GOODWILL CANBERRA CALLING
Each year, we visit a particular Wine Region, to meet the winemakers, visit their Cellar Doors, meet their people. Last month, we visited the Canberra and Hilltops Regions. Over the years, the format for these visits has been refined. It starts with identifying the Regions particular white wine and red wine strengths and specialisations. In the Canberra Region's case, it was Riesling and Shiraz/Viognier. Next, we select an agreeable Restaurant, in this case, Kurt and Tanya's Grazing Restaurant in the historic Royal Hotel at Gundaroo, and ask then to create a prix fixe Entrée and Main Course likely to complement crisp, dry Rieslings and medium bodied Shiraz/Viogniers. We guarantee a minimum number of diners and pay for the food in advance. Then we invite a cross section of the local winemakers, the Competition's regular entrants in particular, offer details of the Menu and suggest they bring a bottle of white wine and red wine they feel will complement the two dishes.

This arrangement allows us to meet the winemakers in convivial circumstances on a weekday when they and the Restaurant are not so busy and free to visit their Cellar Doors on the Saturday, when they are all open, sans the straight jacket of fixed appointments. Like the arrangements for the judging of the Competition itself, it takes time to tweak the logistics for these Regional visits. We took two of our most experienced Stewards with us to Canberra, essential for such a logistically challenging exercise. Some photography follows. (Next time we will take our photographer, too!)

Summer approaches, a time for seafood and crisp, dry Canberra Rieslings. Anyone who has overlooked Canberra Region's Rieslings in the past is in for a marvellous surprise. You will have the opportunity to experience one of the best at the Judges' Farewell Dinner. And the Shiraz/Viogniers? After all, Canberra is the Capital - the Capital for Shiraz Viogniers. Excellence, excellence - especially when Hilltops Shiraz, which is embraced as the northern arm of the Canberra Region, adds its strength to the blend.

Images from the visit