2024 Printhie Topography Andesite, Orange

Drew Tuckwell gives assistant winemaker Viv Wheaton the freedom of expression in the Andesite bottling. A good thing, too, because this is a wine that is as delectable as it is fragrant. A blend of 42/34/24% pinot gris/gewürztraminer/riesling; all varieties harvested on the same day and co-fermented mostly in stainless steel and a touch of 500L puncheons for complexity. It gives off aromas of an Asian fruit display. Rambutans, mangosteen, star fruit and calamansi limes. Orchids and tiger lilies, pandan and fresh coconut. The wine is stitched together, with threads from each variety discernible, but the wine is greater than the sum of its parts. Pin-point acidity meets luscious fruit sweetness and a mesh of grippy phenolics. This is an exciting wine from start to finish and the love of aromatic varieties is on full display. Drink to 2030.

95 points Shanteh Wale for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2025

There's a slightly coppery tinge to the light straw colour and the nose is intensely spicy and appealingly loaded with personaity. A note of pencil shavings later. The palate opens with an impression of mineral salts and fills out with a soft, round presence, finishing with rich fruit and a resonant aftertaste. This is really delicious. Drink to 2030.

91 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, December 2025

This is a 42/34/24 blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Riesling from Printhie’s Newbridge vineyard located at an elevation of 1,000 metres, and named after volcanic andesite soils that dominate the vineyard. It’s only the second release of the wine that greets with the Gewurztraminer aromatics, while the richness of the Pinot Gris and structure from the Riesling combine for a delicious drinking experience.

White field blends like this are extremely popular across Central Europe as they are great for shared tables across a diverse spread of dishes, whether a whole village bringing a plate or a charcuterie platter put together for a catch-up among friends.

Drinking well on release, the wine is likely to keep well in bottles over several years. The 3.8g/L residual (natural) sugar is offset by the reasonably high natural acidity, and only serves to turn up the aromatic volume in the wine. All in all, a lovely wine!

About this producer

Printhie Wines was established by Jim and Ruth Swift in 1996 when they planted the first vines on the family’s property near Molong in the Orange region.

Their sons Ed and Dave returned to the family business in the early 2000s and have overseen the expansion of the estate to 33 hectares. Today four estate vineyards span elevations from 630 to 1,070 metres in a region defined by altitude. The continental climate and long, cool growing season produce wines of natural aromatic lift and restrained structure.

With experienced winemaker Drew Tuckwell at the helm since 2008, Printhie has become regarded as one of the region’s most consistent producers across its wide range of wines.