Orange wine is encouraging a new conversation among wine drinkers. The complexity of these wines boast a varying array of watercolor shades of orange, textures and layers of exotic aromas and flavors. A solid choice when pairing with bold, spicy foods.

The winemaking process for white wine usually is just a quick press of the grapes, and removal of the skins from the juice. The resulting wine is one we are all familiar with...a clear or slightly-hued white wine. Red wine is made by leaving the skins in the juice to give color and tannin from the skins.

So what is “orange wine?” This is white wine made using the winemaking method of red wine, leaving the skins in to give the wine the tannin and create a more viscous texture. The flavors common to skin contact white wine are bold and exotic flavors, and they mostly are not about the fresh version of the aromas- like toasted hazelnuts, bruised apple, dried citrus, etc.

The exotic nature of orange wine, both texturally and flavor wise, makes these white wines a great wine for food pairing with foods that can be challenging for wine. Specifically, the layered and spicy flavors of Moroccan or Korean foods. Another particularly interesting ability of orange wines is the opportunity to pair these wines with foods that you wouldn’t normally reach for a white wine to pair- specifically beef, especially with an spicy marinade.

A stand-up choice when pairing with rich, spicy foods. If you are looking for an exotic adventure, orange wine can be your guide.