De Salis Wines – Premium Handcrafted Wines
De Salis is a family operated winery located on the northern slopes of Mt Canobolas, Orange NSW at an altitude of 1050m. Our Lofty & Forest Edge Vineyards are renowned for dry-grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Our minimalist winemaking philosophy is born from a desire to capture the seasonal ebb and flow, the intersection of our vines with their micro-environment, and to create wines that showcase old world wine making styles. Learn more about our wine and our history.
Visit Our Cellar Door – Open 7 Days – 11am to 5pm
A visit to our winery in Orange is a unique experience as it provides a rare insight into the wines of De Salis from a winemaking perspective. Easily make a booking online or phone 0477 298 984.
Top Wineries of Australia 2024
De Salis Wines recognised as 32nd in the Real Reviews Annual Winery Rankings
Current Releases
2021 Vintage Report
Vintage 2021 was the first of the latest La Niña and followed on from the devastating bush fires of 2018 and 2020, as a result it was lovely to have fruit in the winery. The 2021 season was late getting started with budburst in mid-October.
Spring was cool and long following on from some substantial snow in the winter of 2020. Summer temperatures were constantly in the early to mid 20s with rain and thunderstorms keeping everyone busy and brining challenging growing conditions.
Fortunately, as veraison commenced the inclement weather abated, resulting in a cool but exciting year. Overall, excellent year for sparkling, still whites and elegant Pinot Noir. Late warmth enabled the merlot and Cabernet Franc reach maturity making the ‘F’ and ‘M’ elegant and floral blends that will cellar well into the next decade.
From the humble beginning…
De Salis was established in 1999 as a ‘garageister’ winery located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches by research scientist Charlie Svenson. Known as ‘The Francateers’, Charlie, Martin Ostrowski and Andrew Collins produced award-wining wine from premium Cabernet Franc sourced from famed artisan wine maker Murray Smith of Canobolas-Smith. Whilst researching the production of renewable fuel ethanol at the University of New South Wales, Charlie spent many vintages learning the dark art of minimalist wine crafting from the eclectic Murray Smith. During this time, an eight-year search resulted in Charlie and wife Loretta, acquiring one of Australia’s most ideally located, stunningly beautiful and highest wine grape growing locations, Lofty Vineyard.
De Salis is named in honour of Charlie’s original Australian ancestor and great, great grandfather, Leopold Fabius Count Fane De Salis, an Englishman, born in Florence in the early 1800’s who emigrated to Australia and established a colonial home in the Cotter District, close to what is now Canberra in the mid 1800’s. The blocks of Lofty Vineyard bear the matriarchal names of the De Salis family. Learn more about our history.
Visit De Salis Wines
Open 7 Days – 11am to 5pm – Bookings Preferred
Located in Orange NSW, Australia. Travel West from Orange on Cargo Road for 8 Km, turn left into Nancarrow Lane. At the T-intersection turn right onto Mount Lofty Road, follow the tar road, then over the cattle grate, after 600m turn right onto our driveway.
Top Wineries of Australia 2024
Ranked 32nd Winery in Australia by Real Review & Huon Hooke
Awarded by Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine, ‘Top 50 wine experiences in the world’ 2019
Australia’s Best Cellar Door Awards by Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine.
Best Large Cellar Door 2022
Best tasting experience 2021 & 2018
Star Cellar Door in Orange for 2020
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