The Canberra District Wine Week
The Canberra District Wine Week encompasses events such as wine dinners and cellar door museum wine tastings to grape stomping, art exhibitions, musical soirees and blending your own.
Highlights include the annual tasting launch event featuring 16 wineries at the ANU’s Kambri Precinct and a 50 Years of Canberra Wine dinner at The Boathouse, featuring the premium wines of Clonakilla and winemaker Tim Kirk.
So Canberra produces more than just political decisions?
Wineries a 35-minute drive from Canberra’s city centre
Although the first wines were planted in the late 1840s, the wine industry went into decline and didn’t re-emerge until the 1970s. There are now around 140 vineyards in Canberra and more than 40 cellar doors spreading across areas including Canberra, Hall, Murrumbateman, Yass, Bungendore, Lake George, Wamboin, Gundaroo and Collector.
The Canberra District covers a large geographical area made up of three distinctly topographical areas. Despite the name all but two of the local wineries are located in NSW. Each is within a 35-minute drive from Canberra’s city centre.
Murrumbateman – Home to around 15 wineries
A pleasant 30-minute drive along the Barton Highway brings you to picturesque Murrumbateman, a former gold mining town, where you can enjoy rural scenery, soak up the ambience of village life and sample regional produce at cosy cafes and old school pubs. The town of Murrumbateman is home to around 15 wineries, where wines of international acclaim are crafted. Cellar doors range from rustic family affairs to sleek and modern.
Bungendore, Wamboin, Gundaroo, Lake George and Collector – Cool climate wine tastings
Along the Federal Highway to the north of Canberra, the Lake George vignerons tend to their cool climate vineyards and wines. There are a number of award-winning restaurants and great wine bars in and around the historic villages of Gundaroo and Collector. The high altitude wineries around the historic town of Bungendore and Wamboin offer scenic outlooks with cool climate wine tastings.
How you can sleep close to the wineries
Canberra’s best hotels
- Ovolo Nishi – designer driven chic
- Hyatt Hotel – the grand dame loaded with Gatsby-esque charm
- Hotel Realm – funky and five star think soaring atrium, sculptures, lap pool, spa and sauna
- QT – political themes with cutting edge contemporary styling
- Hotel Kurrajong – art deco and former home to several PMs
- Little National – stylish and affordable with free access to five star facilities at the sister property across the road
- East Hotel – quirky and modern
For more travel inspiration head to visitcanberra.com.au
For more personalised information tips and advice, or to book this incredible holiday contact your local TravelManagers’ personal travel manager here.
