Orange wine: 5 South African varietals to try now

It’s a wine trend that has been gathering momentum. So when we heard from a foodie colleague travelling abroad that the coolest London wine lists have whole sections dedicated to these amber-hued beauties, we thought it was time for a wine-tasting round-up of South Africa’s finest orange wines.

So, what exactly is orange wine?

No oranges are squeezed in the making of this vino! Essentially, orange wines use white-wine varietals that are given extended skin contact (from a few days to a few months). This results in a more intense colour – in a variety of hues from pale amber to rich orange, sometimes even verging on pink.

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5 Orange wines to try

In South Africa, orange wines tend to be small-batch vintages made by experimental avant-garde winemakers. Swartland, we’re looking at you! Made in small quantities they tend to sell out fast, so grab them when you see them. These are a few to look out for:

1. Bosman Fides Grenache Blanc 2019

From a single vineyard of Grenache Blanc bush vines planted in 2011, this wine is naturally fermented for three weeks with skin contact. Described as tasting of bruised apple, pot pourri and candied peel, this one ages well for 3 to 7 years. 13.5% alcohol.

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