The 4 Best Orange Wines for Summer 2019

Orange wine, sometimes referred to as skin-contact wine, is joining the classic wine trio of red, white, and rosé. Real Simple talked to two wine experts about rosé's richer-tasting cousin.

What Is Orange Wine?

To begin, orange wine is made by fermenting and aging the juice of white grapes with their skins in a large clay vessel called a "qvevri" says Amanda Bowman, a sales associate at Chambers Street Wines in New York City. The "skin-contact," Bowman says, gives the wine its color. So, it is probably more appropriate to call it a "style" of winemaking, as it got its name from the color, not the tangy fruit.

By comparison, white wine is made from white grapes after removing the skin and seeds. And red wine is made using a similar process to its caramel-colored counterpart, but with red grapes.

Andrew Harwood, founder of NYC Wine Company, tells Real Simple orange wine is having a moment now, but it's truly a "throwback to how wine used to be made." Harwood describes the flavor of orange wines as "richer, with a nuttiness and toastiness to them."

RELATED: We're Officially Declaring Orange Wine As the New Rosé

Top Orange Wines to Buy for Summer 2019

There are four orange wine brands we love for those looking to fall into the season with a glass of this trendy type of vino:

• Sicilian-based COS's Pithos Bianco ($34, drizly.com) is nutty and has lots of soft, peachy flavor.
• Channing Daughters is a vineyard located in the Hamptons, and their Ramato Wine ($24, astorwines.com) has hints of honey, apricots and spices.
• Pheasant's Tears makes their Rkatsiteli wine ($17, astorwines.com) in the country of Georgia. Its flavor has a "big, dense, fleshy style," and has notes of honey, nuts and apple skin.
• Clot de l'Origine's "l'Original" ($22, winehouse.com) is lightly spicy and highly approachable. This one has a more delicate style, complete with white flowers and orange marmalade.