Our Vineyards

Orange NSW – Seriously cool climate – Volcanic soils – Dry growing season

Lofty Vineyard

Location: Located at an altitude of 1050m on the northern slope of Mt Canobolas is our ‘Lofty Vineyard’ in the cool climate region of Orange.

Vines: Lofty Vineyard was first planted in 1993 with Chardonnay and Merlot by renowned Orange horticulturalist, David Gartrell. Subsequent plantings have increased the vineyard area to 9Ha. With plantings of classic French varieties, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Meuniere.

Environment: Our hand tended vines are planted in basalt soils over a limestone base, when coupled with winter snow, warm summer days and the long cool evenings of late autumn, it allows us to harvest grapes of exceptional quality.

Forest Edge Vineyard

History: Forest Edge is 5 years older than De Salis’s home vineyard Lofty Vineyard and was first planted in 1988 by the Robertson Family. Then owned by Crawfords for 15 years and now owned by our Family. Forest Edge is 14 years dry grown and has taken home Best Wine in Show and many Gold’s at the Sydney Royal Show under the Brokenwood Wines label.

Location: Perched on the ridge sightly west of Lofty Vineyard, yet it has an extremely similar outlook and elevation. With a due north aspect at 1050m, both vineyards sit above the frost in the valley and within the shadow of the mountain, protecting them from hail and south western storms.  

Vines: Planted in 1988, Forest Edge Vineyard producers Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Merrifield. In recent years the fruit has been entirely going to De Salis Wines.

Recent plantings: we have been busy planting vines, Chardonnay vines. Bernard 95 & 76, 1066 & 548 clones, and our first Riesling were planted too, three clones GM198, GM110 & GM239. All 6500 Chardonnay and Riesling vines were close planted at 1 metre spacings in 2022. We are expecting small parcel of fruit in 2024. With a fabulous crop in 2025 and beyond.

Exciting times as we have never planted vines before.

Soil: Red basalt soils with ext

Orange NSW

Location: A number of distinctive environmental features means that Orange wineries have exceptional terroir to work with, starting with its striking elevation – at 600m to 1150m above sea level, it is the highest wine region in Australia.

Formally accepted as a distinct geographic area since 1996, the Orange wine region encompasses a sweeping area of land throughout Orange NSW.

In fact less than 1% of vineyards in Australia sit above 600m, positioning the region as a truly unique viticulture destination.