On the weekend of Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd of November, vineyards of the Canberra district came together to present Wine, Roses and All that Jazz – a celebration of the Spring season and local wines.
Across more than twenty venues, gardens were blooming, music was playing and wine fanciers tested and taught their palates at cellar doors from Bungendore to Yass.
Lerida Estate put on a fabulous show with members of As Famous as the Moon setting up in the corner of Café Lerida to treat visitors to an afternoon of fine music above the picturesque landscape of Lake George. As the crowd rolled in to take their positions and peruse the menu, thoughts turned to one thing… wine.
At Lerida, they do Pinot Noir better than most. The Tasting Plate – a board filled with all manner of treats (including the most delicious Victorian marinated fetta you are likely to try) – is well matched to the recommendation of Lerida’s Lake George Pinot Noir. Should you happen to find yourself enjoying such a meal at Lerida, we suggest you upgrade to their utterly delightful Josephine Pinot Noir. It’s a few dollars more, but money well spent given this has cleaned up a number of prizes at national wine shows in recent months.
Meanwhile, up on high overlooking Majura Road, Mount Majura Vineyard was also turning on the charms for the weekend visitors. The gorgeous Rachel Lole (with guitar accompaniment) sang from the verandah – her powerful force only lightly decorated by the musician. Since moving to Sydney, the Canberra songstress has gone from strength-to-strength, and she provided a soulful feeling around the tasting rooms.
Ah, the tasting rooms – always the centre of any cellar door. At Mount Majura Vineyard, tasting the wines makes you feel almost a part of the process. Sipping samples in front of stacked wooden wine barrels is a fabulously immersive experience. If only it wasn’t necessary to drive home!
Wine, Roses and all that Jazz is just another example of the way our local wine industry reaches out to entertain and educate guests to their venues. Be sure to get out one weekend and sample the delights of our district.
