TOP DROPS IN ORANGE: Winewise magazine tasters David Yates, Deb Pearce and Andrew McEwin were in Orange this week sampling some of the region’s top drops for an upcoming feature in their June publication. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0509wine5
SOME of Orange’s best wines have been sampled over the last two days as independent magazine Winewise prepares for an upcoming feature on the region’s top drops.
The two-day tasting was held at Ross Hill Wines with hundreds of samples tasted by the magazine’s editor and a number of vignerons.
Orange is the first NSW wine region to feature in the magazine and is due to hit the pages in their June edition.
Winewise editor Lester Jesberg said they tasted a lot of different wines over the two day period with many set to appear in the upcoming feature.
“We’re starting to put a regional focus in a lot of issues and this time it’s Orange,” he said.
“It’s the most interesting NSW wine region, there’s a lot of diversity,” he said.
It is Orange’s altitude and cool climate that makes the region’s wine so good Mr Jesberg said
“The cool climate is very important but I think what makes it very important is it’s mapped by altitude,” he said.
Grapes in Orange are grown between 600 metres above sea level and 1200 metres and this helps in giving them a good flavour.
During the two day tasting each wine will be assessed on colour, nose and palate and given a final score out of 20.
“We’ll award a top wine in each category and in the end we’ll do a summary of what we’ve done here,” he said.
Ross Hill Wines co-owner James Robson said hosting the wine tasting was a good way of further putting Orange on the map for great wine regions.
Mr Robson said receiving a high score with Winewise will help vignerons market their wines and further promote their product to consumers.
“Orange can do lots of different grapes really well ... it’s a good opportunity for winemakers to be here at some stage.”
nadine.morton@ruralpress.com
