An electrical short circuit caused by a lightning strike is suspected as the cause of a fire that destroyed a function centre at Pokolbin's Tamburlaine Organic Winery on Thursday night.
More than 50 NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Fire firefighters spent about four-and-a-half hours extinguishing the blaze that broke out at about 9.30pm.
While investigators are yet to determine the cause of the fire, winery owner Mark Davidson said he suspected it was triggered by a massive lightning strike.
"We haven't had the results from the forensics guys, but I'm just saying there was a very nasty lightning strike that took out the power in another building and other buildings around Pokolbin," he said.
"I've been here for 40 years and it's the closest I've come to lightning. I didn't see it but I certainly heard it.
"There's a likelihood there's going to be a short somewhere around the place; it depends on what that short is in close proximity to as to whether it becomes what we have got here."
The 23-year-old timber building will need to be demolished and rebuilt.
Mr Davidson estimated it would take at least 12 months before weddings resumed at the winery.
"Obviously we have insurance and we will be looking at how quickly we can do that (rebuild)," he said.
"I can't see it happening within 12 months. There will be new DAs and those sorts of things that will have to go in," he said.
He said staff would work with clients to obtain alternative venues for the weddings.
"We are going to be doing everything we can externally but it will still be organised through us," he said.
"We will be working closely with the new venue to make sure that what our clients envisaged at Tamburlaine will be delivered
"People have been very kind and forthcoming to assist us."
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