Not to cut too fine a point on it, this is a destination vineyard. And most definitely one of #OrangeNSW’s top five. Printhie Wines serves up spectacular wine with spectacular scenery at its cellar door, and it’s worth the adventure to get there.
In fact, the journey is part of the destination, and driving up Yuranigh Road towards the vineyard you’ll pass a fascinating slice of Australian Indigenous history. Just past the Alpaca farm (yes, Alpacas. yes yes Alpacas), on the left you’ll see a sign to Yuranigh’s grave. It’s a 700m drive through a cow paddock (please shut the gate behind you) which will take you to the burial site of the Wiradjuri tracker Yuranigh, who guided Major Thomas Mitchell‘s exploration of the Central West of New South Wales in 1845.
After you’ve taken snaps of the Alpacas and visited the heritage site, continue along the dirt road to the impressive Printhie vineyard – which has existed as a farming property for well over 100 years. In 1978, the Swift family became the third owners of the property and turned to viticulture in the mid-1990’s. And what an impressive turn it’s been, heralding a new era as a premium Australian wine producer with a five red star rating from James Halliday’s Wine Companion.
We have three sparkling words to share with you all – Swift 2010 Vintage – you can read the reviews here. The Italian was very much “why would you bother with big name global brands” when you can take a scenic drive out to a vineyard like this and get something of this quality over the counter. And probably ask for a taster while you’re at it (you know, just to double-check that your memory sustains you..).
I could go into more detail on the marvellous Cabernet Shiraz we fell in love with, and we didn’t even get to the whites as it was a rainy Autumn day just begging for awesome reds to be drunk in its honour. But it’s way better if you just go there and taste for yourself. We took two newbies to town who had never been to a vineyard or a wine tasting before, and they were blown away. It’s always a good idea to start from the top, I say.
Enjoy! Kelly
How to find the vineyard cellar door: Head out of Orange on the Molong Road. Stop for a coffee / food / fresh produce break at The Agrestic Grocer. We had a Wild Mudgee Rabbit + Trunkey Creak bacon pie before we headed out for the vineyard adventure. Continue towards Molong until you reach a sign to the Yuranigh Gravesite and turn left. Printhie Wines is along the Yuranigh Road (it’s a dirt track) and once you’ve passed the gravesite you’ll need to drive along a little while until you reach it. But you can’t miss it once you find it. It’s big, beautiful, and on the left. And after your cellar door visit, you can always continue onto Molong and check out Jayes Gallery for an art injection.
Can’t help myself, here’s the Alpacas:
eclecticmavin 