Canberra District Wine Region

The Canberra District Wine Region incorporates the Australian Capital Territory and a larger area of New South Wales. It is one of Australia's coolest wine regions.

Alternative varieties used in the Canberra District Wine Region

The Canberra District is part of the Southern New South Wales Zone, which also includes the Hilltops, Gundagai and Tumbarumba wine regions.

For legal land tenure reasons the vast majority of the vineyards are outside the ACT, many of them clustered around the town of Murrrumbateman on the Federal Highway, north of the city of Canberra. There are other wineries clustered around Lake George, to the east, which has a different climate influenced by the Lake George Range.

The climate of this region is influenced by the altitude (vineyards here are between 500m and 850m) and its location far from the ameliorating influence of the sea. As in all inland cooler wine regions spring frosts are a hazard on some sites. Careful vineyard site selection is needed to make sure cold air is able to drain away from the vines.

Drought is a frequent restraint on production. The hot summer days are tempered by cold nights and the cool autumn allows slow ripening of quality fruit. 

These are ideal conditions for fine winemaking and Riesling in particular does very well here.  

Most of the vineyards here are young, having been established after 1990. The scale of production in the Canberra wine region is generally small, the exception being the large winery and vineyard established by Hardy's in the late 1990s.

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier wins high accolades, but they also make an impressive varietal Viognier.

Among the alternative red wine varieties showing considerable promise in the Canberra Wine Region are Sangiovese and Tempranillo.

Collector Wines uses the rare varieties Canaiolo Nero, Colorino and Mammolo

Alternative varieties in The Canberra Wine region

• Barton Estate Petit Verdot, Sangiovese
• Brindabella Hills Marsanne, Sangiovese
• Capital Wines Sangiovese, Tempranillo
• Clonakilla Cinsaut, Counoise, Roussanne
• Collector Wines Canaiolo, Colorino, Fiano, Gruner Veltliner, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, Meunier, Nero d'Avola, Marsanne, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Touriga
• Crowe Barbera, Gruner Veltliner, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese
• Dionysus Winery Marsanne, Roussanne, Tempranillo
• Eden Road Sangiovese
• Four Winds Vineyard Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Vermentino
• Intrepidus Chenin Blanc, Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese
• Jirra Wines at Jeir Station Sangiovese
• Lake George Tempranillo
• Lambert Vineyards Gewurztraminer
• Lark Hill Winery Falanghina, Garganega, Gruner Veltliner, Marsanne, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Teroldego
• Little Bridge Gamay, Malbec, Sangiovese
• Mada Wines Nebbiolo, Sagrantino
• Mallaluka Aligote, Cabernet Franc, Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese
• Mount Majura Albarino, Inzolia, Graciano, Mencia, Mondeuse, Parraleta, Tempranillo, Touriga
• Murrumbateman Malbec, Sangiovese, Tempranillo
• Nick O'Leary Sangiovese, Tempranillo
• Pankhurst Wines Arneis, Marsanne, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Tempranillo
• Poachers Tempranillo
• Quarry Hill Wines Cinsaut, Roussanne, Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Savagnin, Tempranillo
• Ravensworth Wines Barbera, Gamay, Gruner Veltliner, Malbec, Marsanne, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo, Ribolla Gialla, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Trebbiano
• Sapling Yard Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Tempranillo
• Sassafras Fiano, Sagrantino, Savagnin
• Shepherds Run Gewurztraminer, Sangiovese
• Surveyor's Hill Winery Aglianico, Cabernet Franc, Graciano, Marsanne, Moscato Giallo, Muscadelle, Roussanne, Tempranillo, Touriga
• Tallagandra Hill Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Vermentino
• The Vintner's Daughter Gewurztraminer
• Three Lads Sangiovese
• Vinterloper Touriga
• Whitton Farm Barbera, Corvina, Fiano, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese
• Yarrh Wines Sangiovese

Winter scene at Lark Hill Winery

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Visiting The Canberra wine region

The region has over 30 boutique wineries with cellar doors operating. You can enjoy food at several of these wineries as well, ranging from a cellar door platter or a full a la carte restaurant meal.

The City of Canberra is the obvious base for visiting the region. It contains numerous accommodation options and other tourist attractions.

You can stay in a country cottage, a B and B, a vineyard cottage or in the city. Either way you won't be far away from some beautiful wineries.  

Use this booking service to get a great overview of the accommodation options in Canberra.

Subscribers to Vinodiversity Community get invites to Darby's Special Taste and Talk Sessions. 

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