Orange wine could be the key to attracting a new generation of wine drinkers, which is why Global Wine Masters is pleased to present its first-ever competition dedicated to orange wine, running until 28 June.
Alcohol consumption is declining, especially among younger generations, and wine is no exception. But rather than sticking to their favorites, Gen Z drinkers seem more willing to explore and discover new wines. It’s opening the door to unusual wines that may have been left out before, such as orange wine. Could this category be the one that helps save the industry?
Orange wine is nothing new; rather, it’s a true success story that began almost 5,000 years ago. From qvevri amphora fermentation in Georgia thousands of years ago to becoming a staple on the shelves of East London wine bars, orange wine has seemingly been reborn and continues to grow in popularity. It’s no longer just a hipster trend.
There’s a lot of education and history in this category that piques the curiosity of any wine lover.
Orange wine, for example, has nothing to do with fruit: its color comes from an ancient winemaking technique of allowing white grapes to soak for an extended period of time on their skins before being pressed (hence the term “skin contact” when describing wine), which is usually reserved for red winemaking.
Contact with the skins gives the resulting wine a distinctive aroma of bruised apples and dried apricots, a richer texture than traditional white wine, with a tannic structure while retaining high acidity.
Georgia isn’t the only country producing orange wine: in the 1990s, northeastern Italy, home to historic producers such as Gravner and Radikon, also gained a reputation for orange wine, and now it’s no exaggeration to say that amber wine has taken the world by storm, being produced in a variety of countries and styles.
This unique yet diverse wine category deserves its own competition, which is why Global Wine Masters is excited to host the inaugural Global Orange Wine Masters competition this summer.
As always, each entry will be blind tasted by an expert judging panel made up of Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and Senior Buyers. Entries will be accepted over the next five weeks and are open to all wines from around the world, including skin contact wines, orange wines and amber wines. The results will be published in the July issue of Drinks Business magazine and online.
Admission is £159 (excl. tax).
For more information, contact sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com.
