Sold Out
Bodegas Cueva

Orange 2019

Price: $19.95
Enter your email address below to be notified when this product is back in stock.
Tasting notes

Tardana is a near-extinct late-ripening white native to Valencia, and Bodegas Cueva is one of the few producers keeping it alive in skin-contact form. The 5-6 day maceration gives this wine a genuine orange-wine texture — dried apricot, almond, and citrus peel — without the grippy tannins that heavier maceration can produce. At 12.5% ABV, it drinks more like a food wine than a statement.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Dried ApricotAlmondOrange PeelStone Fruit
  • Style: Skin-contact orange wine; hazy amber; stone fruit and almond; 12.5% ABV; zero added sulfites
  • Grapes & Terroir: Tardana and Macabeo; certified organic; calcareous clay soils; 650-700m elevation; La Portera, Utiel-Requena DO
  • Winemaking: Late harvest; 5-6 day skin maceration; indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel; unfined, unfiltered, no added SO2
  • Serving: Serve at 52-55F; no decanting needed; drink now through 2024
  • Pairing: Roasted chicken, grilled mackerel, aged Manchego, marcona almonds, Thai and Vietnamese dishes
  • Similar To: For fans of Friulano or Pinot Grigio Ramato who want a Spanish take on textured, savory skin-contact whites

Bodegas Cueva's Orange is a skin-contact wine made from Tardana and Macabeo grown in La Portera, a small village at the heart of D.O. Utiel-Requena in the province of Valencia. The vineyards sit on calcareous clay soils at 650-700 meters elevation. Grapes are late-harvested — Tardana is one of Spain's latest-ripening white varieties, often picked well into autumn — then macerated on the skins for 5-6 days before fermentation with indigenous yeasts.

All grapes are certified organic. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with no added sulfites. Fermentation takes place with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The result is a hazy, amber-tinged wine that shows the textural depth of extended skin contact without heavy tannin extraction.

In the glass, expect stone fruit — apricot and peach — alongside dried citrus peel, almond, and a savory, slightly oxidative edge typical of no-added-SO2 orange wines. Acidity is lower than most orange wines from cooler climates, with a medium body driven by the Macabeo component.

Serve slightly chilled, around 52-55F. Works well as an aperitif or alongside food with some weight and fat to balance the texture.

The texture and dried-fruit character of this wine hold up well against dishes with some richness or spice. Try it with roasted chicken with saffron and almonds, grilled oily fish like mackerel or sardines, or a plate of aged Manchego and marcona almonds. It also works alongside Thai or Vietnamese dishes where brightness and body are needed without sharp tannic edges.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Orange Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Tardana, Macabeo
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2019
Alcohol:, 12.5%
Country:, Spain
Region:, Valencia
Appellation:, D.O. Utiel-Requena
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Bodegas Cueva

Bodegas Cueva operates out of an 18th-century building in the center of La Portera, a small village in the Utiel-Requena D.O. Winemaker Mariano Taberner formally established the project in 2000. The winery works with approximately 10 hectares of vineyards, split between estate-owned parcels and fruit sourced from growers in the region whom Taberner works with closely throughout the year.

Bodegas Cueva was among the first producers in Valencia to receive organic certification from the Comité de Agricultura Ecológica de la Comunidad Valenciana (CAECV). No synthetic chemicals have been used on the vineyards. The estate includes centenarian vines of Bobal, Tempranillo, and Tardana. Taberner's focus on the near-extinct Tardana variety has been central to the winery's identity — it is used in several wines across the portfolio, including skin-contact, sparkling, and still white styles.

In the cellar, Taberner uses indigenous yeasts exclusively. Wines are bottled without fining, filtration, or added sulfites. The underground cellars at La Portera maintain a naturally cool and stable temperature, which aids fermentation control without mechanical intervention. Total annual production is approximately 20,000 bottles across all wines.

Wine region

Valencia, Spain

Utiel-Requena is a D.O. located in the interior of the province of Valencia, roughly 70 kilometers west of the Mediterranean coast. The appellation sits on a high plateau at an average elevation of around 700 meters above sea level, with some vineyards reaching 900 meters. The climate is transitional between Mediterranean and continental: hot, dry summers, cold winters, and large diurnal temperature swings during the growing season. Annual rainfall averages around 400mm. These conditions stress the vines, concentrate flavors, and preserve natural acidity in the grapes.

Soils across the appellation are primarily calcareous clay — dark, poor in organic matter, well-drained, and high in limestone. Bobal is the dominant red grape and represents the majority of plantings, but the D.O. also authorizes indigenous white varieties including Macabeo, Merseguera, and Tardana. Utiel-Requena holds 78% of the certified organic vineyard area in the Valencian Community, making it one of the most organically farmed appellations in Spain.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

This collection features our best selling natural wine from all around the world. It's the best place to start you natural wine journey! Browse one of the largest selections of natural wine available online in the United States.

Primal Wine Natural Wine Club is the best way to discover natural wine. Let us do the heavy-lifting, sit back, and relax. We will send you an ever-changing selection of natural wine made by top producers from around the world.

Our customers love Primal

I'm just copying and pasting from the hundreds messages we received, no pseudo reviews!
Erin C.

We love our membership so far and can't wait until our next shipment.

Jennifer B.

A note to say that we are loving the tasting notes sheet you’re sending!

James S.

I'm really happy to find Primal – your selections are terrific. 

Samuel M.

Love your company, always a great wine selection. 

Chelsea V.

I love what you guys do!

What Is | Primal Wine

What is natural wine?

Natural wine is a type of wine made in small batches from organic or biodynamic grapes with minimal intervention.
What Is Biodynamic Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is Biodynamics?

Biodynamic wine is wine made from grapes farmed biodynamically. Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach.
What Is Organic Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is organic wine?

Organic wine is made with grapes farmed organically. Organic farming is an alternative to conventional farming.
What Is Vegan Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is vegan wine?

Vegan wine is wine made without using animal products during the fining phase of the clarification process.