2025 HALLIDAY DARK HORSE WINERY WINNER! Steve and Nadja both grew up on family vineyards. Nadja in Canowindra (40 minutes down the hill from Orange) and Steve in Wauchope, not far from Port Macquarie. They first met when studying winemaking at Charles Sturt university together in 2008. Following their studies, they each went their separate ways working and traveling in wine both domestically and abroad. In 2014 they each came to orange for winemaking opportunities and from then on they have been inseparable. Steve started in Orange as a part of the winemaking team at Cumulus Wines before taking the reins of Nadja’s family winery “Wallington Wines” in 2017, overseeing the viticulture, winemaking, and wine sales. Nadja has spent the past 7 years winemaking for renowned local brand “Philip Shaw Wines”. In 2020 they purchased a vineyard in Orange and here they have developed their own band ChaLou Wines. They are passionate about what they do, making expressive delicious wine and are dedicated to working sustainably with the land. ChaLou was a 2022 finalist for the Young Gun of Wine Award.