Orange wine region dominates on 2024 Halliday Wine Companion

Bloodwood, Canobolas Smith, Angullong and Brangayne, and perhaps a few more here and there around the mountain.

Now, with 2023 half done, the world is watching Orange's wine country explode. Never mind the amount of hands you need now to count Orange's wineries. That's not important anymore.

The real metric worth counting? Success. And those now looking at Orange's wines are seriously impressed.

The latest accolade for a wine region in the midst of a revolution, a host of Orange wines have been included on the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion, which was released at the start of August.

In total, 10 wineries were awarded 5 stars, four wineries scored 4.5 stars and three wineries with 4 stars.

Ross Hill Wines, Swinging Bridge, Printhie Wines and Patina scored 5 red stars, the best of the best.

Brangayne of Orange, Philip Shaw Wines, Bloodwood, Cooks Lot, Colmar Estate and Hoosegg wineries picked up 5 star nods.

Mayfield Vineyard, ChaLou Wines, Rowlee and Rikard Wines scored 4.5 stars, while Cargo Road Wines, Nashdale Lane Wines and Slow Wine Co scored 4 stars.

On top of those remarkable results, Gerald Naef, from Patina, was also shortlisted for Winemaker of the Year and Mayfield's 4.5-star nod was with their first vintage since the Eastham family purchased the vineyard in 2021.

All in all, it's one of the Orange Wine Region's best results on the Halliday Wine Companion.

And those in the know believe it could be the beginning of a boom in the Orange Wine Region, as a whole.

"There's individual brands but Orange has always been about the betterment of the region," Swinging Bridge wine maker and president of the Orange Region Vignerons Association Tom Ward said.

"We've certainly, as a region, sat down over the last period of time to make sure we're growing better grapes, making better wine ... and this is a testament to I think those things occurring.

"And, on the other side, we're also seeing better cellar doors and better businesses that are really allowing Orange to go to the next level."

Mr Ward said the Orange Wine Region is in a "really exciting phase" and the region's unique cool climate ensures Orange vines are producing grapes that are "really relevant to the consumer".

He believes the recent production of award-winning Chardonnay, pinot and sparkling varieties in Orange are putting the region front and centre.

"It's now pertinent on us to drive that forward to make sure we're transforming this success into wines that are going to sit on the world stage," Mr Ward said.

James Robson, from Ross Hill Wines, has been a long-time member of the Halliday Wine Companion and with another 5 red star rating on the 2024 list he's unsurprisingly chuffed. "It's incredible," he said.

But "just as incredible" is the success of the Orange region as a brand. He said having 10 wineries score 5 stars or more shows the region is "maturing".

"We work really well together as a region and all that hard work is starting to show ... and on a whole different range of varieties of wine. So it's fantastic," Mr Robson said.

If you're looking for a tangible maturing of the Orange wine region than the new cellar door at Printhie is just that.

A slick, modern building that pays homage to the uniqueness of the Orange Wine Region on the side of the iconic Gaanha bula-Mount Canobolas, the Swift family has continued to take its brand from strength to strength.

The maturing of new vines yet to produce fruit at the Nashdale cellar door will be the next step in that evolution. But, again, Ed Swift is quick to point to the region's successes as a whole.

"For a long time there's only a spattering of Orange brands listed in that guide and to be able to open up that front section now and see a nice, good list of Orange brands, I think, it says a lot about the the quality and the offering that we're putting out here," he said.

"It's ever-improving and I think we're doing a better job year in, year out."

Gerald Naef, from Patina, has been making wines since 1999. He says it's a pleasure to make wins in the Orange region.

"The thing that is really exciting, in my opinion, is how many people are seeing that it is a good place to make wine and the young talent that it's attracting to the area," he said.

"And, I think, if not already, going into the future, we're going to be a wine region to aspire to."

He said he simply makes wines "the way I like to drink them" and he believes landing on the Halliday Wine Companion for 2024 is vindication of sorts.

"It helps you gain confidence," he said.

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