Skin contact extracts tannins, phenolics, colour compounds, and additional flavour complexity from white or rosé grape skins during fermentation or soaking.

Orange Wines

White grapes fermented on skins for extended periods — days to months. Amber to deep orange in colour, with grippy tannins and complex oxidative character.

Extraction Variables

Duration — a few hours for rosé, days for structured whites, weeks to months for orange wines
Temperature — cold maceration (<10°C) extracts colour without harsh tannins
Punch-down / pigeage — breaking the cap increases extraction dramatically

💡 For a first skin-contact wine, try 3–5 days with daily punch-downs. Taste daily — your palate tells you when to press.

Skin Contact & Orange Wines

Orange Wines

Extraction Variables