From Canberra: Winery, Distillery, & Tasting Tour with Lunch

Canberra’s wine country is at its best when you can sample slowly and let someone else handle the driving. This eight-hour small-group tour combines two boutique wineries with local gin, sweets, lunch, and a drink, giving you more than a simple cellar-door stop.

I like the intimate group size, capped at 10, and the broad mix of tastes. You can move from wine to spirits, chocolate, cupcakes, cakes, or gelato without arranging several separate outings. The main caution is that the exact winery mix and behind-the-scenes access can vary, and one past departure did not include the advertised production tour.

Key points to know

• Two winery visits: Taste local wines at two Canberra Region producers, with around six to eight wines at each stop reported on one departure.
• More than wine: The day also includes a local spirits tasting and a stop for sweets such as chocolate, cakes, cupcakes, or gelato.
• Lunch includes a drink: Enjoy a relaxed meal with wine, craft beer, or cider rather than paying separately for the first drink.
• Small group transport: The group is limited to 10 people and transfers begin at Bentspoke Brewery in central Canberra.
• Guide-led day: Guides have included Colin, Dave, Ben, and Ingrid, with strong praise for the friendly, attentive way the day is run.
• Plan for practical restrictions: Bring a driver’s license and wear closed-toe shoes. The activity is not suitable for pregnant women.

Why this Canberra food and wine day works

I see this as a social tasting day rather than a serious wine course. You will sample several local products, hear from producers, eat lunch, and get a broad sense of the Canberra Region’s food and drink scene without needing to plan a route through the countryside.

That variety is the real selling point. Many wine outings stop at two or three cellar doors and call it a day. Here, you add spirits and sweets, so the pace changes throughout the day. If your group includes one person who prefers gin to wine, or someone who wants a proper dessert stop, that range matters.

The group limit also helps. With no more than 10 participants, you should have a better chance to hear the guide and ask questions than you would on a large coach. It also makes the lunch and tasting stops feel less like crowd management.

The day is not completely fixed in practice. Weather, road conditions, producer schedules, and the operating plan can affect the order or the stops. One departure missed a chocolate factory after heavy rain washed out the road, and another finished about two hours early because of rainy conditions. I would book this for the overall mix, not for one promised sweet shop or one specific winery.

Starting at Bentspoke Brewery in central Canberra

The meeting point is Bentspoke Brewery, a useful central location for an outing that later heads into the wine areas outside Canberra. The tour includes transfers from the meeting point, so you do not need to organize a designated driver for the wine and gin tastings.

Bring your driver’s license, and wear closed-toe shoes. Open-toed shoes are not allowed. That footwear rule points to the practical side of the day: you may enter working production areas, walk around winery facilities, or visit places where sturdy footwear is expected.

The tour lasts eight hours, so allow most of the day. Check the available start time when booking, since the departure hour can change. The guide speaks English, and the group is limited to 10 participants.

Two boutique wineries and a proper look at local wine

The core of the day is the pair of winery visits. Each stop includes a guided tasting from a local supplier, with a chance to learn how the wines are made and how the producer approaches its range.

On one particularly successful departure, the tastings included six to eight wines at each winery. That is a generous amount for a day tour, though the exact number can change. You should expect a sampling session rather than a single token pour.

The winery choices may also vary. Past stops have included Shaw, Four Winds, Murrumbateman Winery, and Eden Road Vineyard. These names suggest a useful mix of established local producers and smaller regional settings, though not every departure will visit all of them.

Murrumbateman Winery was appreciated for its rustic feel and its support for the RSPCA. Eden Road Vineyard was also singled out as a strong stop, with lunch served as part of that visit on one departure. Shaw and Four Winds pleased one wine-focused participant, although that person would have preferred even smaller producers whose bottles were less common in bottle shops.

That is a fair point to consider. If you want rare, hard-to-find labels and very tiny family operations, this tour may not always go far enough in that direction. Some stops can be well-known local names. The benefit is that the wines are likely to be accessible and the tasting easier for beginners who want a clear introduction to Canberra’s wine region.

The production tour needs a little flexibility

A winery production tour is included, with behind-the-scenes access available at selected locations when possible. This can add real value. Tasting wine is one thing, but seeing where the work happens gives the day more substance and helps connect the finished bottle with the people and process behind it.

Still, I would treat this as a possibility rather than a guarantee. One past departure did not receive the advertised production visit. Producer schedules and operating conditions can get in the way, and the tour description itself allows for access only when possible.

If the production visit is important to you, ask about it before departure. If it happens, it is a welcome bonus. If it does not, the day still includes the two tastings, lunch, spirits, and sweets, but the value feels a little lower for someone who booked mainly for the winery access.

Lunch with wine, beer, or cider

Lunch is designed to be relaxed rather than formal. You receive a meal with wine, craft beer, or cider, which makes the middle of the day feel complete rather than like a string of tastings interrupted by a quick snack.

One departure included pizza, and it was described as a good fit for the day. A casual meal also suits the group format. You can sit down, reset between tastings, and take in the regional setting without turning lunch into another rushed appointment.

The included drink improves the $159 price. You are not only paying for transport and tastings, but also for a meal and a beverage. Take-away drinks are not included, however, so any bottles or additional purchases are extra.

Because the exact food offering is not specified, I would not book this expecting a particular menu. Think of lunch as a relaxed regional meal paired with a drink, not a set fine-dining course.

Gin, sweets, and the change of pace

The spirits tasting is a smart addition. After two wine stops, a local gin tasting gives your palate a different direction and shows another part of the area’s drinks trade. The day is not limited to grapes.

The sweets stop adds another useful change. Depending on the schedule, you might taste chocolate, cakes, cupcakes, or gelato. One particularly well-rounded departure included cupcakes after pizza and finished at a distiller. That sequence gives the day a light, easy rhythm.

The chocolate stop is not guaranteed on every route. Heavy rain once made a road impassable, so the group missed the chocolate factory. This is another reason to judge the tour by its full program rather than one individual stop.

I also like this part of the itinerary for mixed groups. A person who is less interested in wine still has spirits, sweets, and lunch to look forward to. That makes the outing easier to recommend to couples or friends with different tastes.

The guide can shape the whole day

The strongest personal praise has gone to the guides. Colin was described as supportive and considerate, while Dave was praised for making the day enjoyable. Ben was especially appreciated for his friendly manner and strong grasp of the local wine stops. Ingrid also led a good outing, including Murrumbateman Winery and Eden Road Vineyard.

Since the guide assigned to your date is not specified, I would not expect one particular person. But the pattern is clear: the guide is important here because this is a moving day with several handoffs between producers.

A good guide keeps the timing under control, explains what you are tasting, and makes a small group feel comfortable. The group size gives the guide room to do that. It also means the day can feel more personal than a large bus excursion.

That said, the guide cannot control every part of the itinerary. Weather, road closures, and a producer’s availability may still shorten or alter the day. A flexible attitude will help.

Is $159 a fair price?

At $159 per person, this is not the cheapest way to sample one winery. It is a reasonable package if you make use of the full day.

The price includes:

• Transfers from central Canberra
• Two boutique winery visits
• Wine tastings at both wineries
• A relaxed lunch
• Wine, craft beer, or cider with lunch
• A winery production tour when available
• A local spirits tasting
• A sweets tasting

If you paid separately for transport, several tasting sessions, lunch, and a drink, the price would add up quickly. The small group also has value, especially for anyone who does not want a large coach or a self-drive day.

The value is less convincing if the itinerary is shortened or a planned stop disappears. One person felt the day needed more for the price, and that is understandable when conditions reduce the number of hours or planned tastings. You should also factor in the cost of any bottles, spirits, sweets, or other drinks you choose to buy, since take-away drinks are not included.

For a full eight-hour departure with both wineries, lunch, spirits, and sweets, I consider the price fair. For a rain-affected day that loses two hours and a major stop, it may feel expensive.

Who should book this tour?

I would recommend it to anyone staying in Canberra who wants a broad regional tasting day without driving. It suits first-time visitors to the local wine country, couples, small friend groups, and people who want more than wine alone.

It is also a good fit for a mixed-interest group. One person can focus on wine, another on gin, and another on sweets. The included lunch keeps the day simple.

Wine specialists may want something more focused. If your priority is visiting only tiny producers, finding rare labels, or getting guaranteed cellar-door access at a particular winery, a private or self-drive plan may serve you better.

Pregnant women should not book this activity, and anyone who cannot wear closed-toe shoes will need another option. The tastings are central to the day, so it is also not ideal if you want only sightseeing with minimal alcohol.

Practical details before you go

Cancellation is free up to three days in advance for a full refund. That is useful when weather may affect regional roads, though you should check the exact terms at booking.

The meeting point is Bentspoke Brewery. Starting times vary, so confirm the departure time rather than assuming a morning start.

Bring a driver’s license and closed-toe shoes. English is the tour language. The group has a maximum of 10 people, and the day runs for eight hours when the full schedule operates.

Do not count on take-away drinks being part of the package. If you want to bring home wine or spirits, plan to buy them separately.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a relaxed, varied day with wine, lunch, gin, sweets, and transport handled for you. The small group and warm guide style are its best features, and the mix gives you a fuller taste of the Canberra Region than a basic two-winery outing.

I would hesitate only if you need a guaranteed production tour, a fixed list of boutique producers, or a tightly timed schedule in poor weather. For everyone else, the tour offers a practical way to sample local food and drink without worrying about the road home. Just bring sturdy shoes, leave room for weather-related changes, and judge the day as a broad tasting experience rather than a specialist wine expedition.

FAQ

Where does the tour meet?

The tour meets at Bentspoke Brewery in central Canberra.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts eight hours. Starting times vary, so check availability for the date you want.

How many people are in the group?

The group is limited to 10 participants.

What is included in the price?

The price includes transfers from the central Canberra meeting point, two boutique winery visits with tastings, lunch with wine, craft beer, or cider, a winery production tour when available, a local spirits tasting, and a local sweets tasting.

What should I bring?

Bring a driver’s license and wear closed-toe shoes. Open-toed shoes are not allowed.

Can pregnant women join the tour?

No. The activity is not suitable for pregnant women.