The Region

"ORANGE" is a Geographical Indicator [GI] Registered with Wine Australia, a Federal Corporation based in Adelaide that administers the Australia-European Union [EU] Agreement regulating wine trade and manufacturing between them. The Wine Australia Act [Federal] regulates the wine industry and has done since 1980.

The Orange Region Winemakers Association [ORVA] successfully achieved protected status for an "Orange" Region in 1997. It is described according to longitude, latitude and altitude. All Orange GI vineyards have some or all of their vines within this designated area.

It is a criminal offence to sell wine with a false and/or misleading label. So using the word "orange" on a wine bottle may be an offence if it does not contain 85% Orange vineyard fruit. Fines or imprisonment can result. This applies in Europe also.

So the name "Orange" is special and protected by Australian and European Law. Wine makers in Europe cannot use the word "orange" on a wine label. We have it. E use the word equally we cannot use the word "Champaigne", we have to use the word "sparkling".

Mt Canobolas is an extinct volcano.  It sits almost in the centre of the Region. The soils therefore are rich basalt but more uniquely the Orange GI sits at a high altitude and has a low mean temperature year round which means that our climate is relatively cool, it snows in winter, which in turn means that our climate is more like a European one.

We have much slower ripening processes. We can still be picking some of our varieties in early May. We get good ripening but it takes longer to get there.

Vines planted within the designated GI are therefore very special and as time goes by and global warming influences our horticulture the Orange Region may become an even more important and valuable grape growing Region. Time will tell.