Orange doesn't disappoint and delivers sunshine, wonderful wines and OVER 12000 steps

Thursday 15^th April

We are planning a little more wine tasting today but are in need of a coffee, so we arrange to meet Harriet and Ray in town at ‘The Sonic’, the old Masonic building, re invented as a trendy gift shop and café.

After coffee, a short walk away was the Orange Arcade, of historical significance as it was in its genuine attire – tired and well loved. We checked out the little German butcher with all his stunning smoked and dried meats and the local wine shop next door selling only locally made wines and beers. Then we headed up the hill to Ferment, a wine centre dispensing tastings of most of the wines of Orange. The bloke serving the wines was knowledgeable and friendly and after a tasting of seven wines, we depart with two bottles of Cooks Lot Shiraz. We are now carrying 12 bottles, collected from the trip and plan to drink them all before we get home. Some we will share with Sheryn in Sydney and our friends in the Hunter.

After a roast beef roll from the deli, shared between us, we rush to meet Harriet and Ray for a private tasting at Bloodwood Winery. It turns out that Ray built all their dams at the winery 30 years ago, so this relationship secured the private tasting. The eight wines were all good, with the ‘Big Men in Tights’ rose the favourite. A mixed dozen is on its way to Cairns via Aust Post.

Returning to Don and Cath’s, Lady P convinced us all to go for a walk. Six kms around the old racing track at Jack Brabham Park – the Gnoo Blas racing circuit,  saw us pass the 10,000 steps for the day. As we passed the Orange Hospital, Flashy almost decided to take a break with the druggies and alkies, lurking under the trees outside the drug and alcohol wing, but he pressed on to get home in time for gin and tonics and some delicious nibbles.

We all went into town for dinner at the Canobulas Hotel, which I have a suspicion was not following the 1 pax per 2 square metres rule. I haven’t seen so many people in a pub since before Covid. Nonetheless, the food was good and Lady P drove home so we could have a couple of wines and some chocolates as nightcaps.