Orange wine is a thing now, and sure, pour us a glass

Do you like wine? Yes? Us too. If you’ve looked at a wine list at any trendy restaurant recently, you’ve maybe noticed an entirely new category of vino: orange wine. Now, we’ve heard of red, white, rosé, and even blue wine. But orange?

If you’re like us, you’ve probably had the following thoughts: 1. What the heck is orange wine? 2. What does it taste like? and 3. What do I drink it with?

Now that we’re fully in the “orange” season, we decided to find out.

Essentially, orange wine is made from white grapes that have been fermented with their skins still on.

As a result, this production method gives orange wine a deeper hue. (BTW, ornage wine is also known as “skin-contact whites.”) Compare that to rosé, a wine made from red grapes that only receive a few days of skin contact. Hence, the wine appears pink. And just like rosé, orange wine is perfect Insta-bait.

Because the grapes have been fermented with their skins, orange wine also has some taste characteristics more similar to red wine than white. The skins contribute acids and tannins, which give the wine body and structure. Refinery29 reports that it could be easy to confuse an orange wine with a light red.

Now for the most important question: What do we drink it with? Because orange wines are so similar to a light red or dark rosé, they should be served at “cellar temperature,” which is slightly cooler than room temp. Orange wine goes great with cured meats and strong cheeses, making it ideal for your autumnal appetizer boards. It’s also surprisingly versatile, and can be eaten with everything from turkey to lamb. Translation? You have an exciting new bottle to present at the Thanksgiving dinner this year.