Regional Hero ~ Shiraz

Wine has been made in the Canberra District for 160 years. However, it’s only made its real mark on the wine map in the last ten years with the cementing of its reputation for Shiraz and Shiraz Viogner blends.

Canberra, a cool-climate region, is known for producing Shiraz with elegant lifted flavours on par with the style of the Rhone Valley in France. The 2007 NSW Wine of the Year was the Collector Shiraz, made from Murrumbatemen fruit. In 1998, another Murumbateman Shiraz won the title – the widely applauded 1996 Clonakilla Shiraz Viogner. Canberra is also known for its Riesling, hosting the International Riesling Challenge each year, with wineries such as Helm paving the way for the development of Riesling in the area.

The tranquil rural countryside around the ACT is home to 140 vineyards with more than 30 boutique cellar doors including Helm Wines, Jeir Creek, Lerida Estate, Shaw Vineyard Estates, Mt Majura Vineyard, Lake George Winery and Lambert Vineyards.