Four ways to spend a perfect day in the Canberra Wine District
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We explore the Lake George slice of the Canberra Wine District in style, with Van Du Vin’s custom private luxury wine tours introducing us to four of the area’s cellar doors.
Did you know that the Canberra Wine District is home to more than 35 cellar doors and over 200 vineyards? That’s right, extending across Canberra, Hall, Murrumbateman, Yass, Bungendore, Lake George, Wamboin, Gundaroo and Collector, the region features three distinct areas across Yass, Hall and Lake George.
That’s a lot of territory to cover. So, while you could absolutely DIY, you’ll need a designated driver. Or you could do what we did and outsource transportation, leaving us to focus on the important business of wine tasting. There was a lot of wine. We were grateful for not only the wheels, but the knowledge and advice.
Here’s our itinerary for a day exploring the Lake George Wine Region.
10 am – off we go!
Our chariot awaits! And by that, I mean Van du Vin Tours‘ sleek black Land Rover. We’re picked up at home by our guide Laura, who—as we soon discover—has a passion for all things wine.
Settling in Canberra after a couple of decades in Europe, it’s clear that Laura has forged tight connections with the winemakers and cellar door managers of the wineries we visit. We’re greeted warmly, and the experience is intimate and exclusive.
Our tour has been custom designed—today we’ll be visiting four wineries for a whole lot of wine tasting, as well as a delicious lunch. But there are also five different tour packages you can choose from, including a half-day option if you have limited time (apparently it’s a favourite of visitors who have some time to kill before catching a plane from Canberra Airport).
10.15 am Mount Majura Vineyard
Our first stop is Mount Majura Vineyard. Located off the busy strip that joins south and north Canberra, the cellar door is a world away from the hustle and bustle below. It’s a rainy, windy day when we visit (surprising, I know), but we are warm in the dedicated dining area that looks out onto rows of vines.
Current Winemaker Dr Frank van de Loo has been with the winery for more than 30 years, and has made it his mission find the best grapes that are best adapted to the terroir of the Mount Majura vineyards. That dedication has paid off, with the estate winning a swag of awards at this year’s Canberra and Region Wine Show, including best red wine of show for their 2021 Shiraz.
The Mount Majura tasting is a big one, and we fail to pace ourselves when it comes to the accompanying cheese and charcuterie platter. We also leave pretty merry, but if you have more self-control you can always choose to sample smaller tastes, or swirl and spit. We do not believe in such wastage…
I’m usually a Chardonnay girl, but my pick from the tasting is the 2021 TSG—a blend of the vineyard’s best red varieties that won a Gold Medal and Trophy at the Canberra & Region Wine Show 2022. As for my lovely husband, he will always be a Shiraz type of guy, so unsurprisingly favours the aforementioned award-winning 2021 Shiraz.
Once we procure a selection of wines to take home, Laura ushers us back into the van and off we hustle to our next destination.
11.30 am Lake George Winery
I don’t think the novelty of seeing Lake George brimming with water—like an ACTUAL LAKE—ever gets old. Lake George Winery is nestled at its north-western tip. One of the oldest estates in the area, it has been family-run and operated for over 50 years, with all of the grapes hand harvested and grown with sustainable viticulture methods.
The estate is host to the gorgeous Westering restaurant, which does a roaring trade from Thursdays to Sundays—the chefs collaborate closely with local artisan suppliers to create a delicious menu designed to complement the estate’s wines. Hot tip: bookings are recommended.
Down a set of narrow stairs, you’ll find the subterranean wine cellar, a charming space peppered with vintage furniture and knick-knacks. It’s here that we taste a selection of red, rosé, white and sparkling wines as well as a signature Rosé Gin that is made on the estate. The 2022 Riesling bursts with citrus flavours, while we declare a classic French-style 2021 Rosé perfect for a summer evening. It’s the 2021 Tempranillo we take home, though, although I can’t resist also grabbing a bottle of Wild White Pet Nat.
If you’re feeling a little adventurous (and timing aligns), you might want to consider joining Lake George Winery’s ‘Vine to Wine’ experience, which sees you journey through the vineyard, then to the winery to see where it happens—finishing with a wine tasting experience in the wine cellar. Or even stay overnight in one of the three sustainable residences built high up on the hill offering beautiful views of the area.
12.30 pm Lerida Estate
Just a short drive away is Lerida Estate—and lunch! We’re about ready for some food to balance out our liquid diet. We stroll alongside the vines, and past the petanque court, to the architecturally-designed cellar door—but we leave that for now. We’re headed for the barrel room and the Baked Brie topped with local honey, rosemary and juniper with toasted rye sourdough. Oh my. Oozy and tangy and sweet and fragrant all at once. It’s scoffed down all too quickly, but our mains of tender slow-cooked Kangaroo with crispy smashed rosemary chats, broccolini & Shiraz jus; and Black rice & marinated feta salad with snow pea tendrils, toasted hazelnuts & roast capsicum sate any remaining hunger.
The Lerida Estate produces world-class Pinot Noir from low-yielding vines using wild yeasts and minimal intervention with French-Style elegance, complexity, and structure. It also produces wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Viognier and Shiraz.
Look, it’s no surprise that I gravitate towards the Cullerin Chardonnay—I’m actually pretty fussy with my chardy, and this one is a cracker. We’re also enamoured with the 2021 Pinot Noir, and of course, we go home with a Shiraz or three.
While the weather isn’t nice on the day we visit, it’s a stunning spot, and I picture myself spending a summer afternoon in the courtyard soaking in the views of the vineyard and Lake George.
2.45 pm Gundog Estate
Last stop! We’re off to the historic village of Gundaroo to visit Gundog Estate’s Cork St. Cellar. The cellar door is in the old stables behind Gundaroo’s historic Royal Hotel and is a lovely space to enjoy the final tastings of the day.
Established in 2011 and owned and operated by the Burton Family, Gundog Estate produces wine in both the Hunter Valley and the Canberra District. What the Hunter does have is Grazing Restaurant literally steps away. That’s right, at Cork St. Cellar in Gundaroo you can not only enjoy a wine tasting, but seasonal dishes from Grazing. Another hot tip: to avoid disappointment, best to make an advance booking.
Experiencing a bit of palate fatigue by now, we’re somewhat relieved to be thoughtfully asked whether we wanted to take it a little easy and maybe just taste a drop or two. Yes, please. And delightful drops they were, with two different rosés and two different Shiraz poured for us to compare and contrast.
First we sample the 2021 Indomitus Rosa based on Nebbiolo and the 2022 Gundog Estate Rosé; moving on to the 2014 Gundog Estate Shiraz, described as “fist in a velvet glove!” and the 2021 Gundog Estate Rare Game Shiraz. Interestingly, in each case, I liked one and my partner in wine-tasting crime liked the other. So, really, the only thing to do was to buy them all!
3.30pm
It’s been a big day and we’re ready to head home (with a bootful of wines to enjoy). On our return journey, Laura tells us about some of her favourite small cellar doors in the region (rather than keep that information to ourselves, we ask her to help us pull together an article, so keep an eye out for that!).
But it makes us realise that we’ve really only scratched the surface when it comes to the richness of the Canberra Wine Region. Why not explore it yourself?
Want to explore further afield?
There’s a lot more to discover! Check out these other cellar doors in the Lake George region.
Bungendore: Sapling Yard and Lark Hill Biodynamic Winery
Collector: Collector Wines
Gundaroo: Tallagandra Hill
Wamboin: Norton Road and Contentious Character
