Family-owned Australian touring since 1974 Trusted by 50,000+ travellers
☎ 0409 661 342
FloriadeWine ToursMuseumsParliament HouseAll Canberra Tours Book Now →

Canberra District · Cool-Climate Wine

Murrumbateman
Wine Country

Cool-climate cellar doors on the elevated limestone plains north of the capital — Riesling, Shiraz Viognier, and the kind of small, family-owned estates where the person pouring often made the wine.

Check dates & book See the day → From$199
Region
Canberra District
Base town
Murrumbateman
Duration
Full day
Cellar doors
3–4 estates

The Region

Quietly One of Australia's Best

Murrumbateman sits about 35 minutes north of Canberra, just over the New South Wales border, at the heart of the Canberra District wine region. It's high, cool country — the altitude and continental climate give the wines their signature lift and structure. The district produces some of the country's finest Riesling and its most celebrated Shiraz Viognier, yet the cellar doors stay small, personal and rarely crowded.

Around forty boutique cellar doors dot the district, most of them family-owned. Clonakilla's Shiraz Viognier is among Australia's most admired wines; Helm is a benchmark for Riesling; and estates like Shaw, Four Winds and Eden Road round out a day that's as much about the people as the pours. We drive, you taste — and lunch is a proper sit-down affair among the vines.

How Cooee runs Canberra tours

Cooee Tours arranges Canberra experiences through trusted, professionally accredited local operators. We coordinate your booking, itinerary and support end to end; the day itself is delivered on the ground by our vetted ACT partners. Inclusions, vehicles and guides are confirmed in writing at the time of booking.

On the Tasting Trail

Cellar Doors & Cool-Climate Character

🍇

Shiraz Viognier

The district's signature red — perfumed, medium-bodied and age-worthy. Clonakilla helped make the style famous.

🥂

Benchmark Riesling

Cool nights and clean fruit give the Canberra District some of Australia's most precise, long-lived Rieslings.

👐

Family-Owned Estates

Most cellar doors are small and grower-run — expect unhurried tastings and honest conversation, not a production line.

🍽️

Vineyard Lunch

A long lunch at an estate restaurant, matched to the wines and the season, sits at the centre of the day.

🚐

You Don't Drive

An accredited local driver-guide handles the roads and the routes, so everyone in your group can taste freely.

🎁

Buy at the Door

Take home bottles you won't easily find in stores — we'll make room and keep them cool for the trip back.

Your Day, Step by Step

A Day in the Vines

1

Morning pickup

Collected from central Canberra and out to Murrumbateman, with a scene-setter on the district's history and grapes.

2

First cellar door

An unhurried tasting to start — often a Riesling-focused estate to wake up the palate.

3

Second estate

Into the reds, with the region's celebrated Shiraz Viognier front and centre, and time to buy at the door.

4

Vineyard lunch

A relaxed long lunch among the vines, with local produce matched to the estate's own wines.

5

Afternoon door(s)

One or two more boutique cellar doors — sparkling, fortified or single-vineyard, depending on the day and your group's taste.

6

Return transfer

Back to your Canberra accommodation late afternoon, bottles and all.

Good to Know

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Murrumbateman?
Murrumbateman is a village about 35 minutes' drive north of Canberra, just across the NSW border, at the centre of the Canberra District wine region. Its cellar doors sit on the elevated plains between Canberra and Yass.
How many wineries will we visit?
A typical day takes in three to four boutique cellar doors plus a vineyard lunch — enough to taste the district's range without rushing. Private groups can tailor the exact estates.
Is lunch included?
Yes. A long lunch at a vineyard restaurant is part of the day, with local, seasonal food matched to the region's wines. Let us know of any dietary needs when booking.
Do I need a designated driver?
No — that's the point. An accredited local driver-guide handles all the driving so everyone in your group can taste. You're free to enjoy the day.
Can we buy wine to take home?
Absolutely. Cellar-door purchases are part of the fun, and many of these wines are hard to find elsewhere. We'll keep them stored safely for the trip back to your accommodation.
Can you run a private group?
Yes. We regularly arrange private Murrumbateman tours for couples, celebrations and corporate groups, with the cellar doors and pace built around you. Email or call us to plan it.

Taste the cool-climate capital

Small groups, family-owned cellar doors and a long lunch in the vines. Reserve your Murrumbateman wine day with Cooee Tours.

Check dates & book

Keep Exploring

More Canberra Day Tours

Spring · Seasonal

Floriade Festival

One million spring blooms at Commonwealth Park.

View tour →
National Institutions

Museums & Galleries

War Memorial, National Gallery and the Last Post.

View tour →
Seat of Government

Parliament House

The chambers, the triangle and the flagpole axis.

View tour →
Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, and recognise other peoples and families — including the Ngambri — with a continuing connection to the lands and waters of the ACT and surrounding region. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.