Take a 30-45 minute drive through Canberra’s wine region and experience the different flavours and complexities of our amazing award-winning wines. We have put together a list of the top wineries with the best cellar doors and tasting experiences on offer!

Nick O’Leary Wines

Take a scenic drive to Wallaroo and explore local favourite Nick O’Leary Wines’ cellar door. Taste a selection of their best reds and whites accompanied by farm-to-table dining, and soak up the glorious countryside views (long lunches are encouraged!) With a focus on delicious snacks and mouth-watering share plates, whether it’s charcuterie and a wine flight with your girlfriends, or oysters and beurre noisette market fish with your favourite bottle, Nick O’Leary caters for every weekend wine vibe.

Four Winds Vineyard

Keeping it simple, but hitting the spot every time, Four Winds Vineyard in Murrumbateman pairs their cool climate wines with delicious wood-fired pizzas. Open seven days a week, it’s truely picturesque outside on a sunny day, inviting you on the picnic tables or on the lawn with a few pizzas to share and their famous wine flight.

BRINDABELLA HILLS WINERY

Surrounded by hills, Brindabella Hills Winery has the perfect environment for its grapes, leading them to produce award-winning wines. Open for lunch every weekend, find a spot in their vineyard café looking onto the mountain and into the valley, and enjoy a two-course set menu with pairing wines or opt for a grazing package on the lawn.

CONTENTIOUS CHARACTER

Producing cool-climate wines with distant views of the Snow Mountains, single vineyard Contentious Character in Wamboin has a range of different experiences and wines to enjoy. Open seven days a week, their cellar door in Dairy Road is open for tastings and all-day dining in the restaurant. For lunch and dinner, enjoy their seasonal menu with your favourite bottle or a tasting flight, or sit at the tasting table and choose from a range of experiences that best showcase the vineyard.

GUNDOG ESTATE

Boutique winery Gundog Estate is known for producing premium and innovative wines such as Riesling, Semillon and Shiraz that are reflective of modern Australia styles. The cellar door in Gundaroo is open Friday to Sunday and offers a tasting experience that showcases their current vintages, museum releases and award-winning wines, alongside seasonal dishes from their neighbour, the award-winning Grazing restaurant.

CLONAKILLA

Arguably producing Australia’s best red wine, Clonakilla is no doubt a must-try in the Canberra region. Visit the estate’s cellar door in Murrumbateman seven days a week for a tasting of their range of premium award-winning red and white wines including new releases.

MOUNT MAJURA VINEYARD

In very close proximity to Canberra lives Mount Majura Vineyard. Open seven days a week, explore everything they have to offer through a wine tasting experience with a cheese and charcuterie platter. Or alternatively, if you have a favourite wine, ask for a glass instead of a tasting.

SHAW ESTATE

Located in the heart of Canberra’s cool-climate wine region, Shaw Estate in Murrumbateman has collected over 300 medals and trophies from various Australian and international wine shows. The 70-acre estate produces a vast range of different wines including Riesling, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Open seven days a week, join them for wine tastings, private group tastings and wine tours, or simply relax in the wine lounge and share a bottle of wine and cheese plate while you soak up the views.

LAKE GEORGE WINERY

Established in 1971, Lake George Winery is one of Canberra’s oldest producing hand-picked cool-climate wines. Not only can you visit their cellar door from Thursday to Sunday and take a tour of the vineyard, but you can also dine at their Westering Restaurant and experience an exceptional four course meal with matching wines.

YARRH WINES

Join Yarrh Wines in their Murrumbateman cellar door from Friday to Sunday for a wine or two and enjoy some locally sourced nibbles over a relaxing afternoon. For those who wish to learn more about the winery, owners also offer a ‘Winemaker’s Tales’ experience, where guests can enjoy a selection of wines and gourmet foods, then take a tour of the winery and learn everything there is to know about how they produce their wines.

LERIDA ESTATE

If Pinot noir is your favourite drop, visit Lerida Estate in Lake George who specialise and have a passion for the red grape. Although they have a soft spot for Pinot, they also grow a number of other exceptional wines with a range of fruity and bold flavours. At the estate, enjoy a glass at their café with a snack, grazing or long lunch consisting of seasonally produced foods.

EDEN ROAD WINES

In the highlands of Canberra’s wine district, Eden Road Wines in Murrumbateman has been growing and producing award-winning wines such as Riesling, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot noir. Open Thursday to Sunday, visit their cellar door for a one-hour wine tasting with a delicious cheese platter while you soak up the sun and friendly atmosphere.

Spoilt for choice? Merry Heart CBR’s custom private tour itineraries can take you all the way from Murrumbateman, to Lake George and Brindabella Hills, providing the perfect balance between self-exploration and structure. These Canberra wine tour options range from half to full days for visits to 3-6 cellar doors, and include everything from multiple course lunches, cheese pairings, snacks, refrigerated cold drinks and air-conditioned vehicles for you and all your pals.

For more weekend activities, check out these places to eat outside Canberra.