2007 Printhie Merlot

The Orange wine region is getting a lot of raves currently, and having started to look at a few, I can see why. Altitude plays a large part I’d guess. Also, there are true regional characters in these wines which I am only just familiarising myself with. So I won’t rattle on about them just yet. I’ll just focus on this wine for now.

Firstly, I like the label. I love blue/greys. If you could see what Rory Lane from The Story Wines christened “The Grandy Flat” (cheers Rory, looking forward to tasting those 2008s at Xmas), you’d see what I mean. And I love rocks. This wine is part of Printhie’s Mountain range. The image on the bottle amplifies the message of cool climate (blues/greys) and altitude (the mountain of rocks). Clever and easy to locate in retail terms.

This was quite different on each of the two days I tasted it. The first day I thought it was all about refreshing and playful fun. Juicy blackberries and plums with yummy spice. There was a squeeze of orange juice at the end. The tannins seemed a bit awkward alongside the acid but it was a really nice wine for the price. It hinted at olives, tobacco and leaf but nothing more at that stage.

Day two and the tannins integrated beautifully, the olives et al had been brought into relief and there was more depth and interest to be had full stop. The bottle suggests cellaring for up to 5 years. I think it’s at least a year off its best, but I reckon you can enjoy this either way. If you want more refreshment and vibrant fruit, give it a decant and pour. If you want more complexity, depth and harmony, let it alone for a little while. Over the medium term, I think it’s gonna get better. And at $17, it’s very good buying and drinking now or later. I’ll be writing up some more wines from Printhie and Orange soon. It’s a region to keep an eye on.