cellar doors Archives | Abode Hotels

If you listen to leading Australian wine writers such as James Halliday and Max Allen, the Canberra district makes shiraz as good as any in the country, whether it’s the deep-rooted vineyards in South Australia’s Barossa Valley or the region’s cool-climate cousins in Victoria’s Yarra Valley.

But the only palate you’ll ever have is the one you were born with, so rather than take the experts’ word for it, why not get out and taste them for yourself?

Many of the region’s vineyards are equipped with top-drawer tasting facilities, and as a great number are within easy reach of the city centre, a cellar-door tour is the perfect way to while away an afternoon.

Clonakilla Cellar Door - Abode HotelsClonakilla Cellar Door - Abode Hotels

Clonakilla Cellar Door. Photo supplied by Clonakilla.

CLONAKILLA
3 Crisps Ln, Murrumbateman

One of the biggest names in Canberra wine is Clonakilla. It has never wanted for style to match its substance, and the cellar door is no exception. Constructed from stone pulled from the soil of the winery itself, and equipped with built-in spittoons in the tasting room that rinse themselves at the press of a button, it’s the perfect mix of tradition and innovation — much like its signature blend of shiraz and viognier.

Helm Wines. Photo by VisitCanberra.

HELM WINES
19 Butts Rd, Murrumbateman

Ken Helm is one of the pioneers of Canberra’s wine scene, so it’s fitting, perhaps, that his tasting room has a colonial feel. It’s in a heritage-listed schoolhouse which was built in 1888; has study ever been more of a pleasure?

Shaw Vineyard Estate. Photo by VisitCanberra.

SHAW VINEYARD ESTATE
34 Isabel Dr, Murrumbateman

Graeme and Ann Shaw run this Murrumbateman vineyard with their two children and son-in-law. The spacious cellar door also features a gift shop and a new restaurant on site, Olleyville at Shaw, specialising in rustic dishes made from the bountiful local produce.

COLLECTOR WINES
7 Murray St, Collector NSW 2581

Set in a storefront built in 1829 in the tiny township of Collector, just north of Lake George, the newish cellar door for this acclaimed winery is all about simple country elegance. Come back when the weather’s cooler to savour a shiraz by the open fire.

Lark Hill Winery. Photo by VisitCanberra

LARK HILL
Cnr Bungendore & Joe Rocks Rd, Bungendore

Sue and David Carpenter have been making wine here since 1981, and while their reds are very well regarded, in recent years it’s the white wines that have been grabbing the limelight. Get your taste at the Lark Hill cellar door at Murrumbateman, an attractively rustic space in a natural bush setting.

Eden Road Wines. Photo by VisitCanberra.

EDEN ROAD
3182 Barton Hwy, Murrumbateman

One of the stars of the newer generation of Canberra wineries, Eden Road is not to be missed. Its cellar door, just south of the village of Murrumbateman, has a lovely outdoor area opening onto its lawns, and is the perfect place to explore Canberra-style Riesling in the sun.

Making a weekend of cellar door hopping just got a whole lot easier! Gone are the days of bickering over who will be the designated driver, because the region now boasts its first rustic, boutique accommodation offering, Abode Murrumbateman.

Book your ultimate foodie’s getaway in February to take advantage of the Abode Murrumbateman opening special, which includes a discounted room rate, a late checkout of 12pm and a bottle of Canberra district wine. Book here!

Clonakilla. Photo by Visit Canberra

One of those overnight success stories that’s been 40 years in the making, Canberra wine has now well and truly come of age, taking its place among the nation’s most respected wine regions, home to 140 vineyards with more than 33 wineries within 35 minutes of the Canberra CBD.

The Canberra district covers a large geographical area, made up of three sub-regions; ACT & Hall, Murrumbateman & Yass and Bungendore, Wamboin, Lake George and Collector. Interestingly, all but one of the wineries in this region are across the border in New South Wales.

The region itself experiences a climate of extremes temperatures, together with a range of elevations and soil types, but pair this up with the refined skills of the region’s well-versed and passionate winemakers, and the result is truly something exceptional.

But just where can you find the best of the best? If you want to talk acclaim, you can’t go past the blend of shiraz and viognier that put Clonakilla on the map, making it one of the most sought-after reds in Australia. Clonakilla winemaker Bryan Martin, meanwhile, has a boutique winery on the side, Ravensworth, where he makes, among other things, a well-regarded sangiovese and a shiraz of his own.

Shiraz Viognier Fermentation at Clonakilla. Photo courtesy of Clonakilla

The elegance of cool-climate shiraz is also what made Alex McKay’s Collector Wines the talk of top sommeliers in Sydney.

But to talk only of reds would be to do the region a disservice. Riesling is quickly becoming recognized as a grape that thrives in Canberra — as great examples from new and established players such as Clonakilla and Ravensworth, Nick O’Leary, Helm Wines, Mada Wines, The Vintner’s Daughter, and Lark Hill amply demonstrate. And the next big thing? We’re putting our money on more aromatic whites, whether it’s blends of marsanne, rousanne and viognier, or Lark Hill’s exceptional grüner veltliner.

Lark Hill Winery. Photo by Visit Canberra

Making a weekend of indulgent taste-testing just got a whole lot easier. Gone are the days of bickering over who will be the designated driver, because come February 2018, the region will boast its first rustic, boutique accommodation offering, Abode Murrumbateman. This stylishly appointed property puts you right in the heart of this gourmet foodie’s haven, so the hardest part will be deciding which cellar door to try first.

Abode Murrumbateman is now taking bookings from February 2018. Book your ultimate food and wine getaway here.