Canberra – a well deserved rise to fame

The Canberra District is a small wine region in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory), with very blurred lines separating it from nearby regions in surrounding New South Wales like Hilltops, Lake George and even Tumbarumba. Partly these regions are conflated because they share similar climate, and are growing from obscurity at a similar time.

Among these regions, the Canberra District has the strongest growth, but it’s still tiny. Official pages cite 30+ wineries, but I think they may be crossing some of the above blurred lines to get that number.

Yet despite the not-quite fledgling status of the region, Canberra has a strong reputation. In fact it’s quickly becoming a very badly kept secret. The reason for Canberra’s growth is quality. There are no big producers here, and the total output would be a small drop in the large vat of Australia’s national production. But the quality and uniqueness of the wines is attracting a lot of attention.

There’s a somewhat useful map at canberrawines.com.au, but I was hoping for something a bit more artistic than a google map overlay.

Continue reading →

Code is dry, I’m thirsty

So this blog is “Code and a glass of wine”, but really there’s not much wine on here. It’s a complaint I hear often from my fans. It’s time to fix this.

One of the things I love doing most is travelling, and one of my favourite types of holiday is a wine holiday. Just in case that term is making you anxious, this is a holiday where you go to a wine region, not a holiday away from wine (that’s not a holiday, it’s a punishment).

The wine world is huge

Over time I’ve visited quite a few wine regions in various countries:

• France – Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Champagne, Alsace
• Australia – Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Canberra, Tasmania, Yarra Valley, Pyrenees
• USA – Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Willamette Valley, Walla Walla
• Argentina – Mendoza

Though it’s a decent list, it’s also only scratching the surface. There are lots of regions and even wine producing countries I’ve never been to, and even in the regions I have been there are many producers and sub-regions still on the to-do list. The more you dive into wine, the more you realise there is left to explore.

The huge and changing range in the wine world is actually the best part, because there’s so much new ground to expand your wine horizons into – you’re never finished. Visiting wine regions is a great way to find something new you love about wine. It’s also a great way to build a diverse collection of interesting wines, and expand the range of wine you’re confident buying back at home.

Continue reading →