The winery, owned by Charlie and Loretta Svenson, was named star cellar door after winning the best tasting experience last year and 2018.

Gourmet Traveller credited the cellar door as having "stellar sparklings" and "uber-complex chardonnays", as well as quality glassware and "perhaps the best views over Orange".

Meanwhile last year's overall winner, Ross Hill Wines, was named best large cellar door and 2018 winner Swinging Bridge was named best small cellar door.

Swinging Bridge owner Tom Ward said his cellar door had been expanded recently to cater for growing groups of tasters and he never aimed to be the busiest, but the best.

"Ours is a personalised tasting, we want them to know what we're all about," he said.

Bloodwood Wines received honours for the best tasting experience for the second year running, Borrodell Vineyard was given props for the best food for the third year in a row and Heifer Station Wines was recognised as having the best additional experience.

Bloodwood Wines owner Stephen Doyle, who has run tastings for the past 38 years, agreed the personal touch was essential.

"The wine has to be good, that's a given, but the stories are important," he said.

He said with cellar doors forced to close due to coronavirus, he was learning how to use web calls to conduct virtual tastings.

Heifer Station Wines owner Phil Stivens said he and wife Michelle used to run carnivals for children to cater for the younger demographic prior to opening their cellar door in 2016 and the petting zoo was similarly inspired.

"We want an experience for the adults and the children so they walk away with some knowledge of what farming life is like," he said.

Nashdale Lane Wines was named as having the best accommodation, the first to win the category.

Owner Nick Segger said it was something he and wife Tanya had worked hard at.

"We wanted it to be a nice escape among the vineyards," he said.

De Salis, Ross Hill and Borrodell were contacted.