REVIEW · CANBERRA
Canberra Small Group Winery Tour
Book on Viator →Operated by Daves Tours · Bookable on Viator
Cool-climate Canberra in one smooth day. I love the expert-led tastings across two wineries, and I also really like the extra twist of stopping for a distillery plus sweet treats. One thing to keep in mind: the published timing can look a bit different at first glance, so confirm your exact pickup/start time in your confirmation.
This is built for an intimate feel, with a maximum of 10 people and a real guide keeping the day moving. You’ll ride in an air-conditioned minivan, get live commentary onboard, and get taken behind the scenes at each stop, not just dropped at a door with a list.
In This Review
- Key Highlights You’ll Care About
- BentSpoke Brewery: where Canberra flavor starts (Braddon meeting point)
- The two winery stops: how you get real value from tastings
- A practical pace note
- Lunch plus cheeses and chocolatier sweets: the part that makes it feel like a full day
- Distillery time: spirits tastings that go past the basic pours
- Why the distillery stop is worth it
- Price and logistics: is $161.38 good value for what you get?
- Small group with real guidance: what you get with a max of 10
- Who should book this Canberra small-group winery tour
- Should you book it or skip it?
- FAQ
- Where does the tour meet and end?
- How many people are on the tour?
- What’s included in the cost?
- Is there alcohol, and what’s the minimum age?
- How long is the tour and when does it finish?
- What days does it run?
Key Highlights You’ll Care About
- BentSpoke Brewery start: behind-the-scenes beer making plus samples of local brews
- Two winery tastings: expert guidance focused on the latest vintage and how wine is made
- Distillery finish: spirits tastings that can include vodka, with plenty of local product learning
- One-course lunch with wine: a simple meal that doesn’t eat your whole day
- Sweet treats, cheeses, and more: a local chocolatier stop rounds out the tastings
BentSpoke Brewery: where Canberra flavor starts (Braddon meeting point)
Your day begins at BentSpoke Brewing Co. at 48/38 Mort St, Braddon (ACT 2612). It’s a smart way to start because it gives you a local baseline fast: you’re already in the Canberra scene, not racing off into the countryside before you’ve even gotten a sense of what the region does best.
Before you head out, you’ll get taken behind the scenes to see how beer is made and then taste some hand-crafted local brews. This works even if you’re more of a wine person than a beer person, because you learn the same theme you’ll see later at wineries and a distillery: local producers, careful process, and cool-climate choices.
On top of that, the tour includes snacks and water, plus live commentary onboard. That matters. In a day packed with tastings, the small stuff (water, a snack when you need it, and someone explaining what you’re tasting) keeps things fun instead of fuzzy.
What to bring
- Sturdy closed-toe shoes (you’ll be standing and moving at multiple venues)
- A camera (there are several “see how it’s made” moments)
- A calm attitude about tasting. It’s a sampling day, not a one-drink-and-go day.
You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in Canberra.
The two winery stops: how you get real value from tastings
The heart of the tour is wine, and it’s set up so you don’t just sip and guess. You visit two different wineries, each with expert-led wine tastings. You’re not left to wander a tasting room while figuring out what the terms mean.
At the winery, you can expect:
- A chance to taste the latest vintage
- Time to hear about the wine-making process
- A behind-the-scenes look that connects the glass to the method
Cool-climate wine is a big deal in Canberra, and these kinds of visits help you understand what that means in practice—how the growing season, the style choices, and the production approach show up in what you taste. If you’ve ever liked a wine once and then couldn’t repeat what you liked, this structure is the fix. You’ll taste, you’ll learn, and you’ll start recognizing patterns.
A practical pace note
This is a 7-hour style day, with tasting stops and food built in. That’s a sweet spot for most people. You get variety—beer, wineries, spirits, and sweets—without the kind of travel time that turns the day into a full-time transit job.
The only watch-out is that the order can change slightly depending on venue operations. Start times are described as fixed, but swapping the order of stops can happen. It’s normal, and it usually means you still get the full mix of experiences.
Lunch plus cheeses and chocolatier sweets: the part that makes it feel like a full day
Wine days can sometimes turn into a grazing contest: sip, snack, sip, repeat. This tour does better by putting real food and dessert into the flow.
You’ll enjoy a tasty one-course lunch, and it comes with a glass of wine. A one-course meal keeps things moving, so you don’t end up waiting for service while the rest of the group gets impatient. It also gives you just enough food to make later tastings more enjoyable instead of overwhelming.
After or alongside that, you’ll also sample:
- Cheeses (listed as part of the Canberra regional tasting experience)
- Decadent sweet treats from a local chocolatier
- A spread of different products across the day
This is a big deal for value because it reduces your need to plan extra stops or pay for dessert separately. And honestly, the chocolatier stop is a nice reset after wine and spirits, especially if you’re trying to taste more thoughtfully rather than just collecting flavors.
Distillery time: spirits tastings that go past the basic pours
The final act is a visit to a local distillery, where you learn about making spirits and get to taste more great local product. The focus here is not only on drinking, but on the craft—how the spirit is produced, what makes it different, and how to taste it with intention.
One of the most consistently praised parts of this tour is that the distillery stop can be a pleasant surprise. People have called out enjoying the vodka distillery element, even if they expected to be mainly there for wine.
Why the distillery stop is worth it
If you’re traveling to Canberra and trying to understand why the region gets attention, the distillery stop ties the whole day together. You’re seeing how local creators work with different ingredients, different fermentation or production paths, and different finishing styles—all within one afternoon-to-evening window.
Price and logistics: is $161.38 good value for what you get?
At $161.38 per person, this isn’t a budget-only tour. But it is also not just a couple tastings and a bus ride. Based on what’s included, you’re paying for coordination, expert time, and transport so you can focus on the experience.
Here’s what’s wrapped in:
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan (so you don’t have to drive or arrange rides between venues)
- Live commentary onboard
- Professional/local guidance
- Wine tastings and other tastings (beer and spirits are also part of the day)
- Beverages, including alcoholic beverages
- Behind-the-scenes tours at the venues
- Snacks and water
- Lunch plus wine with the meal
What’s not included is mostly about your own travel setup: there’s no hotel pickup/drop-off. So your best move is to plan on getting yourself to the start point at BentSpoke in Braddon. If you’re staying far from Mort Street, you’ll want to arrange your own way in.
Also, note the age requirement: minimum drinking age is 18. Since the day includes alcoholic tastings and a glass of wine with lunch, this is really designed for adults who want to sample.
One last logistics point that affects your experience: drop-off is around 5:30pm, but it can shift with traffic. Start time is described as fixed, and the drop-off is flexible enough that you should avoid a hard commitment right after.
Small group with real guidance: what you get with a max of 10
A maximum of 10 people is the difference between a guided tasting and a loud line at the bar. With a smaller group, you’re more likely to get your questions answered, and the guide can actually talk with you rather than at you.
The guidance style shows up in how people describe the day with names like Ingrid and Shane—welcoming, funny, accommodating, and strong on commentary. Even if you don’t get either of those exact guides, the pattern matters: the tour is built around explanation, not just serving.
In plain terms, you’ll get more than drinking. You’ll get a thread through the day:
- beer process at BentSpoke
- cool-climate wine thinking at wineries
- craft and tasting approach at the distillery
- sweet and cheese balancing at the end stretch
And because the group is small, if something runs a little late, the guide has enough room to steer the day back toward the promised finish time.
Who should book this Canberra small-group winery tour
You’ll love this tour if you want a day that mixes food + alcohol + hands-on producer stories without having to plan anything beyond getting to the meeting point.
It’s especially a good fit for:
- First-timers in Canberra who want a focused taste of the local scene
- People who like structured tastings (where someone explains what you’re tasting)
- Couples or friends who’d rather ride together with a small group than spend the day in a crowd
- Visitors who appreciate a mix of wineries, a brewery start, a distillery stop, and dessert
It might be less ideal if:
- You’re trying to avoid alcohol. This tour is built around tastings, including wine with lunch.
- You want long, unstructured time at each venue. The day is paced and tasting-focused, so it moves.
Should you book it or skip it?
Book it if you want an easy, well-paced Canberra day that hits multiple local makers—beer, two wineries, a distillery, plus chocolatier sweets—with transport and expert guidance included. The $161.38 price makes more sense when you factor in how many tasting moments and how much food and organization are included.
Skip it only if you’re trying to do the day on a very tight budget, or if you want a slower style of touring where you can wander without any tasting schedule. Otherwise, this is the kind of tour that helps you leave Canberra with more than souvenirs: you’ll have a clearer sense of how the region’s cool-climate wine scene and spirits craft connect.
FAQ
Where does the tour meet and end?
The tour meets at BentSpoke Brewing Co., 48/38 Mort St, Braddon ACT 2612. It ends back at the same meeting point.
How many people are on the tour?
The group is limited to a maximum of 10 travelers.
What’s included in the cost?
The tour includes a local/professional guide, air-conditioned minivan transport, live commentary, behind-the-scenes venue visits, snacks and water, tastings (including wine and other alcoholic beverages), and lunch.
Is there alcohol, and what’s the minimum age?
Yes. The tour includes alcoholic tastings and alcoholic beverages, and the minimum drinking age is 18 years.
How long is the tour and when does it finish?
It runs for about 7 hours. Drop-off is approximately 5:30pm, but it may change slightly due to traffic and other factors.
What days does it run?
It runs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with other days available on request.
