Canberra produces some of the best Shiraz in the country, yet it’s missing from many local wine lists. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
International wine writer Tony Park visited Canberra recently and was disappointed to find that local wines make up a very small percentage of Canberra wine lists.
In Australia’s Wine Business Magazine (AWBM), he noted that as an international visitor from the UK, he’s not particularly interested in European wines he can get at home (probably much cheaper) and singled out Canberra, among other Australian regions, as noticeably less self-promotional when it comes to wine.
So why isn’t Canberra showcasing local wines on restaurant menus?
Local second-generation winemaker Tim Kirk from Clonakilla told Region that he’s noticed other Australian wine regions are much better at promoting their local drops.
“When I travel elsewhere in Australia, there’s a palpable pride in their local industry … I think it comes down to brand strength. Places like the Barossa have had an industry in place for closer to 200 or 250 years. Canberra is a younger region: we’re still only 55 years old, so building that momentum and brand recognition can take decades,” Tim said.
“But I think we’ve made significant strides in that regard. People are recognising that our wines are high quality and celebrated.”
Some confusion for visitors may stem from the fact that what counts as a ‘Canberra’ wine can be a bit, er, fluid.
Technically, the only grapes grown within the confines of the ACT are from Mount Majura, but there’s plenty more in the surrounding region that we claim as our own.
Wines that would fall under the banner ‘Canberra Region wine’ might be listed on a menu as Murrumbateman, Tumbarumba, Hall or Collector – all with the label ‘NSW’. If you’re not familiar with the areas surrounding Canberra – and many interstate or international visitors won’t be – you wouldn’t know that they’re local unless told.
As Tony Park wrote, there’s a lot to celebrate about our local wines: “Given the amazing quality of Canberra wines, I am really dumbfounded why there isn’t more pride in showcasing what is on your doorstep. In addition, having spent three days going in and out of cellar doors, the value for money is nuts.
“If I lived here, I would have a fridge full of the stuff.”
Local wines win national awards: so why aren’t we drinking them? Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Local wine advocate Emma Shaw runs Canberra Cellar Door, works for Collector Wines and is a local wine consultant. She says that it’s not about the quality of Canberra wine, but the perception.
“Over the last three years at the Melbourne Wine Show – the biggest wine show in Australia – there has been a Canberra Shiraz on the judging bench competing for the trophy of best red wine in Australia,” she told Region.
“The Canberra region has world-class wines.”
Internationally, Canberra Riesling and Shiraz are on the wine lists at restaurants in Singapore, Korea, China, New Zealand, the UK and the US. Perhaps it’s a case of not valuing what’s right under your nose. But it seems like a missed opportunity when Canberra venues – especially those that otherwise champion local produce – neglect local wines from their lists.
One iconic Canberra restaurant (that won’t be named but will certainly know who it is) serves multiple wines from the tiny island of Sardinia, but it seems they couldn’t find space on the list for a single local wine. It seems a wasted opportunity that they’re not providing a Canberra experience.
By contrast, Capitol Bar & Grill’s wine list has a dedicated section for local wines, complete with a mud map of the region drawn by Linear Wine’s Nathan Brown. Tim Kirk also praised Italian & Sons, the Boat House, EightySix and Grazing at Gundaroo for their support of local wines.
Emma points out that nobody expects every venue to serve only Canberra wines, but says there are ways to write a wine list that can fulfil the vision of the venue while still finding space to support local winemakers.
“The quality is there, the wines are out there. It requires a bit more thought and curation, but it’s well worth the effort.”
For example, Such and Such’s wine list of low-intervention wines takes you all over the world, but their house white – Mansion Blanc – is made locally by up-and-comer Angus Raddon of Vino Friendo, proving that it is still possible to champion local producers while providing a niche wine experience that matches the ethos and maintains the unique quality of your venue.
A thriving local wine scene is surely beneficial to everyone. After all, cellar door tourism is a huge industry, and as the local hospitality scene has grown, there are more people visiting from interstate for a Canberra experience. Cellar door visitors eat at local restaurants, and local restaurants can serve local wines and recommend local cellar doors.
It’s a win-win.
What Canberra venue serves your favourite Canberra wine? Let us know in the comments.
