Murrumbateman Winery

Murrumbateman Winery is the first stop of our Murrumbateman Escape.

We have cycled here from our Abode accommodation in town and arrive hot and thirsty. Thankfully the friendly staff, accompanied by Mollie the wine dog, greet and refresh us with some water before we begin our wine tasting in earnest.

This is a boutique winery combining traditional methods with young passion and a little encouragement from the resident wine dog to produce outstanding, award winning cool climate wines. We are seated in the large barnyard style area and start on our tasting tour while Jason reminisces about visiting here as a boy.

The small team attend to everything from care of the vineyard itself to handpicking and foot stomping grapes, entertaining guests at the cellar door and the important task of quality assurance. They live, drink and breathe wine and the passion comes across in the welcome we receive.

Now seated and refreshed, we are ready to sample the 8 wines currently available on the tasing menu.

We begin with the 2018 Riesling which has fresh and clean lemon citrus tasting notes and a crisp, dry finish. A good start. True to the region, many vineyards in the area, make excellent Riesling as well as Shiraz varietals due to the cool climate.

Next is the 2021 Fiano. This is an Italian white grape varietal from the Campania region of southern Italy and island of Sicily. This is the first time I have heard of Fiano. It is a new discovery and I really enjoy the sour bursts and tart acids that are followed by subtle sugars. I detect green apple to begin with but then lose track as the freshness dances on my tongue.

After a little pause to enjoy the Fiano while our host serves another customer we move on to the 2021 Mollie’s Savignon Blanc. This classic varietal has passionfruit flavors and just the right amount of zingy acids on the palette. Not only is this an award winning wine, a portion of proceeds also goes to supporting the RSPCA.

The delightful Savignon Blanc rolls into a 2021 Rescue Rosé, another purchase that will also support the RSPCA. This is my favorite of the tasting. A blend of red and white varietals, the tasting notes indicate finger lime and Turkish delight. What’s not to love?

The winemaker, Bobbie Makin, clearly loves to experiment, challenging the boundaries of cool climate winemaking. As we have arrived late in the day we don’t make it onto the reds. However, this just gives me an excellent excuse to return!

Good To Know

The Murrumbateman Winery cellar door opens for wine tasting, cheese plates, coffee and scones. Best time to visit is Friday to Sunday (and most public holidays) from 10am to 5pm. The vineyard is dog and child friendly. Both outdoor and indoor seating are available.

Murrumbateman Winery is located on the corner of the Barton Highway and McIntosh Circuit, about 3km from Murrumbateman.

Would I Return?

Yes. I can see a cheese platter and an accompanying glass of red. This would be perfect in front of that big fire place on a chilly winter’s afternoon.