Orange wines are everywhere nowadays, following an international revival of this ancient form of winemaking. But what music suits this intriguing hybrid style?
Orange wines are made with white grape varieties. They get their distinctive amber hues and red wine-like grippy texture by their grapes spending an extended time in contact with their skins, rather than having these removed early as with conventionally made white wines. As well as this extended time on skins imparting tannins, this can give orange wines extra aromatics. Orange wines are often more about their pithy texture than fruit, and can be ultra-dry-tasting and more savoury in profile.
Just as orange wines are highly versatile when pairing with food, their robust flavours and texture make them enjoyable with a variety of music. For example, while conventional whites might be overwhelmed with heavier beat-driven tunes, orange wines have the palate weight to bounce along with these quite happily, while higher pitched rhythmical elements work wonders with their aromatics.
Being fuller bodied, orange wines can work with trickier genres – think heavier rock and metal, and even more experimental music. This is especially true of ones with a more savoury character, as studies have shown that umami character can withstand noise that subdues other tastes.
However, with examples that have had more tea-like dryness extracted from their skins, harsher timbres will emphasise this. But if you like your orange wines a little rough around the edges, bring on the noise!
Amber n Bass
Huntress Waihonga Amber Martinborough Wairarapa 2023
I’m loving what Wairarapa-based Kiwi winenaker, Jannine Rickards is doing with skin contact in her white and orange wines and have had fun pairing the music styles that she enjoys with her latest releases. For her Amber wine Waihonga, made from Pinot Gris with a touch of Riesling, I’ve matched two tracks.
with Coco Solid – Vailima
The softly pithy grip of this wine works with the punchy syncopated, but not too rough-edged beats of this track by NZ rapper, Coco Solid. The constant hi-hat cymbal rhythms also draw out the Waihonga’s pepper and herb aromatic notes and draws attention to its freshness. The weight of the wine is matched by the bass, but there’s also space in this track to ensure this more delicate orange wine is not overwhelmed, ensuring its different layers are fully appreciated.
with Tali - Love and Migration
My other pick is from NZ drum n bass artist, Tali. Again the hi-hat cymbals and syncopated rhythms on this track work well with the Waihonga, dialling up its freshness and aromatic peppery notes. The fuller timbre of this track also puts more emphasis on wine’s fruit and palate weight.