News

The New South Wales Wine Awards were created in 1996 to build awareness of the quality of wines produced in NSW. Since inception the Awards have become an indicator of the growth and diversity of our State’s industry, and recognised the potential of new regions within New South Wales.  Entries are welcomed from all 16…

The Canberra Wine District has a new look, and we want you to be the first to see it. Help us share our story … of Hearts & Vines. “of Hearts and Vines” is the compelling story of the Canberra Wine District, unveiled this month to promote our cool climate wine district. Connecting the relationship…

Staying and playing in Canberra over the Easter long weekend? Make sure you schedule in some time at our cellar doors and venues, we love celebrating long weekends with visitors. To make booking your wine day or weekend trip easy this year we’ve got all the updated Easter opening hours in one spot, regularly updated.…

Watch this mini-documentary on the Canberra District Canberra wine appreciation educator Emma Shaw of Pique Nique has produced a short documentary about the Canberra Wine District, focusing on 6 of the leading winemakers in the district. With beautiful production by local filmmaker Sammy Hawker, the documentary is a snapshot of an still-developing district after 50…

Wine & Travel podcast next season dropping from 8 March 2023 Check out Winederlust’s new podcast series on Women in Wine this International Women’s Day. It is full of interviews with impressive women working in the wine industry and the broader hospitality and tourism industries. The guests are a mix of women working for small…

The 2022 Vintage is well underway and we can’t wait to show you what we’re doing. Head to our Events Page and choose Harvest Festival category for all the ticket links – don’t miss out on these amazing events.

NSW lockdown restrictions have eased, and the Canberra Wine District is opening up We’re all pretty excited to be coming out of lockdown and easing our way in to the new “normal” that will be our life for the next couple of months. Canberra District Wine is ready for it. Are you? While our ACT…

The New South Wales Wine Awards were created in 1996 to build awareness of the quality of wines produced in NSW. Since inception the Awards have become an indicator of the growth and diversity of our State’s industry, and recognised the potential of new regions within New South Wales. Unlike traditional wine shows, the judges…

With so many of our amazing wineries opening their doors back up to the public this week, we’ve done all the hard work and put together a list of who’s open for tastings. Winery Cellar Door Food and Wine Options -Seated Tastings Only Brindabella Hills Winery  Open Opening 6th June for seated tastings, including café,…

With the ability to now leave our homes and venture a bit further afield than the supermarket, it’s time to look at the Canberra Wineries who would love to welcome you for a bite to eat, along with a much needed glass of local wine. So who’s open for in house dining now? Our website…

It’s that time of the year, when Gourmet Traveller WINE announces Australia’s Best Cellar Doors and the Canberra District has a number of worthy winners. * https://app.gourmettravellerwine.com/…/canberra-district-cd… Collector Wines – Star Cellar Door and Best Small Cellar Door Lerida Estate Wines Canberra – Best Large Cellar Door Shaw Wines – Cellar Door with Best Food   Four Winds Vineyard – Best Additional…

The Easter Bunny has been given special dispensation to travel to your home this Easter Sunday. And I’m sure parents are pretty happy about that ❤️ But what about the parents? Won’t someone think of the parents?   What goodies have you got sorted for your Easter weekend?   A number of our members have…

Does it feel like a Monday to you? Are the days of the week seemingly a little blurry around the edges, especially if you’re working from home or homeschooling the littlies? Some of our Canberra District Wine foodies can help make your life that little bit easier to cope with now that we’re all housebound.…

It’s time for a good news story, and we while we know how awesome our young winemakers are, it’s always great to see one of ours recognised nationally. Sam Leyshon of Mallaluka Wines has been nominated as one of Australia’s top Young Guns of wine for the Act/NSW district, and he’s amongst some very strong…

Contentious Character Pickers Platters & Wine – Take Away The Contentious Characters have put together a value package where you can add a bottle of your favourite wine to a takeaway Pickers Platter. Play safe. Enjoy. Takeaway pizza and pasta specials will be available Thursday and Friday nights as usual with free home delivery for…

In these times of cancelled events, social distancing and self isolation it’s important to keep well hydrated. It’s also important to remember our Canberra small businesses are doing it tough from this disastrous year. Which is why it’s vitally important to continue to support them during these uncertain times. We’ve put together a list of…

The Canberra District Wine Industry Association is fully conscious of the implications of Coronavirus 19 and the Australian Government’s official stance on non-essential gatherings of no more than 100 people indoors and 500 people for outdoor gatherings and as a result we have decided to cancel our Canberra Wine Week for 2020. We intend to…

Canberra District Wine Week Events Liquid – the wine that pours from the bottles from grapes grown in our unique topography Geography – the undulating hills and distant views of the mountains that form a picturesque backdrop to many of our vineyards and the ancient soils beneath them that create the terroir, inspiring our wine stories Did you know…

Canberra District Wine – Vintage 2020 The Canberra District Wine industry has become the hottest cool climate in Australia since our first vines were planted in the early 70s. Our unique Geographical Indication spans both Southern NSW and the ACT. It certainly has been a challenging season for us with drought, fires, smoke and hail…

Canberra District Wine – Vintage 2020 The Canberra District Wine Industry Association (CDWIA) members thoughts go out to our New South Wales and Victorian neighbours over this tumultuous Christmas and New Year period. Some people have died; others have lost loved ones, their homes, their pets, stock and their livelihoods. As a result of these…

Want to know if your favourite cellar door is open this silly season? Click here: Cellar Door Christmas and New Year Trading Hours 19/20 Please note that this is subject to change at the discretion of each winery/cellar door operation. Support local and enjoy your Canberra summer by exploring our wine country!

To celebrate summer in our wine region we have a double pass to the Pique-Nique wine course on 14 December 2019 to giveaway! This afternoon course is a fun way to learn more about the basics of wine in a fun, friendly environment. You’ll taste your way through a hand-picked selection of premium Canberra District…

The international team of wine experts at Gourmet Traveller Wine have revealed their favourite regions, cellar doors and wine experiences the world has to offer. The Canberra District had not one but two wine experiences listed in the TOP 50 in the WORLD! Once again, our small wine region punches well above its weight with…

Sam Leyshon, from Mallaluka Wines in the Canberra District, has been named dux of the 44th Advanced Wine Assessment Course by The Australian Wine Research Institute. This is a significant achievement for Mr Leyshon who, as dux, was offered an appointment as an associate judge for the 2019 NSW Wine Awards – a highly coveted…

Sarah McDougall from Lake George Winery was crowned Owner-Operator of the Year at a pink carpeted Australian Women in Wine Awards event in New York on Wednesday. The Australian Women in Wine Awards program is the only awards program of its kind in the world – an event that celebrates talented women in wine and…

Check out this great overview of some of the wonderful wine and food experiences in our region by Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine. “Boasting exciting cool-climate riesling and shiraz as well as spectacular scenery and charming cellar doors, the Canberra District has come of age as a vinous destination.” See the article here. WORDS Julian Rifkin…

Harvest time is the culmination of so many things in the life of a vineyard, and the busiest time of the year for any wine producer and grape grower. With several growing sub-regions within the Canberra District each with their own local variations in soil and microclimate, each vineyard can have distinct experiences when it…

Did you experience our Canberra Wine Week?   Tell us what you think via this quick and anonymous survey – thank you!   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KHNQY5Y

We’re thrilled to see several of our members recognised in the recent Gourmet Traveller Wine Awards for Best Cellar Doors in the region. Congratulations to Clonakilla, Lake George Winery, Mount Majura Vineyard, Helms Wines, Eden Road and Pialligo Estate! http://gourmettravellerwine.com/cell…/canberra-district.html

It is one of the most graceful words in French, and a very popular white wine. Many have called it Queen of the Grapes (cabernet sauvignon is King). Even so, chardonnay’s image in Australia has been surprisingly contentious. It is called Grandma’s drink, chardy and even “really noice”, thanks to the ever-articulate Kath and Kim.…

UK based wine writer, Richard Siddle recently toured our region as a guest of Wine Australia and has nothing but praise for our winemakers and their wines. Read on for an insightful take on the evolution and current state of our local wine industry. “Now if you were given the choice of only being able…

Jeir Creek Winery at Murrumbateman is for sale. This iconic winery is for sale – if you ever wished to get into the wine industry, now is your chance. 18 acres of vines, a beautifully established winery and tasting room, a two story, five bedroom, three bathroom house, located in the heart of the booming…

We’ll be back from 7 January with more news and events from the members of our Association. Wishing you a wonderful and peaceful Festive season, and may 2019 be a vintage year for you and yours!

The menu at Contentious Character is inspired by a love for Australian ‘wild’ ingredients, as well as a love for the wines, that are all home grown and made on site. The Contentious Chef is always on the lookout for new and interesting ingredients that they haven’t heard of or tasted…On the new menu they…

The holiday season is just about here, so to help you plan your next Cellar Door experience at one of our member venues, here’s a list of some of their opening hours during the break. This page will be updated from time to time and please check the venues website for more details. CLEMENTINE RESTAURANT…

Monica Gray, Assistant Winemaker, Mount Majura Vineyard, has recently returned from completing vintage at Domaine Yves Cuilleron in the Northern Rhone, France. Somewhat of a rite of passage for young Australian winemakers, the French vintage provided Monica with an exciting insight into winemaking traditions and methods adopted in the home of Shiraz.    After nearly…

Sometimes it seems as though a trend finds its way into many different aspects of everyday life. A case in point is grey. We seem to be surrounded by grey: new grey houses, sleek grey cars, blank grey walls, silver grey technologies. Now pinot gris (literally “grey pine”) is the fastest growing category of wine…

As if you need another excuse to head out and visit some of our wonderful Canberra winemakers or choose some at your local bottle shop or restaurant, our members have been getting accolades at several competitions lately.  Crowe Wines 2018 Riesling took top gold with 97 points for the 2018 Dry Riesling class from this…

A scientist, a viticulturist and a winemaker in one, Frank van de Loo’s work with the wines at Mount Majura Vineyard in Canberra District have seen the region’s reputation soar. Winemaker Frank van de Loo may have only come into the spotlight in recent years, but his quiet commitment to excellence is storied in Canberra…

Tallagandra Hills wine is packed up now and on its way to Ireland and the UK. They have exported three pallets (192 dozen) of wine including: The Great Ron Shiraz, The Favourite Son Tempranillo, The Diplomat Viognier, The Prodigal Daughter Vermentino, Eva Rose and The Good Soldier Shiraz Cabernet. The importers, Milestone Group in County Down,…

Member Contentious Character is celebrating receiving exceptional scores in the newly released 2019 Halliday Companion by esteemed wine expert, James Halliday. Riesling | 2017 – 94 Points Come the Raw Prawn Canberra District Riesling Review Comment: There’s nothing contentious about the wine, with its regional imprint of Meyer lemon, lime, crunchy acidity and apple peel.…

Contentious Character are partnering with Westfield Belconnen and the Truffle Festival to bring the Westfield Truffle Markets to Belconnen Centre Court. Featuring live cooking demonstrations by Elena Duggan and Genevieve Jacobs as well as tastings by Contentious Character music and kids activities. The tasting will take place on July 28, 10am – 5pm at Westfield…

Contentious Character are sponsoring the Night Before Queanbeyan Christmas Markets event for Very Important Elves (VIE). The evening will showcase regional produce and feature mulled wine made to the Contentious Character recipe. The following day Contentious Character will be doing tastings, selling by the glass and bottles at the Christmas in July markets at Queanbeyan…

Congratulations goes to Shaw Vineyard Estate this week as two of their delicious wines were selected in the top ten Australian wines from the judges of the 2018 London Wine Competition. The wines selected were: 2015 Reserve Merriman Cabernet Sauvignon is the first Shiraz labelled under Shaw Vineyard Estate Reserve label and the Shaw Vineyard Estate 2015 Shiraz, …

A visiting group of Chinese culinary professionals were dished up a taste of the capital last week with a series of hands-on events. From making their own bacon at Pialligo Estate, to wine tasting at Mt Majura and truffle hunting, the group were treated to a sample of the best of Canberra. Through the Pialligo…

Here at Canberra Wines we are all about promoting the region and we have lots to say about our good food and even better cool-climate wines. We are excited to announce we have a few new members joining us. Please welcome: Clementine Restaurant in Yass. Lake George Winery at Lake George. Enotria Wines in Bungendore.…

CONTENTIOUS CHARACTER TRADE LAUNCH @CASINO CANBERRA Contentious Character have launched their 2015- 2017 range of wines to the trade for the first time at Casino Canberra’s Natural Nine restaurant where truffles, courtesy of Blue Frog Truffles, were shaved on a Chicken and Prawn Dumpling to kick the evening off, and paired with their 2015 Pinot…

The annual truffle season is just around the corner in the Canberra region. If you have never tried a truffle dish and are wondering what all the fuss is about, Tom Stoneham, the Culinary Director and Head Chef at Contentious Character, has curated some specially-designed menus for a range of events at their vineyard to showcase…

Keep the kids entertained when you visit the Canberra District Wine Region…with lots of choices, the kids may never want to leave. Tallagandra Hill Winery – Open every Saturday + Sunday, this has one awesome playground set for kids. The George Bar – Open Wednesday to Sunday, not only does it have a great kids…

Iconic Australian Chef Christine Manfield, a household name synonymous with global flavours and spice, joins forces with an all-female powerhouse cast to bring you an evening of four courses and matching wines. Christine will join Director and Executive Chef of Ginger Catering at The National Arboretum, Janet Jeffs, as well as the Canberra Women Chefs.…

When your friend is a chef and he offers to cook a roast goose for a Christmas dinner, all you do is make the stuffing and bring the wine. This roast goose was brined overnight with salt, sugar and aromatics, such as bay, all spice berries and fresh herbs. It was stuffed with more fresh…

I bake Christmas cakes every year. I saved a Christmas cake from last year, all wrapped up and placed in the back of the pantry, and it’s just come out for dessert this Christmas Eve. I use the Nigella Lawson recipe, but I soak the fruit for at least 4 weeks prior to making the…

Eden Road Pinot Gris – Chicken, Aubergine and Mushroom Stir-fry in XO Sauce This is a simple dish to make. You can either make it for 6 adults, or halve the recipe for fewer people or make this in bulk and freeze for later (don’t add the fresh herbs at the end). This recipe also…

Long Rail Gully SSC with Pavlova and a strawberry lemon thyme sauce Buy a pre-made pavlova 600mls whipped cream 2 punnets fresh raspberries 1 punnet fresh blackberries 1 punnet fresh strawberries 1/4c Long Rail Gully SSC 1tsp lime zest 1tsp fresh lemon thyme, stripped off the stalks, leave 2 stalks for decorations Either make your…

Helm Riesling with Fresh Oysters and a spring onion and white pepper vinaigrette This is outstanding and perfect for Christmas Day. 12 fresh oysters 1/4c apple cider or white vinegar 1/4c water 1/4tsp white pepper Pinch of sugar 1/2tsp lime zest 4 very thin spring onions or 2 medium sized sliced down the middle, chopped…

This dish is amazing however it does have a few stages to it, but so worth it. Pickled Radishes Bunch of radishes 3/4c water 3/4c apple cider vinegar 2Tb golden syrup (or maple syrup, or sugar) 1/2tsp dried thyme 1/2tsp black peppercorns 1/2tsp yellow mustard seeds 4 whole cloves garlic 2tsp salt Wash radishes and slice…

Recently the Canberra District featured in the Qantas Magazine. A great article about a guide to the capital that will give you the lowdown on where to eat, drink and sleep. Plus, the best cellar doors to visit, courtesy of wine expert Peter Bourne. Read here.  

Dog Trap Road Cabernet Sauvignon with Roast lamb (Feeds 2 adults generously) 1.5 kg butterflied leg lamb 1c mixed fresh herbs 4 garlic cloves, crushed 200gms frozen peas 6 or 7 mint leaves 2 garlic cloves 1c chicken stock 5 baby chat potatoes, steamed until knife tender Finely chop the fresh herbs (use parsley, rosemary…

Homemade bruschetta, cheese and charcuterie platter with a Kerralee Rose When hosting a party this season, the manta should be ‘Buy some, assemble some and make one’. That way you’re not spending hours in the kitchen while everyone else is eating and drinking. Make Recipe (serves 8 adults as part of platter) 5 large tomatoes,…

The George Bar & Dining has launched its new season menu and features bold, fresh & exciting flavours perfect for the warmer weather. As always the restaurant is proud to offer only local regional wine in the restaurant as well as a wide selection of Australian craft beer. The George Bar & Dining is also offering…

Ring in the New Year in style at The Canberra Wine House in a Gatsby themed party. From 8pm to 1am, there will be live music and fun. For further information and bookings, please contact The Canberra Wine House.

Panfried Salmon and potato salad with hot lime butter dressing and Pankhurst Arneis  450gm salmon fillet, skin on, seasoned with salt on both sides 400gm chat potatoes, cut in half 2pkts fresh asparagus, cut into thirds 100gm dried cranberries 1/4c extra virgin olive oil 50gm butter Zest and juice of half a lime Boil the potatoes…

McKellar Ridge Sparkling Pinot Noir with home-made Chutney! This recipe is really simple, yet so delicious and matched to a free-range Pialligo Estate ham. Chutney Jar of Morelo pitted cherries 100gms dried apricots, chopped 4 sprigs fresh thyme 3 allspice berries 1/2c balsamic vinegar 1 Tb black mustard seeds Black pepper Smoked salt Drain the…

Tallagandra Hill Vermentino with Seafood Pasta This dish will inspire to make a wonderful meal for the festive season. Recipe (serves 2) 500gms green prawns in shell 500gms vongole  4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2c Vermentino 1/2c fish stock or chicken stock  1/2c cream 200gms spaghetti  Zest and juice of half a lime 1/4c chopped fresh…

Lark Hill Wine Bar & Cafe are showcasing the cellaring potential of the Lark Hill wines by serving “Vintage Verticals” each weekend. Two vintages of Lark Hill wine are served with a dish carefully matched to the variety. Compare the current release vintage with a vintage from the Lark Hill Cellar, such as 2016 and…

Contentious Character have now bottled their first Shiraz (2016) along with a Pinot Gris (2017) and Riesling (2017). All are to be released early in 2018. Our final bottling will see our first wine made entirely by our new winemakers Jeremy Wilson and Ash Horner, and will be bottled February 2018. You can get sneak…

Shaw Vineyard Estate has commenced constructing a new state-of-the-art cellar door. This will be a landmark building designed to take advantage of the vineyard views and the rural aspect of the estate. The new building will provide an enhanced level of wine experience, doing away with the traditional squeezing everyone in at the one bar,…

This September sees a new restaurant ‘Olleyville at Shaw Vineyard’ opening in Murrumbateman in the Shaw Vineyard Estate building. Olleyville offers something for locals and visitors with traditional, rustic, shareable dishes at an affordable price. A wood fired oven dominates the menu with seasonal dishes including, free range roasted chicken, lamb, seafood, classic favourites and…

Summerhill Road Vineyard will be hosting a pop-up wine stall every weekend including the two public holidays during the Tulip Tops Garden season opening in Sutton. Tulip Top Gardens is only open to the public for 4 weeks every Spring. Owner of Summerhill Road Vineyard, Sarah said ‘We had so much fun last year over…

Lark Hill  Biodynamic Winery was featured on the ABC’s Landline program on Sunday 6 August. The program was looking at biodynamic farming. It will be available on iView until 5 September  – http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/landline

Robyn Rowe of Robyn Rowe Chocolates has been selected to experience where her cocoa beans come from in Africa. Company F. Mayer Imports P/L and Callebaut Belgium, who supply Robyn her Fair Trade chocolate, have created a customised Cocoa Plantation Tour of Ghana for selected Australian Chocolatiers, Pastry Chefs and Chefs who want the opportunity…

Join us for the hottest wine event this month, you’ll taste wine from twelve of the best producers in the Canberra District Wine Region as well as delicious locally-made chocolates by Robyn Rowe. Hosted in the beautiful courtyard of New Acton, warm up with mulled wine and listen to tunes by Capital City Soul DJs! Food will…

Ten Canberra District Wineries will be showcasing their award-winning wines each fortnight till Christmas at the popular Danks Street Produce Merchants at 3 Danks Street Waterloo, Sydney. The wineries will be showcasing premium cool-climate wine, with tastings and takeaway bottle sales. John Leyshon, President of the Canberra District Wine Industry Association (CDWIA) said ‘This is…

Four Winds Vineyard’s owner, Sarah Collingwood, has been selected for Wine Australia’s Future Leaders Program. The program is designed to develop participants’ leadership capabilities and encourage innovation and thoughtful debate on the future of the wine sector. There were 16 wine industry professionals selected from a field of over 100 applicants to be part of the program…

The 12 Finalists for the 2017 Young Gun of Wine Awards were announced in mid-May and included Canberra’s own Chris Carpenter from Lark Hill Winery. Chris is the only winemaker included in the 12 from NSW and the ACT. Click here for the full details of the release. For a chance to meet with the Top…

Last week Eden Road Wines announced the appointment of Celine Rousseau as Eden Road’s new Winemaker and Manager. Celine will lead Eden Road’s crack team of winemakers, the amazing Mike Lloyd and Brigitte Rodda, to exciting new heights! Celine joins Eden Road from the highly regarded High Country NSW wine company Chalkers Crossing, where she was…

There are few places in Australia that have as much of an impact or create more powerful emotions than the Australian War Memorial. In fact, in 2016 the Memorial was voted Trip Advisor’s Number One Landmark in Australia and the South Pacific. And there are few Canberra District based wineries that are as committed to…

For this Easter long weekend click here for the list of who is open and trading hours for this holiday period.

Thank you to everyone who attended an event or events across the week.  It was a packed schedule with plenty to choose from. Thank you too if you came out and supported the cellar doors this past weekend for the Harvest Festival. And big thanks go to the wineries themselves – for continuing to make…

The four Contentious Characters have brought on board Tom Stoneham, as Head Chef for the kitchen. Back in 2012 when the restaurant closed, it was a fine dining establishment frequented by the locals on personal special occasions, for rugby nights and weddings. Forward to 2017 and shared plates matched to the museum collection of aged…

The cellar door at Mount Majura Vineyard has always been a welcoming place but there are two new smiles you may meet next time you visit. Coinciding with the new cellar door hours, we would like to welcome Brooke Edwards our new cellar door manager. Like Kate, our current manager, Brooke is a wine fanatic…

The Canberra District’s Four Winds Vineyard has won Overall Supreme Champion at the Drinks International Wine Design Challenge for their new range of wine labels. Released mid-2016 the range is a photography series keeping to the theme of ‘wind’. The Wine Design Challenge rewards companies that distinguish their wines through eye-catching design. Each entry was…

If you are thinking of heading out to the Canberra District wineries this Canberra Day long weekend, here is the list of who will be open on the Monday public holiday:   Affleck Wines 10am to 4pm Capital Wines 10.30am to 5pm Clonakilla 10am to 5pm Collector Wines 10am to 4pm Dog Trap Vineyard 10am…

Further evidence that James Halliday is impressed with Canberra District Shiraz Viognier came with a recent score of 96 points for McKellar Ridge 2015. Writing in the January 2017 edition of the Australian Wine Companion magazine James wrote: “Co-fermented with 4% Viognier, matured for 9 months in French oak, mostly new. Deep, full crimson-purple; the promise…

In early 2015 Lerida Estate on the Federal Highway at Lake George tasked Sydney design agency Denomination with updating their branding (and most importantly their wine labels) to bring it in line with both the quality of the vineyard and wines as well as the contemporary nature of the winery. The owners of the Estate,…

Last week Shaw Vineyard Estate together with HMAS Canberra officially launched the 2015 Shaw Vineyard Estate Flagship Shiraz on-board the HMAS Canberra, the largest ship ever constructed for the Royal Australian Navy.  The event was held amongst the ship’s company and guests with Sydney Harbour providing a brilliant backdrop. The wine was blended by Graeme Shaw,…

The bone of contention is our character. We’re provocative by nature. Taking pleasure in healthy debate and challenging perspectives. It’s something that comes second nature to us. It’s hard to make great wine without ruffling some feathers. After all, with four founders at the helm, almost every decision we make is the result of diplomacy, negotiation and the odd…

McKellar Ridge 2015 Shiraz-Viognier, 2016 Riesling and the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc have all recently won Gold Medals in NSW, Queensland and Canberra and Region wine shows. The 2015 Shiraz Viognier won Top Gold and Trophy in the Boutique category of the NSW Small Winemakers Show and also a Gold at the Royal Queensland Wine Show.…

Contentious Character is a contemporary vineyard estate with winery, cellar door, diner and function facilities. This high quality, innovative experience in the Canberra cool climate region offers a new tasting and dining experience whilst maintaining a reputation for quality established from the founding Lambert family. These wines represent exceptional value and will be complemented with new releases under…

The 17th Canberra International Riesling Challenge featured an outstanding collection of wines from eight countries with a record number of medals awarded. This is clearly a reflection of the outstanding 2015 and 2016 vintages in the Southern Hemisphere, coupled with a heightened professionalism and attention to detail by winemakers and viticulturists. The Chair of the…

Four Winds Vineyard owner Sarah Collingwood is one of the finalists in the Australian Women in Wine Awards. Sarah has Four Winds Vineyard for the last six years and has taken the opportunity over the last 24 months to expand the winery using a crowd-funding campaign, re-design the packaging and branding for the business, secure…

To celebrate the 180th anniversary of Rob Howell’s family moving to Jeir (great great grandfather in 1836, unbeknownst to him until recently), and the 33rd year since the family development of Jeir Creek Winery itself, a startling new wine has been released. The late Dr Edgar Reik, a district winemaking pioneer, was insistent that his…

You won’t regret a visit out to Four Winds Vineyard. With their cellar door nestled between a block of Riesling and Shiraz you can kick back on the deck and enjoy a glass of wine in one hand and a slice of wood-fired pizza in the other. What started out as one couple’s dream to…

NINO is the name of a special project wine from the team at Mount Majura Vineyard. It’s a ‘pet nat’ or naturally sparkling wine that somehow came into being in the enthusiasm of vintage 2016. As a challenge the winemaking team set themselves, it was made with absolutely no additives (NINO stands for ‘nothing in,…

Helm Wines this year celebrated their 40th vintage, and 43 years of growing grapes in the Canberra Wine District, with further recognition of their premium wines by James Halliday and three wine show trophies. James Halliday has noted Helm Wines as a 5 red star winery since 2012 putting it in the top 10% of wineries…

Lark Hill was established by Sue & David Carpenter in 1978, on the Lake George escarpment overlooking Bungendore Village. Lark Hill is the highest & coldest vineyard in the District (at 880m) and from a wide range of grape varieties initially planted, the Carpenters quickly narrowed their focus on cool-climate suited varieties such as Chardonnay,…

Scott and Sarah Gledhill own and operate Wimbaliri. Scott is the winemaker, born in Wallsend, Newcastle NSW, a 6th-generation descendant of German vinedressers who emigrated in 1855 to work for Dr Henry Carmichael at Porphyry Estate in the Hunter Valley. One of Australia’s first vineyards and known for its Porphyry ‘Sauternes’, Porphyry later became part…