Making Capital

The best bottles from the rapidly rising wine district surrounding the Australian capital, Canberra, are compelling to drink and display remarkable elegance and power. Shiraz wines, in particular, lead the pack, with spicy and fragrant characteristics, followed by riesling. A notable producer is Clonakilla, which across the board has been making wines of consistent, outstanding quality. The winery is single-handedly responsible for shaping the modern winemaking face of the Canberra district. Its 2013 vintage shirazviognier blend is well worth seeking out—a stellar edition of the Clonakilla flagship. 98 points