With the countdown underway to the lockdown that ends in ACT, Shaw Wines director Tanya Olinder says Murrumbateman is ready for us.
“We have a brand new basement door and a very large building. We can have 64 people in our main room. Then we have a private wine club member’s room and we can have 15 in there,” Olinder said.
“Outside, we can have twice as many as inside, so we are actually allowed to have more people than we have chairs and tables.”
With ‘Freedom Day’ in NSW on Monday, the wine region Murrumbateman has got ready to come visitors.
But one question still remains.
“We do not know when Canberra will open up to us,” Olinder said.
As the ACT lockdown ends in less than a week, Canberran’s thirsty.
While the plan had been to cancel home bookings for travelers to NSW when the state reached its 80 per cent, a new premiere and a new roadmap have put the future in doubt.
On Friday, NSW cross-border commissioner James McTavish said whether Canberra residents would be allowed to travel within the regional bubble for unimportant reasons next weekend was still being determined. He said a statement would likely be published mid-week.
Shaw Wines director Tanya Olinder says the region expects a summer to compete with last year’s record volumes. Photo: Elesa Kurtz
In Murrumbateman, Mrs Olinder expected a steady stream of visitors from Monday, ahead of a rush they expect over the summer.
“We’re all ready to go. We have all the new wines we just released this week, including our first sparkling wine in three years,” she said.
“We’re all excited, but no one here can try it!”
Just down the road, Eden Road Wine’s basement door manager Guillermo Moreno Torres has begun preparing tastings from next week.
“We open the basement door on Wednesday the 13thth, almost silent, you know? Then we want Canberra to come and visit us when you are out of the lockdown, ”he said.
The Argentine native said he was humbled by the shock the Australians showed to the local wine industry last summer. He expected 2021 to be no different.
“It was incredible, you know? It was so beautiful to see,” Mr Moreno Torres said.
“To see people come to the cellar door and tell me, ‘This is the first time in the wine region of Canberra, I did not know it was so delicious’.
“Australians are discovering their backyard and they love it!”
Murrumbateman Winery owner and winemaker Bobbie Makin said only time would tell how the vaccine passport plan plays out. Photo: Elesa Kurtz
Murrumbateman Winery owner and winemaker Bobbie Makin said the plan was to ease in reopening next week by continuing its bottle shop service.
He said the winery’s sit-down tastings and food offerings would be back the following weekend, with live music to follow.
Sir. Makin said that while vaccine passports and changes to the reopening rules had initially created some anxiety, hot weather over the weekend had bought a changed stance.
“I’m a little excited about just starting up again, I think,” Mr Makin said.
“We’re going to plan things closer to the 90 percent vaccination rate and then start putting on live music and dinner nights and opportunities for people to have a really good sit-down experience.”
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