The 7 Best Orange Wines in 2022

Best Overall

COS Pithos Bianco

$27 at Drizly View on Vivino

Region: Sicily, Italy | ABV: 11.5% | Tasting Notes: Apricots, Yellow raisins, Mandarin 

Produced in the heart of the Cerasuolo di Vittoria appellation of Italy, COS wines have become some of the most beloved natural wines across the United States. Crafted at the hands of Giusto Occhipinti, one of the most influential winemakers in all of Italy, this varietal skin-contact Grecanico jumps with juicy flavors of apricots, yellow raisins, and mandarin. For those looking for a fresh, easy-drinking expression of orange wine, check out this delicious bottle. Made with organic/biodynamic fruit, native yeasts, and 30+ days of skin contact. (Note: Pithos is the Greek word for amphora.) 

“I enjoy orange wines as often as possible, with as many friends as allowed,” says Eric Plambeck, co-owner of Maracuja, a bar in Williamsburg. Plambeck also affirms his disdain for the idea of the “seasonality” of wine. “I drink rosé in the winter and bubbles any chance I get,” he says, noting that with regards to food, orange wines pair well with basically everything. “I dare to say orange wine almost always has acid or tannin, so it goes well with almost anything. You’ll see the same bottle popped at Wu’s [Chinese cuisine] and a BYOB Italian joint.”

Best Budget-Friendly

Field Recordings SKINS Orange Wine

View on Drizly View on Vivino $26 at Wine.com

Region: Central Coast, California | ABV: 12.1% | Tasting Notes: Apricot, Orange blossom, Spice

This easy-to-find orange wine is produced right in the heart of California’s Central Coast. Winemaker Andrew Jones pursues a more crisp and refreshing style with this skin-contact blend of chenin blanc, riesling, and pinot gris. Notes of apricot, orange blossom, and hearty spices lead to a thirst-quenching finish. Serve with blue cheese, charcuterie boards, or farro salads.

Best Splurge

Gravner Breg Bianco

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Region: Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy| ABV: 14.5% | Tasting Notes: Orange blossom, dried fruits, sweet spice 

In the world of skin-contact wines, Radikon is the cream of the crop. Produced by the renowned Gravner family in northern Italy, these long-aged bottles promise a mind-boggling experience for those who love orange wine. Breg is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling Italico, and Pinot Grigio, macerated in amphora and aged for six years in oak barrels. The wine oozes with textured, grippy flavors of dried fruits, honey, orange blossom, and sweet spice. If you haven’t tried an extensively aged skin-contact wine yet, it doesn’t get much better than this! Bottled unfined / unfiltered. 

Best Ramato

Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato

$22 at Wine.com

Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy | ABV: 12.5% | Tasting Notes: Tropical fruits, Grapefruit, Peach skin

Call it rosé, call it orange wine—either way, this stuff’s delicious. Ramato, which means copper in Italian, is a unique skin-contact wine born in northern Italy and is generally associated with the Pinot Grigio grape. Scarbolo has been crafting this flavor-packed, amber-hued cuvée for a while, pioneering the category worldwide. Expect flavors of tropical fruits, grapefruit, and peach skin.

Best French

Anne Pichon Sauvage Orange

$22 at Drizly $26 at Wine.com

Region: Ventoux, Rhône Valley, France | ABV: 14% | Tasting Notes: Apple blossom, citrus rind, crushed stones

For a skin-contact wine that packs a serious punch, check out Anne Pichon’s Sauvage. Anne founded her eponymous estate with her late husband, Marc, in the heart of France’s Vaucluse region. They quickly converted their 15 hectares to all organic farming and dedicated the estate to creating site-specific wines unique to the area from which they come.

Sauvage is a blend of roussanne and sauvignon blanc that spends 12 months aging on the lees in barrel. Full-bodied notes of apple blossom, citrus rind, and crushed stones lead to a palate-coating, long-lasting finish. Serve with pungent cheeses, mezze platters, or roasted root vegetables.

Best Off Dry

Domaine Glinavos Paleokerisio

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Region: Ioannina, Greece | ABV: 10.5% | Tasting Notes: Peach skin, orange, grapefruit rind

Can’t decide between semi-sparking / off-dry or skin-contact wine? Good news – there’s no need to juice. This slightly sweet, low-ABV bottle from Domaine Glinavos is the perfect solution. Crafted from the local varieties of Debina and Vlahiko, this pleasant bottle of refreshing bubbles jumps with flavors of peach skin, apple blossom, ripe oranges, and grapefruit rind. Sip with brunch, weekend lunches, or dinner (especially if spicy takeout is on the menu) – you really can’t go wrong here. 

Rovine reveals that he personally isn’t a big “pairings person,” and that ultimately, the quality of a given food and wine matters most. “The best pairings are the best wines with the best foods,” he says, stating that orange wine can (and should) be enjoyed all year long.

Best Georgian

Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli

$20 at Drizly View on Vivino View on Wine-searcher.com

Region: Kakheti, Georgia | ABV: 12.5% | Tasting Notes: Apple blossom, orange marmalade, yeast

Founded in 2007 by American expat John Wurdeman and Georgian native Gela Patalishvili, Pheasant’s Tears hones in on the traditions, culture, and gastronomy of Georgia. All of the duo’s wines, including this skin-contact Rkatsiteli, are produced using traditional qvevri (underground clay pot) winemaking methods and see maceration times of three weeks to six months, depending on the variety and the size of the qvevri. This textured and tangy wine shows flavors of apple blossom, orange marmalade, tangerine, and yeast. 

Mara Rudzinski, sommelier of Harlem-based Contento looks for balance in skin-contact wines. “This is my mantra in life and wine!” she exclaims, noting that ample fruit, balanced acidity, and the most defining feature of all, texture, are what she seeks out most in orange wines. “Whether this comes in bitterness from the tannins or the weight and body imparted from contact with the skins, texture is the most unique and defining feature of orange wines.”