I Finally Like An Orange Wine!

Orange wine is the cool kid in town.

But does it actually taste good? If you asked me a month ago, my answer would've been a resounding MEH. Things have since changed for the better (and boozier).

In case you're unfamiliar, orange wine is made from the same grapes as white wine, but keeping the skin, which gives the unusual color. According to my trusted sommelier (Google), the stuff has been in production since 1997, but I feel like its surge in popularity is relatively recent -- really ramping up over the last few years.

Personally, I often find it tastes more like beer than actual wine. Almost all the brands I've tried were funky, fizzy, weird. Being unimpressed and moderately grossed out, I (very cynically) concluded that orange wine's growing fame in Montreal had more to do with novelty, and less to do with, well, tasting great.

And then I tried one I really liked lol.

Flamant Orange is a Quebec wine you can pick up at Depanneur Peluso. It's light and bright and really refreshing when chilled. None of that sour funkiness I'd come to expect from an orange wine. Unlike the others I've had, this one reminds me of a good rosé (!!!) so it's obviously right up my alley. 

The label is incredibly cute, too. 

Thanks to Flamant Orange, I'm way more open-minded and optimistic about trying oranges in the future. I'll happily report back when I find another winner. In the meantime, if you're interested in giving orange wine a whirl, consider treating yourself to this one :)

Image credit (top): Vice

Image credit (bottom): Depanneur Peluso