It's Not Made From Oranges
Let's get that out of the way first. Orange wine has nothing to do with the fruit. It's white wine made like red wine — where the grape skins are left in contact with the juice during fermentation. That skin contact is what gives orange wine its amber hue, its texture, and its distinctive character.
The style is ancient. Winemakers in Georgia (the country, not the state) have been making skin-contact wine in clay vessels called qvevri for over 8,000 years. What's new is the name — and the renewed interest from natural wine producers across Europe who've rediscovered the technique.
At Amor Fati, every orange wine we stock is a natural wine — made by producers who farm organically or biodynamically, ferment with wild yeasts, and add little or no sulphites. If you're new to natural wine, orange wine is one of the most exciting places to start.
How Is Orange Wine Made?
Conventional white wine is made by pressing grapes and immediately separating the juice from the skins. Orange wine skips that step. The crushed grapes — skins, seeds, and sometimes stems — are left to ferment together, just as they would for a red wine.
The length of skin contact varies enormously. A few hours produces a lightly tinted, subtly textured white. A few weeks — or even months — produces something deeply amber, tannic, and complex. Some producers, like Domaine Geschickt in Alsace, take it further still, maturing the wine in amphora (clay vessels) to add another layer of texture and oxidative depth.
What Does Orange Wine Taste Like?
Orange wine sits somewhere between white and red in terms of structure. Expect:
- Colour: Pale gold through to deep amber, depending on skin contact time
- Texture: More grip and body than a conventional white — tannins from the skins give it a dry, almost chewy quality
- Flavour: Dried apricot, quince, walnut, chamomile, beeswax, and dried citrus peel are common descriptors
- Finish: Often long and savoury, with a slight oxidative nuttiness
It can be polarising on first encounter — especially if you're expecting a crisp, fresh white. But approach it with an open mind (and ideally a bit of food) and it's one of the most rewarding styles in the glass.
Why Is It Cloudy?
Many orange wines are unfiltered and unfined, which means the natural sediment and yeast particles remain in the bottle. This is intentional — filtration can strip flavour and texture. The cloudiness is a sign of minimal intervention, not a fault. Give the bottle a gentle swirl and pour slowly if you prefer a clearer glass.
Is Orange Wine a Natural Wine?
There's significant overlap between orange wine and natural wine — and at Amor Fati, the two go hand in hand. Every orange wine in our range comes from a producer who farms organically or biodynamically, ferments with wild yeasts, and works without the additives and heavy-handed techniques common in conventional winemaking.
Skin-contact winemaking fits naturally within this philosophy: it's a return to how wine was made before industrial intervention, and it produces wines with genuine character and a strong sense of place. Browse the full range in our Orange Wine collection.
What Food Goes With Orange Wine?
Orange wine's tannin and texture make it unusually food-friendly — more so than most whites. It bridges the gap between white and red, which means it works with dishes that would overwhelm a delicate white but don't need the full weight of a red.
Try it with:
- Aged and washed-rind cheeses (think Époisses, Taleggio, or a good Australian washed rind)
- Charcuterie and cured meats
- Roasted root vegetables and earthy grains
- Spiced dishes — Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian cuisines are particularly good matches
- Mushroom-based dishes, risotto, and umami-rich foods
Natural Orange Wines to Try From Our Range
All five orange wines we stock are natural — here's how they differ in style, from approachable too complex.
Geschickt One Drop 2022 — Alsace
A gentle introduction to skin-contact natural wine. Made with no added sulphites from Geschickt's certified organic vineyards in Alsace, One Drop has a light amber hue and a fresh, aromatic character. It's the kind of orange wine that converts sceptics.
Geschickt Grand Cru Kaefferkopf Khépri 2020 — Alsace
For those ready to go deeper. Matured in amphora on the Grand Cru Kaefferkopf vineyard, Khépri is a serious, structured natural orange wine with real complexity. Read more about the producer in our article What Makes Wines Like Domaine Geschickt Different?
Dirler-Cadé 'Vairon' 2021 — Alsace
Dirler-Cadé has farmed biodynamically in Alsace for decades. Vairon is a skin-contact natural wine with a beautiful amber colour and a savoury, textured palate — a benchmark example of what Alsace can do with this style.
L'Octavin 'Mus'cat' 2022 — Jura
From the Jura — a region that has long embraced oxidative and skin-contact natural winemaking — L'Octavin's Mus'cat is made with zero sulphites from biodynamic Muscat. Expect dried flowers, apricot, and a long, savoury finish. One of the most distinctive natural wines in our range.
Sextant 'Clin d'Oeil' 2022 — Burgundy
An unexpected natural orange wine from Burgundy. Julien Altaber's Clin d'Oeil is a skin-contact white with the precision and restraint you'd expect from a Burgundy producer — lighter in colour and texture than the Alsace examples, but no less interesting.
Ready to Explore?
Natural orange wine rewards curiosity. If you've never tried it, start with the Geschickt One Drop — it's the most approachable entry point in our range. If you're already a convert, the Khépri or the L'Octavin Mus'cat will take you somewhere new.
