Say farewell to summer at the Stomp Festival. Photo: Events Canberra.
It’s harvest time in the Canberra wine region, and with that comes the annual Stomp Festival, hosted by the Canberra District Wine Industry Association (CDWIA).
Kicking off on Friday 17 April, wineries across the region will throw open their gates for a weekend of hands-on experiences, relaxed tastings and behind-the-scenes glimpses into what ends up in your glass.
CDWIA president Fergus McGhie says that while the festival is in its fourth year, harvest is a celebration that the organisation has been marking for decades in the Canberra region.
“It’s always been a celebration of the sights, sounds and flavours of the new vintage, a chance for people to visit the wineries of the Canberra district while we are still making wine, picking fruit and crushing grapes,” Fergus tells Region.
The beauty of the weekend lies in its pick-your-own-adventure approach, with many events free and spread across the district.
Mount Majura Vineyard will host the annual stomping of the grapes. Photo: Stuart Miller Visit Canberra.
At the Mount Majua Vineyard the popular hands-on, or should we say, feets on, grape stomp will take place on Saturday 18 April. Alongside the stomping, there’ll be museum wine masterclasses and live music. It’s promised to be a relaxed way to experience the best of Canberra’s wine region.
For those looking to deepen their understanding, the Canberra Region Visitor Information Centre will host tastings focused on cool-climate varieties, showcasing early-bottled 2026 wines alongside older and museum releases.
The festival also stretches beyond the city itself, spilling into surrounding towns where Fergus says the producers are eager to share their passion, demystifying what can often be seen as a magical art.
Michael Bynon has earned himself a reputation for an accurate nose for wine. Photo: Supplied.
Just down the road in Tarago, Michael Bynon of Corang Estate Wines is prepping his famous nose to host a masterclass that celebrates and educates participants on the wine styles of the district. As one of the few people in Australia to have passed the notoriously difficult Master of Wine Tasting examination and an engaging speaker, Michael is well-placed to bring to life the wonderful world of Canberra region wines.
“The masterclass will be a journey through fine examples of varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay and Shiraz as well as some of the exciting alternate varieties that the region is becoming known for. They will learn why these varieties work so well in our region and gain an insight into what makes the resulting wines so distinctive,” shares Jill Bynon, co-owner of Corang Estate Wines.
At Lake George, Lerida Estate is bringing a German spin to its celebrations with a vertical Riesling tasting that will explore the versatility and ageability of Riesling. It will be accompanied by a spread of German dishes that can be purchased by the plate.
Over at Pankhurst Wines, celebrations are in full swing as the vineyard marks 40 years, with two days of festivities including blind tastings, live music and a Mexican food truck on Sunday.
Not to be left out of the frivolities, Murrumbateman-based winery McKellar Ridge Wines wants you to get your hands dirty (not your feet) by plunging fermenting wines, tasting fermenting juice and learning how to assess wines like a winemaker. It promises it will be a fun and interactive take on what vintage is all about.
It all adds up to a vibrant weekend, one which Fergus says leans into the unique talents of the small producers the Canberra district is bountiful in.
“Canberra’s wineries are all small producers; there are no big company wines here, so the styles are distinctive and interesting with lots of cutting-edge varieties and techniques,” he says.
The Stomp Festival kicks off on Friday (17 February). For the full schedule of events and to make bookings, head to the Canberra Wine District website.
