What Is Amber Wine? A Plain-English Guide to Georgia's Most Misunderstood Style

You've probably seen it on a wine list or spotted an unusual golden-orange bottle at a specialty shop. Amber wine — sometimes called orange wine — looks different, tastes different, and seems hard to explain. It isn't.

Here's everything you need to know.

So What Exactly Is Amber Wine?

Amber wine is simply white wine made like red wine.

Normally, when white wine is made, the grape skins are removed immediately after pressing. Amber wine skips that step. The skins stay in contact with the juice during fermentation — sometimes for days, sometimes for months. That extended skin contact is what gives amber wine its distinctive color, texture, and flavor.

The result is something that sits beautifully between white and red. It has the aromatics of a white wine, but the structure and grip of a red.

Why Is Georgia the Home of Amber Wine?

Georgia didn't invent a trend. Georgia invented winemaking itself — and amber wine has been made here for over 8,000 years.

Georgian winemakers have always fermented white grapes on their skins in qvevri — large clay vessels buried underground. This is the original method, long before stainless steel tanks or temperature-controlled cellars existed. What the rest of the wine world recently discovered as "orange wine" is simply how Georgians have always made wine.

When you drink a Georgian amber wine, you're drinking something that connects directly to the oldest winemaking tradition on earth.

What Does Amber Wine Taste Like?

Forget what you expect from white wine. Amber wine is drier, more textured, and more savory.

Expect: Dried apricot, orange peel, honey, toasted nuts, dried herbs, and a subtle tannic grip on the finish. The color ranges from golden yellow to deep amber, depending on how long the skins were in contact with the juice.

It's complex without being heavy — and surprisingly food-friendly.

Which Grapes Are Used?

Georgia's indigenous white grapes make some of the world's finest amber wines:

• Rkatsiteli — the most widely planted white grape in Georgia. Produces amber wines with bright acidity, citrus peel, and a clean mineral finish.

• Kisi — aromatic and full-bodied, with notes of apricot, honey, and dried flowers. One of the most distinctive amber wine grapes in the world.

• Mtsvane — fresh and floral, adding elegance and lift to amber blends.

What Food Does It Pair With?

Amber wine's tannins and acidity make it one of the most versatile food wines you can pour.

• Cheese boards — aged and semi-hard cheeses especially

• Roasted and grilled vegetables — eggplant, mushrooms, squash

• Walnut-based dishes — a classic Georgian pairing

• Spiced and aromatic cuisine — Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mediterranean food

• Charcuterie and cured meats

Think of it as the wine that bridges the gap between white and red — it works where neither quite fits.

Who Makes It in the Corus Portfolio?

Several of our producers make exceptional amber wines worth exploring:

• Marani — reliable, beautifully balanced Rkatsiteli and Kisi ambers

• Vine Ponto — traditional qvevri-fermented ambers with serious depth

• Rtoni — minimal intervention, expressive skin-contact whites from Kakheti

• Kalo — small-batch, organically farmed amber wines with real terroir character

• GK Winery — bold, textured ambers for adventurous drinkers

Final Sip

Amber wine isn't a fad or a novelty. It's the oldest way to make wine in the world — and Georgia has been doing it right for millennia. If you've never tried it, start here.

Explore our full amber wine selection at Corus US.