Orange Wine Festival 17 October-2 November 2025
Meet the winemakers, vignerons, local sommeliers and restauranteurs and discover why Australia's highest wine region is truly "A Drop Above" at the Orange Wine Festival from 17 October-2 November 2025.
Here's just some of the 40+ event highlights to enjoy throughout the fortnight-long festival.
Daily
Open Garden At Brangayne: Bring a picnic blanket and stroll through the nearly 100-year-old private Rhododendron Garden at Brangayne Wines, in bloom in spring. Finish your walk with an optional wine tasting at the unique old apple store cellar door and find out the "love potion" story. Free.
Friday 17 October
5.30-8.30pm
Wine Festival Night Market: Kick off the festival with local winemakers and producers, talented chefs and cooks as they present their award-winning wines and rich local delicacies of the Orange region at the Robertson Park. $10 - $12.
Friday 17–18 Saturday October
10am-12.30pm (& 2-4.30pm Friday)
Harvest & Bake: A Local Apple Pie Workshop: Hillside Harvest presents a paddock-to-plate journey, starting with an orchard tour to see the trees the apples are from, followed by a hands-on pie-making workshop using local ingredients and Grandma's cherished recipe. $85.
Saturday 18 October
12-6pm
Rose All Day: Think - and dress - pink at Mortimer's Wines as its schoolhouse cellar door provides live music, food vendors, a pop-up cocktail bar, art from the local gallery and a glass of Mortimer's award-winning rose. $25.
2-5pm
Garden Wander at Macquariedale Wines: Come and wander the neighbours garden, then return to Macquariedale Organic Wines for a glass of wine and grazing platters as you relax and soak up the picturesque view of Towac Valley. $38.
3-4.30pm
Unseen and Uncommon: a blind tasting of unexpected wines and ciders: Come along for a blind tasting of natural wines and small batch vintage ciders from Small Acres Cyder that will stretch you well beyond a conventional cellar door tasting. Expect specialty releases, new releases and museum stock to create a taste adventure. $65
Saturday 18 & 25 October
2-5pm
Blend it Like RIKARD: Become a winemaker for a day and blend your own unique Rikard Wine. Join Will Rikard-Bell and team in this workshop as they share the components from 2025 vintage for making your iconic small batch wines. You get to blend two unique bottles to take home and enjoy or cellar. $180..
Sunday 19 October
12-4pm
Nonna's Wine and Dine Springtime Lunch: Enjoy stellar award-winning wines and cellar vintages at Highland Heritage cellar door, paired with Nonna's delicious Spring menu. Savour sparkling and delectable canapes all while soaking up the panoramic vista of the vineyard before being seated for this special unmissable lunch. $169.
Sunday 19 & 26 October
10am-2pm
Watercolour and Wine: A relaxed and engaging art session with local artist Kerrie Stewart, followed by a visit to Orange Mountain Estate to enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the boutique winery and a wine tasting of handcrafted, basket-pressed wines. $85.
Thursday 23, 30 October, Saturday 18 October, 1 November
5.30-7.30pm (Thurs) & 10am-12pm (Sat)
Tour and Taste with the Winemaker: Take a tour with Cargo Road vigneron James Sweetapple, through a holistic vineyard and winery. - tasting the grapes, ferments and wines. Come learn what and why the Vigneron does and how his methods have been perfected over 28 years. $35.
Friday 24 October
5.30pm - 8.30pm
Sip and Savour: Your one chance to taste all the 2025 Orange Wine Show winners in one place. With a Riedel glass in one hand and a charcuterie box of treats in the other, it's straight into tasting mode. You get to sample everything from elegant sparkling's to refined whites and bold reds. $75.
Saturday 25 October
12-4pm
Ross Hill Winery Long Lunch: Enjoy an expertly curated, sharing-style, four-course luncheon by local Orange chef Edwena Mitchell, with each dish matched with premium Ross Hill Wines. $235.
6-9pm
Purple Pinot Party at Stockman's Ridge: Dress in purple for a complimentary glass of Pinot at Stockman's Ridge! Or dress in whichever colour you wish to sample six Pinots - from Pinot Gris to Noir, from museum selections to straight from the barrel, accompanied by tasty canapes from The Agrestic Grocer. $75.
6-10pm
Apericena: Italian Party at Rowlee: A vibrant Italian-inspired evening of food, wine, and music at The Stables. Chef Erick and the Rowlee Dining and Bar team will serve up a generous spread of Italian bites, perfectly paired with premium wines. As the sun dips behind the vines, dance into the night under the stars with a live DJ set. $75.
6.30-9.30pm
Past to Pour: The Wines that Built Philip Shaw: Come to Philip Shaw Wines and meet esteemed winemaker Arturo Longhini for an exclusive masterclass that will take you on a journey vintage by vintage, with personal stories shared behind each carefully selected wine from their cellar past and present. Paired with thoughtfully food matches, this masterclass promises to be a night of flavour, history, and connection. $150.
Sunday 26 October
10am-5pm
Boree Lane Ramble: Take a guided Ramble across vineyards on beautiful Boree Lane. Meet winemakers & vignerons, try wines matched to delicious local fare, enjoy the spring landscape. The Ramble begins at Stockman’s Ridge & goes cross country to Lidster Wines, Strawhouse and Canobolas Wines. Limited to 60 people. $165.
Saturday 1 November
12-3pm
Paired: A Celebration of Chardonnay - Day Two: A three-course long lunch by Swinging Bridge celebrating the depth, texture, and food-pairing brilliance of our newly released Single Vineyard Hill Park Chardonnay. Each course, crafted by Chef Dave Wright, will be paired with a selection of wines from across the range, with the main course designed to showcase Chardonnay. $125.
Australian Map Gifts helps champion Australian tourism through its range of beautifully watercolour-illustrated tourist map gifts including aprons, greeting ∫cards, postcards, tea towels and tote bags, all lightweight souvenirs to help visitors remember their adventures and plan new destinations. Check out our range of Orange map gifts.