Sparkling Masterclass with Vineyard Tour and 4 Course Lunch

Sparkling wine rewards patience. This Printhie Wines experience pairs a private vineyard tour with a serious look at traditional-method sparkling, including Swift wines aged for more than a decade. I like the personal format and the chance to taste the wines alongside a matching lunch. The main consideration is the price, $276.14 per person, which makes this a special occasion rather than a casual tasting.

The session lasts about three and a half hours and takes place at Printhie Wines near Nashdale in New South Wales. I also like that the tasting, food, and transport planning are handled in one experience, so you can enjoy the wine without driving afterward. Your guide may be winemaker David Swift or another member of the Swift family, but the exact host is not guaranteed.

Key points to know before booking

• Private access to the Swift Sparkling range: Your group receives its own tasting and vineyard visit rather than joining a large public session.
• Aged sparkling is the star: You may taste Swift wines that are more than ten years old, a rare chance to compare mature Australian bubbles.
• Traditional-method production explained: The session covers the wine from base wine through disgorging and aging.
• Lunch is built around the wine: The experience includes a multi-course lunch with matching wines and valley views.
• A strong record of awards: Swift Sparkling won Best Sparkling at the NSW Wine Awards from 2018 through 2023, plus Best Australian Sparkling at the 2022 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships.
• A weather-dependent outing: Poor conditions can lead to a new date or a full refund, so keep your schedule flexible.

Why this Printhie experience is different

Many winery visits stop after a tasting flight and a quick explanation of the labels. This one is designed for people who want to understand why sparkling wine tastes the way it does.

The focus is Swift Sparkling, Printhie’s award-winning range. Your host explains how the wine develops from its base wine stage through the traditional production process, including disgorging and aging. Those terms matter because sparkling wine is not simply still wine with bubbles added. The method, timing, and cellar work help shape its texture and flavor.

I like the private format here. You are not trying to hear a speech over a crowded tasting room. Your host can spend time on your questions, and the discussion can move at a comfortable pace. For a couple or small group of friends, that makes the outing feel more like a personal appointment than a standard winery stop.

The experience also gives you a reason to pay attention to age. Tasting a sparkling wine that is more than a decade old can show how the wine changes with time. Instead of treating every bottle as young and fresh, you get a chance to think about texture, maturity, and the effect of extended aging.

Arriving at Printhie Wines near Nashdale

You meet at the Printhie Wines Cellar Door at 208 Nancarrow Lane, Nashdale, NSW 2800. The activity begins and ends at this same location, which keeps the plan simple.

The total duration is approximately three hours and 30 minutes. That is long enough for a proper tasting, vineyard component, and lunch, but short enough to fit into a day of exploring the New South Wales wine region.

A mobile ticket is provided, and booking confirmation is sent at the time of booking. Since the experience includes alcohol, arranging a way to reach the cellar door without driving is important. A private or organized tour makes that easier, and you can enjoy the matching wines without worrying about the trip back.

The venue is outdoors in part, so the weather matters. If poor weather causes cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. I would still check the forecast before setting aside the day, especially if you are planning other activities around the visit.

Seeing the vineyards behind the Swift wines

The vineyard visit takes place near the Cellar Door, where your host shows you the vines used for the Swift Sparkling range. This is a useful part of the experience because it connects the bottle in your glass to a real growing site.

The visit is not presented as a generic walk through a vineyard. The purpose is to show how the fruit used for the sparkling wines fits into the wider production story. You can expect the host to connect the vineyard with the base wine, then explain how the wine changes during later production.

The information provided does not specify the length of the walk or the exact terrain. You should therefore wear practical shoes and be prepared for some time outside, without assuming a long hike. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed.

For me, the value of this part is context. A tasting note can tell you that a wine is crisp, creamy, or mature. Seeing the vineyard and hearing how the fruit enters the winemaking process gives those descriptions a clearer foundation.

Learning the traditional method from the Swift family

The masterclass is hosted by one of Printhie’s Sparkling Specialists. That may be David Swift, the owner and winemaker, or another member of the Swift family.

David Swift led one highly praised session and was described as making the masterclass both enjoyable and informative. That is worth noting if you care about who presents the wine. You may meet the owner and winemaker himself, but the experience does not promise that he will personally host every booking.

The discussion follows the wine through several key stages:

• Base wine: The starting wine provides the foundation for the finished sparkling.
• Traditional-method production: Your host explains the process used to create the bubbles and the finished style.
• Disgorging: This is part of the production story covered during the masterclass.
• Aging: You learn how time affects the wine, then taste older examples from the Swift range.

This structure should suit you if you want more than a list of tasting notes. You are given a way to understand the work behind the bottle, and then you can test that explanation with the wines in front of you.

The amount of technical detail will depend on your host and your questions. Since the tour is private, you have a better chance to ask about production, age, and food pairing without holding up a large group.

Tasting Swift Sparkling, including older bottles

The private tasting includes the Swift Sparkling range. The most distinctive element is the chance to taste sparklings more than a decade old.

Older sparkling wine can be a revelation, but it is not necessarily better for every palate. You may prefer the bright, direct character of a younger bottle, while someone else may value the softer, more developed style of a wine that has spent many years aging. The point is comparison.

This tasting also gives the awards some useful context. Swift Sparkling received Best Sparkling at the NSW Wine Awards in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. It was also named Best Australian Sparkling at the 2022 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships in London.

Awards do not guarantee that every bottle will match your taste. They do show that the range has earned serious recognition in Australian and international competition. I would treat the medals as a reason to pay attention, not as a promise that you will love every wine.

Because the session is private, you can take your time with the tasting and ask how the wines differ. That is a better setting for noticing age and production choices than a fast pour at a busy cellar door.

Moving from the tasting room to a long lunch

After the tasting, you are escorted into Printhie Dining for lunch. The meal comes with matching wines and commanding views over the valley below.

There is one detail to clarify before booking. The tour summary describes a three-course lunch, while the experience title and detailed description refer to a four-course lunch. The fuller description calls it a four-course meal, so you should expect a multi-course lunch with wine pairings, but confirm the exact number of courses if that distinction matters to you.

The food is not an unrelated add-on. Matching wine with several courses gives you a chance to see how the same sparkling style behaves beside different dishes. Some pairings may make the wine feel fresher, while others may highlight its texture or maturity.

You should allow the full three and a half hours rather than planning a tight afternoon appointment immediately afterward. A private tasting followed by a multi-course meal works best at an unhurried pace, and rushing would undercut much of the appeal.

The dining room views are another reason this experience costs more than a simple tasting. You are paying for a full outing that combines education, wine, food, and a setting designed for a lingering meal.

Is the $276.14 price good value?

At $276.14 per person, this is not a bargain cellar-door tasting. It is priced as a special food and wine experience.

The value depends on what you would otherwise pay for each part. You receive a private tour, a masterclass, multiple wine tastings, access to older sparkling wines, a multi-course lunch, matching wines, and valley views. You also avoid the need to organize a separate meal or decide who will drive.

I think the price makes sense for a couple marking an anniversary, friends who take wine seriously, or anyone with a strong interest in Australian sparkling. It is harder to justify if you simply want to try one or two local wines before moving on.

The private format is important in this calculation. A large group tasting can offer good wine at a lower cost, but it cannot provide the same amount of direct attention. Here, the premium pays partly for time with a Sparkling Specialist and partly for the older wines and meal.

Keep your expectations realistic. The awards and private access make this a high-end visit, but the experience is still built around one producer and one cellar door. If you prefer a broad survey of several wineries, this is not the right format.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend this experience to:

• Couples looking for a polished day out
• Friends who enjoy sparkling wine and food pairing
• Wine drinkers curious about traditional-method production
• Visitors who want a private rather than group tasting
• People interested in mature Australian sparkling
• Anyone who prefers to make one well-planned winery visit instead of several rushed stops

It may not suit you if you dislike long meals, have no interest in wine production, or want a cheap and informal tasting. The experience is also less flexible than a quick cellar-door visit because it takes about three and a half hours.

Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. The exact physical demands of the vineyard portion are not specified, so ask Printhie Wines directly if you need detailed mobility information.

Booking, cancellations, and practical planning

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

The cut-off uses local time. That matters if you are booking from another time zone or changing plans while traveling.

Bad weather is handled separately. If the experience is canceled because conditions are unsuitable, you are offered another date or a full refund. Since the visit includes time around the vineyard, avoid treating this as a fully indoor activity.

The tour is private, so only your group participates. That makes it a good choice for a celebration or a group that wants to ask detailed questions. It also means the cost is not spread across a large public gathering, which helps explain the higher price.

Should you book the Printhie masterclass?

Book it if you want a focused, food-centered introduction to high-end Australian sparkling and appreciate the chance to taste wines with more than ten years of age. The private format, direct access to a Sparkling Specialist, award-winning Swift range, and matching lunch give the visit real substance.

I would be especially keen to book for a couple’s special occasion or for friends who already enjoy sparkling wine and want to understand how it is made. The main reason to skip it is cost, or a preference for visiting several wineries rather than spending one long session at Printhie.

Before paying, confirm the lunch course count and check who is scheduled to host your date. If those details suit you, this is a carefully focused New South Wales wine experience, not just a tasting with lunch attached.

FAQ

Where does the sparkling masterclass take place?

It takes place at Printhie Wines Cellar Door, 208 Nancarrow Lane, Nashdale, New South Wales 2800, Australia.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Who hosts the masterclass?

The masterclass is hosted by one of Printhie’s Sparkling Specialists. This may be winemaker and owner David Swift or another member of the Swift family.

What wines will I taste?

You will taste the Swift Sparkling range, including sparkling wines that are more than a decade old.

Does the experience include lunch?

Yes. It includes a multi-course lunch at Printhie Dining with matching wines. The detailed description refers to four courses, while the summary refers to three, so confirm the exact number when booking.

Is transportation included?

The experience begins and ends at the Printhie Wines Cellar Door. The supplied details do not state that transportation to or from the venue is included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded.

What happens if bad weather cancels the activity?

You will be offered another date or a full refund if the experience is canceled because of poor weather.