Out on the Barton Highway towards Yass is the little winery hub of Murrumbateman, where you’ll find the cool climate shirazes that this wine region is famous for. Red drinkers will find their spiritual home at Clonakilla Vineyard, which is the place to try their rare and small batch releases before you drop all your hard earned on a case of the really good stuff. Just pack away everything you know about those full bodied, punchy, peppery shirazes from the Barossa – these are not the shiraz you’re used to. Start with the Hilltops shiraz from the core range which is full of dark berry flavours before graduating to the O’Riada shiraz that is heady with spiciness.
They make a shiraz viognier blend, which reads like a hitlist of the perfect red: length, elegance, spice, ripe fruit and a floral perfume. But if you bank account can take it (and if it’s for tasting on your visit), prepare to lose your heart to the syrah, with nose as rich and smooth as velvet and deep earthy flavours that remind you of a Sunday roast followed by a winter fruit pie. Reds like this are one of the best things about winter. Of course if you reds just aren’t for you, that’s A-OK because they also do a barrel-fermented viognier and a zippy riesling.