Canberra Wine Week 2021 kicks off on Sunday 21 March until Monday 29 March. The celebrations begin on Saturday 20 March with a 3-hour wine tasting event at the Kambri cultural precinct located at the Australian National University. More than 60 wines will be available for you to taste with a selection of food and entertainment.
Events ranging from premium wine dinners, cellar door museum wine tastings, grape stomping, art exhibitions, musical soirees and barrel tastings will take place during the festival. Of course, where there’s amazing wine, there’s amazing food so you might want to wear your stretchy pants, or skirt.
Many people are unaware the Canberra District covers a large geographical area made up of 3 distinctly different topographical areas, and despite the name all but two of the local wineries are across the border in New South Wales.
The Canberra District spreads across Canberra, Hall, Murrumbateman, Yass, Bungendore, Lake George, Wamboin, Gundaroo and Collector. Over the past 50 years it has grown significantly resulting in 140 vineyards with 450 hectares under vine, and upwards of 40 cellar doors.
You could easily spend a week exploring the Canberra District wineries so this is the perfect opportunity for you to visit some of the amazing vineyards and cellar doors. Drinking wine and eating good food to support local businesses after a difficult 2020? We’re in!
For more information on events or to purchase tickets visit the Canberra District Wine Association’s website.
Book tickets to the launch event: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/canberra-district-wine-week-2021-market-tasting-tickets-143916115977
WIN a VIP DOUBLE PASS to the Canberra Wine Week Market Tasting event
Leave a comment and tell us what your favourite Canberra region wine, winery or cellar door is, and why.
Entries close at 5pm Thursday 18th March 2021 and the winner will be notified before midday on Friday 19th March 2021.
Find out more about the VIP event to make sure you’re available before you enter https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/celebrate-50-years-of-canberra-wines-vip-tasting-event-tickets-143925746783
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.
Murrembateman Winery is more than just a winery, when you are there you feel like you are at a family reunion surrounded by wonderful people. The staff are amazing and super friendly, the whole venue is pet friendly for all us dog mums and dads who enjoy a beautiful local wine and cheese selection. If this place isn’t on your list of “must vists” then it needs to be.
Big fan of Wallaroo Rd and in particular Brindabella Hills. Close to home yet a world away! Not too many better ways to recharge on a lazy Sunday than by sitting on their back grass terrace gazing down into the Murrumbidgee with a glass of sangovese in hand.
It’s beautiful out there isn’t it!
Favourite winery is Murrumbateman winery. Almost every anniversary in the last few years my partner and I go out there and soak up the atmosphere (and give pats to Molly and Tannin). Always inevitably walk away with a bottle of wine (or two), dog treats and a great experience.
Love love love Shaw Winery’s Riesling! Not too dry, not too sweet….just a perfect Canberra Region wine.
The murrumbateman region is amazing for wineries. Four winds, clonkilla & Shaw would be my personal favourites. Four winds particularly has many great memories for me – from family celebrations to work christmas parties. being able to bring the whole family (dog included) and enjoy a sunny afternoon out the back sipping on vino with wood fired pizzas while the kids run around on the grass and your overlooking the vineyard is my idea of a perfect day.
Personal favourite is Lake George Winery, only 30 mins from Canberra but honestly feels like a completely different world. The restaurant has lovely food and the vineyard itself is absolutely stunning, a very welcome escape from the realities of life and medical school!
My favourite is Clonakilla, because of the sense of family, beautiful surroundings and of course, the absolutely delicious wine!
Contentious Character! Great views, delicious cheese and they are pet friendly. Plus their cleverly named wines always make a punny gift
As a lover of a great shiraz I have two favourites, it’s impossible to choose!
My first favourite is Clonakilla. Their shiraz’ are consistently delicious and the cellar door is in a beautiful corner of murrumbateman.
My next favourite is Gundog Estate in Gunderoo. Once again, I fell in love with their shiraz’ which take you by surprise by how complex and downright tasty they are. It is impossible to stop at one glass, but both Clonakilla and Gundog reds are perfect compliment to the cooler weather we have been having lately 🙂
I love The Vintner’s Daughter winery. It’s the one winery I always visit if I’m heading out to Murrumbateman. They are always so welcoming and friendly and have good knowledge of wine. The wine there is some of my favourite and good value for price and I always leave with at least a few bottles. Four winds also make a honourable mention due to their tasty wood fire pizzas and rose.
Brindabella Hills is a lively relaxing spot for a lazy weekend lunch and a glass or three of their rose. It’s one of those spots where it is hard to believe you are only a short drive from town!
Love Shaw winery. They make delicious reds especially shiraz and their new cellar door is beautiful.
Taking visitors to the Murrumbateman wine region is my favourite thing to do and always shocks people. I always have my usual ones that I go to and for a delicious, picturesque lunch, my favourite is Four Winds. Their pizza is always delicious paired with their gorgeous rosé. My absolute favourite cellar door is clonakilla. It is beautiful there, the service is always great and they know how to make an incredible Shiraz viognier!
Crowe Wines! All the way! You can taste love and joy in every sip.
Absolute favourite local has to be Four Winds – lovely staff, beautiful vineyard, wine tasting, not to mention wood fired pizza and some delicious cheese paired with a cold glass of rose on a warm day! ‘Tis the ultimate indulgence!
If only Nick O’Leary had a cellar door! One of my Favs for me is Four Winds, a great drive, amazing tasting bar, Devine pizzas, and chilled atmosphere.
Ravensworth, always a top drop – love his savoury Italian varietals. The Sangiovese is delicious
Vintners daughter…. they have such a beautiful cellar door, and regardless of if it is Steph or Ben, and how busy it is, they always make time to give you the best possible service, talk you through tastings and a sure your experience there is always amazing.
And now let’s talk about their Shiraz viognier…. I can’t get enough of this, and clearly it’s the same for everyone because it flies off the shelf, so have to be quick.
A close second has to be Gallagher’s wines. Greg and Lauren give more than just a tasting, they give you stories, they give you a journey of tasting. Combining wine with cheese, pickles, chocolate and honestly non stop laughs. They are the ultimate in customer service and their Riesling is incredible.