It will always be befuddling that Orange (the wine region) doesn’t have a larger profile.
Yes, there is a distinct lack of significant volume halo producers, which sucks some energy out of the whole shebang. It is hardly a large region either – roughly half the size of the Yarra in hectares planted. Yet it still doesn’t explain why this region, with its altitude-defined charisma and varietal variety, sits a distance back in the Australian cool climate wine hierarchy (even within NSW, which is another puzzlement altogether).
When I cracked open the Ross Hill Pinnacle Series Cabernet Franc 2024 below, it felt like a reminder of what lies on those NSW Central Ranges slopes. The Ross Hill apple-picking-shed-turned-winery (most Orange wineries are repurposed apple sheds; they’re affordable and well insulated) tends to produce lifted Franc, and this felt welcomingly bright and delineated. A breath of fresh air, straight off Mount Canobolas.
Indeed, Orange Cab Franc is an underrated beast, just to fit the narrative. The acid and tannin balance isn’t always there, but when it’s on, it’s bloody on. And Chardonnay! Orange Chardonnay deserves high status. More love for the appley finesse that shines even in the riper wines.
As evidence for why I’m banging on about Orange, see the full Ross Hill Pinnacle range spelled out below, in all their delineated splendour.
This is a rather complete range expression from this OG carbon-neutral winery, even if a little patience would go a long way. Curiously, there is an oak character in these wines that is quite appley – a fine-grained mealiness that adds more coolness, although a reflection of how the refined fruit might suffer if the oak was overt at all. Notably fair pricing for a pinnacle range too.
Subscribe to keep reading
This is not a paywall. Subscribe for free and you get email updates and I keep AI out.
2 responses to “The cool breeze of Ross Hill’s Pinnacle Series blows in”