It’s that time of year again when everyone has the opportunity to celebrate the variety and success of the wineries in the Canberra district.
Known as a great producer of cool climate wines the weather in the growing season has been quite unusual culminating in the record heat of January and February.
However to quote Ken Helm of Helm Wines, “The season started with record winter rains, followed by a mild frost-free spring which meant supplementary water was not required till Christmas. This combined with a hot dry summer which included the evening sea breeze, provided a disease free environment with excellent foliage growth, good fruit set and berry development. Now with the arrival of the normal autumn conditions with its cool nights and warm days, we are expecting a classic premium Canberra vintage.”
The winemakers are keeping fingers crossed that some freak event won’t affect the harvest. All is being finalised for Canberra District Wine Week, a celebration of the harvest from 31 March to 9 April and to celebrate the 2017 vintage.
Canberra District Wine Week is a ten-day program of wine tastings, food matchings, tours and events which will be held across the entire Canberra district including Hall, Bungendore and of course Gundaroo, Murrumbateman and Yass in the Yass Valley.
As well as exploring some of the numerous vineyards and cellar doors in the region take in some of the other events especially being tempted to visit restaurants and cafes that are putting on special events. A number of wineries are teaming up with local restaurants to present dinners or smaller tapas style meals where you can sample different wines.
There are so many events scheduled that it is best to consult the Canberra Wine District website for daily activities.
The events will culminate with the annual Harvest Festival over the weekend of 8 and 9 April. Cellar Doors will be doing something special across the weekend – music, food and of course wine. Wineries with special attractions include Mount Majura Vineyard, Granitevale Estate, Four Winds Vineyard, Dog Trap Vineyard (you can try blending your own wine), Contentious Character, Pankhurst Wines, Wins Creek Meadery, Dionysus, Lark Hill, Four Winds Vineyard, Granitevale Estate, Summerhill Road Vineyard, Gallagher Wines and Jeir Creek.
If you want to indulge a bit and not be tempted to drive home, Yass and Murrumbateman have a range of quality accommodation on offer to suit all tastes and budgets.
For more information on Canberra District Wine Week and associated events visit www.canberrawines.com.au For more information on Yass Valley including accommodation options, visit www.yassvalley.com.au
Loading ...
