Orange Wine Week - Part 2

The Burgundian lunch at the Old Convent was our highlight of Orange Wine Week.

The Old Convent Building

The Old Convent is one of our favourite places to eat, because the setting is so beautiful, Josie Chapman’s food is always amazing and we knew we would be drinking the outstanding DeSalis chardonnays and pinot noirs.

The long shared tables, meant that we were surrounded with new and interesting people, Josie did very well with her guest placement and we left with many phone numbers and new dog owner friends!

The Burgundian menu included:

Freshly made bread

Terrine with micro herb salad

Pea soup with white fish

Beef bourguignon with roasted vegetables & potatoes

Camembert with bread

Poached pears and crème anglaise

The De Salis wines matched perfectly and we were able to try some of winemaker Charlie Svenson’s older wines as well as his current releases. With approximately 40 guests in the room, the lunch went well as it was an intimate gathering where strangers quickly became friends.

The quirky lighting

We left feeling extremely full yet happy having enjoyed a couple of hours of superb Burgundian food and wine in excellent company. The Burgundian lunch offered exceptional value you for money and we will definitely be coming back for Josie’s next event.

Pea soup - gone in a flash

Orange Wine Week 2012

Mr L'Orange and I got our hands on the new Orange Wine Week 2012 brochure yesterday and are very excited about the programme for late October. This year's festival is jam packed with good stuff, the tough job will be selecting just a few events to attend.

The bar has definitely been raised and there is now an excellent range of wine related events throughout the week with a good mix of casual and formal. If you were thinking of making a visit, then leave your children behind and come to Orange for Wine Week which takes place from 20-28 October 2012. 

This year there are guest chef appearances from Tony Bilson, Kate Bracks the Masterchef winner and Peter Kuravita. These events have a matching guest chef price tag so be prepared to spend big, perfectly fine if you can spare the cash or want to do something unique for a special occasion. As DIY consumes almost all of our savings, we are going for the more ‘value for money’ options and my top picks for Orange Wine Week 2012 include:

Burgundian Lunch at the Old Convent with De Salis Wines

Josie Chapman is one of our favourite chefs in Orange and the Old Convent is one of the most lovely venues in the area. So the fact that they are doing a lunch accompanied by De Salis wines (another of our favourites) for the very reasonable price of $50 is a no brainer. Who else wants to join us? On both weekends during Wine Week.

Live DJ and Vietnamese pork rolls at Philip Shaw Wines

Relaxing in the sunshine whilst sipping wine, listening to music and munching on Vietnamese culinary delights sounds like the perfect Sunday to me. At $8 per person, this option is great for groups of friends/family and is pretty casual which in my view is what wine drinking is all about. Taking place both weekends during Wine Week.

Printhie Sparkling Launch at the Byng St Store

As this event is free and just around the corner from our house it immediately caught my eye. We will definitely be popping along to sample the new Printhie sparkling, meet Drew Tuckwell the wine maker and get to see the Byng St Store with its exciting wine bar set up.

BUG Bicycle Ride – 50km around the region 

I think I need to go into training to be able to complete this one, however it is a great way to get more people involved in cycling and to see the region from a new perspective. I would personally recommend using a mountain bike as the roads in Orange are shocking for bumps and potholes. Free event - meeting at the Byng St Store at 10.00am on 28th October.

Night Markets at Robertson’s Park 

Always a good opportunity to try lots of wines in a short space of time without the trouble of driving. Arrive early to avoid disappointment as food runs out and queues get long otherwise. Free event you simply buy what you wish to eat and drink. Taking place from 5.30pm on Friday 26 October.

Hopefully some of these suggestions have tempted you to book in a visit to Orange or get your friends and family up for the weekend for some Orange Wine Week action. 

To see the full brochure of Orange Wine Week events click here. If you are needing accommodation, there is always the Dalton St Studio for the perfect home away from home mini break!

Winter Weekend Activities in Orange

If you are looking for a nice day trip or weekend break over the next month can I suggest passing through Orange during Frost Fest? The full program of events can be found on the Taste Orange page and bookings are recommended.

However, if you would prefer my  top picks, here they are:

Pinholes and Pinot at De SalisWines – what better place for a local pinhole camera photography exhibition than in a cellar door! Sip on new vintage De Salis wines (I’ve tried them and they are v.good) whilst perusing the exhibition and mingling with the movers and shakers of Orange (at least myself and Mr L’Orange will be there!). Picture have been taken by Orange local Jude Keogh.

Date: Friday 3^rd August from 7pm – 10pm is the launch party

The exhibition runs for the whole of Frost Fest if you can’t make the launch.

Dress: extra warm as at the cellar door gets cold.

De Salis Vineyard

Apple Pie and Mulled Cider at Small Acres Cyder

For $8 you can have your fill of apple goodness in both a pastry and alcoholic form – again the perfect combination and certain to keep the doctor away. From past experience these food and cider events are mega popular so book a spot to avoid disappointment.

Small Acres Cyder Apple Pie

There are plenty of other food, wine and log fire type experiences at wineries all over Orange during Frost Fest, it is just a matter of what deciding how much you want to spend and how formal you want to make things. Notice my Scottish roots coming through as both my picks are free or cheap? 

Anyway, grab some friends and make an effort to head this way at the start of August if you have some free time.

If you need more to do during your visit, take a look at some of these former LALO posts:

Factory Espresso

Byng St Store

Sweet Sour Salt

Rocking Horse Lounge

The Old Convent

Australia's Top Cellar Doors

Fans of Gourmet Traveller Wine may have read in the latest edition, (March/April 2012) the article about Australia’s top cellar doors. 

The deck view at De Salis

It is a great resource for planning a wine trip as the kindly wine writers have done all the wine tasting and research for you, all you need to do is turn up.

 

De Salis Interior

De Salis Wines Cellar Door

You may be interested to learn that our wine trip to South Australia last year featured the same two cellar doors that have been recommended for McLaren Vale and one recommended for the Barossa Valley – so we are clearly not too bad at picking goodies! For more info on our South Australian wine weekend click the link. 

Patina Wines Cellar Door

The top cellar doors within Orange are Patina Wines, Philip Shaw Wines and De Salis Wines. All three of these cellar doors are fabulous and totally deserving of the this top accolade. 

The gorgeous Chanetelle at the Patina cellar door

Patina Sticky Tea Riesling

The gardens at Patina Wines

Next time you are in Orange, make sure you put these cellar doors on your hit list.

The entrance to Philip Shaw Wines

Proof I am a regular visitor

Orange Wine Week Is Almost Upon Us

Orange Wine Week is just 1 week away, if you were thinking of visiting Orange then get yourself organised, book some accommodation and come up here! It is only 3 hours from Sydney with no stops or traffic through the mountains.

The Night Markets are being held on Friday 28th October from 5.30pm in Robertson’s Park and are always a highlight. Definitely call in for a tasting at De Salis Wines, where you are encouraged to bring your own picnic and then enjoy the views either in the vineyard or on the deck.

Whether a local or visitor, why not grab a group of friends and enjoy a perfect lazy day on one of the many wine and grazing trails taking place all over the region during Wine Week. If you are wondering where to eat during your stay, take a look at these previous blog post reviews, bookings recommended:
Rocking Horse Lounge
The Old Convent
Sweet Sour Salt