2023 ChaLou ‘Quixotic’ Reserve Pinot Noir

Nadja’s the kind of winemaker you instantly want to share a glass with - thoughtful, grounded, and seriously talented. She grew up on a vineyard in Canowindra, worked vintages around the world, then found her way back to Orange, where she teamed up with Steve and started ChaLou. She takes the slow, considered route in the cellar, crafting wines that are honest, soulful, and true to place. With accolades like Len Evans Scholar and Young Winemaker of the Year under her belt, she’s making waves but always on her own terms.

ChaLou is Nadja Wallington and Steve Mobbs’ labour of love, tucked into the hills of Orange at a breezy 900 metres above sea level. It’s a proper bud-to-bottle operation - they grow the grapes, make the wine, and sling it themselves. They bought the vineyard in 2020, got married, launched their first harvest and had a baby - all in the space of a year. Since then, they’ve been making some of my absolute favourite wines, specialising in Orange varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Shiraz. There’s no fluff, no pretence... and they’re killing it: in 2025, ChaLou was named Halliday’s Dark Horse Winery of the Year!