Australian Gourmet Traveller - (08)August 2020 (1)

TheburgeoningwineregionofOrangeoffersmuchmorethan

world-class drops.KARLIE VERKERK explores with glass in hand.

Ripe for the picking

NashdaleLaneWines

Situatedat thefootofMountCanobolasis NashdaleLaneWines,

a perfectlymanicuredvineyardrunbyaffablehusbandandwife

teamTanyaRyan-SeggerandNickSegger.Thepairmovedto

OrangefromSydneyin 2001 withdreamsofbuildinganethical

winerytoproducepremiumwines.Thespaciouscellardoor–

a 60-yearoldconvertedapplepackingshed– boastspanoramic

viewsofthemanicuredvineyard.It’sa cosyspottosampletheir

NewWorldwines,includinga brightandjuicyrougeandcrisp

fuméblanc,accompaniedbya cheeseandcharcuterieplatter.

If youplantosavourmorethana glass,youcanbooktostaythe

nightat oneofthevineyard’sluxuryglampingcabins,complete

witha woodfire,four-posterbedandsunkenoutdoor lounge.

125 NashdaleLane,Nashdale;nashdalelane.com

HooseggbyPhilipShaw

LegendarywinemakerPhilipShawhasbeeninstrumentalin

puttingOrangeonthemap.Shawspent 11 yearsbuildinghis

eponymouswinelabelPhilipShawWines,butrecentlyhanded

it overtohissonssohecouldstarthisnewbrand:Hoosegg.

CrucialtotheHooseggventureis Shaw’sKoomooloovineyard

wherehepersonallyplucks,pinchesandpolishesthechosen

grapes,andoverseeseverystepofthewinemakingprocess.

Theproperty,whichrisestoanaltitudeof 900 metres,is also

whereShawlivesandhostsprivatewinetastingsessions.Besure

tobookinadvancetosiptopdropswith one of Australia’s

most-awardedwineproducers.

45 Caldwell Lane, Borenore; hoosegg.com

W

henit comestopicturesquewineregions,

Australiais blessed.Emergingamongthem

quietlybutconfidentlyis Orangeinthe

CentralTablelandsofNewSouthWales.

Hometoanimpressivenumberofboutiqueandfamily-owned

wineries,breweriesandacclaimedrestaurants,thehistoric

townandsurroundingwineregionis cementingitsstatus

asa must-visitfoodandwinedestination.

Setat morethan 600 metresabovesealevel,theregion’shigh

elevationandrichvolcanicsoilsmakeit perfectforproducing

cool-climatewines,withshiraz,chardonnayandcabernet

sauvignonthemostcommonvarietals.Therearealsosmall

pocketsofnewervarieties,suchasarneis,sangiovese,barbera

andtempranillo,provingtheregion’sgrape-growingversatility.

Orangeexperiencesfourverydistinctseasonsthroughout

theyear,althoughspring,withitswarmdaysandcrispnights,

is anidealtimetoplana ruralescape.Alsoonthecalendar

atthistimeofyearis theannualOrangeWineFestival,which

highlightstheregion’swinesata seriesofeventsthroughout

October.Therearemorethan 40 cellardoorstochoose from

in Orange, but here’s our pick of the bunch...

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