What are Orange Wines, and why are they the Hottest Wines on the Market?
Orange wine isn't made from oranges. It's white grapes fermented on their skins — giving the wine more color, texture and grip. Tinto makes two dry, 0g-sugar versions so you can taste what 9 days versus 22 days of skin contact actually does.
0g sugar per 5 fl oz serving. Average analysis below.
No oranges. No orange flavoring. Just grapes — with the skins left in.
Most white wine is pressed away from its grape skins before fermentation. Orange wine keeps white-grape juice in contact with the skins for longer — closer to the way red wine is made. That contact can add amber color, tannin, texture and aromatic intensity.
The result sits in a lane of its own: the freshness you expect from white wine, with more structure and grip.
The confusing part: “orange wine” is a method, not one flavor.
Skin contact can last hours, days or weeks. Grapes, fermentation and cellar choices vary too. One bottle might be light and juicy; another can be deeply textured or savory. The words orange wine alone do not tell you how the glass will taste.
Three things tell you more than the color.
If you're choosing an orange wine, look past the orange hue. Ask how long the wine stayed on its skins, whether it finished dry, and how the producer handled fermentation and additions. Those choices shape the experience far more than a trendy label does.
Skin-contact time
More time with the skins generally means more extraction of color, aroma, tannin and texture. Tinto gives you two clear reference points: Monje at 9 days and Bheyo at 22 days.
Dryness
Fruit-forward does not have to mean sweet. Monje and Bheyo each have 0g sugar per 5 fl oz serving.
Producer choices
Native fermentation, no fining or filtration, and minimal sulfur additions are part of Tinto's low-intervention approach.
Taste 9 days and 22 days side by side.
The Orange Wine Sampler pairs our bright, juicy Monje with the more deeply skin-contacted Bheyo. Same broad family. Two very different personalities. It's a two-bottle crash course you can actually drink.
We make orange wine for people who want character — not chaos.
Both wines start with California Gewürztraminer and a small Zinfandel co-ferment. We use native fermentation, leave the wines unfined and unfiltered, and keep sulfur additions minimal. The goal is not funk for funk's sake. It's vivid fruit, texture, energy and a dry finish.
Monje: the bright, juicy entry point.
91.8% practicing-organic Gewürztraminer from Monterey plus 8.2% organic Zinfandel from Mendocino. Nine days of skin contact bring mandarin and nectarine notes with a fresh finish.
Bheyo: more skin contact, more texture.
95.3% practicing-organic Gewürztraminer from Monterey plus 4.7% organic Zinfandel from Mendocino. Twenty-two days of skin contact bring apricot, bright orange and peach-like aromatics with a more textured profile.
Native, unfined, unfiltered.
Both wines are fermented with native yeast and made without fining or filtration. Tinto uses minimal sulfur additions of less than 30 ppm during production. The wines are not sulfite-free.
Tinto Amorio gets orange wine.
VinePair
If orange wine has felt confusing, start with the contrast.
Monje shows you the bright, juicy side. Bheyo shows you what longer skin contact can add. Open them together and the category makes sense fast.
Two bottles.
Two levels of skin contact.
Open them together and taste how time on the skins changes the wine.
Monje
0g sugar91.8% Gewürztraminer (practicing organic, Monterey) + 8.2% Zinfandel (organic, Mendocino). Mandarin and nectarine notes with a bright, juicy personality and a fresh finish.
Try it with: oysters, ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms or paneer tikka masala.
Bheyo
0g sugar95.3% Gewürztraminer (practicing organic, Monterey) + 4.7% Zinfandel (organic, Mendocino). Apricot, bright orange and peach-like aromatics with a lively, textured finish.
Try it with: smoked rainbow trout, Pad Thai or al pastor street tacos.
0g sugar per 5 fl oz serving. Fruit descriptions are tasting notes, not added ingredients. Each bottle is 750 mL.
The fastest way to understand orange wine?
Taste the contrast.
One bright 9-day skin-contact wine. One more textured 22-day version. Both dry, expressive and made to be served chilled.
1 Monje + 1 Bheyo
Two full-size 750 mL bottles.
Start with the 2-bottle sampler, or choose a larger pack on the product page.
0g sugar per 5 fl oz serving. Shipping and taxes calculated at checkout. Someone 21+ must sign for delivery. See product page for current availability and pack options.
Orange wine, without the weird questions left unanswered.
Is orange wine made from oranges?
No. Orange wine is made from grapes. White-grape juice ferments in contact with the grape skins, which contributes the amber/orange color, texture and tannin.
Is orange wine sweet?
It can vary by producer, but Tinto's Monje and Bheyo are dry and each contains 0g sugar per 5 fl oz serving. Fruit-forward tasting notes do not mean added fruit or sugar.
What's the difference between Monje and Bheyo?
Monje spends 9 days on the skins and leans bright, juicy and mandarin/nectarine-driven. Bheyo spends 22 days on the skins and has a more textured profile with apricot, orange and peach-like aromatics.
Should orange wine be chilled?
We recommend serving both Monje and Bheyo chilled. If they're refrigerator-cold, letting the glass warm slightly can open up more aroma and texture.
Are these wines sulfite-free?
No. Sulfites also occur naturally during fermentation, and Tinto uses minimal sulfur additions during production. These wines should not be described as sulfite-free.
Are Monje and Bheyo natural wines?
Tinto's approach includes native fermentation, no fining or filtration, and minimal sulfur additions. We describe the specific practices rather than treat “natural wine” as a standardized legal definition.
Dry means dry. Here are the numbers.
Statement of average analysis per 5 fl oz serving.
Monje
0g sugar
94 calories
2.5g carbohydrates
0g protein
0g fat
Bheyo
0g sugar
93 calories
2.5g carbohydrates
0g protein
0g fat
These wines contain alcohol. Zero sugar does not mean alcohol-free, carbohydrate-free or calorie-free.