Orange wine is made using white grapes, which are fermented in the same way as red wine, with the skins left on. They are then crushed with the flesh remaining in contact with the skin before being pressed off. This fermentation can last anything from a few hours to up to a year. How long the grape is macerated with the skin intact makes all the difference to the colour of the wine – the longer the contact, the richer the colour. Shades span from a pale pinot grigio to an oaky chardonnay, depending on what you buy.
It’s also classed as more “natural” or “low intervention”, as it uses little or no additives during the fermentation process and it’s a niche more popular with winemakers that follow biodynamic principles. This orange wine from Recas is made in Romania and is vegan friendly with no added yeasts or sulphur which is especially good for people who suffer a sensitivity to some wines.
Orange wines normally offer a fruity yet bold flavour with savoury notes. Due to the complex tastes, they can complement a wide range of dishes. Due the lack of sulphur this wine has a slightly oxidative style of but is rich and characterful. The first flavours that jump out are raisins and apricots with an orange zest flash. Some citrus and floral notes complement the dried fruit on the palate which is nutty, spicy with a little grapeskin dryness on the finish.
