Heifer Station Wines
Heifer Station Wines
4.5
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Heifer Station - A place to drink good wine, enjoy good cheese, amongst good company. Heifer Station Wines is a small family-owned and operated single vineyard cellar door in one of Orange's most picturesque areas. Set in a turn of the century historic sheep shearing shed, on rolling volcanic terroir. At almost 900m elevation, the vineyard is truly cool climate. Varietals and styles include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz and Sparkling. Whilst the adults enjoy a wine tasting, the children can enjoy the grounds which include farmyard animals, a handball court, sandpit and bocce. "With respect for the earth and a whole lot of Altitude - The fruit does the talking! That's the Heifer Station Way. We then add the love to create elegant single vineyard wines you will want to enjoy again and again"
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- BJF24Shepparton, Australia57 contributionsGreat Wine & ServiceWalked in to be warmly greeted. Staff explained what the offerings were. We sat down were given 6 tastings (plus an extra) Also was provided a cheese board. All wines were excellent. . The service was excellent including full explanation of wine styles, elevation of vines etc. The grounds are extensive with lots of places you could settle in if you were with a group. Highly recommendedWe are very pleased you enjoyed yourself! Thank you so much for your kind words, we are glad we could provide you with a memorable experience. See you next time! Cheers, ChewyWritten October 31, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 25, 2023
- Tiffany D6 contributionsChristmas Party picnic and wine tastingWe went for a work Christmas party and had a 2 hour picnic with wine tastings. This experience was amazing. It was such a hot day but we were positioned nicely in the shade with an amazing spread of foods. Its such a gorgeous spot and it made our day! Thank you we will be back!Visited December 2023Traveled on businessWritten December 10, 2023
- AdamswinmaleeWinmalee, Australia47 contributionsOur happy place.This is our fifth visit so we are biased but when you visit you will understand why. Just 10 minutes out of town and you are at a beautiful country vineyard literally among the vines. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable not to mention the fantastic wines. There are areas for picnics and animals for the kids to see. Do yourself a favour and make sure you visit Heifer Station.Visited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 13, 2024
- westy54Sydney, Australia13,544 contributionsLovely rustic tasting areas. Knowledgeable staff and enjoyable wines.After a number of visits to Orange we finally made it to this winery, and I am pleased that we did. We were met by Richard, a very knowledgeable and engaging chap, who showed us to one of the tasting areas inside the rustic cellar door that had some very comfortable chairs. There were also plenty of tables outside. Tastings were $15 per head for six wines which included their Genisse (a methode traditionnelle sparkling), a Pinot Gris, a Rose, a Pinot Noir, a Merlot and a shiraz. I preferred the sparkling and the Pinot Noir. Tasting platters were available.Visited April 2024Traveled with friendsWritten April 10, 2024
- aldavrilWollongong, Australia1,518 contributionsFabulous winery enjoyed it all.We were a group of 8 without a booking but that wasn’t a problem this time but I’m sure they would rather bookings . We were invited into this beautiful converted barn area with a roaring fire happening. Given a huge table to sit at and we had some lovely wines, explained in full to us the history behind what we were sampling. We then settled into enjoying a few fabulous cheese platters. There are goods on display for sale as well. We all enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend.Visited July 2024Traveled with friendsWritten August 19, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
342 reviews
Excellent
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16
Ange D
8 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
Book online and paid for it on September 7
For September 26 Saturday 5 adult tasting with 5kids.
So as you can see booking in advance.
September 25 Friday afternoon, I received a phone call from Emma stating Orange have terrible weather so they will have to move us inside.
We have to cancel 1 adult to look after the kids (ages 1-8). Emma agrees and will refund the $15 for wine tasting. And we will have 2 cheese platter and ham & cheese for the kids.
On that day, what a suprise we have a table for 4 adults, no room for the kids when it is cold and raining outside.
Then Emma told me that the adult who cancelled the wine tasting will look after the kids. If Emma have half a brain then she will know that responsible adults do not just leave the kids outside in the rain.
This place advertised as child friendly with some farm animals onsite.
However, this did not reflect on the staff who is clueless.
Another disappointment, instead of apology, this Emma stated that is what it is we are fully book and can't accommodate your group.
Another person interfere in the conversation and offer a refund but not the booking fee.
Well it is a week now, without refund of $145.22 from this place.
For September 26 Saturday 5 adult tasting with 5kids.
So as you can see booking in advance.
September 25 Friday afternoon, I received a phone call from Emma stating Orange have terrible weather so they will have to move us inside.
We have to cancel 1 adult to look after the kids (ages 1-8). Emma agrees and will refund the $15 for wine tasting. And we will have 2 cheese platter and ham & cheese for the kids.
On that day, what a suprise we have a table for 4 adults, no room for the kids when it is cold and raining outside.
Then Emma told me that the adult who cancelled the wine tasting will look after the kids. If Emma have half a brain then she will know that responsible adults do not just leave the kids outside in the rain.
This place advertised as child friendly with some farm animals onsite.
However, this did not reflect on the staff who is clueless.
Another disappointment, instead of apology, this Emma stated that is what it is we are fully book and can't accommodate your group.
Another person interfere in the conversation and offer a refund but not the booking fee.
Well it is a week now, without refund of $145.22 from this place.
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi 98Langed -
You have missed out some VERY important information from your review?
You were booked outside originally and we called you because the weather was inclement to try and re-accommodate you. We could have left you in your original position with the children, but you would have been outside in the poor conditions. To move you inside you agreed to not bring the children at all -It was therefore a big surprise when you arrived with the children and expected to be accommodated inside, in a space that has a very limited capacity and is clearly defined as an adults only space.
Insulting people by calling them 'clueless' and 'half a brain' is just awful. You don't have any right to pass such judgement on decent people. You should walk a mile in someone else's shoes for a change -How would that insult make you feel? We are dealing with a range of circumstances that no one could have predicted and we are all trying our best to make it work in a safe and secure way. If the weather doesn't play its part we have to try our best and its not always an ideal solution, but its just what happens -I'm sure you would have been happier outside in the sun, but I am yet to master control of it.
Regards,
James
Written October 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Harrietallan
Sydney, Australia78 contributions
Nov 2021 • Friends
Run of the mill, average at best. It was a nice building but the service was terrible, we waited 25 minutes before they even put glasses down in front of us and another 10 minutes to get the wine poured for an hour long tasting. We paid $15 each for this too. We ended up going up to them asking them if they could move things along as we had other bookings to go to. Also, the wine is very average and overpriced compared to other much nicer places around the area. I would steer clear and head to much nicer, more hospitable places if your travelling to Orange.
Written November 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Harriet -
I'm so sorry the tasting wasn't up to scratch for you. Thank you for pointing out the slowness of the tasting -It's something that happens from time to time so I do apologise for that and we are working on it!
We are certainly not a commercial winery - You cant buy our wines outside of Orange and we only make a very small amount of wine compared to most of the other operators in town.
Thanks
James
Written January 6, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
YDS
Sydney, Australia24 contributions
Jan 2021
We decided to visit after reading the great reviews online but found the experience very underwhelming. The wines were disappointing and very overpriced. Also the tasting was pricier than other wineries at $15pp. Service wasn't great either and we didn't feel welcome. Our experiences at the other wineries in Orange such as Mortimers and Angullong were far better.
Written January 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi YGDS -
I'm sorry you feel that way. Pricing our wines is our choice -You don't to have like the price but we value what we do as such. $15 for 6 wines at 30ml each is cheap + We actually refund your fee if you purchase wine which most other cellar doors in Orange don't do.
All the best.
James
Written January 13, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
AdRa
New York, New York, United States15 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
This is a very attractive setup, with gorgeous chickens and other farm animals . However my family were seated in the darkest bowels of the freezing outdoor tent despite the large and toasty main area looking as if it did have quite a few tables spare. We were the only ones sat outside for the duration of our meal and I couldn’t help but wonder why subsequent arrivals were sat in the warmth of the main dining area.The promised heater was turned on only when we were pretty well done with our meal. I didn’t mind the slow service as much as my kids’ drinks never being delivered despite several reminders to staff. Eventually we had to retrieve them from the dining room. When you spend $90 on a small cheese platter, some ultra-thin toasties and a bit of wine, you expect more than this. I know that covid has made things a bit weird, but turning on the heater as soon as you put a family outside on a cold wet day isn’t too much to ask is it?
Written September 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi AdnilR,
If you had booked an inside table ahead of time which is very clear on our website and is a requirement of the current Covid situation then we could have accommodated you inside -But you didn't and the weather was cold? The Teepee is cold when the weather is cold because it a Teepee - Its a lot warmer than sitting outside on a rainy day and a lot dryer to.
The cellar door has spare/empty tables because quite simply it HAS TO? We are in a Pandemic and we have to implement social distancing.
Subsequent tables were sat inside because they did the right thing and made a booking for inside.
Just to clear things up - We don't do meals and we are not a restaurant. You had cheese platters ($30) Cheese Toasty's ($5) and wine tasting ($15) -That is all very reasonable in my opinion.
I agree the heater should have been turned on at the start though -That would have helped with your comfort.
Thanks
James
Written October 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steve J
Sydney, Australia6 contributions
Jun 2020
Why bother…?
Why spend all the money in creating such a beautiful setting and cellar door and then to be let down by a surly and unwelcoming staff member? My partner and I arrived mid-morning Saturday, and were greeted by a younger, unsmiling, unfriendly man (the owner/manager?) he never introduced himself, just took us outside to our booked table. I understand that we are not all warm and fuzzy people, but if that’s the case, then go and spend the day in the office or in the shed doing something where you don’t have any interaction with the public. To make it worse, we actually paid for the tasting and you would think that when people come to your business and give you money before they have arrived, you would at least put an effort in? No such luck with Mr Congeniality.
Even us spending more money by buying wines, was not enough to change his demeanour.
The only saving graces of the winery were the friendly Kiwi girl who talked us through the wines and the lovely setting.
The wines are average, although the latest shiraz and pinot gris are the standouts. Go and enjoy the free roaming chickens and the setting, but to be perfectly honest, there are friendlier wineries with better wines to visit in the area.
Why spend all the money in creating such a beautiful setting and cellar door and then to be let down by a surly and unwelcoming staff member? My partner and I arrived mid-morning Saturday, and were greeted by a younger, unsmiling, unfriendly man (the owner/manager?) he never introduced himself, just took us outside to our booked table. I understand that we are not all warm and fuzzy people, but if that’s the case, then go and spend the day in the office or in the shed doing something where you don’t have any interaction with the public. To make it worse, we actually paid for the tasting and you would think that when people come to your business and give you money before they have arrived, you would at least put an effort in? No such luck with Mr Congeniality.
Even us spending more money by buying wines, was not enough to change his demeanour.
The only saving graces of the winery were the friendly Kiwi girl who talked us through the wines and the lovely setting.
The wines are average, although the latest shiraz and pinot gris are the standouts. Go and enjoy the free roaming chickens and the setting, but to be perfectly honest, there are friendlier wineries with better wines to visit in the area.
Written July 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Steve -
Thanks for the review and feedback. We are currently in the middle of a pandemic and would you believe that after being shut for 12 weeks we are now inundated with visitors. There was no gradual build up -It was nothing, then everything over night. Staffing for such unreal circumstances is a total nightmare and interpreting all of the ever changing rules and regulations is quite frankly a full time job! Maybe that staff member was trying his best to accommodate you, but might have been a touch over stretched. Maybe that staff member could have done with being in the office catching up on the unprecedented amount of work before him? But maybe the demands of a small business may not have allowed for that? Maybe it was all hands on deck trying desperately to make it work? To be honest if your main concern was not having a smiling face and a warm welcome a one star review mid pandemic is pretty harsh. Perhaps you should really think about what a one star review means to a small business and if it really was deserved as we are all trying to navigate some pretty trying times.
Thanks,
James
Written July 28, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lianna Pan
3 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
We booked online for a 10am tasting on a Saturday. The booking system was good, sent an invite to my calendar.
On the day I rang up early to confirm. Went to voicemail, said it was only open from 11am. Checked the website, said the same. I then waited till 10, rang again and they confirmed our booking. We left straight away and arrived at 10:15. A lady greeted us and said we were late so had to rush thru the tasting.
When we were seated, she left us for ages before bringing the first tastings, and then again in between the tastings. Later on another lady took over and she was quite nice.
I liked the 2017 Shiraz, had a very strong peppery aroma and taste which I thought was quite unique. The rest of it was not that memorable.
Overall, the setting is quite nice, but service let it down.
On the day I rang up early to confirm. Went to voicemail, said it was only open from 11am. Checked the website, said the same. I then waited till 10, rang again and they confirmed our booking. We left straight away and arrived at 10:15. A lady greeted us and said we were late so had to rush thru the tasting.
When we were seated, she left us for ages before bringing the first tastings, and then again in between the tastings. Later on another lady took over and she was quite nice.
I liked the 2017 Shiraz, had a very strong peppery aroma and taste which I thought was quite unique. The rest of it was not that memorable.
Overall, the setting is quite nice, but service let it down.
Written August 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi LiannaPan,
You caught us during a period we were trialling a 10 am start -I hadn't thought to change the message or website to be honest -I was just thinking about providing more time slots for people to visit as we are pretty restricted with our numbers at anyone time.
I'm sorry your first taster was slow, but happy the second taster was better. Its something to work on.
3/5 was pretty fair considering.
Thanks for taking the time to review us.
Regards
James
Written September 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
K Grant
10 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Wonderful ambience to be sitting in front of a warm fire on a very cold morning. Our hostess was delightful and attentive as she calmly juggled multiple groups, frozen pipes and cellar door sales. Oh yes, and the wines were great too. Highly recommend a visit
Written August 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Gonggrants - Thanks for your kind review. Glad everything went well and you had a lovely experience.
Thanks
James
Written September 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joombie
Newcastle, Australia324 contributions
Sep 2020
Us first time visitors visited Heifer Station Winery last week on our day 2 in Orange, bookings were essential, our host was extremely knowledgeable in the local history of Heifer Station and very passionate about the wines that were tasted. The winery itself is very child friendly with a sandpit outside and animals behind the building, picnic tables outside and space. The winery building is a mix of new and old which blends well and has also a large teepee outside for more space. Thank you to the staff at Heifer Station, we enjoyed ourselves and recommend any visitors.
Written September 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Joombie -
Thanks for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Orange & I'm happy you had a lovely visit at Heifer Station.
Thanks again for taking some time out to review us.
Regards
James
Written September 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Garry S
2 contributions
Dec 2021 • Friends
Wine was nice and she'd serving area was rustic. Did not like the $15 charge which does NOT come off the wines you buy. I agree with a fee if you don't buy but feel it is a bit rich being non refundable.
Written December 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Duntry -
Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed the wines and the ambiance. In relation to the charge for the service provided, every winery has there own policy, the quantity of wine poured and the service provided differs. We feel that $15 is a very fair balance. The tasting is 6 x 30ml - That's 1.5 glasses of wine + the staff members' knowledge and time. The admin involved in working out who has bought wine and how much wine is fair is not feasible in our situation and at busy times.
Thank you kindly for the review and I appreciate the feedback.
Regards
James
Written January 7, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gabriel P
Perth, Australia18 contributions
Jan 2022
The persons who interacted with us were nice. The person who served us the wine was knowledgeable about what she was pouring in our glasses.
This was probably the most expensive (for what it offered) winery we visited in NSW, including the Hunter region.
We did buy a bottle of wine, and we bought only one because the wines were expensive.
We didn't like the fact that the tasting price was not discounted from the eventual purchase, which was a deciding factor in our buying only one bottle.
Despite the fact that the cheese platter was expensive as well, and it was not offered as a package with the wine tasting, i.e. bundled at a discounted price, we did buy the platter and the wine tasting and paid the price knowingly.
We knew that every bit mattered for every business during these tough times, but we were not impressed with the offer.
Expensive, yes, and the prices may be in line with what's on offer at wineries in Orange, but still expensive compared to other wine regions, including nearby Mudgee.
We went to Mudgee from there and had a blast, bought 10 cases of wine from the various wineries there. Glorious wines too. Their prices and offers were much more humane.
Where they had cheese platters they were discounted if bought with wine tasting. If you bought wine to take home you'd get further discounts.
They've been through tough times as well, and they too had to survive, but they do it differently.
This was probably the most expensive (for what it offered) winery we visited in NSW, including the Hunter region.
We did buy a bottle of wine, and we bought only one because the wines were expensive.
We didn't like the fact that the tasting price was not discounted from the eventual purchase, which was a deciding factor in our buying only one bottle.
Despite the fact that the cheese platter was expensive as well, and it was not offered as a package with the wine tasting, i.e. bundled at a discounted price, we did buy the platter and the wine tasting and paid the price knowingly.
We knew that every bit mattered for every business during these tough times, but we were not impressed with the offer.
Expensive, yes, and the prices may be in line with what's on offer at wineries in Orange, but still expensive compared to other wine regions, including nearby Mudgee.
We went to Mudgee from there and had a blast, bought 10 cases of wine from the various wineries there. Glorious wines too. Their prices and offers were much more humane.
Where they had cheese platters they were discounted if bought with wine tasting. If you bought wine to take home you'd get further discounts.
They've been through tough times as well, and they too had to survive, but they do it differently.
Written May 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Gabriel -
Every business is different and has different sets of challenges. I appreciate your feedback, but we value our offering accordingly. We are certainly not the most expensive winery in our region, certainly not when compared with the Hunter or Mudgee for that matter.
We do not operate on a commercial scale so we can't discount and offer wine and food at lower prices. Based on that we probably aren't the best fit for you. Our cheese platter for its size is already quite cheap at $35 for 2-3 people and we don't offer a refund of the tasting fee if you buy wine because we are giving you an hour of our time and well over a glass of wine in the tasting flight -That's worth $15 at a minimum.
We are proud of our experiences and we value our offerings that have been recognised by our recent GOLD medals at the NSW Tourism Awards and our SILVER medal at the Australian Tourism Awards as well as our recent Gourmet Traveller Best Cellar Doors award. We are consistently rated in the top 5 on TripAdvisor and the overwhelming majority of our social reviews are 5 stars.
Thanks again for your feedback
Regards,
James
Written May 31, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi!
Just wondering if you can bring dogs onto the property?
We are on holidays with our dog and can’t leave her at our accom but would love to have a picnic.
Cheers,
Catherine
Written July 26, 2019
Yes we are dog friendly on a lead. We don't allow food & drink from outside of the venue, but we do do lovely cheese platters at al.
Written July 27, 2019
Hi, I just tried to get onto your website and I thought I should let you know it was coming up saying that it was unsafe from hackers. It looks like you might have been hacked.
I am trying to organise a sophisticated hens party for my best friend and we are trying to find a bus company that will take us to your winery. I have heard fantastic things about it and we didn't want to go to lots of wineries, just yours. Do you know of anyone that takes trips from Orange to your winery? We have 15 people. Thanks
Written July 12, 2017
Hi Jess - Thanks for letting us know. We were already onto it! Im pretty sure Chase at Orange wine tours can sort you out.
Written July 13, 2017
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