The drive along the shore of Lake George is one of Canberra’s most scenic routes – the hills rising up on one side and the land dipping away from you on the other out over the water to the distant wind turbines on the far hills. And perched along this beautiful stretch of the Federal Highway is also one of the region’s top wineries. Lerida Estate should be at the top of the list for any wine tour of the Canberra region, and not just because they have a café on site that opens daily. Prime your belly with a panino, quiche, cheese or charcuterie plate before getting stuck into the wine tastings. They are amazingly productive here, with only eight hectares of vineyard providing them with the pinot noir grapes for which they are most famous, as well as chardonnay, viognier, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and shiraz.
Their rosés are extremely popular and can sell out, so if you can get your hands on a bottle of the pinot noir rosé that has sweet wild strawberries on the nose and a moreish savoury finish, stock up. They have a deft touch with blends – the Amara is a textural white blend of pinot gris, viognier and chardonnay and the Gerigianus is a light drinker cloaked in dark fruits – but their medal winners are the elegant pinot noirs and cool climate shiraz. These are the kind of wines you want to buy now and lay down for a few years because forward planning never tasted so good. The winery has recently changed hands and the new owner has vowed to expand operations while retaining the previous owner on board as a consultant.