The Orange Wine Region
The story of Rowlee begins where the road to Nashdale ends: at 950 metres, on volcanic basalt soils, in a climate that asks something of everything we grow.
Nicole Samodol
Altitude influences almost everything we do
The days are warm and sunny through the growing season, but the nights drop away, and that temperature swing is what slows ripening and allows the grapes to build flavour gradually while holding onto their natural freshness.
That longer growing season gives us the opportunity to achieve flavour ripeness without losing freshness: wines with balance, elegance and the kind of longevity that's genuinely difficult to replicate in warmer, lower-altitude regions.
We felt that most clearly in the 2024 vintage. The fruit came into the winery with intensity and brightness at the same time, concentration and freshness together, which is exactly what altitude makes possible. Tasting the grapes in the vineyard that season, you could see precisely why we're here.
For varieties like Chardonnay, Arneis and Nebbiolo, those conditions are everything. They allow us to produce wines with both generosity and precision, with a character that could only come from this particular place.
The volcanic soils of Nashdale
The volcanic basalt soils of Nashdale drain well and run deep, which pushes the vines to develop deep root systems rather than spreading sideways. The vines have to work for their water, and that effort shows in the texture and tension of the wines.
Whether you can literally taste soil in a glass of wine is always a good debate to have. What we can say is that the wines from this part of Orange carry a structure and savouriness that we don't think comes from the climate alone. Something in the soil is doing something to the wines.
You may not taste basalt as a flavour, but you can see its influence in the character and personality of every bottle we make here.
What cool climate really means
Cool climate starts in the vineyard, not on the label. For us, it means paying close attention to a growing season that unfolds more slowly than in most other Australian wine regions. The temperatures drop significantly overnight, even through summer, which slows ripening and gives the grapes time to build flavour gradually while holding onto their natural freshness.
Day to day, that means patience. Harvest arrives late, and we spend the season monitoring how flavour, acidity and tannin are developing, rather than simply watching sugar levels climb. The goal is full flavour ripeness without losing the freshness that defines what we make here.
In the glass, cool climate translates to freshness, vibrancy and a sense of restraint rather than sheer power. Whether it's the Chardonnay, Arneis, Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo, there is an energy to these wines that comes directly from the conditions in which the grapes were grown. That's the real beauty of Orange.
Why we grow the difficult ones
Chardonnay has earned its place as Orange's flagship variety, and rightly so. The combination of altitude, volcanic soils and cool nights consistently produces Chardonnay with freshness, elegance and real depth. It suits this place, and this place suits it.
But we have always been interested in what else Orange can do.
Arneis comes from Piedmont, where it's known as the "little rascal" of the vineyard: difficult to grow, thin-skinned, prone to oxidation. It thrives here because our long, cool growing season lets it ripen fully without losing its freshness. Almost nobody else in Australia grows it, which is something we find genuinely puzzling.
Nebbiolo is the grape of Barolo, one of the most demanding varieties in the world to grow and to make. It needs a long growing season, cool nights and patience. Orange has all three. What we're producing here is still early in the story; Nebbiolo takes decades to fully understand in a site. But the wines are already showing the complexity and structure that tells us we made the right call planting it here.
If there's a sleeper in the Orange region, it's Nebbiolo. We're only beginning to see what's possible.
Key People
Nicole Samodol
Nicole Samodol is a highly regarded wine entrepreneur, who owns and operates Rowlee Wines. She brings a fresh perspective to the thrill of wine making, leveraging a 17 year corporate career focused on the development and implementation of strategy and business transformation to the industry she loves.
In a bold move, Nicole decided to deviate from the traditional corporate career path and move to the emerging wine region of Orange, NSW to grow grapes and make wine under her own label. In doing so she created one of NSW’s leading wine tourism businesses, with an award-winning cellar door and a variety of visitor experiences that now serves as a benchmark for other Australian wine makers.
Nicole has inspired others to develop and grow their own tourism businesses and her successful formula has caught the attention of state and national wine and tourism bodies, amongst whom she is considered an expert. Her recent speaking engagements include the Australian Tourism Export Council’s National Wine Tourism Conference, Wine Communicators of Australia Direct to Consumer Wine Summit, and Destination NSW’s Visitor Economy Forum.
In addition to running her own wine business, Nicole is a Vice President of NSW Wines and has served as President of the Orange Region Vignerons’ Association. Nicole holds an MBA, a bachelor’s degree in business, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
James Manny
James Andrew Manny is a highly effective Project Manager, with a successful reputation for delivering complex global projects. He brings his varied career history to his current role as Vigneron at luxury boutique winery, Rowlee Wines, where he oversees all vineyard operations and winemaking. He has led initiatives resulting in strong brand recognition, including regional and national awards.
James as a track record of innovation, including pioneering research on European Wasp suppression strategies, and successfully trialling sunscreen products on grapes during heatwaves.
In his diverse career, James co-developed motor vehicle safety technology with EVACast, chaired iCash Payments Systems/Neo ICP, leading the commercialisation of world-first cash handling technologies. As Managing Director of Credit New Holland Group, he navigated the company toa. Saleable scale, merging it with Centerstone for increased customer service and benefits of scale.
With a Bachelor of Business and extensive training, James was a finalist for the Vigneron of The Year Award at the Orange Wine Show, and is an active member of regional, state, and national associations.
