The Auswine Forum

Since moving to the Blue Mountains a few months ago I am starting to look at the local wine regions. My first choice is the closest: Orange.

Does anyone have suggestions for cellar doors in the Orange region?

At this stage I will do a scoping touring, so I may decide to head up only for the day. It should take me about 2hrs, so I have between 10am and 4pm.

Check out the Wine Diva site here which will get you here and here. Its been about 3-4 years since I visited Orange. But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by what we tasted. Nothing earth shattering, but I prefer the region ahead of Mudgee (visited there in 2003); OK, maybe Abercorn is reasonable but then I'm a Standard Poodle owner so maybe that influenced me . The difference is cool climate rather than blistering heat!

Try to get to Canobolas Smith Wines, and hunt down the Rosemount Orange Vineyard wines. The chardonnay is quite reasonable.

Mike

You do not want to miss Bloodwood. Call first.

Ill second Canobolas Smith and Bloodwood. Cargo Road reds can be good sometimes.

Lots of new ones opened in the last couple of years that I havent been to. Let us know how you go.

The Old Convent at Borenore is good for lunch. You may have to book.

Cheers,
Andrew.

Be sure to go at the weekend, hardly any wineries are open duing the week. One that is open during the week and is worth a visit is Templers Mill at the Sydney University Orange Campus.

Some of the wineries are aimed squarely at the coaches and have some astoundingly bad wines.

Hi All,

I'm heading to Orange this weekend and wondered if anyone had some suggested cellar door visit's?

I tried searching through some previous posts and found this thread. However when I saw the date I thought it needed updating.

Regards
Elvis

Brangayne - call first, but they have some of (IMHO) the best wines in Orange, particularly the Sauv, Chardy and the Tristan red blend

Canobolis Smith - a great selection of wines. Their Cabernets (Sauv & Franc) is fantastic. I will be buying their 2006 Shiraz sometime, I am not sure if it is released yet, but it must be soon. I had a barrel sample last year and it was sensational.

Word Of Mouth - Consistently produces top quality wines that are very floral. Even their merlot has some floral hints to it. Their Viognier is my favourite.

Mayfield - Again a good selecection of wines and a great cellar door. The Schoolhouse Restaurant does a superb lunch (and dinner too)

Cargo Road - Just for the dessert Zinfandel

Borodell on the Mount - haven't tried their wines, but the restaurant is fantastic. Mayfield is out the other side of Orange so if you are on the Mount Canobolas side at lunch time this would be the place to go. (Actually, La Colline is pretty good too.)

In town for dinner I highly recommend Lolli Redini (http://www.lolliredini.com.au/)

1) Bloodwood

2) Philip Shaw

For me, these are the two shining stars of Orange.

Adair

I'll second Mayfield. Their Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 is rather elegant, and really well balanced, but their whites are supposed to be their stronger wines. The rieslings always strike me as fantastic.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll report back.

My Cousin is the Owner/ Chef at Lolli Redinis and we never miss the chance to dine there.

Cheers
Elvis

I'd recommend having a look at Phillip Shaw, Bloodwood,Printhie, Windowrie, Canobolis Smith and Mayfield. Orange Wine week is good fun if you get the chance to go to that.

Eating wise....Selkirks and Belgravia at the Union Bank which is a nice wee wine bar.

Hi Guys,

The other ones that have opened recently and are well worth visiting are Patina (Between Lucknow and Orange), and Angullong (at Millthorpe). Millthorpe is well worth the visit, and dinner at Tonic is fantastic.

Cheers
DavidC

If you want all the maps and cellar doors etc, try the tasteorange website.

Cheers
DavidC

If you want all the maps and cellar doors etc, try the tasteorange website.

Cheers
DavidC

My first three suggestions would all be Bloodwood, have been there three times and they are 1,2 and 3 in my best tastings ever list. Rhonda will sit down with you and taste through the wines. A very eccentric place and people but the experience is just great and the wines are pretty bloody good too. Their regular email is worth getting too.

Aside from this Brangayne , Word of Mouth, Canoloas Smith, Phillip Shaw and Belgravia have all been pleasnt for me in the past. Mayfield is a great spot though I must admit to being a bit ambivalent on their wine (good but not great).

For restaurants Tonic is great, as is Lolli Redini.

Enjoy, Orange is a nice place and I agree with the ranking (slightly) above Mudgee.

ACG wrote:Brangayne - call first, but they have some of (IMHO) the best wines in Orange, particularly the Sauv, Chardy and the Tristan red blend

I second this recommendation. I've long had a soft spot for their wines.

Great thread this. I want to go back to Orange!

Have just arrived in Orange where it is nice and cool. Got a great tip from Stephen Doyle from Bloodwood on a driving short cut from just south of Coonabarabran to Dubbo which worked a treat!

Had dinner at Lolli Redini's and it was sublime. Can't remember the exact dishes, however, I had the Tortollini and prawn with pesto to start and a delicious Chicken dish wrapped in prosciucto wish mash potato and a side dish of Buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad. Followed with an Affrigado coffee. YumO.

Wines were the Angullong Sauv Blanc and the 2004 Bloodwood Maurice Cab Sauv. Both very nice.

Wineries tastings to follow tomorrow.

Cheers Elvis

We had set up visits with Printhie, Canobolas Smith and Mayfield on our recent trip in Oct/Nov. In the end Mayfield fobbed us off and Canobolas Smith was not of the quality I remember from a few years ago. Murray Smith was there while we tasted and just shrugged and said "the wines are what they are". It was almost depressing.

Printhie was a different matter with a good selection of wines of different levels with good cool climate expression. The 2008 whites in particular were very atttractive, being made by a new winemaker Druw Tuckwell who also took part in the 2008 Len Evans Tutorial, something that I'm sure will broaden his horizons.

Mike

Id also give Orange Mountain a go. Just a bit further along the road past P.Shaw. Big shiraz/voigner and a nice sticky.

Maybe take a look at Prince of Orange as well. Havent been there for years, didnt think much when I was there but had a 2001 Sav. Blanc a few months back that was stunning.

Dissapointed with Mayfield. Charged for tasting and took 15mins to get the first pour and we were the only ones tasting. Tasters are 2nd priority to restaurant. The two reds I tried were nice enough but theres better value elsewhere.

Cheers
Andrew.