fruits and subtle tropical undertones, held in check by a lime acid line with textured savoury, slightly nutty pastry depth. A serious gastronomic wine.
£17.39, All About Wine
