National Orange Wine Day – October 6, 2026

National Orange Wine Day
Categories:
Tags:
DrinkingFunLiquor
Where:
United States
Date change rule:
Every October 6
Holiday emoji:
🥂

National Orange Wine Day uncorks a celebration every October 6, honoring the distinctive skin-contact white wine that’s gaining global popularity. Dive into its rich history and explore the unique flavors that set it apart. Discover new producers, experiment with food pairings, and share your favorite bottles with friends.

Want to sponsor National Orange Wine Day? Learn how

Expected National Orange Wine Day Deals

As National Orange Wine Day approaches, expect specialty wine shops and online retailers to feature curated selections and tasting notes. While we await official 2027 promotions, history shows that independent wine bars and natural wine importers like Raw Wine, Orange Glou, and Primal Wine often run special discounts or offer unique flights. Major liquor stores such as Total Wine & More and BevMo! may highlight their orange wine inventory. Look for local restaurants and bistros to offer special pairings or by-the-glass options. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as October 6 approaches.

Platform Guide for National Orange Wine Day

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #OrangeWineDay. Share vibrant photos of your favorite orange wines, food pairings, or vineyard visits.

TikTok

Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #OrangeWine. Create short videos reviewing different orange wines, demonstrating tasting notes, or explaining its production process.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #OrangeWineDay. Host a virtual tasting event or share educational content about this unique wine style with your community.

Social Media Tips for National Orange Wine Day

Individuals

Explore local wine shops for orange wine selections, try a new pairing with your dinner, or organize a small tasting with friends to compare different styles.

Creators

Develop content around orange wine production, interview a natural winemaker, or create a guide to understanding the diverse flavor profiles of skin-contact whites.

Brands

Feature your orange wine offerings with special promotions, host in-store or online tasting events, or collaborate with local restaurants on unique food pairing menus.

Top Brands for National Orange Wine Day

  1. Orange Glou

    Founded by sommelier Doreen Winkler, Orange Glou is a New York-based online wine club and shop specializing exclusively in orange wines. It curates rare and exciting selections from around the world, bringing this ancient style to a wider audience.

  2. Donkey & Goat Winery

    A pioneering natural winery in Berkeley, California, founded in 2002 by Jared and Tracey Brandt. They are known for their minimal intervention winemaking, including acclaimed skin-contact white wines that showcase the beauty of orange wine production.

  3. Gravner

    Josko Gravner is an iconic winemaker from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, renowned for reviving traditional amber wine production using amphorae. His wines are highly sought after for their complexity and deep connection to ancient winemaking techniques.

  4. Primal Wine

    An online retailer dedicated to natural, organic, and biodynamic wines, Primal Wine offers a wide selection of orange wines from various regions. They aim to make clean, sustainable wines accessible to consumers across the United States.

  5. Frank Cornelissen

    Based on Mount Etna in Sicily, Frank Cornelissen is a celebrated natural winemaker known for his 'no-sulfur' philosophy and unique skin-contact white wines. His approach emphasizes purity of fruit and terroir expression, often resulting in distinctive orange wine styles.

  6. Martha Stoumen Wines

    A California-based natural winemaker, Martha Stoumen focuses on farming organically and creating wines with minimal intervention. Her portfolio includes intriguing skin-contact white wines that highlight the versatility and appeal of orange wine.

  7. Total Wine & More

    One of the largest independent retailers of fine wine, beer, and spirits in the United States. Total Wine & More has expanded its selection of natural and orange wines, making this niche category more accessible to mainstream consumers nationwide.

National Orange Wine Day Hero

Josko Gravner

Josko Gravner is a legendary winemaker from Oslavia, Italy, widely credited with reintroducing the ancient tradition of making orange wine in amphorae. Beginning in the late 1980s, he pioneered the use of clay vessels for fermentation and extended skin contact, inspiring a global movement. His dedication to natural methods and historical techniques has made him a revered figure in the world of orange and natural wines.

History of National Orange Wine Day

National Orange Wine Day was first established in 2018 by the “National Day Registry,” in an attempt to bring more awareness to this beautiful yet little-known wine. Now you may not have seen orange wine at your nearest liquor store or even your favorite watering hole, but this wine has roots tracing back thousands of years.

Wine scholars suggest that orange wine was first made in Georgia, Europe way back in 6000 B.C. What’s interesting is that Georgia is also thought to be the birthplace of wine. In the coming thousands of years, orange wine fell into obscurity. But a recent resurgence started around two decades ago when wine connoisseurs all over the world rediscovered this unusual type of wine.

The technical term for this wine style is ‘skin-contact wine’ because of the technique with which they are made. Just like all the other popular styles of wine — red, white, sparkling, and rose — orange wine is also made from pressing and fermenting grapes — white wine grapes to be specific.

To put it simply, white wine is made from grapes with their skins off, red wine is made from grapes with their skins on, while rose is made from grapes that have had their skin left on for a short period.

Orange wines, or skin-contact wines, are made with white grapes with their skins on. When the crushed grapes are fermenting, they take on a more tannic quality from their skins and pips, but also a deeper color. Most skin-contact wines are more of a golden yellow than a definite orange but many end up having a bright amber shade.

National Orange Wine Day timeline

6,000 B.C.
Orange Wine Is Made

According to wine academics, orange wine is first created in Georgia, Europe.

1950s — 1960s
The Downfall

Orange wines begin falling out of fashion in places like Italy as fresh white wines dominate the market.

2004
It Gets Its Catchy Name

The now popular term ‘orange wine’ is coined by a British wine importer, David A. Harvey.

2018
National Orange Wine Day is Established

The day is founded by The Real House Wine to popularize this lesser-known wine.

National Orange Wine Day FAQs

When is National Orange Wine Day?

In 2026, National Orange Wine Day falls on Tuesday, October 6, inviting enthusiasts to discover the unique world of skin-contact white wines. It’s the perfect mid-week opportunity to explore new flavors.

How is orange wine made?

Orange wine is produced by fermenting white wine grapes with their skins on, similar to red wine production. This extended skin contact extracts color, tannins, and unique aromatics, giving the wine its distinctive amber hue and complex profile.

How popular is orange wine?

Orange wine, once a niche product, has seen a significant surge in popularity in recent years, especially among natural wine enthusiasts and adventurous drinkers. It’s increasingly featured on restaurant wine lists and in specialty wine shops worldwide.

What does orange wine taste like?

Orange wines offer a broad spectrum of flavors, often characterized by nutty, savory, and dried fruit notes like apricot, bruised apple, and orange peel. They typically have a richer texture and more tannic structure than traditional white wines.

National Orange Wine Day Activities

  1. Drink some orange wine

    Scour your nearby liquor stores and trendy wine bars for a bottle of orange wine. There’s no better way to honor this very important day by drinking orange wine with your buddies.

  2. Make orange wine

    Make your own orange wine at home if you're having trouble finding a place that sells it. Making wine is an art and it can also be incredibly rewarding. You’ll find plenty of online resources like Masterclasses, blogs, and even YouTube tutorials.

  3. Visit a vineyard

    Take off for the weekend and visit a lovely vineyard with your loved ones. Breathe in the scent of different styles of wines, try the wines you’ve never heard of before, and get into interesting conversations with winemakers.

5 Facts About Wine That Will Blow Your Mind

  1. Orange wine goes well with bold-flavored foods

    Remember to pair this wine with Moroccan, Ethiopian, Korean, and Japanese cuisine.

  2. Most orange wine is made in Italy

    Most orange winemaking is found in northeastern Italy, along the border of Slovenia in the picturesque region of Friuli–Venezia Giulia.

  3. Grapes are the most planted fruit

    Grapes are the most planted fruit in the world and a ton of grapes can be produced to make 720 bottles of wine.

  4. Oenophobia

    Some people have a fear of wine called ‘oenophobia.’

  5. Romans forbid women from drinking it

    In early Roman times, it was also considered lawful if a man killed his wife if he caught her drinking wine.

Why We Love National Orange Wine Day

  1. It tastes divine

    Orange wine truly tastes like nothing else! Some taste like a light red wine while some can taste like a sour beer. There is a lot of variation in the taste but orange wines tend to taste more bitter because of the presence of a lot of tannins. Some common tasting notes include stone fruits like apricot, and dried fruits and flowers.

  2. It’s the natural way of wine making

    Orange wines are considered to be more ‘natural’ because their high levels of tannins mean the wine can be bottled without adding sulfur dioxide. It is often unfiltered, contains no fewer additives, and is made with traditional wine production methods.

  3. It has a gorgeous color

    Its beautiful orange hue is the most noticeable thing about orange wine. It can be the color of tangerine but it can also be gold, yellow, amber, and even pink. The color depends on the type of grape used to make the wine and how ripe it was, the time taken to ferment it, the vessel used to ferment it, and the method of extraction.

National Orange Wine Day dates

Year Date Day
2026 October 6 Tuesday
2027 October 6 Wednesday
2028 October 6 Friday
2029 October 6 Saturday
2030 October 6 Sunday