Orange celebrates its cool climate wines once again this spring with the 2017 Orange Wine Festival. Running from October 13 to 22, with 80 individual events, the festival is a showcase not only for the region’s vineyards and cellar doors, but also for the restaurants and produce for which the area is renowned.
Highlights include Wine in the Vines, a day-long wine discovery and roving lunch through vineyards and cellar doors; the Orange
Wine Show, with tastings and masterclasses on regional characteristics; and the Wine and Food Night Market in Robertson Park, where more than 50 food and wine stallholders will showcase their wares. There are also indigenous cultural experiences, special dinners and lunches, food workshops, live music and family-friendly events.
The Vino Express, launched in 2016, is back again for the 2017 festival. The train, which departs from Central Station on Friday October 20 and returns on Sunday evening, is the easiest way to get to Orange, to ensure a relaxed, stress-free weekend. The Vino Express package includes access to premium festival experiences, two nights accommodation, a sparkling wine breakfast and behind the scenes wine tastings as well as the Wine in the Vines experience.
At an elevation of 600 to 1,000 metres, it is the highest wine-growing region in Australia and is fast becoming known as the premier cool climate wine region of New South Wales. As a result of the climate, soils and topography – the terroir – the region’s wines have a unique style, and many of them have received industry awards. Ross Hill, Cooks Lot, Carillion Wines, Colmar Estate and Philip Shaw Wines were recently awarded five stars (the highest accolade) in the 2018 Halliday Wine Companion, while Montoro Shiraz and Colmar Riesling earned gold medals at the Sydney Royal Wine Show, and Twisted River Wines won best shiraz at the Boutique Wine Awards.
“We are extremely excited to be showcasing the wines and produce of the Orange region once again for Orange Wine Festival,” says Elyssa Tyrrell from Destination NSW. “It is a wonderful region to explore, with plenty of culinary delights as well as wines that are attracting the attention and accolades of Australia and the world.”