A Rainy Day in Canberra Wine District – The Perfect Time to Go Winetasting

The Canberra Wine District, in the Australia Capital Territory, is one of “hearts and vines” where wines reflect the essence of the land. It is home to some of Australia’s most respected and innovative winemakers and vineyards. At its heart lies the artistry of winemaking. Like Bordeaux, it’s in an extraordinary location of elevated continental climate. The tranquil rural countryside around the Wine District is nestled amidst undulating hills and framed by distant views of the Snowy Mountains. With 140 vineyards and more than 40 wineries all within 35 minutes of Canberra, this evolving region beckons wine enthusiasts and epicureans alike.

Nearly all of Canberra’s wineries and vineyards are still independent or family-owned and spread over several clustered regions. These include Lake George, Murrumbateman, Yass, and Hall to the north, Bungendore and Wamboin to the east. Fueled by the ambition of distinguished generations since the 1970s, the Canberra Wine District continues to emerge as one of the most dynamic regions of Australian winemaking. Alongside traditional varieties Shiraz and Riesling, District maintains an experimental approach to new and exciting varieties, blends, and winemaking techniques. Hands-on producers lovingly make the wines in small batches with distinct, nuanced flavors.

One of Australia’s coolest wine regions, altitude plays a considerable role in the average temperature and the resulting full-flavored and refreshing wine style for which Canberra is famous. Here are four wineries that reflect the district’s lifestyle of “hearts and vines.”

Sapling Yard Wines

It was raining as we headed east out of Canberra on the first leg of our winetasting tour. Fortunately, it stopped just as we arrived at Sapling Yard Wines in the tiny town of Bungendore. The Sapling Yard cellar door is housed in a rustic storefront building with retail space and a shiny bar next to an old brick fireplace. Filled with repurposed furniture, corrugated metal, and wooden counters, the tasting room feels authentic.

Carla Rodeghiero, owner and winemaker, seated us at a romantic table for two in front of the fireplace. Tasting wine doesn’t get much cozier than this. Carla is part of a dynamic duo. In 2019, after 20 years of independent winemaking, she partnered with Malcolm Burdett. Together, the two have a combined 50 years of winemaking experience.

Today, with a larger winemaking facility and increased production, the wine world has discovered Sapling Yard Wines. The winery produces hand-crafted wines using grapes from its boutique vineyard in Braidwood. It also uses the finest quality fruit carefully selected and sourced from premium vineyards in the Murrumbateman, Lake George, Hilltop, and Tumbarumba regions.

From a very extensive list of wines, we tasted several interesting red and white wines and some experimental varieties and blends. Unique among them was the 2022 Four Pinots Pet Nat, a white wine blended with Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Blanc. All wines featured texture, savoriness, and great length and balance. Our host also provided a delightful cheese and charcuterie platter to pair with our tastings.

Capitol Bar and Grill

After wine tasting at Sapling Yard, we had a special treat in store at the Capitol Bar and Grill Restaurant. Canberra is Australia’s National Capital, and the QT Hotel’s Capitol Bar and Grill is a cultural and political hub. So, it’s no surprise that Capitol Bar and Grill offers some of Canberra’s finest dining.

We were thrilled to dine at this upscale establishment where we had the opportunity to sample its fine fare paired with wines from the winery we just visited – Sapling Yard.

Upon arrival, Ashleigh Smith, the restaurant’s sommelier, greeted us with a glass of bubbly. Our four-course meal began with delicate zucchini flowers stuffed with herb-coated goat cheese and romesco sauce, topped with Manchego cheese. A plate of steak tartare made from pasture-fed beef, mixed with cornichons and capers served with lettuce leaves on top of grilled sourdough, appeared, followed by scallops Abrolhos and Sydney rock oysters on the half shell.

Ashleigh paired the appetizers with the Sapling Yard 2022 Four Pinots Pet Nat and the 2023 Fiori, which were perfect complements to the starters.

Next, we dined on Wagyu Rump Cap, also known as a sirloin cap, topped with oregano butter. The restaurant specializes in prime-cut steaks cooked over wood-fired grills. Its specialty is the T Bone “Bistecca alla Fiorentina,” made from grass-fed Tasmanian beef dry-aged for 30 days. So, of course, we had to try that, too.

The juicy, tender steaks were grilled to perfection. They came with a side of raw tomato in cashew cream and a leaf lettuce salad topped with grated Manchego.

Next, Ashleigh poured the Sapling Yard 2022 Gamay and the 2022 “The Extrovert,” a blend of Mourvèdre, Shiraz, and Grenache. The wines paired delightfully well with the entrees.

Dessert was just as fabulous as the previous courses. The restaurant prepared their famous “1988 Recipe” Tiramisu. Rich and decadent, the recipe uses OtherSky espresso, mascarpone crème, and lots of alcohol. A glass of the NV Fiori Moscato made a perfect ending for a perfect meal.

Shaw Wine

The next day, we met up with Bee, owner of Merry Heart CBR Winery Tours, for a tour of wineries in the Murrumbateman region. A friendly and knowledgeable guide, Bee has been providing tours around Canberra Wine District since 2022. He helped us plan the itinerary and even provided lunch, charcuterie platters, and soft drinks.

Our first stop was Shaw Wine. We arrived in the dreary rain, but Tanya, the cheerful manager, welcomed us and quickly seated us at a table alongside a large window, looking out at the pond where two kangaroos were sheltering one another from the rain. For the past 25 years, this family-owned and operated winery has been making wine and managing a well-appointed cellar door offering tastings for customers and wine club members. Despite the rain, today was no different.

When you visit Shaw Wine, you always enjoy seated tastings at your own table, where you can taste wine “in your own time.” As Tanya guided us through seven different wines, she expertly explained the use of the “bracket system” for tasting. The system allows you to taste wines in pairs, making it easier to identify the different characteristics of each wine. All the while, you enjoy the view through the nearby window.

Shaw Wine began in 1998 on a 700-acre fine wool production property established in the mid-1800s by George Merriman. The historic property is in Murrumbateman, an area in the Canberra Wine District that is gaining a worldwide reputation as one of Australia’s premium grape-growing districts.

Clonakilla Wines

The rainstorm continued as we proceeded to our next cellar door. The lightning was so near, and thunder so loud that we hustled inside for shelter. Clonakilla is a boutique winery producing a handful of highly sought-after varieties, including an award-winning Shiraz Viognier. A long bar with wine staves facing the seating area, three rows of wine bottles on the wall behind the bar, and table seating in front of a massive stone fireplace greeted us as we entered the cellar-door tasting room.

Clonakilla is a family-owned and operated winery established in 1971 by John Kirk. The wines draw their character from the granite soils and cool continental climate of the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. We tasted nine wines made by the current winemaker, Tim Kirk, John’s son. At Clonakilla, Tim understands that the winemaker’s task is to capture what is good in the vineyard and bottle it for people to enjoy.

The wines we tasted included crisp, fresh, aromatic whites, and perfumed, spice-laden, medium-bodied reds crafted from regions around Murrumbateman, Hilltop, and Young. However, Clonakilla is best known for its Shiraz-Viognier which has garnered a near cult-like following over the last two decades. Its Hilltops Shiraz is also popular with discerning wine drinkers.

Four Winds Vineyard

By the time we reached our final cellar door, the dreadful rainstorm quieted down. Four Winds is a micro-winery with a winemaking philosophy of minimal intervention in the production process. Almost everything in the vineyard is done by hand, from thinning shoots and picking leaves to pruning and picking grapes. The vineyard was planted 25 years ago and started as a contract vineyard and making a small amount of wine under the Four Winds label. Now this family-owned and operated winery uses all its estate grapes plus sources more. We tasted three flights, including whites, Rosés, and reds. With four tastes in each flight, it was a generous serving of beautiful, evocative wines.

Winemaker Bill Crowe studied under the direction of Scott Harvey of Scott Harvey Wines in Napa Valley and Amador County in California. Located just east of Murrumbateman, the 33-acre vineyard produces five varieties: Shiraz, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese. However, a popular spirit made from Shiraz Rosé, known affectionately as the “lollypop of the wines,” is gaining a reputation as an excellent distilled gin. Graeme and Seyanne Lunney were the original owners, but these days, the eldest daughter, Sarah Collingswood, runs the cellar door with her husband, John.

In addition to its delicious wines, Four Winds is also known for its wood-fired pizza served 7 days a week. A slice of pizza and a glass of red wine made for a perfect way to end a rainy day of wine tasting.

Murrumbateman in the Heart of the Canberra Wine District

Murrumbateman, a vibrant village in the Yass Valley, is in the heart of the Canberra Wine District. With nineteen cellar doors, many offering food, and the Murrumbateman Country Inn, a popular restaurant and bar, plenty of dining options exist. A 14-km winery trail connects eight wineries for those who want to make this home base for wine tasting.

At the end of our winetasting tour, we opted to stay in town at the Abode Murrumbateman, a sleek and contemporary hotel within easy walking distance of local restaurants. Bikes, complete with baskets to hold your wine purchases, are available for guests to use. The hotel’s common room features a massive fireplace, comfortable seating, and kitchen facilities. It includes a communal kitchen pantry with food to create a grazing platter if you want to stay in and enjoy some wine from your day’s purchases.

The Perfect Way to End the Journey

The following day, we awoke refreshed after a quiet night in Abode Murrumbateman. Before we headed back to Canberra, it was time for a short bike ride. With rolling hills, lush vineyards, and a country feel, a bike ride around Murrumbateman and the nearby wineries was a perfect ending to a perfect trip. While it’s hard to say goodbye to this innovative, dynamic wine region, we will surely return for, whether rain or shine, the Canberra Wine District has a lot to offer in both hearts and vines.