A wine-filled cabaret weekend is happening in an iconic venue – and you’re invited

Posted on 27 June, 2024

Located on the Federal Highway and overlooking the shores of Lake George, there’s a small boutique winery that has long been a part of the lives of Canberra locals.

From romantic getaways to road trips, and weddings to wine-tasting weekends, almost everyone has a story from Lake George Winery – but not many people know that it’s been quietly transforming as four families make the business their own, and to celebrate one year of owning and operating Lake George Winery they’re holding a massive wine-filled cabaret weekend – and yes, you’re invited.

Taking over in 2023 after the previous owner Sarah McDougall listed the 276-acre cool climate winery for sale, the new owners (who are spread across Canberra and Sydney) decided to take a leap of faith and buy the business. With no previous experience in running or owning a winery, it’s been challenging, to say the least, but it’s been a challenge they’ve loved from the moment they signed the dotted line.

“This venture felt like a perfect amalgamation of each of the four partners’ passions and interests. First of all, we are all of Punjabi/Sikh heritage, and agriculture is embedded in our ancestry – with Punjab being one of the oldest and most successful farming regions in India,” explains co-owner Shelly Kaur.

“While honouring the amazing progress Sarah and her late husband Anthony made in their years of owning the winery, we are eternally grateful for the opportunity to bring some new layers and dimensions to Lake George Winery.”

Splitting the work between them – from the winemaking to the event planning – Shelly, Avtar Singh, Amardeep and Ritu Singh, Jagjit Singh, Kay Kaur, Sarab Singh and Gurdeep Kaur have been quietly refreshing and revitalising the iconic winery to bring their flair to the business.

A notable (and delicious) update? Honouring their heritage, the families are very proud of our Fijian-Indian-French fusion menu and the creation of their very first Lake George vintage, which will be launched on Saturday 29 June with the Unveiling Vintage 2024 Long Lunch.

“Our menu changes seasonally so we can use the freshest ingredients at the time, but there will always be those flavours weaved throughout,” explains Head Chef, Praneel Bhan Singh.

“There’s not many, if any, wineries and restaurants, in the Canberra District, executing a fusion Indian menu. These two cuisines are where my heart belongs. I was trained professionally in French and trained through my upbringing and culture in the Fijian/Indian cuisine. The point is for people to take a bite and feel the nostalgia, passion, love, and technique in that single bite.”

“Being a French technique-driven menu, the use of Southeast Asian spices throughout the menu complements not only the French cuisine but also our wines,” adds Shelly.

And while they held a few smaller events in 2023, the new faces behind Lake George Winery are finally ready to celebrate with a bang – and it involves burlesque.

Taking place on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July, Lake George Winery will transform after dark for two dazzling and dynamic events: a Speakeasy Soiree and Just The Tipple – A Wine Tasting Cabaret in collaboration with performer Sophie deLightful.

Wanting to expand outside of their usual wine and food events and do something a little different, Shelly says that it’s the team’s first go at dipping their toes in evening events and that they’re excited to treat attendees to two unforgettable nights heroing wine and a good time.

“We really hope people will see how our event spaces shine after dark, as well as what a perfect setting our winery is for a fun and captivating night out,” she says.

“We think there is something for everyone! ‘Just The Tipple’ is a more luxe experience, with the five-course degustation menu and in-depth wine-tasting experiences, all enhanced by some amazing performances. The Speakeasy Soiree on Friday night is a much more relaxed vibe, where we will have some really cool Prohibition-era inspired decor and curated cocktails.”

Taking the stage alongside several other talented performers, from award-winning sideshow burlesque to comedy, Sophie deLightful and her team will keep you entertained as you sip and snack away, blending live performances with culinary excellence.

“Whilst brainstorming what this game-changing event would look like for us, I stumbled upon a pitch Sophie had emailed us months ago when we had freshly taken over. It was serendipitous!” says Shelly.

“Sophie proposed the idea of having one of her bespoke Wine Tasting Cabarets at our venue, and I felt it was the perfect unique combination that we were looking for. It is an extension of what we already do here at Lake George Winery, pairing foods and wines together to make the flavours shine.”

With hopes to collaborate with more local artists and performers in the future, the Lake George Winery Cabaret Weekend is just a small taster of what’s to come.

Planning to make a Friday night speakeasy a permanent fixture to their offerings, while Shelly and the team continue to make Lake George Winery their own, one thing is staying the same: its commitment to being a beautiful place for Canberrans to make memories.

“We have been able to forge such wonderful connections with so many people who set foot inside Lake George Winery and can recall many a deep chat or moments of laughter and giggles,” says Shelly.

“We have also really appreciated the kindness and honesty of our community, providing us with wonderful constructive feedback which has just led to us being able to grow and improve further. Challenges will always continue to arise, but the last year has reassured us that this truly is a fabulous venture to be a part of and that we have so much insight and freshness to bring to it. We are so excited for another year of running Lake George Winery and hope to meet many more smiling faces.”

We’ll raise a glass to that.

Images supplied.