Orange, NSW has quietly become one of Australia’s most exciting cool-climate wine regions. Sitting at an elevation of 600 to 1,100 metres above sea level on the slopes of an ancient volcano, the Orange Wine Region produces wines of remarkable elegance: crisp chardonnays, silky pinot noirs, and aromatic whites that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the country.

With more than 40 cellar doors within easy reach of the Orange CBD, a weekend here barely scratches the surface. This guide covers the best cellar doors to visit, what to expect, and how to plan your days so you get the most out of the region.

Before you start planning your route, it helps to understand what makes Orange wines so distinctive. The region sits on the slopes of Mount Canobolas, known to the traditional Wiradjuri custodians as Gaanha Bula, an extinct volcano that provides the rich basalt soils and high elevation that define the region’s character.

The elevation is everything. At 600 to 1,100 metres above sea level, Orange is one of the highest wine regions in Australia. The cool nights, warm days, and late ripening season produce grapes with naturally high acidity, intense aromatics, and exceptional structure. It’s why Orange chardonnay and pinot noir have developed such a strong reputation nationally and internationally.

1. Swinging Bridge Wines

• Address: 701 The Escort Way, Orange NSW 2800
• Hours: 7 days, 10am – 4pm (bookings preferred; Indulge and Immerse experiences Tuesday, Friday and Saturday – bookings essential)
• Website: swingingbridge.com.au

Just five minutes from the Orange CBD, Swinging Bridge is one of the most celebrated cellar doors in the region. Winemaker and viticulturist Tom Ward has built the estate into a premium cool-climate producer, with the vineyard sitting at 900 metres above sea level on south-facing volcanic slopes.

The cellar door offers indoor seating and a verandah with sweeping views towards Mount Canobolas. Wines are poured in quality stemware by a knowledgeable team who guide you through the Winemaker, Hashtag, and Single Vineyard series. Chardonnay and pinot noir are the standout varieties.

Best for: First-time visitors who want a premium, guided tasting experience close to town.

2. Rowlee Wines

• Address: 19 Lake Canobolas Road, Nashdale NSW 2800
• Hours: 7 days, 11am – 5pm (bookings recommended)
• Website: rowleewines.com.au

Nestled in the foothills of Mount Canobolas at 950 metres above sea level, Rowlee is one of the most beautiful cellar doors in the region. The vineyard was established over 20 years ago by Nik and Deonne Samodol, and is now run by their daughter Nicole Samodol and partner James Manny, who bring a European wine-growing heritage to the Orange terroir.

The cellar door offers two tasting experiences: a Varietal Wine Tasting (five new release wines with optional seasonal small plates) and a Sensory Wine Tasting (single vineyard wines in varietal glassware). The property is pet-friendly on lead.

Rowlee is particularly known for its Italian varieties, arneis and nebbiolo, alongside chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling, and gewurztraminer. The wood fire in winter and sun-drenched deck in warmer months make this a place you’ll want to linger.

Best for: Wine lovers who appreciate European-style varieties and a genuinely beautiful setting.

3. Philip Shaw Wines

• Address: 100 Shiralee Road, Orange NSW 2800
• Hours: 7 days, 11am – 5pm (bookings advised; Sunday lunch available 12pm – 3pm)
• Website: philipshaw.com.au

Philip Shaw is one of the founding names of the Orange wine region and a benchmark producer for the area. The Koomooloo Vineyard covers 66 hectares and is currently transitioning to organic farming.

The cellar door is set in a beautiful bluestone barn surrounded by immaculately landscaped gardens. The range covers chardonnay, pinot noir, shiraz, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, riesling, arneis, pinot gris, viognier, and merlot. Sunday lunch is available from 12pm to 3pm, making it an ideal anchor for a Sunday afternoon.

Best for: Those who want to taste the wines that helped put Orange on the national map, in a setting that matches the quality of what’s in the glass.

4. Printhie Wines

• Address: 208 Nancarrow Lane, Nashdale NSW 2800
• Hours: Friday – Saturday 10am – 5pm; Sunday – Thursday 11am – 4pm (online bookings essential)
• Website: printhiewines.com.au

Printhie is one of the most exciting cellar door experiences in the region. The estate was established in 1996 and has vineyards ranging from 630 metres up to 1,070 metres above sea level, among the highest in Australia.

The tasting experience ($15 per person) covers the full range including the acclaimed Swift Sparkling series. The wine bar serves cheese platters and freshly shucked oysters from an on-site oyster tank. The Sparkling and Oyster Tasting ($80 per person) is a genuine highlight, alongside Printhie Picnic experiences and Sparkling Masterclasses.

Best for: Groups looking for a full experience beyond just tasting. The wine bar, oysters, and dining options make it a destination in its own right.

5. Ross Hill Wines

• Address: 134 Wallace Lane, Orange NSW 2800
• Hours: 7 days, 10:30am – 4:30pm (bookings highly recommended; winery tours before 10am – bookings essential)
• Website: rosshillwines.com.au

Ross Hill is a certified carbon neutral winery and one of the region’s most thoughtful producers. Established in 1994, the estate produces chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, pinot noir, shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc.

The Barrel and Larder School of Wine and Food operates from the cellar door, offering structured wine and food education experiences. Personalised winery tours run before 10am each day, a rare chance to go behind the scenes at a working cool-climate winery.

Best for: Wine enthusiasts who want to go deeper. The winery tours and Barrel and Larder experiences offer genuine education alongside excellent wines.

6. See Saw Wines

• Address: 42 Lake Canobolas Road, Nashdale NSW 2800
• Hours: Sunday – Friday 11am – 4pm; Saturday 11am – 5pm
• Website: seesawwine.com

See Saw is one of the larger producers in the region with 120 hectares of vineyards, but the cellar door experience remains personal and relaxed. Located in Nashdale, about 10 minutes from the Orange CBD, the estate is known for its prosecco, chardonnay, riesling, gamay, pinot noir, and syrah.

Winemaker Monica Gray has built a strong reputation for wines that are approachable without being simple. It’s a great stop for those who want to taste a broad range of varieties in a single visit.

Best for: Those who want a relaxed, no-fuss tasting with excellent variety and great value.

7. Heifer Station

• Address: 790 Pinnacle Road, Canobolas NSW 2800
• Hours: 7 days, 11am – 5pm
• Website: heiferstation.com

Heifer Station is one of the most characterful cellar doors in the region, set in a beautifully restored historic shearing shed at almost 900 metres above sea level. This is a genuinely family-friendly destination. While adults taste through the chardonnay, pinot gris, rosé, pinot noir, merlot, shiraz, and sparkling, children can enjoy the property’s farmyard animals, handball court, sandpit, and bocce. Cheese boards are available to accompany your tasting.

Best for: Families, or anyone who wants a cellar door experience with genuine character and history.

8. Nashdale Lane Wines

• Address: 125 Nashdale Lane, Nashdale NSW 2800
• Hours: Thursday – Tuesday, 11am – 5pm (closed Wednesdays; bookings recommended)
• Website: nashdalelane.com

Nashdale Lane is a hands-on family operation run by Nick and Tanya Segger on an 18-hectare vineyard about 10 minutes from the Orange CBD. The cellar door is set in a beautifully converted apple packing shed, and the whole experience has the kind of unhurried, personal feel that comes from tasting with the people who actually made the wine.

The standard tasting ($10 per person) covers a range of whites and reds from the estate, with an upgraded premium tasting available for those who want to go deeper into the range. Bookings are by table rather than per head, which makes it a relaxed option for groups of varying sizes. The rosé is consistently singled out as a highlight.

Best for: Those who want a genuinely personal cellar door experience with the winemakers themselves, in a setting that feels a long way from the tourist trail.

9. Ferment – The Orange Wine Centre

• Address: 87 Hill Street, Orange NSW 2800
• Hours: Monday – Friday 12pm – 9pm; Saturday 11am – 9pm (wine tastings Monday – Friday 12pm – 5pm)
• Website: orangewinecentre.com.au

If you’re short on time or want to taste as broadly as possible without driving between cellar doors, Ferment is the answer. Located right in the Orange CBD on Hill Street, the same street as de Russie Boutique Hotel, Ferment offers wines from multiple local producers in a single, sophisticated wine bar setting.

Curated tasting flights give you a genuine cross-section of what the Orange Wine Region produces. Enomatic wine dispensers allow you to try before you buy outside of tasting hours. It’s also a proper wine bar open into the evening, making it the perfect spot to finish a day of cellar door visits.

Best for: First-time visitors who want a broad introduction to the region, or anyone who wants to keep drinking after the cellar doors close.

Day 1 – The Nashdale Trail

The Nashdale area, about 10 minutes south of Orange, clusters several excellent cellar doors close together. Start at Rowlee Wines when it opens at 11am, then head to See Saw Wines nearby, and finish the afternoon at Printhie Wines for their wine bar and oysters. Return to de Russie for the evening, freshen up, and walk to Ferment on Hill Street for a nightcap and dinner.

Day 2 – The Escort Way and Beyond

Start with an early winery tour at Ross Hill Wines (before 10am, bookings essential), then head to Swinging Bridge Wines on The Escort Way for a guided tasting. After lunch, drive out to Philip Shaw Wines on Shiralee Road for the afternoon. Sunday lunch at Philip Shaw from 12pm is a wonderful way to round out the weekend before heading home.

Add on: Heifer Station on Pinnacle Road is worth the extra 15-minute drive, particularly if you’re travelling with family or want the most unique setting in the region.

• Book ahead. Most cellar doors in Orange require or strongly prefer bookings. Weekends during FOOD Week (March) and harvest season (April to May) fill up quickly. Always check the winery website before you go.
• Don’t drink and drive. Designate a driver, book a tour, or plan your route so that your furthest cellar door is your first stop and you work your way back towards Orange. Several tour operators run winery shuttle services from the Orange CBD.
• Pace yourself. Six cellar doors in a day sounds achievable. It rarely is if you want to actually enjoy each one. Three to four is a better target for a full, unhurried experience.
• Bring cash or a card. Most cellar doors charge a tasting fee (typically $15 to $25 per person), which is often redeemable against a wine purchase.
• Take a cool bag. If you’re buying bottles to take home, a portable cooler is worth having in the car, especially in summer when temperatures can climb.

At de Russie Boutique Hotel Orange, 25 beautifully appointed self-contained suites and spacious two and three bedroom apartments offer a refined and comfortable base for your stay. Each features a kitchenette or full kitchen, perfect for storing your cellar door finds and enjoying a bottle at your own pace back in the suite. Select rooms also include spa baths, inviting you to unwind after a day spent exploring Orange’s renowned wine region.

A complimentary continental breakfast is included, allowing for a relaxed and seamless start to your morning before heading out to discover more of the region. For guests travelling by electric vehicle, on-site EV charging is available with four 22kW fast chargers, offered complimentary for added convenience.