Dear America, Wake Up! It’s Time for Orange Wine to Trend

Health-conscious consumers looking for something new and artistic are paving the way for adventurous winemakers. So put something new on the table this holiday season.

It was fashion week in Madrid, so I threw on a black Fenty teddy lingerie as a top, put a black blazer over it, made my hair as bone straight as naturally curly hair could get, put on some thick lashes, and headed out to pregame with my girls at a wine shop—because we are in our 30s, not 20s.

The shop was intimate, stylish, and oozing with that local charm that’s impossible to fake, and located in the beautiful Salamanca—the chicest neighborhood in Madrid, think Upper East Side, NYC meets European flair.

Like the responsible adult I chose not to be at that moment, I ordered a flight. Reds, whites, the usual suspects appeared. With each glass, the waiter described the origin and pointed it out on a detailed map of Spain. And with each glass, I found the origin story of the wine more difficult to retain. But then, something caught my eye—a bottle of orange wine. None of us had tried it before, so naturally, we all had to give it a go.

Mind blown. It was light, refreshing, and had this perfect balance—not too dry, not too sweet. It was like discovering a new favorite song that you can’t stop playing on repeat.

Fun Culture Fact | In Spain babies are welcome in the bars and the wine shops day and night.

But after that day, I unsuccessfully scoured Madrid trying to find orange wine. It was like searching for Wi-Fi in the wilderness. Practically impossible, and the ones I found were … let’s just say, overwhelming in flavor—think vermouth. Determined, I went back to that shop and stocked up. And that’s when I decided—orange wine needs to be a thing. Like, everywhere.

And here’s why: This discovery isn’t just a tasty twist on your usual glass of wine; it’s a cultural phenomenon waiting to explode.

Orange wine bridges the gap between traditional winemaking and modern tastes, blending age-old techniques with contemporary vibes. It’s gaining traction in trendsetting markets like Japan and the UK, hinting at a massive business opportunity for those ahead of the curve. Intrigued by its potential and cultural significance, I decided to dive deeper—to uncover the story behind this captivating drink and meet the visionary winemaker.

Meet Elias, the Winemaking Maverick

I interviewed Elias López Montero, a winemaker from central Spain about his winemaking process for orange wine and his business strategy for exporting around the world.