Orange Is the New Pink
Jul 27, 2026, 9:00 AM
Northwest Travel Life
Originally published on Northwest Travel & Life.
Across Washington, Oregon and Idaho, skin-contact whites are redefining spring drinking with texture, tension and just enough grip to keep things interesting.
Rosé may still dominate spring patios, but across the Pacific Northwest, another hue is steadily rising in the glass.
Orange wine: white grapes fermented on their skins, has moved from fringe curiosity to deliberate expression. It offers the brightness of white wine with added structure, subtle tannin and savory nuance.
“In non-technical terms, when making orange wines, we allow the juice from white wine grapes to be in contact with the grape skins,” says Vivianne Kennedy, owner and winemaker at RAM Cellars. “Typically, white wines are made by crushing the grapes to release the juice and then separating the juice and the skins. This time in contact with skins results in color extraction… as well as tannins that give the resulting wines more structure and astringency.”
That subtle grip is precisely why orange wine thrives in spring. It refreshes like a white but holds its own at the table.
Washington’s Early Adopters
When Morgan Lee of Two Vintners was first asked in 2009 whether anyone in Washington was making orange wine, he didn’t even recognize the term.
“I told him that Washington doesn’t grow citrus fruit!” Lee recalls.
Once introduced to the concept, he began sourcing Gewürztraminer from Olsen Vineyard for what would become OG, Orange Gewürztraminer, a wine that has remained a staple ever since.
Lee found that eight weeks on skins builds grip and aromatic depth without tipping into bitterness. In 2016, he introduced a large Spanish tinaja into the program. “The clay added a lot of depth to the wine that wasn’t necessarily there early on.”
Washington’s climate underpins that structure. “Washington in particular is perfect for getting desired ripeness while maintaining acidity,” Lee says.
Market response has been sharply divided. Lee describes the wine as unapologetically niche, inspiring both devoted fans and firm skeptics, even among loyal wine club members. But that doesn’t concern him. “You can’t be everything to everyone.”
The Expanding Spectrum
Kennedy approaches orange wine through stylistic breadth.
“As a small, low intervention producer, I feel like I have a bit more leeway as far as staying flexible and opting to make different wines from vintage,” Kennedy says.
At RAM Cellars, that flexibility manifests in two distinct bottlings: Orange Fraîche and Le Bélier Orange.
Orange Fraîche highlights high-elevation, cooler-climate Riesling and what Kennedy calls the “inherent bracing, bright acidity” those sites deliver year after year. Le Bélier Orange broadens the profile through blending.
“With the Le Belier Orange, my goal has been to expand our offerings by way of a second Orange that features a blend of a higher acid varietal alongside skin-contact fermented Roussanne and sometimes skin-contact fermented Marsanne,” Kennedy explains.
The Rhône varieties soften the wine’s edges and add aromatic nuance, creating space for savory notes to emerge. That blending freedom is rooted in the Pacific Northwest itself—the range of climates and soils provides unusual flexibility.
Precision Over Philosophy
Despite its association with natural wine culture, orange wine in the Northwest is less about ideology than attention to detail.
For Kennedy, maceration length comes down to experience and daily tasting. She monitors each lot closely as fermentation progresses, watching for rising bitterness. If tannin starts to overshadow balance, she presses the wine off the skins and finishes fermentation in tank.
Lee takes an equally firm stance. “Edgy and different does not have to equal stinky,” he says. “Oxidation is just lazy winemaking.”
Orange wine’s staying power may ultimately rest on its versatility. The tannin extracted from skins allows these wines to stand up to spice and fat, while retained acidity keeps them bright, making them perfect food wines..
Lee remains realistic about orange wine’s place. “Orange wine will always be on the fringes but that is where it is most happy, I think.”
Spring Standouts to Try
Grosgrain Vineyards
Ribolla Gialla delivers savory quince and black tea with firm tannin, while Skin-Contact Sémillon layers beeswax and lemon pith over bright acidity.
Esja Wines
Founder Tanya Bjornsson crafts an Orange Roussanne that balances apricot and peach with honeyed depth and gentle grip.
Savage Grace Wines
The 2023 Skin-Contact Gewürztraminer offers citrus peel and orange blossom with subtle tannin and vibrant lift.
Limited Addition Wines
Orange Crush blends Pinot Gris with aromatic whites for tangerine, wildflower and easygoing freshness.
Fossil & Fawn
Oregon Orange is floral and citrus-driven with gentle tannin and lively energy.
Split Rail Winery
Ham on Rye, a skin-contact Riesling aged oxidatively in oak, layers citrus peel and savory nuttiness with character.
RAM Cellars, ramcellars.com
Two Vintners, twovintners.com
