Most orange winemaking can be found in northeastern Italy, along the border of Slovenia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Here you can find orange wines produced with the indigenous grapes of the region, including Sauvignon Vert (Friulano), Ribolla Gialla, and Pinot Grigio.

Blessed with mineral-rich soils – a legacy of Mount Canobolas’ fiery past – it is now home to over 60 vineyards and wineries, and comparisons to other iconic wine regions like the Mornington Peninsula have become increasingly commonplace as gourmet travellers and wine aficionados become more aware of all that Orange …

Is Mudgee or Orange better? Both Mudgee and Orange offer beautiful weekend escapes. The boutique nature of Orange is appealing for those who love to tuck away and enjoy a quiet weekend in the country. By contrast, Mudgee has a bit more going on and the town seems more ‘active’ with a bit more out of town foot traffic.

Its elevation makes it quite cool and winter often blankets the vineyards in snow. The top three most planted varieties here are Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, but many would argue that Chardonnay is the star of the show.

Overall, mild to warm mean temperatures are offset by cool nights during the growing season. The GI is 3,422 km2 in size and has a total of 1,075 hectares of vineyards. The main varieties grown in the region are Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

It is named for the town of Mudgee. Grapes were first grown around Mudgee from 1858, reaching a peak of 55 vineyards in 1893. Large wineries started planting again from 1974. Mudgee grows predominantly red wine varieties, especially Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Orange wine, also known as skin-contact white wine, skin-fermented white wine, or amber wine, is a type of wine made from white wine grapes where the grape skins are not removed, as in typical white wine production, and stay in contact with the juice for days or even months.

In the world of skin-contact wines, Radikon is the cream of the crop. Produced by the renowned Gravner family in northern Italy, these long-aged bottles promise a mind-boggling experience for those who love orange wine.

While the lovely amber hue may suggest otherwise, orange wine is not made from oranges, nor is it artificially colored, nor is it a type of wine cocktail. Orange wine is all natural! It’s made by leaving the skins on white grapes during fermentation.

If you’re keen to sample some of the drops that make Mudgee famous, head to one – or all – of these pristine wineries.

• Logan Wines.
• First Ridge.
• The Cellar by Gilbert.
• Robert Stein winery and vineyard.
• De Beaurepaire Wines.
• Pieter Van Gant Winery.
• Lowe Wines.
• Moothi Estate.

Grapes were first grown around Mudgee from 1858, reaching a peak of 55 vineyards in 1893. Large wineries started planting again from 1974. Mudgee grows predominantly red wine varieties, especially Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The Orange Region deserves a place on the list of every wine lover in search of exciting wineries in New South Wales . It nestles in the hinterland off the coast of Sydney and is easily reached by means of conventional transportation. Depart from Sydney on a scenic 3.5-hour drive over the Blue Mountains to reach your destination.

Stretched out over the mineral-rich contours of extinct volcano Mt Canobolas, Orange is Australia’s highest-altitude wine region and these conditions create world-class cool-climate wines including pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

Diversity in elevation, diversity of terroir, diversity of wine styles and, perhaps most importantly, diversity of winegrowers. The wonderfully diverse wines are best tasted at the plethora of cellar door outlets in and around Orange – again from the sleek and sophisticated to rustic and charming tasting rooms that ooze country style.

The Orange Wine Region has a footprint which covers the City of Orange and parts of the surrounding Cabonne and Blayney Shires, its limit uniquely defined by elevation with 600 metres the lower limit. The Region’s highest vineyards top a chilly 1000 metres.