Canberra District – Click to enlarge.

Canberra District in NSW

The Canberra District is one of fourteen official wine regions in New South Wales. It is one of only two wine regions in Australia that intersect with more than one state. The other region is the Murray Darling in Victoria, which shares territory with New South Wales.

Though many may assume this region forms part of the ACT, only two of the region’s wineries are located within the ACT borders—technically, one winery and one cellar door. The main clusters of wineries are situated around the town of Murrumbateman. The region is home to around 140 vineyards and more than 30 wineries within 35 minutes of Canberra, making it a must-see destination for wine lovers.

The Canberra wine region covers a large geographical area and is divided into three unofficial sub-regions:

ACT, Hall and Wallaroo

There are only two wineries located within the ACT border, Mount Majura Vineyard in Majura and Capital Wines in Hall. Despite this, there are many bars and restaurants in the capital where you can sample local wines. Just a 10-minute drive from Canberra’s city centre, in Wallaroo, you will find cellar doors offering high-quality wines with spectacular views. The wineries in the rolling hills provide magnificent vistas of the Brindabella Mountains, the most notable Brindabella Hills Winery, whose views are as stunning as their wines.

Murrumbateman and Yass

A 40-minute drive north from Canberra’s city centre on the Barton Highway will deliver you to a cluster of scenic wineries in the former gold-mining town of Murrumbateman. Here, you can sample the delicious local produce and enjoy the scenery. The region is home to more than 15 wineries, and many of the cellar doors offer food and wine tastings, making it a perfect spot for lunch.

Bungendore, Wamboin, Lake George and Collector

Heading north from Canberra via the Federal highway will lead you on a wine trail through Bywong, Lake George and Collector. There is a scenic side route through Bungendore to visit the organic and vegan winery of Lark Hill. The high-altitude wineries around the historic town of Bungendore and the Wamboin region offer beautiful scenic outlooks as you sample some of the coolest of the cool-climate wines.

This fabulously cool-climate region has won accolades and awards for the classic varietals of Shiraz, Riesling and Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The Shiraz can often be found co-fermented with Viognier to produce this iconic blend in the region. Check out Clonakilla’s Shiraz Viognier for a remarkable example of the region’s signature blend.

Canberra has a great diversity of innovative winemakers pushing the limits and setting the scene for the region’s future. Their wines reach new audiences by branching out with alternative varietals such as Sangiovese, Grüner Veltliner, Tempranillo, Rousanne, Graciano and Touriga. It is refreshing to visit the cellar doors and listen to the winemakers talk passionately about the wins and losses of trying new varietals and blends.

Source:  www.wineaustralia.com  / Photo Credit