2023 The Vice Orange Wine of Albarino California 750 ml

It’s been called “the new rosé," and in a matter of years, it's from esoteric to chic. Yet how do you define orange wine? We’ll get to that—but first, pop open the 2023 The Vice Orange Wine of Albariño.

Because as an exemplar of the style, this bottle speaks for itself. 

A gorgeous copper color in the glass, it bursts with aromas of orange blossom, lemon marmalade, sea spray, and almond. The palate is generous and complex, showing citrus and apple notes with herbal and mineral undertones, carried on a wave of balanced acidity. 

Despite its recent ascendance, the “orange wine” style is actually quite old, with roots in ancient Georgia. A more accurate name is skin-contact white wine, since it’s made the same way as rosé—a brief maceration on the skins—just with white grapes instead of red. The result is the crisp refreshment of white wine, plus texture and the impression of soft tannins. 

Any white grape works, and The Vice team chose Albariño, a Spanish variety prized for its vibrant acidity, saline edge, and ageworthiness. Beyond its native Galicia, the Albariño has found a home in ocean-influenced California vineyards, and The Vice has in-roads with some exceptional sites. 

The winery, which has been profiled in Forbes, USA Today, and Jetsetter, specializes in sourcing top-quality grapes from vineyards whose owners don’t want their name on the label. The growers give those grapes to winemaker Vance Rose, alum of Donum in Carneros, Ehlers in St. Helena, plus Grieve Family Winery and Double Eagle in the Napa Valley.

The results are undeniable, and this Albariño shows just how much pure pleasure orange wines can deliver.