6 October is International Orange Wine Day, a celebration of a style that is both ancient and newly revived. By fermenting white grapes on their skins, winemakers create wines that blur the line between white and red: textured, often amber-hued, and full of unexpected aromas. What was once an old tradition in parts of Georgia, Friuli and beyond has become a contemporary expression of artisanal winemaking worldwide.
Catalonia, with its patchwork of landscapes and long history of experimentation, has embraced this revival with conviction. The region’s native grapes reveal strikingly different characters when handled as orange wines. Malvasía de Sitges, often floral and delicate, transforms into something more savoury, saline and spiced, its aromatic charm shaded by texture and grip. Macabeu, usually restrained and discreet in cava and still whites, gains depth and a surprising nutty, almost oxidative complexity. Garnatxa blanca, typically generous and rounded, might take on a more energetic profile, showcasing both a redish colour, a tannic backbone and subtle bitterness from the skins. A forth grape, xarel.lo, is not present here. That grape is worthy of a thematical evening of its own.
Tabla Rrasa Nèc-Tar 2021 (Portal del Priorat, Alfredo Arribas)
Montsant – malvasía, seven days’ skin maceration, stainless steel
Golden, amber hue and slightly turbid, with a faint natural spritz that lifts the aromas. The nose recalls ripe apple, mango and wild herbs, with a faintly spicy edge. On the palate it is bright and linear, its high acidity wrapped in a fine, lightly phenolic texture. A whisper of bitterness on the finish gives it definition and length. This is a vivid, energetic take on malvasía, where the variety’s usual floral charm gives way to something more tactile and savoury.
Brisat del Coster 2020 (Josep Foraster)
Conca de Barberà – macabeu, low yield, 21 days’ skin maceration
Deep golden in colour, with aromas of orange peel, chamomile and yellow orchard fruit. The palate is dry and quietly firm, with a gentle tannic frame and notes of citrus peel, quince and a touch of butter and almonds from the long maceration. Structured yet understated, it shows how macabeu can move from neutral backbone to expressive texture when treated as brisat – the Catalan word for orange wine.
Trementinaire 2019 (Herència Altés)
Terra Alta – garnatxa blanca, macerated during fermentation, then pressed and aged 22 months in used oak
Pale gold with amber glints. The nose opens with orange zest, dried herbs and toasted nuts. Broad and glyceric on the palate, yet balanced by a subtle salinity and a delicate bitterness that keeps it taut. Layers of hazelnut, honeycomb and iodine unfold with air, giving a sense of power and maturity. A contemplative wine.
Orange wine is, after all, about rediscovery — of grapes, of methods, of flavours once thought forgotten. In Catalonia, that rediscovery feels both rooted and new. Here’s to continued curiosity — and a happy International Orange Wine Day.
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