When presented with a wine list any contemporary and acclaimed restaurant today, you’ll notice that the alongside the expected options for reds, whites, and rosés is another listing – orange wines. 

But orange wine is no new phenomenon: it’s been around famous wine regions like Italy and Slovenia for centuries and traces its route back to Georgia millennia before that.

So why are orange wine brands currently trending and what makes the best orange wines rival the classic vinos dominating the wine industry? Here’s what you need to know about orange wine, the top orange wine producing countries, and the best orange wines from the last year that you need to try.

Unpeeling the orange wine phenomenon

Before you order an orange wine, here are a couple of “tasting notes” to keep in mind that will help you savor every sip.

What is an orange wine? 

The first important detail to know about an orange wine is that its name is derived from its color, not from any fruit-fusion grape. Its color, which often gives it the alternate classification of an amber wine, is a result of the fermentation process.

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How is orange wine made?

It’s a very similar process to other white wines, but with one key difference. White grapes used for orange wine do not have their skins removed during the fermentation process. This increased skin contact impacts the color, the texture, tannins, and other qualities of the wine.

What countries are the top orange wine growers?

Although orange wine processing dates back to the Caucasus area now known as the country of Georgia — which is also where the most ancient records of wine techniques were unearthed — other countries tend to be producers. Italy, particularly the northeastern area, and Slovenia produce some of the best orange wines available today. 

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What are popular orange wine brands?

Like any other wine variety, brands span the spectrum – from smaller makers, like the family-owned Dominio de Punctum winery, to more popular brands including Milan Nestarec and Gérard Bertrand. 

Why is orange wine so popular right now?

Orange wine has become something of an overnight sensation in 2023 for a number of reasons. Its profile offers the best of both worlds: the refreshing, easy-drinking nature of a white wine with the full-bodied flavors and notes that one would expect from a red wine. The best bottles are also starting new conversations about wine production and wine history, often with adults who are only casual wine drinkers. 

What are the best orange wines of 2023?

A look into some award-winning wine brands of 2023. 

Nerica Vina’s Pošip 60 2020 | Croatia

Gold winner of the Decanter World Wine Awards 2023

One of the best orange wine makers you’ll find in Croatian restaurants, Nerica Vina showed the Decanter World Wine Awards that the country is refining its winemaking techniques. Nerica Vina’s Pošip 60 2020 earned a gold award in 2023. It was one of the only wines to earn the year’s gold distinction, making it one of the best in the world. 

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Wipach Wine Estate’s Rebula 2016 | Slovenia

Platinum Orange (Ext. Maceration) winner of the Great American Intl. Wine Competition 2023

A small, family-run boutique winery in Slovenia is now home to one of the best orange wines of 2023. No stranger to awards from Decanter, AWC Vienna, and other competitions, Wipach Wine Estate’s Rebula 2016 won a platinum award in the Great American International Competition in 2023. 

Parley Lake Winery’s Parley Vu Rose 2021 | USA

Silver winner of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2023

As the largest competition of North American wines, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition no doubt expected some of the best orange wines in America making their way to the judges’ table. Parley Lake, a winery in Waconia, Minnesota, won silver in the competition. Though named “Rose”, it’s actually an orange wine made with Frontenac Gris grapes to yield a medium-dry, crisp taste with notes of watermelon rind and chokecherry.  

Latah Creek Wine Cellars’ Orange Moscato 2021 | USA

Gold Best of Class winner of the Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition 2022

On the eve of 2023, Latah Creek Wine Cellars took home a Best of Class Gold award from the Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition. This 100% Orange Muscat is grown on Lonesome Spring Vineyard in Washington state yet brings a more tropical taste with its notes of sweet orange blossom and orange cream. 

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Where can I try an orange wine?

Orange wine may be limited in growth production compared to reds and white, but you can still find a bottle behind the bars of the world’s most luxurious hotels and in the cellars of countless wineries. Order a glass in:

Argentina, on Luxury Gold’s Grand South America tour. You’ll spend a day exploring Valparaiso and Chilean wine country where you can explore how South America’s best orange wines pair with fantastic seafood.

France, on the Ultimate Southern France tour with Luxury Gold. When you’re not sipping Bordeaux in Bordeaux, visit the Languedoc wine region where you’ll learn about its strong white grape growth despite being a predominantly red wine country

Italy, on Luxury Gold’s Ultimate Italy tour. This tour brings you to Venice in Italy’s northeastern region where the majority of the world’s best orange wine production takes place.

Croatia, on a Luxury Gold Croatia & the Dalmatian Coast tour. After touring Krka National Park’s waterfalls, you’ll sit down for lunch and a wine tasting at Biblich Winery, home to the Maximilian Rebula 2011 that is made in cooperation with a nearby Slovenian winery.

Australia, on the Inspiring Australia tour with Luxury Gold. Leave the outback and enter the Hunter Valley Wine Region, the country’s most renowned wine producing region.

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A punchy New Orleans cocktail, the Sazerac has a long history, but remains a favourite in the Big Easy. We know the Sazerac was invented in New Orleans, but as for the exact bar it was born in?  

“There’s really no way to know,” says Matt Ray, the cocktail expert at the city’s Sazerac House. “Cocktail history is notoriously fuzzy, because not many people cared what bartenders were doing in the mid-19th century. And not many bartenders thought that what they were doing was important enough to catalog it.” 

Of course, we’re now in the midst of a classic cocktail renaissance. Travelers do care about a drink’s provenance, especially a drink as intertwined with a destination as the Sazerac is with New Orleans. Here, Matt takes us on a deep-dive into NOLA’s signature cocktail. 

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The history 

“Today, ‘Cocktail’ means a million things,” says Matt. “But in the early 1800s, it meant your spirit of choice mixed with sugar, water and bitters. You could walk into any bar in the city and ask for a ‘gin cocktail’, ‘brandy cocktail’, or ‘whiskey cocktail’, and that’s what you’d get.  

“At some point in the 1840s and 50s, bartenders started experimenting with new products from Europe ‒ absinthe, maraschino, curacao ‒ adding a dash or two and making a new category called ‘the improved cocktail’. That’s what the first Sazerac was: a cognac cocktail perked up with a swirl of absinthe. New Orleans was still such a European city in those days, and anise spirits like absinthe and pastis are so culturally important to Europe.”

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Winds of change 

Time, politics and the economy all made their mark on the drink over the next century. “As we became a much more American city in the late 1800s, tastes changed,” explains Matt. “Americans began to prefer oaked spirits to cognac; the quality of whiskey also went up following the Revolution. So bartenders started replacing the cognac in Sazeracs with rye whiskey. Another factor was the spread of phylloxera in Europe in the mid-1800s, destroying the grapevines that produced brandy and driving up prices.” 

Then, another twist ‒ absinthe was banned in 1912 for its supposed hallucinogenic properties.  

“The product that replaced it was called herbsaint,” says Matt, “another anise spirit which is almost indistinguishable.” Prohibition in the 1920s and 30s naturally had an impact, but for Matt, the real Dark Ages for the cocktail were the 70s and 80s. “That’s when classic cocktail culture kind of diWe also think you’ll like: All Natural: Meet the woman safeguarding the Mississippi Delta ed off, and everything became a mudslide or a Piña Colada. But New Orleans was still famous for hanging on to traditions like the Sazerac.” 

A timeless classic 

These days, the Sazerac beloved aperitif that New Orleanians still offer to family and friends. In terms of enjoying it like a local, Matt advises, “people usually drink it before dinner. It has a reputation for being the first drink you should have in the city ‒ I know a lot of people who make a point of having one right when they get into town. The locals also tend to have one around Mardi Gras, and around Christmas.” 

How you drink it also says something about you. “You can sip it slowly, so it opens up as it warms in your hands, or you can throw it back heroically,” says Matt. “You’ll see them on a lot of happy hour menus because it’s so quick and simple to make.” Despite its short stature, vintage nature and simplicity, young New Orleanians still order it in bars across
town. “People here don’t shy away from things their grandparents used to drink,” observes Matt. “Rather, the opposite: they find it kind of charming.” 

The recipe for this famous New Orleans cocktail

“First, you take two rocks glasses ‒ ideally a beveled rocks glass, if you want to get specific ‒ and you chill one of them. In the other, you throw in a sugar cube, or a quarter-ounce of simple syrup if that’s easier. Add three dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters and muddle that with the sugar, then add an ounce and a half of rye whiskey (I usually give that a quick stir to help dissolve the sugar).   

“Next, you add ice and give it a brief stir, then set that glass aside. Take the glass that’s been chilling, dump out the ice and add a splash of herbsaint or absinthe. Swirl it around the glass ‒  then either drink it or throw it out. Take your whisky mix and pour it really slowly into that chilled herbsaint glass. The last step is to squeeze a twist of lemon peel so it sprays a little lemon oil. I then either throw in the twist or use it to decorate the glass.”  

If you want to go old-school, advises Matt, make it with the original spirit, cognac. “The clove-peppercorn notes of rye are traded out for these rich, raisiny dark fruits. It’s a little bit more flowery and aromatic.” In terms of what can go wrong? “One of the worst I’ve ever had was completely green because it was probably half absinthe. It’s supposed to be a hint of liquorice or anise, not a punch in the face. And I once saw someone add Sweet’N Low instead of sugar.” 

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Sazerac stars  

Okay, so we’re visiting New Orleans. Where should we go for that first, I’m-in-town Sazerac? “You could come down to the Sazerac House and take a cocktail-making lesson, or visit the museum exhibits we have. But in terms of a straight-up bar, I love Peychaud’s Bar in the French Quarter, which specializes in New Orleans classics like the Ramos Gin Fizz and the Vieux Carré (like a supercharged Manhattan). Otherwise, I’d recommend a bar called Jewel of the South, and a little dive downtown called Bar Tonique.” 

Discover the magic of the American South for yourself and sip a New Orleans cocktail on our Southern Grace limited-edition journey.

How much would you pay for a cup of award-winning coffee? US$100? That’s how much you can expect to pay for a cup of Panama’s Elida Geisha Natural 1029, thanks to the small scale of its production and the sought-after quality of the beans.

But what sets these beans apart from those that you’re more likely to find in your local corner coffee shop? Simple beans can yield an average cup or a gourmet coffee experience depending on how they’re grown, harvested, roasted, and served.

Both the genetics of the bean and the ecosystem in which it’s grown influence its taste: for instance, Arabica beans are considered premium and can only grow in specific conditions compared to Robusta beans which are more common, cheaper, and can be cultivated in more subtropical and equatorial climates.

The processing, roasting, and serving methods can either mitigate or enhance the bean’s unique characteristics.

Whether you’re searching for a truly gourmet coffee experience or if you’re interested in simply how different cultures brew a cup, put these three countries at the top of your wishlist. 

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Indonesia

In Indonesia, they drink their coffee black. 

If you’re someone who appreciates a little milk or cream, you may initially be unreceptive to this strong, bitter brew served as-is. But coffee from Indonesia, or “kopi” as it’s called locally, isn’t your average cup. Kopi Luwak is among the most expensive in the world and delivers an unrivaled coffee experience. 

Kopi Luwak is considered one of the best coffees in the world. These beans are sustainably sourced in Indonesia, and while sustainable sourcing is common in other parts of the world, Kopi Luwak employs very specific help when choosing which beans to use.

An Asian Palm Civet is a mongoose-adjacent species that has an extremely discerning taste for coffee beans: they’ll only eat beans that are ripe which allows the producers to identify which of these beans will yield a chocolatey taste that’s far from bitter.

Whole Kopi Luwak beans aren’t cheap. This producer and roaster based in Britain may charge US$120 (£94, €110) for a 1kg bag. With these prices, it’s obvious why you’ll want to skip the cream and sugar to drink this brew as black as possible.

If you prefer a cup of tea, then you’ll love the private high tea experience available on Luxury Gold’s 13-day Imperial Rajasthan tour. This journey through India includes a private visit to a colonial bungalow where you’ll learn about the British Raj.

Colombia

Colombian coffee is a heavyweight in the coffee industry. It’s the county’s main export and has been for centuries. While Colombia does have a region called the Coffee Zone that produces the lionshare of the country’s beans, the country’s landscape featuring different altitudes, temperatures, and precipitation means coffee producers can grow a variety of different flavors of beans throughout Colombia’s borders. 

This is a country that adores its coffee like no other; there’s even a full theme park dedicated to the history, culture, and production of Colombian coffee called Parque del Cafe. You can’t go wrong with a cup from places like Cafe Jesus Martin, a producer in Salento that is championed even by fellow coffee growers. If you’re searching for an award winning coffee renowned around the globe, fellow Armenian grower Cafe San Alberto will deliver. 

Like most Colombian coffees, Cafe San Alberto’s Arabica beans are well-balanced, light and flowery yet still a little acidic. Their pickers use a five-step process: first selected on the tree for ripeness and density then separated by weight, color, and size during the drying and threshing processes to ensure each cupping batch is roasted properly to deliver a serene mix of dark chocolate and caramel-like flavor. 

Cafe San Alberto was the first Colombian coffee producer to receive the iTQi Crystal Taste Award, having won the iTQi Superior Taste Award three years in a row, adding to their World Food Fair Gold Medal and Land of Diversity award for most exotic Colombian coffee.

Get your fill of South American coffee when you book Luxury Gold’s Treasures of the Incas tour. Begin your mornings in Peru with fresh cups of coffee on this 12-day adventure that includes a Machu Picchu visit. 

Thailand

Indonesia’s not the only Asian country that gets a helping hand from wildlife for their award winning coffee. Thailand’s Black Ivory Coffee labels itself “the world’s rarest coffee”, sold only to specific five-star hotels and Michelin star restaurants, with only a small portion available for international purchase by the public. 

What makes this coffee so unique? Its limited reserve is initially digested by elephants. Though the phrase “elephant dung coffee” doesn’t evoke images of the finest Thai Arabica beans, Black Ivory Coffee is exceptionally floral and less fruity than other blends. Some have equated its non-bitter taste to that of a cold brew coffee, though we suggest you try it hot. 

The goal of Black Ivory Coffee is to foster the ethical treatment and protection of elephants; a lack of exploitation means a lack of product availability. This scarcity drives up the price, and if you’re lucky enough to find it in stock, expect to pay USD$2,500 (£1,964, €2300) for a 1kg box.

From Vietnamese iced coffee and egg coffee to fresh brews in Laos and Cambodia, Luxury Gold’s 16-day Inspiring Indochina tour covers 11 cities in 3 countries, each with opportunities for you to experience cafe culture at your leisure.

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Where does your favorite bean or blend of award winning coffee originate from? Let us know what you’re drinking in the comments below.