Four Winds Vineyard

The Four Winds Vineyard is an easy drive from Canberra and yet a world away. We are in the area for a mid-week getaway, however, the proximity to the capital makes this a great day trip destination for a weekend family lunch or date with a difference.

Four Winds began in 1998 with a miner and his wife, Scheherazade, named after the story telling character in The Arabian Nights. The story describes a magic carpet being borne by the four winds of good fortune. And so their farms was named ‘Four Winds’ in the hope it would carry their good fortunes. It seems, now, nearly a quarter of a century later, that the Four Winds continue to carry their fortune forward.

Indeed, we are fortunate also with excellent wood fired pizza and a line up of the great wine to try.

Whites

While we wait for our pizza to be fired, we start on our wine flight. First up we have the 2021 Sparkling Riesling*, a light refreshing citrus toned sparkling with balanced acidity. The 20 years of riesling experience certainly translates into the sparkling variety pretty well.

Next in the white line up we have the 2021 Riesling (non-sparkling) varietal. This is a fresh, aromatic and lively riesling with intense apple and citrus flavours. An excellent riesling for a sunny afternoon. I like this one a lot and would almost be happy to stay with it…but the rest of the flight is waiting.

Luckily our pizza arrives as we move onto the 2021 Shiraz Rosé or I may end up a little giddy. The rosé has bright summer berry fruit aromas, another great wine for a sunny afternoon. Four Winds gently pressed the grapes as whole bunches, minimizing skin contact and color extraction in the wine. The stainless steel tanks kept at cooler temperatures to ferment the juice helps to maintain the fresh, vibrant fruit characters of the end product.

The last of the whites is a 2021 Off-Dry Riesling. A slightly sweeter riesling that still maintains the freshness of apple and citrus flavours, also delivering a hint of floral notes.

Reds

Our pizza fortifies me enough to move onto the reds. First up is a ‘food friendly’ 2020 Mataro. Also known as Mourvèdre, this is a Spanish variety of grapes grown in South Australia. It is medium bodied with lots of dark fruits (plum and cherry) and some herbal notes. Matured in French oak barrels for 8 months it perfectly compliments my margarita pizza.

A 2019 Shiraz Viognier also compliments my pizza but would perhaps do better with a hearty steak. The Shiraz Viognier blend is a classic combination resulting in a more complex and vibrant wine. The warm 2019 season led to medium to full bodied wine with pepper, berries, spice and chocolate flavours. Ten months of old French oak contributes to its aromatic profile.

We’ve warmed up to the 2017 Hard Graft Shiraz. With the pizza gone, I savor the pure joy of this delicious wine. Four Winds produces it from various Shiraz clones. Originally planted in Victoria, the vines were later grafted onto Cabernet to boost Shiraz yields. Late spring frosts caused many initial grafts to fail, earning the name “Hard Graft.” The grapes are hand-picked, aged in premium barrels for about 10 months, and then stored for 12 months before release. This Shiraz is simply wonderful, I’d gladly trade a sunny afternoon to sit by the fire and enjoy it for the rest of the day.

We finish up with a 2019 Fortified Shiraz, made in the style of a vintage Port, this sweet wine is great to finish off an evening or with a cheese platter. A nice way to finish a lazy meal with friends or at the end of a cold day.

Today isn’t cold though and it isn’t finished yet. We take a walk around the vineyard before heading back up the windmill and sheep lined road to town.

Good To Know

Four Winds Vineyard is located to the north of Canberra just east of Murrumbateman, on the corner of Murrumbateman Road and Patemans Lane. The 33 acre vineyard, planted in 1998/99 contains Shiraz, Riesling, Cabernet, Merlot and Sangiovese varietals. The vineyard has since expanded to include another local vineyard, Kyeema Estate and balances its requirements with other grapes as needed.

The cellar door is open weekdays 11am – 4pm and weekends 11am – 5pm. Keep an eye out for special events includes the popular Jazz Festival.

* Note that some of the descriptions have been inspired by the vineyard’s tasting notes.

Would I Return?

Yes. But in the meantime it’s possible to shop online and enjoy free delivery for orders over $150.