2024 Canobolas Chardonnay, Orange

A calm and temperate vintage for Orange, this was picked over four non-consecutive days. From vines planted in '85 on red ferrosol soils. Indigenous yeast ferment, 50% mlf, matured for 11 months in 20% new oak and an additional seven months on lees in stainless steel tanks. The wine opens with crumbly bedrock, marigold and banksia. Its mineral core sweeps through with riverstone and licks of lemon salt. Citron is a constant thread throughout, with undulating waves of acidity and phenolic pomelo pith to finish. Power and drive now, but a bit more time in the bottle, and this will continue to unfurl. Another joyous wine from Canobolas. Drink to 2032.

96+ points Shanteh Wale for Halliday Wine Companion, August 2026

Light, bright yellow. An unusual herbal/sea succulent aroma at first, then green apple and pear, the palate is lean and tensioned, tight and limy, and finishes with a touch of firmness. This tastes very cool-climate and ideally should be given more time: I'd expect it to blossom in a year or two. Drink to 2039.

92 points Huon Hooke, December 2025

This wine is sourced from the original vines planted in 1985.

Harvested over four days between the 12th and the 24th of February, the hand-picked grapes were sorted at the winery and chilled overnight, then whole bunch pressed into French oak barrels of which 20% were new. Fermentation started with indigenous yeasts, and half of the wine was later allowed malolactic conversion, with some of the barrels lees stirred occasionally.

The wine spent a total of 11 months on oak and had a further seven-month rest on lees in stainless steel ahead of bottling.

About this producer

Canobolas Wines is the third oldest vineyard in the high-altitude Orange region of NSW, established by the Smith family in 1985 within the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people. The Mattick family have been custodians of the place since 2022, with winemaker Jonathon Mattick working with viticulturist Laura Arnold.

The vineyard is planted on a north to northeast facing slope of Mount Canobolas. The site rises from 775 to 820 metres in altitude, with wines standing in deep red ferrosol and clay soils over free draining basaltic rock.

The name Canobolas comes from ‘coona’ meaning shoulder and ‘booloo’ meaning two, which the Wiradjuri pronounced Gaanha-bula. This was traditionally an important occupation site for sourcing and sharing of food, and for corroborees and ceremonies particularly relating to men’s business. To the Wiradjuri people, Gaanha-bula is a place of spiritual connection through worship of Baiame (the Creator God and Sky Father) and through the dreaming story of Gaanha-bula as one of three feuding brothers.