Australia

Canberra District

Cool-climate high country around Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory and southern New South Wales, ringed by the Brindabella ranges and the Bungendore plain.

Cool and continental with strong diurnal range; long sunny days and cold nights preserve acidity and perfume.

Canberra District is Australia's most romantic success story: a small, cool region that in the 1990s produced a wine - Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier - that rewrote what Australian Shiraz could be.

One of Australia's highest and coolest regions, it grows the continent's most perfumed Shiraz.

For the buyer, Canberra offers RhĂ´ne-inspired reds at a fraction of CĂ´te-RĂ´tie prices.

Terroir & Soil

Granite-derived soils over sandstone; cool nights preserve a bright, focused acidity.

What to Expect from the Wines

  • · Cool-climate Shiraz is the flagship - fragrant, spicy and peppery, closer in spirit to CĂ´te-RĂ´tie than to Barossa fruit bombs.
  • · Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier - co-fermented with a splash of Viognier - set the modern benchmark and put the region on the map.
  • · Riesling from cooler sites is superb, and the region's diurnal swing gives reds lift and perfume.

Remarkable Bottles from Canberra District

All wines →
red

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier

Canberra District · 2024 (representative vintage)

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier is an red wine from Australia, in the Canberra District region (Cool-climate high country around Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory and southern New South Wales, ringed by the Brindabella ranges and the Bungendore plain.), made principally from Shiraz. Australia's most famous cool-climate Shiraz, co-fermented with a splash of Viognier in true CĂ´te-RĂ´tie fashion.

$90–$140 est. retail

red

Canberra District Shiraz

Canberra District · 2024 (representative vintage)

Canberra District Shiraz is an red wine from Australia, in the Canberra District region (Cool-climate high country around Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory and southern New South Wales, ringed by the Brindabella ranges and the Bungendore plain.), made principally from Shiraz. a house-style Canberra District shiraz that showcases the grape in this region.

$14–$34 est. retail

white

Canberra District Viognier

Canberra District · 2024 (representative vintage)

Canberra District Viognier is an white wine from Australia, in the Canberra District region (Cool-climate high country around Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory and southern New South Wales, ringed by the Brindabella ranges and the Bungendore plain.), made principally from Viognier. a house-style Canberra District viognier that showcases the grape in this region.

$12–$28 est. retail

red

Canberra District Shiraz Riserva

Canberra District · 2024 (representative vintage)

Canberra District Shiraz Riserva is an red wine from Australia, in the Canberra District region (Cool-climate high country around Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory and southern New South Wales, ringed by the Brindabella ranges and the Bungendore plain.), made principally from Shiraz. a reserve-tier Canberra District shiraz that represents the region's premium bottled expression.

$45–$90 est. retail

Food Pairing

  • · Canberra Shiraz with roast lamb, wood-fired pizza and aged hard cheese.
  • · The pepper and perfume lift nose-to-tail pork and grilled sausages.
  • · Riesling with oysters and Southeast Asian cuisine.

Buying from Canberra District

  • › Clonakilla is the collector's benchmark; seek out its single-vineyard o'Riada cuvĂ©e.
  • › Other top names include Collector, Lerida Estate and Mount Majura.
  • › Cool vintages reward patient cellaring.