Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 3 hrs ago
Warmer conditions and changing tastes drive demand for Orange grapes
Ross and Derice McDonald moved their organic wine business from the Hunter Valley to Orange in 2020.
They say hotter conditions and demand for lighter wines made it harder to produce the styles they wanted in the Hunter.
Orange is a cool-climate wine region in New South Wales, with vineyards at elevations of 600 to 1,390 metres.
Some Orange grapes are now used in wines made in the Hunter and other warmer regions.
Ross McDonald estimates that about half of grapes processed in the Hunter come from elsewhere, though there are no exact figures.
Wine Australia rules require at least 85 per cent of a wine’s grapes to come from a region for that region to appear on the label.
Sourcing grapes from other regions can help wineries maintain supply when local harvests fall short.
Warmer conditions and demand for lighter-style wines are prompting wineries to source grapes from cooler regions such as Orange.
Ross and Derice McDonald moved from the Hunter Valley to Orange in 2020 after changes in climate and consumer tastes affected their business.
Orange is classed as a cool-climate wine region, with vineyards between 600 and 1,390 metres above sea level.
Some Orange-grown grapes are used in wines made in the Hunter Valley.
Hunter Valley industry representatives say grapes from other regions can help wineries maintain supply when local harvests fall short.
- Who
- Winemakers including Ross and Derice McDonald, and Hunter Valley wineries.
- What
- Wineries are sourcing grapes from Orange and other cooler regions as climate conditions and consumer tastes change.
- When
- The trend has accelerated over the past decade. The McDonalds moved to Orange at the beginning of 2020.
- Where
- Orange and the Hunter Valley, in New South Wales, Australia.
- Why
- Cooler-region grapes can help wineries make lighter-style wines and maintain supply when local production does not meet demand.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ross and Derice McDonald moved from the Hunter Valley to Orange.
The trend of purchasing grapes from cooler climates accelerated.
- Orange vineyards
- More than 80 vineyards covering about 1,100 hectares
- Vineyard elevation
- 600 to 1,390 metres above sea level
- McDonalds' move
- Beginning of 2020
- Hunter grapes estimate
- Ross McDonald estimates about 50 per cent of grapes processed in the Hunter are grown elsewhere
What people are saying
Everything that we want in Orange can be grown in Orange
My estimation is that approximately 50 per cent of the grapes processed in the Hunter are not actually grown there now
Local wine production does not always meet demand and as a result, some wineries source fruit from other regions to complement their Hunter Valley production and maintain supply consistency