Wine regions – Canberra District

Canberra District   ACT/New South Wales

The Canberra District is a small but exciting wine region, full of boutique wineries and passionate winemakers. Chardonnay and Riesling consistently perform well in the continental climate, though certain winemakers are revealing that red varieties also have good regional potential.

The Canberra District offers the wine lover a taste of regional diversity. The region takes in the ACT and a large portion of country in New South Wales centring around the towns of Murrumbateman, Bungendore, south west of Hall and at the north end of Lake George. Driving distances between these clusters are between 20 and 45 minutes, so it pays to have a route mapped out so you don’t miss out on what the District has to offer.

If you devote a weekend to Canberra wines you should get a good selection of the region.

Diversity in the region is firstly marked by temperature variations through altitude ranges of between 500m to 800m above sea level. The soils also vary from shale, clay loam to free draining sandy, granite based soils.

The region has hot dry summers, wet springs and cool winters. Most rain falls in spring and autumn is generally very dry. Just to note that Lake George does not generally influence the climate, for although it is large it is usually dry.

Lake George, north

The wineries north of Lake George are easily reached from the Federal Highway. It’s a good place to start if you are coming to Canberra from Sydney (the north). First off the highway is Lerida Estate, whose winery and tasting room was designed by Glenn Murcutt. They produce a range of wines strongly influenced by young French winemakers who regulary come to Lerida for vintage experience. From Cafe Lerida you have sweeping views over Lake George. Also at the northern end of Lake George is the aptly named Lake George Winery with a very stylish restaurant and function centre, Westering, to match their wines.

Murrumbateman and Yass

Next stop Murrumbateman – but if you go there via Gundaroo, you will experience a town almost wholly dedicated to the desires of foodies. Its two pubs have restaurants, there is a popular wood fired pizza restaurant and for relaxed, fine dining experiences there are a number top mark restaurants. It is hard to imagine but on some weekends you can’t get in anywhere so book to avoid disappointment. See restaurant listings in the right hand menu. Gundaroo also has excellent accommodation.

Back on the wine trail – you should not miss out on visiting Clonakilla. Winemaker Tim Kirk produces one of the top Shiraz Viognier blends in Australia, along with a Semillon and Sauvignon blend, Riesling and straight Viognier. Close by are cellar doors, Doonkuna Winery, Wimbaliri, Dionysus Winery, Murrumbateman Winery & Gallery and Jeir Creek Wines where you can view the picking and processing of the grapes at harvest time (April). Shaw Estate Vineyard, one of the newest in the District has a restaurant café with a view, serving Italian styled food, wood fired pizzas and award winning wines.

If you are planning to stay in Murrumbateman there is Country Guesthouse Schönegg where Swiss trained chef Richard Everson serves a very fine menu, and Redbrow Garden a bed and breakfast set in ornamental and organic produce gardens.

Just a short drive from Murrumbateman is the larger town of Yass with more accommodation services. Please see accommodation listings to your right.

On your way go down Butts Road till you find Helm Wines established by Ken Helm a pioneer in the district. Ken was behind the revitalizing of Glenoch Cork Oak Plantation. The trees Quercus subus   , were planted during World War I, a move instigated by the American architect and town planner Walter Burley Griffin. The cellar door of Helm Wines is the historic Toucal School House, the bell of which is the label of the award winning Rieslings and other wines made by Ken and daughter Stephanie.

Then take Greenwood Road (a very scenic drive) to Yass because on the way you can visit Yarrh Wines who have a cellar door and host live music and food and wine matching on the first Sunday of every month (not on in Winter). Further along the road is Mundoonen, which is open by appointment. They are worth a visit just for their award winning Riesling. Stretches of this road are unsealed so take it easy.

Another pod of wineries has emerged halfway between Hall and Murrumbateman. Barton Estate have award winning wines including the unusal varieties Petit Verdot and Sangiovese. At Gallagher Wines’ cellar door you get the chance to taste their speciality sparkling wines. Taemas a small producer can be visited by appointment.

Hall

If you head towards Hall via Namina Road you will find Poachers Pantry a café and produce store. And a find it is, with a smokehouse on site specialising in smoked meats and wines from Wily Trout Vineyard.

The Hall wineries are on the west side of the Barton Highway. Don’t be deterred by the dirt roads as the drive takes you through the beautiful Brindabella Ranges. Wineries with cellar doors in this area are the acclaimed Brindabella Hills, the much awarded Pankhurst Wines and Wallaroo Wines and Surveyor’s Hill Vineyards were you can both dine and stay.

Canberra

From Hall it is a short drive into Canberra City. Right in town along Northbourne Avenue is the Kamberra Wine Company. This complex has a vineyard, restaurant and function and conference facilities. Their wines under the ‘Meeting Place’ and ‘Kamberra’ brands are made from grapes sourced from Canberra District and surrounding regions.

On the eastern edge of Canberra City are Mount Majura Vineyard and Pialligo Estate. Mount Majura produces a variety of wines including Pinot Gris, Graciano and Tempranillo as well as Vino Cotto a sweet grape juice product used in cooking.

At Pialligo Estate you can taste their award winning wines and lunch with a view to Parliament House.

Bungendore

Travel further east and you will come to the town of Bungendore. A cluster of wineries can be found around Wamboin and off Bungendore Road heading towards Sutton. Here you will find the modern Lambert Vineyards with its quality wines, cellar door and café with views across the hills.

Lark Hill Winery, one of the first wineries in the Canberra District, excels at Pinot Noir and Riesling and a Méthode Champenoise blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

There are also cellar doors at Affleck Vineyard one of the oldest vineyards in the region planted in 1976.

The eastern pod of the Canberra District has bed and breakfast accommodation, self contained cabins and resorts. Please see listings.

This article focuses on cellar doors, however, there are a number of producers who make their wines available by mail order only. Kyeema Wines have taken out awards for their Shiraz and Merlot and Ravensworth is making a name for cool climate Shiraz. Little Bridge Wines first vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling indicate good things to come and Four Winds Vineyard also a relative new comer produced their first vintage in 2002.

Canberra is a large region with a fair bit of driving involved so if you wish to take a knowledgeable wine tour of the region there are a number of tour operators. Please see listings.

Canberra also likes to celebrate its wine and food culture. There are two main events every year; the Harvest Festival the first weekend of April and Days of Wine & Roses the first weekend of November.

If you have more than a weekend in Canberra you could take in more of the attractions. This is a city of museums with wonderful permanent collections and a constant stream of international travelling exhibitions – and don’t forget a visit to the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Harvest time: late March to early May

Sites with more information:

• Canberra District Wines
• Visit Canberra
• Poachers Trail

 

Article by Caroline Colton
Preface paragraph Toni Paterson
July 2010

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