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Orange wines have gone far more mainstream in the past year. Even the more traditionalist vineyards and wineries have extended their vine offering to create this trending style.
Also known as skin-contact wines, orange wines are essentially white wines made like red wines. When making a white wine, the juice is immediately separated from its grape skins. In an orange wine, however, the juice is kept with the white grape skins for anything from a few days to 12 months. It’s this process that gives the wine its amber-orangey hue, a more intense flavour and tannins.
However, the best orange wines come with high price tags, with many bottles costing more than £30. The wine is often made in small batches by independent producers who are making waves in progressive winemaking. That said, I’ve found some excellent orange wines that don’t break the bank.
With all that in mind, keep scrolling for my pick of the best orange wines, all of which have been taste-tested and assessed for quality and value for money.
How I tested 
I considered everything from taste to sustainability during testing (Emma Henderson/The Independent)
I’ve opened more bottles of orange wine than I care to count. Some helpers and I tasted each wine by itself, with snacks (such as crispbreads or olives) and with heartier evening meals. During testing, I considered the following criteria:
Taste: From complex and interesting to delicate and approachable vinos, I looked for well-made orange/skin-contact wines that pass the taste test.Appearance: Second to taste, I want my wine to look good on the table, so I considered the bottle’s design, too.Sustainability: Bonus points went to producers who practice biodiversity viticulture (aka the variety of plants and animals in the vineyard), low-intervention, organic methods on the vines, wild yeasts in wineries and other sustainable methods.Value for money: Although orange wines are becoming more mainstream, they are still often pricer than red or white alternatives, so I evaluated whether each bottle was worth its price point.Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Emma Henderson is a confessed lover of all things food and drink. She was the editor of IndyEats, The Independent’s monthly digital food magazine, and was twice shortlisted for “best food magazine” at the Guild of Food Writers Awards. She’s sampled everything from Michelin-recommended menus to the best olive oils and supermarket sourdoughs, so she knows exactly what is worth savouring. When it comes to orange wines, she’s taste-tested the good, the bad and the questionable to bring you her pick of the bunch.
The best orange wines for 2025 are:Best overall – Tillingham ‘ortega’ orange wine: £35, Delli.marketBest budget buy – Lyrarakis Assyrtiko-Vidiano orange wine Crete 2023/24: £13.50, Majestic.co.ukBest sparkling – Saddle Goose orange bacchus brut nature, 2023: £29, Saddlegoose.co.ukBest boxed option – Ultra Violet 2024 skin contact wine: £49, Bobowines.co.ukBest house wine – Top Cuvée house orange wine: £21.99, Amazon.co.uk
Dining and Cooking