Word of Mouth Wines is a small, family-run vineyard perched at 1,013 metres on the eastern slopes of Mount Canobolas in Orange, NSW — one of Australia's highest and coolest wine regions. Founded in 1999 by former Fine Art teacher Peter Gibson, the 3-hectare site has never used fertilisers, insecticides, or herbicides, and is farmed entirely by hand including hand-picking all grapes. The vineyard specialises in rare and alternative varieties alongside the cool-climate classics: Petit Manseng, Gruner Veltliner, Mencia, Albarino, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling — notably, it was the first vineyard in the Orange region to plant Pinot Gris.
Word of Mouth has never used fertilisers, insecticides or herbicides on its vineyard — the owners describe their farming as organic in practice. They are not formally certified under a body such as ACO or NASAA, and decline labelling their wines as "natural", but their spray-free approach makes them a strong fit for clean wine drinkers.
The vineyard grows Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier, Albarino, Petit Manseng, Gruner Veltliner and Mencia — an unusually diverse range for a 3-hectare cool-climate site. Word of Mouth was the first to plant Pinot Gris in the Orange region.
Yes. The cellar door at 42 Wallace Lane, Canobolas is open Friday to Monday, 11am–4pm. Bookings are recommended; call 0429 653 316 or book online via their website.
The vineyard sits at 42 Wallace Lane, Canobolas, Orange NSW 2800 — on the eastern slopes of Mount Canobolas at around 1,013m elevation, about a 15-minute drive from Orange town centre.