Skin contact, orange, or amber wine - call it what you will

Skin contact (or orange) wines cover a range of grapes and styles. In some of the wines the maceration gives a tiny inflection of texture and flavour; in others it is the foundation upon which the wine is built. They are synonymous with natural winemaking as the material contained in the grapeskins tends to act as a preservative and has anti-oxidant properties.

Everyone loves a list, especially if it’s got an index, right?! Below we’ve compiled a pocket of oranges (our love for collective nouns is just as steadfast). Whether subtly blushing along to amber hued or proper full-blown copper, we’ve amassed just shy of one hundred skin contact wines in our list.

* - light skin contact, golden

** – deeper gold, light amber

*** – full amber to orange

A list of Les Caves’ skin contact wines

France

A Fleur de Peau, Clos du Gravillas, Languedoc***

Valcabrieres, Clos Fantine – Languedoc (no skin contact but orange colour)

IGP de l’Herault Blanc, Didier Barral -Languedoc (no skin contact but orange colour)

Peau, Sylvie Augereau, Loire***

Saumur Blanc “Amphore”, Terres, Domaine des Roches-Neuves – Loire***

Pinot Gris Maceration Grand Cru Vorbourg, Pierre Frick – Alsace**

Le Sa Vient D’Ou, Anne & JF Ganevat – Jura** (deep amber, partial skin maceration)

Spain

Viura Macerado Edicion Limitada, Honorio Rubio – Spain***

Lovamor Albillo, Alfredo Maestro Tejero – Spain*** (almost red)

Tragolargo Blanco, Vinessens, Alicante – Spain*

El Carro Moscatel, Alicante – Spain*

Benimaquia Tinajas, Bernabe Navarro, Alicante – Spain***

BN Partida Creus, Penedes – Spain**

Celler Credo Can Credo, Penedes – Spain*

Cellar Credo Estrany, Penedes – Spain*

Italy

Baccabianca, Tenuta Il Grillo – Piemonte***

Cascina degli Ulivi A Demua – Piemonte**

Vino Bianco Pinot Grigio, Dario Princic, Friuli*** (reddish tint)

Vino Bianco Ribolla, Dario Princic, Friuli***

Vino Bianco Jakot, Dario Princic, Friuli***

Carso Vitovska, Benjamin Zidarich, Friuli**

Vitovska, Paulo Vodopivec, Friuli**

Procanico, Antonio Camillo, Toscana*

Tutti I Giorni Bianco, Antonio Camillo, Toscana*

Sancho Panza, Il Tufiello – Campania**

Pinot Grigio Fuoripista, Elisabetta Foradori – Trentino**

Ageno, La Stoppa – Emilia***

Dinavolino, AA Denavolo, Emilia**

Alvas, Panevino – Sardegna***

Baglio Bianco – Sicilia**

Zibibbo Integer, Marco de Bartoli – Sicilia*

Grillo Integer, Marco de Bartoli – Sicilia*

AA Caravaglio Occhio di Terra, Chianu Cruci – Sicilia**

AA Caravaglio Occhio de Terra Malvasia – Sicilia**

Rami Bianco, COS – Sicilia*

Pithos Bianco, COS – Sicilia***

Zibibbo in Pithos, COS – Sicilia**

SP 68 Bianco, Arianna Occhipinti – Sicilia**

Austria

Erde, Sepp Muster, Styria – Austria***

Grafin, Sepp Muster, Styria – Austria***

Stagbeetle, Weingut Andreas Tscheppe, Styria – Austria***

Schwalbenschwanz, Weingut Andreas Tscheppe, Styria – Austria***

Feldstuck Riesling Skin Contact, Matthias Warnung, Kamptal – Austria***

Feldstuck Gruner Veltliner Skin Contact, Matthias Warnung, Kamptal – Austria**

Feldstuck Muller-Thurgau, Matthias Warnung, Kamptal – Austria**

Gemischter Satz, Andert, Burgenland – Austria*

Pamhogna Weiss, Weingut Andert, Burgenland – Austria**

Rulander, Weingut Andert, Burgenland – Austria***

Gruner Veltliner Anadjucka, Weingut Andert, Burgenland – Austria***

PM, Andert, Burgenland – Austria***

Judith Beck Neuburger Bambule!, Burgenland – Austria*

Judith Beck Welschriesling Bambule!, Burgenland – Austria*

Central Europe

Burja Bela, Slovenia*

Burja Zelen, Slovenia*

Nando Malvazija Blue Label – Slovenia*

Nando Jakot Blue Label – Slovenia*

Nando Rebula Blue Label – Slovenia*

Nando Rebula Black Label – Slovenia***

Ana Cuvee, Valter Mlecnik – Slovenia***

Rebula, Valter Mlecnik – Slovenia***

Zorjan Couve, Stajerska – Slovenia**

Zorjan Lazki Rizling, Stajerska – Slovenia**

Zorjan Renski Rizling, Stajerska – Slovenia**

Zorjan Dolium, Stajerska – Slovenia***

New World

Cloudwalker White, Cambridge Road – New Zealand*

Sato Pinot Gris l’Atypique, Central Otago – New Zealand***

Sato Northburn Blanc, Central Otago – New Zealand***

Kindeli Bianco, Nelson – New Zealand*

Sam Vinciullo Chardonnay, Margaret River– Australia*

Sam Vinciullo Sauvignon, Margaret River – Australia*

Staring at the Sun, Momento Mori – Australia***

Fistful of Flowers, Momento Mori – Australia***

Bianco, Momento Mori- Australia***

Jumpin Juice Half Full White- Australia**

Jumpin Juice Sunsets – Australia**

Ryme Cellars Carneros His Vermentino – California**

Ryme Cellars Ribolla Gialla – California***

Ruth Lewandowski Chilion, Mendocino – California***

Bow & Arrow La Chenaie Sauvignon – Oregon*

Pinot Gris Amphora, A & D Beckham – Oregon*** (red/rose)                         

Kelley Fox Maresh Pinot Gris – Oregon** (rose)

Vinu Jancu, La Garagista – Vermont**

Harlots and Ruffians, La Garagista – Vermont**

Baby Bandito Skin Contact Chenin, Swartland – South Africa*

Testalonga El Bandito Skin Contact Chenin, Swartland – South Africa*

Elementis, Intellego, Swartland – South Africa*

Luddite Chenin, Bot River – South Africa*

Misc. followed by Bubbles

Malvazija, Piquentum- Croatia**

Georgas Retsina of Mesogaia – Greece**

Weiss, Marto Wines – Germany***

Niki Antadze 100 yo Rkatsitelli skin contact – Georgia***

Tillingham End Grain – England* (partial skin contact)

Tillingham Rullem, E Sussex – England***

Camillo Donati Malvasia & Trebbiano Frizzante

Fuchs und Hase Vol 1 & 4

Kindeli La Lechuza Pet Nat

Interested in finding out more? Simon Woolf's Amber Revolution is seminal orange reading. We've also an ode to all things amber here. 

For more details on our wines contact us directly:

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