Name: James Sweetapple

Role: Winemaker, Owner

Winery: Cargo Road Wines

James Sweetapple is an Orange wine region stalwart.

Having worked in and managed many of the early planted vineyards, he has an intimate knowledge of the region.

This knowledge, coupled with his love for improving the land has led him down a path of holistic management of his beloved Cargo Road vineyard.

This management practice is all encompassing.

From weed control, and pruning, to building and improving the property's biodiversity, it is all overseen with a view to increase wine quality.

I was essentially in the right place, right time. I was working in agriculture for the Paspaley's when they decided to plant a vineyard at Rockley.

This got me started from a hands-on approach. I always had a great love and interest in food and wine, and so began travelling from Rockley to Orange on the weekends.

I eventually moved here in 1992, planting and managing vineyards in the area.

The natural progression was to own a vineyard and make wine; I could then manage my own problems! This opportunity came in 1997 when I purchased Cargo Road Wines.

A welcoming, real experience from the people who grow and make the wines.

We offer an authentic experience in the oldest operating cellar door in the region, in the centre of one of the region's oldest vineyards (planted in 1983).

We offer an extensive range of wines from dry aromatic whites, sparkling white, sparkling red (the only sparkling Zinfandel in the country) and bold reds.

Our range of red varieties includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Merlot, and a range of Italian red varieties including Nebbiolo, Lagrein, Barbera and Zinfandel.

These emerging varieties are eminently suited to enjoy with food.

The Cargo Road Gewrztraminer in the whites and our Zinfandel in the reds, however they are all my children, and they are all loved equally.

The Gewrztraminer is a beautifully delicate wine with a lovely perfume and luscious palate. It's a wine to enjoy on a summer evening.

The Zin on the other hand is a powerful wine that will certainly reward some time locked away in the cellar.

We tend to release this after several years so that our customers can enjoy it with some maturation characters.

I would guide them through our range and listen to what they like. It's then about guiding them through the flavours and styles that they are experiencing and help them understand what it is that they really enjoy. It's all about having an open mind.

I'm often told, 'I don't like Riesling as it's too sweet." While our Riesling is dry we do have some sweet wines such as our 'Moscato' and 'Primitive Love'.

We encourage our guests to put these paradigms aside, and taste through the range.

Quite often they will enjoy these styles, as they are well balanced and don't have a cloying finish like many of the sweet wines of the past; the wines that gave Riesling a bad name.

It is the age of the vineyard. It is over 40 years old, and the wine is made within walking distance of the vines, so the quality and freshness are not lost.

We manage our vineyard holistically and are the first vineyard in the world to be EOV certified (ecological outcome certified by the Savory Institute).

This has been a labour of love, with the vision to not just be sustainable, but to be better, and improve the land that we are custodians of.

Our wines are all balanced. Balance is what we are aiming to achieve, with big flavours, and deep, rich colours in the reds. We offer wines for every occasion and are particularly proud of our dry aromatic whites such as the Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewrztraminer.

We also offer boutique accommodation for a sneaky night away on the outskirts of Orange, with a stunning view over-looking the vineyard. Visitors can also choose to camp which offers a unique experience in the vines.