Best wineries in Dubbo, Mudgee, Nashdale, Orange and more
Did someone say road trip? From Spanish to Italian wines, full-bodied reds to cool climate whites, there is something for beginners to wine enthusiasts in one of the best wine regions in the country. Here’s your Central West wines bucket list.
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Whether you’re on going to central NSW for your long weekend plans or want a destination to mark for the future, here are the top 21 wineries to visit on your next Central West getaway.
From Spanish and Italian inspired reds to cool climate specialised whites, we’ve done the work for you and selected the best wineries in Orange, Mudgee, Dubbo and the small gemstone towns in between.
MUDGEE
VINIFERA WINES
Second generation vigneron Sam Mckendry has continued her parents’ legacy, honouring their first vintage from 1997.
Ms Mckendry told The Dubbo News her parents’ Tony and Debbie explored Spanish wines, focusing on tempranillo when it was first being introduced in Australia.
“There’s a real focus on those Spanish varietals because they do really well in our climate,” Ms Mckendry said.
She said after years of success, her parents concerted to organic wine in 2008 and achieved full certification in 2013.
“We’ve recently won a trophy at a local wine show for the best dessert wine - we consistently have fantastic reviews from people on a range of our wines - both whites and reds - in particular our Chardonnay and Spanish bottles,” she said.
“I’ve been very lucky to come into the business and my parents have been very encouraging,” she continued saying she has noticed a shift towards tourism in recent times.
“Mudgee is a fairly common tourist destination now, but it is still a relatively little-known wine region across Australia, and it really shouldn’t be because we produce amazing wines.”
YEATES WINES
Taking over the business in 2010 during the wine glut, Sandy and Victoria Yeates were optimistic about their future and ready to commence their next venture.
Mr Yeates said one of the conditions of the purchase was to supply to former owners with the fruit from the vineyard for five years.
“What we’ve learnt since then is that looking after a vineyard isn’t easy, there’s a lot of hard work and commitment involved,” Mr Yeates said.
The winery is known for their award-winning organic wines, featuring shiraz, Alberino, and numerous others, while also creating a unique experience in their cellar door and accommodation stays.
Yeates Wines is a family run small business with plans of the next generation continuing their brand while also bringing in new ideas.
CRAIGMOOR WINES
Established in 1858, Craigmoor is surrounded by picturesque vines and gum trees on the banks of the Eurunderee Creek which highlights the history of being Mudgee’s oldest winery and vineyard.
The Oatley family has long owned vineyards in Mudgee, and in 2006 as their new wine venture expanded they acquired the Montrose winery and the Craigmoor cellar door.
The brand is known for their award-winning wines, including the Montrose Black Shiraz.
FIRST RIDGE WINES
A trip to the First Ridge Wines cellar door is a must for all visitors to the Mudgee region, taking in their beautiful wines, cellar door and stunning views.
First Ridge Wines create exciting and vibrant Italian varietal wines from grapes that are grown on their vineyard in Mudgee.
Their award-winning wines include prosecco, sparkling Vermentino, sparkling Sangiovese, Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, Fiano, Sangiovese Rose, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Barbera.
The Italian varietal vineyard was established by John and Helen Nicholas in 1998 under the guidance of world-renowned viticulturist Dr Richard Smart.
NAKED LADY WINES
While being one of the small commercial sized wineries in Mudgee, Naked Lady Wines packs a punch with many of their wines receiving awards on several occasions.
Mike and Diane Quaife purchased the vineyard in 2013 to complete their dream of owning and producing their own wine.
The vineyard offers wine tasting, lunch platters and pizzas while also having guest accommodation available for travellers.
SKIMSTONE
Skimstone is a vineyard blessed with diversity in its terroir - the combination of the soil, climate, topography and techniques applied to growing grapes.
According to their website, their fruit quality is the “utmost importance” which allows the flavour, aroma, colour and the expression of the verity to shine through the wine.
Our winemaking is based on the idea of letting the fruit express itself, and this is why fruit quality is of the utmost importance to us.
This allows flavour, aroma, colour, terroir, and the expression of the variety to shine.
Once the grapes are crushed and the juice is made into wine, the maturing processing commences, which will build complexity and character, based on the varieties and expectation for each wine.
ORANGE
CANOBOLAS WINES
Taking over the third oldest vineyard in the Orange region two years ago, owner Johnathon Mattick told The Dubbo News he is looking to preserve its history while also innovating the brand.
“There have been a lot of little projects for us - it’s been busy but very good,” Mr Mattick said.
“Straight after Covid there was a huge rush of people because everyone had been locked up so we’ve seen new faces in the region but then we’ve also noticed them coming back for their second and third visits.”
Mr Mattick recommended visitors to try their award-wining organic Chardonnay, however, he said the region is mostly known for its selection of red wine.
“I don’t know if everyone fully understands what organic production is but it’s a good talking point... people seem to be looking for things that are more sustainable and made in an organic way,” he said.
ANGULLONG WINES
An established wine business for more than 25 years, Ben Crossing told The Dubbo News the family-run business is known for producing “good quality” and “mature” wines in the region.
“As a region, we work together with other brands, food and accommodation operators to enhance the experience of people coming into Orange - it’s going quite well at the moment,” Mr Crossing said.
He said the winery is best known for their Spanish and Italian varieties and wine tasting experience.
Mr Crossing said the vineyard grows grapes for other established wineries in the region and throughout NSW as they are one of the larger vineyards in Orange.
“Orange is becoming quite popular as a destination and the brands are becoming more recognised,” he said.
SWINGING BRIDGE WINES
Swinging Bridge is a winery based around family, striving to produce wines of excellence that exhibit the unique provenance of the Orange region.
Winemaker Tom Ward uses innovative techniques to expertise the region’s varieties of Chardonnay and pinot noir.
Embracing innovation while grounded in heritage, Swinging Bridge’s wines are at the forefront of the Orange region’s development into a new frontier of celebrated cool-climate winemaking.
DINDIMA WINES
With a desire to acquire their own vineyard, Lee and David Bell purchased the property in 2002 and celebrated their first vintage the following year.
Mr Bell told The Dubbo News his son James is the establishment's winemaker, specialising in red, whites and fortified wines.
Mr Bell said a way to differentiate themselves as a brand from other wineries in the region is by specialising in Semillon wines and German grapes.
“No other winery in the region has access to this grape - we’re the only ones who have it,” Mr Bell said.
Using diam cork to bottle and preserve their archive wines, Mr Bell said the wines have remained in “beautiful condition”.
“We tried a Semillon last year which was 19 years old - it tasted better than when we bottled it,” he said.
COLMAR ESTATE
A trip to the Barossa Valley in the early 1970s sparked a desire for Bill and his wife Jane Shrapnel to purchase a property in Orange in 2013 and begin their journey as wine makers.
Being in the industry for a decade, Mr Shrapnel has been awarded for best sparkling wine with its 2015 Colmar Estate Chardonnay-pinot noir.
“The quality of sparkling wines from the Orange wine region is reaching new heights, the climate in the cool, higher vineyards is ideal for this style of wine,” Mr Shrapnel said.
He said the award-winning wine has a “rare combination of delicacy and complexity” and was made using traditional methods using two thirds Chardonnay and one third pinot noir as the base.
“The critical step in the making of the wine was the long ageing on its yeast for seven years,” he said.
“Making high quality sparkling wine is a labour of love.”
PRINTHIE WINES
Printhie Wines, owned by the Swift family, offers a true cool climate wine experience with single vineyard wines capturing the defining feature of the Orange region.
Printhie Wines is renowned for their international award-winning traditional method Swift Sparkling range so this is a must visit for sparkling enthusiasts.
Crowned Best Australian Sparkling at the 2022 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships and awarded Best NSW Sparkling for five consecutive years.
The Cellar Door also includes Printhie Dining offering five course degustation lunches.
ROSS HILL WINES
In 1994, when Peter and Terri Robson purchased a property on Griffin Road in Orange, the Ross Hill Wines story began.
Twelve years later, their son James and his wife Chrissy moved to Orange to bring up their young family and join the family business.
James and Chrissy have taken over the reins of the daily running of the winery business, with Peter still working on the vineyards.
Ross Hill Wines has been the proud recipient of an exceptional rating of Five Red Stars from James Halliday’s Wine Companion since 2014.
HOOSEGG
Hoosegg is the dream that Philip Shaw has been working towards for nearly 60 years.
In 2015, he made the decision to transfer the management of Philip Shaw Wines to his sons, Damian and Daniel.
“I wanted time to fulfil my dream - to make small parcels of wine that can stand among the finest wines from anywhere,” Mr Shaw said.
This reflects my philosophy on wine making - select an exceptional site and the right varieties.
“Marry the vineyard and the winemaking.
Every wine should be placed on its own canvas and not replicate others.
“You should be guiding the direction of the wine, not controlling it, always challenging the achievements. In style, I want to make wines that are elegant, vibrant, varietal, intense and complex.”
SEE SAW WINES
See Saw fruit is grown and nurtured using sustainable and organic viticulture, followed by minimal intervention winemaking, which results in beautifully balanced handcrafted wines.
Owners Justin and Pip Jarrett have been growing grapes in Orange’s cool climate for the past 30 years.
“Our approach to farming considers all activities and their impact on the environment and wine quality,” they said.
“We believe in a balanced approach to all things, most especially the sustainability of the land and environment on which we all depend, and we have a wholehearted respect for leaving a positive environmental legacy.”
MAYFIELD VINEYARDS
Mayfield Vineyards was established in the late 90s and purchased by John and Bec Eastham in 2021 with a desire to “make great wines from the amazing estate”.
General manager Charles Simons was introduced to John through a golf event where he shared his story of viticulture in South Africa and other parts of the world.
“Both John and I want Mayfield to produce true single-vineyard wines with minimal intervention and a focus on elegance, refinement and vivacity at its core,” Mr Simmons said.
Mr Simmons has been awarded viticulturist of the year in New Zealand and Orange, and also the runner up Australian farmer of the year in 2022 and in the top 50 for young gun of wine for two consecutive years.
“Given our location, we need to work very hard to create brand recognition and create a pulling power,” he said.
“Our luxury accommodation has also created a lot of interest in the property and our wines.
“We are passionate about what we do and are planting new vines, which tends to go against what is happening with the rest of the wine industry, especially in South Australia.”
STOCKMAN RIDGE WINES
Stockman’s Ridge Wines is a family run business situated in the picturesque and colourful wine region of Orange located along Cargo Rd and produces premium award-winning cool climate wines.
Owner Lisa De Diana said the business was founded in 2002 with its first wine made in 2008.
“We initially planted vines just outside of Bathurst, but have since moved all our operation to the cool climate of Orange,” Ms Diana said.
“Last year we were voted one of Australia’s Top 10 Cellar Doors in the Halliday People’s Choice Awards - our wines have also won multiple awards with a total of 239 awards since 2008.
“We have focused on becoming a venue that is known for being down to earth where guests can come and enjoy an afternoon without being rushed through a tasting.
“We noticed an increase between 2020 and 2022 which was great for us - we were really able to build a brand and experiment with different events to get great feedback about what experiences people will travel for.”
Ms Diana said she is looking forward to the season as the team has planted more than 7,000 new vines, including some classic varieties.
PATINA WINES
Patina is a family-owned estate nestled in the rich volcanic slopes of Mt Canobolas near Orange.
Owner and winemaker Gerald Naef blends science and technology with age-old tradition to create complex flavours forged by the elements of nature.
“In the early 1990s my brother-in-law purchased a farm in Mudgee and developed a vineyard with rekindled my interest in vineyards and wine,” Mr Naef said.
“In the autumn of 1999 I made the pivotal mistake of picking some of my brother-in-law’s grapes left by the machine harvester around the end posts and making 100 litres of wine.
He said later that year he purchased a small farm in Orange.
“In an effort to learn and prepare myself for the 2002 harvest of my vines, I purchased a tonne of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, a couple of small stainless tanks and barrels and made a 2000 vintage wine.
“This year I was short-listed for Winemaker of the Year at the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Wine Awards.”
While having a focus on Chardonnay and riesling, Mr Naef said his reds are released with some bottle age.
“I don’t believe there is another region in the world that necessarily produces better Chardonnay than Orange, there are just stylistic differences.”
SMALL ACRES CYDER
Taking over an established business during the “Covid madness”, Nick and Jennene Geoghegan turned transformed their “home-brew hobby” into their next venture.
Mr Geoghegan said the cidery had been previously owned for 17 years before he purchased the property and said he had always been a fan of the brand so was eager to continue the legacy.
“It’s going really great - we’ve done very well with the awards this year,” Mr Geoghegan said.
He told The Dubbo News the brand’s pink lady was awarded the champion cider at the Sydney Royal and also won a gold medal in Japan for their cup.
“Last year we’ve built a really good business... now we’re getting into a bit of experimentation,” he said.
“We have a huge variety of cider and we take time to talk about how our cider is made and the difference between craft and industrial ciders.
“We have a lovely location, looking over the paddocks at the orchards in Orange and the beautiful deck on the slopes of Mt Canobolas.”
ROWLEE WINES
Making wines from a single vineyard in Orange, Nicole Samodol told The Dubbo News the winery had been in her family since 2000.
“Orange is a fantastic place to live and an exceptional place to grow grapes and make cool climate wines,” Ms Samodol said.
“We launched our label in 2013 and within a few years we’ve developed a reputation for being a quality producer of boutique wines.
“We’re mostly known for cool climate aromatic whites and light to medium bodied reds.”
Ms Samodol said the single vineyard Pinot gris was recently awarded a gold medal at the Sydney Royal Wine Show.
“The most important thing is that the customers enjoy the wine, but it’s always nice to be recognised by industry peers,” she said.
“When we started, we started as grape growers and then got into winemaking, however, in the past five years we’ve really focused on wine tourism and opening up the property to welcome visitors.
“People can come and see where the grapes are grown and how the wine is made so they can experience the product at its source.”
DUBBO
RED EARTH ESTATE
Red Earth Estate is Dubbo’s only commercial winery offering wine tasting and an Asian inspired menu.
The estate was purchased seven years ago and is now a family-run business which has reopened its service after a three-year closure during the pandemic.
Employee Bob Quan said the winery is getting more and more traction each day but is looking to hire new staff to keep up with the demand.
“We have six different wines all grown in our own winery - we are best known for a Gnash and Shiraz wines,” Mr Quan said.
Mr Quan said owning a winery in Dubbo is difficult because of the lack of water and nutrients available, but he remains optimistic and is looking forward to welcoming new faces and introducing them to their range of South American wines.
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