No, there is no citrus fruit in orange wine. The name simply refers to the beautiful amber, gold, or orange colour the wine develops during the winemaking process. It is made entirely from grapes. Some of the aromas of orange wines evoke citrus fruits because esters, terpenes, and thiols are formed during fermentation.

If you are shopping for VQA orange wine in Ontario, you will see it labeled as “Skin Fermented White.” This is the official term adopted by the VQA. We have been producing our Estate Orange wine since 2014, but the category wasn’t officially recognized in Ontario until 2017. Southbrook was highly instrumental in spearheading the rules and standards for the VQA , which ultimately led to the creation of this new, distinct category of Ontario wine.

Our approach to orange wine is rooted in our philosophy of organic, biodynamic, and regenerative organic winemaking: nothing added, nothing taken away. We use wild yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation, and we bottle the wines unfined and unfiltered. We don’t filter the sediment from the bottle because it is a natural antioxidant. so we can bottle these wines without any added sulphites. Here are the details:

Estate Vidal Orange: Hand-harvested clusters are foot-trodden and fermented stems-and-all in open-top fermenters. The wine spends an average of 22 days on the skins before being pressed and bottled with the inclusion of some lees (sediment).

Whimsy Barrel-Aged Orange: Hand-harvested Vidal is foot-tread and spends two weeks on the skins. It is then racked and aged in neutral oak barrels for three months to develop a bolder structure.

No. In fact, Southbrook’s skin-fermented whites are naturally lower in alcohol and very dry. Our 2021 Estate Orange and 2022 Whimsy Barrel Aged Orange both sit at a light 10% alcohol by volume, while the Triomphe Orange is 10.6%. All three wines are incredibly dry, with residual sugar levels below 3 g/L.

A common misconception is that all orange wines taste the same. The character is heavily determined by the grape variety and the winemaker’s choices.

• Estate Vidal: Expect a nose of fresh peach, yellow plums, citrus skins, and grapefruit pith with a hint of savory herbs. It features bright acidity and a moderate level of tannins.
• Whimsy Barrel Aged Orange: Barrel aging creates a much more savoury profile, featuring aromas of lemon balm, pineapple, sage, and hay. Stem inclusion during fermentation provides bigger tannins, giving this wine a bold, complex structure.

While many orange wines are crafted to be enjoyed fresh and vibrant in their youth, certain styles benefit beautifully from a little time in the cellar. Our Whimsy Barrel Aged Orange, for example, possesses a bold structure and more tannins. These complex aromas and textures will reward cellaring.

Because orange wine has the acidity of a white and the tannic structure of a red, it is incredibly versatile. It shines when paired with bold, complex dishes that might overwhelm a traditional white wine. We highly recommend pairing our Estate Vidal with Mediterranean dishes, exotic spices, or rich pasta.