Uncover a new wine experience among the vines in Orange, a 3.5-hour drive west of Sydney. With rich volcanic soils and vineyards planted at an elevation above 600 metres, the region produces excellent cool-climate wines, from buttery chardonnay to silky pinot noir. Feel enlivened by the crisp country air as you traipse between its atmospheric cellar doors — including these five unmissable venues.
Enjoy a refreshingly cool change
Step inside a beautifully restored 1870s bluestone barn at Philip Shaw, a 10-minute drive from Orange, to sample fine wines with whimsical names and quirky labels that make the tasting experience even more enjoyable. Pair your wine flight with a tasting plate featuring local cheese, prosciutto and accompaniments, or simply savour the high-altitude terroir in every drop of wine carefully selected by your host at the cellar door, perched 900m above sea level. Remember to book ahead for your tasting experience at the intimate venue, and keep an eye on the website for information about seasonal dinners and special events.
Follow your natural instincts
Taste the passion of the Ross Hill Wines team for the planet in every vintage — it was the first winery in Australia to be certified by the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS), a process that took six years and means its wines are produced using sustainable principles. Anticipate the exceptional quality of its wines as you relax on the alfresco terrace alongside the hand-tended vines, breathing in the sweet perfume of cherry blossoms that bloom during the springtime. Take a deeper dive by signing on for a food and wine course at Barrel & Larder, an impressive custom-designed school attached to the cellar door, just five minutes down the road from Philip Shaw.
Strike the perfect balance
Revel in the expansive views over the vineyards towards the mountains as the late morning sun warms your bones at De Salis Wines, a small family-operated winery located on the northern slope of Mount Canobolas, 11km from Orange. Take a seat around a wine barrel and enjoy a memorable tasting of its premium handcrafted wines made with modern techniques and minimal intervention, seizing the opportunity to learn more about the winery’s minimalist philosophy from the passionate and knowledgeable cellar door team — with no culinary offering here, it’s all about the wine.
Go with the flow
Relish the myriad ways to experience wine at Rowlee Wines, a 10-minute drive from Orange, where the Varietal Wine Experience tasting is just the beginning. Spend more time discovering the nuances of Rowlee Wines with a Sensory Wine Experience, a 60-minute guided journey through the vineyard’s Single Vineyard wines that ignites all the senses. Or gather seven to 22 of your favourite people together for the Group Wine Experience and sip a selection of cool-climate varietals as you snack on a grazing platter.
Alternatively, stretch out in a shady spot on the lawn with a gourmet picnic hamper, which includes a bottle of wine, or make a weekend of it with your partner on the Ultimate Wine Escape, which includes two nights’ accommodation in a private guesthouse and a tutored wine tasting paired with cheeses or chocolates. Crack one of your six included bottles of wine to enjoy as the sun sets over the vines, or take them home and be transported back to your romantic weekend every time you open a bottle.
Explore new terrain
Discover how young wineries can punch above their weight at Printhie Wines, which has won numerous accolades since launching in 2004, just eight years after its first vines were planted, 10 minutes from Orange. Try its lauded Swift sparkling range for yourself at the winery’s chic, charcoal-toned cellar door, where the Sparkling Tasting Experience is just one of three tasting experiences to choose from. You can also take an immersive journey into the world of bubbles on the Sparkling Masterclass, and uncover the art of méthode traditionelle sparkling before settling in for a degustation lunch at Printhie Dining with matching wines.
Or surprise a loved one with an exhilarating helicopter flight to the winery, which includes a private winery tour and tasting, and a decadent contemporary lunch overlooking the peaceful valley before being chauffeured back to your accommodation.
