{"id":7207,"date":"2020-05-08T20:43:57","date_gmt":"2020-05-09T01:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=7207"},"modified":"2020-05-15T18:35:07","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T23:35:07","slug":"orange-wine-everything-winepw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2020\/05\/orange-wine-everything-winepw\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Orange (Wine) the New Everything Wine? #WinePW"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let me just throw it out there. I\u2019ve had a few so-called \u201corange wines\u201d over the years and couldn\u2019t stand them. I was seriously like what it this sour tasting abomination?! How could people drink this crap?! But like any good wine fiend<\/s> lover, I never write off a wine and will continue to re-taste it over time – well, except maybe Pinotage. I mean palates do change and evolve and mine certainly is no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Though not really new,<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span> the last few years have certainly seen orange wine becoming more pervasive in wine culture. But before we really dig in, let\u2019s be clear on a couple of points. Yes it can be a pretty orange color and instantly makes you think of all of the pretty pink wines out there, but it is NOT a replacement for Ros\u00e9. In fact, these wines are very different from Ros\u00e9 wines. Second, it is not made with orange juice (just in case there was any confusion). Orange wines are made from white grapes. And that orange color results when the grape skins are fermented or macerated for weeks or even months with the juice, as opposed to the just pressing the grapes, quickly removing the skins, and fermenting the juice alone. So a more accurate term for these wines, and one you\u2019ll see the sticklers (who hate the phrase \u2018orange wine\u2019) using, is skin-fermented or skin-contact wine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So basically, orange wine is made like red wine and like red wines, the skin contact provides the wine with pigment, body, flavor, tannin, and structure. The depth of the orange hue as well as the intensity of the flavors, depends on how long the skins ferment with the juice which can be hours, days, or even months. Unlike red wines, the skin contact for white grapes can produce qualities from undesirable to downright nasty (IMHO). But it can also produce some of the most versatile, interesting wines around.
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(c) Wikipedia<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What I have learned in tasting a few of these wines is that I\u2019m not a fan of the ones with the extended skin contact as the flavors are just too intense for me and border on an almost a sour beer taste. Of course, I\u2019ll keep trying them as I come across them. But so far, I lean towards the versions with lesser amounts of skin contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what\u2019s the deal? Why drink these wines if they can be unpredictable or off-putting? Part of it is definitely a \u201cwine geek\u201d thing, at least initially, but the wines are becoming more mainstream. And if you\u2019re into so-called \u201cnatural wines\u201d<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span> many of these wines tend be made with little intervention \u2013 no chemical additives or \u201cother stuff,\u201d native yeasts, and\/or are unfiltered. But what I find interesting about them is their pairing versatility. These wines can fill the gaps where pairing can be difficult as well as cross the wine spectrum. It can be a ready substitute for things you may pair with a red wine or where certain whites or even ros\u00e9 may be overpowered. Similarly, where a red wine would be too much and nothing but the most robust white wine will do, orange wines can be a ready substitute. And if nothing else, it gives you another interesting option rather than the same old things you normally drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To test this versatility, I tried two orange wines side by side with three different dishes.
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