Is orange wine the ‘drink of the summer’?

An explosion of posts on TikTok has shown a profound appetite for orange wine with some dubbing it the ‘drink of the summer’.

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Move over Aperol Spritz as it looks as though Generation Z and Millennials have a new drink to shout about on social media. According to sales data from online retailer Ocado, orange wine has grown by 99% this year so far, with searches for such products also up 80%.

This trend is plane to see across the internet, with orange wine becoming a new ‘trend’ on social media, especially TikTok, as younger drinkers have discovered the wine and its potential as a refreshing wine for the summer months.

@kirstyabarrett Orange wine Aldi find can you even cope with this bottle the colour is #orangewine #vinorange #rosorange #aldiwine #aldiorangewine #roséorangewine ♬ Trendsetter – Connor Price & Haviah Mighty

But there is also some confusion about the drink, with some users unsure if it is wine made from oranges, or just orange coloured. Users have also been using the orange ’emoji’, and with orange

@kirstyabarrett Orange wine review coming up later on this eve. I just wanted to try it again to double check i do like it though #orangewine #vinorange #winetok ♬ Belong Together (Sped Up) – Mark Ambor

Of course, orange wine is, according to The International Organization for Vine and Wine (OIV) a “white wine with maceration”, and a minimum duration of the maceration phase being one month. The skin contact is what causes the amber or ‘orange’ colour.

Indeed, it is arguable that prescribing a fruit colour to the wine is perhaps liable to create such confusion. Some social media users have said it should be called ‘amber’ wine to avoid potential drinkers thinking it is fermented orange juice.

Indeed, the Italian word for one type of this skin-contact wine is ‘ramato’ – produced in Friuli from Pinot Grigio grapes – which roughly translated to ‘auburn’.

Speaking to the MailOnline about the trend, Christian Streatfield, wine buyer at Ocado said: “Orange wine is increasingly popular with our customers.

“Unlike typical white wine production, the grape skins remain in contact with the juice during fermentation, producing complex flavours and textures, as well as that deeper colour.

‘The resulting wine is delicious and versatile, with something to offer both red and white wine fans.”