Cork and Caucus: The Political Series by Capital Wines
This week at Canberra Wine and Spirit Merchants, we had the pleasure of diving into the Political Series from Capital Wines. Known for its distinctive characters and playful labels, this range has evolved from a novelty to a serious contender, showcasing the best of the Canberra region and beyond. With fruit sourced from Canberra, Hilltops, Gundagai, and Tumbarumba, and crafted by talented winemakers Alex McKay and Greg Gallagher, these wines offer quality at great prices. Here’s a closer look at the wines we sampled:
Sauvignon Blanc 2021 “The Swinger” - $23.95
Made from Hilltops fruit by Alex McKay, this Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and crisp. Pale lemon in color, it has a perfumed nose with herbaceous complexity that makes it a delightful, invigorating wine.
Chardonnay 2022 “The Senator” - $23.95
Sourced from Tumbarumba and made by Alex McKay, this Chardonnay is textured and creamy, with layers of stone fruit and a long, lingering finish. It’s a beautifully balanced wine that delivers both richness and elegance.
Tempranillo 2022 “The Ambassador” - $31.95
Gundagai fruit crafted by Alex McKay, this Tempranillo is rich and silky. Deep garnet in color, it features flavors and aromas of earthy mulberry and spiced dark fruits, making it a luxurious and satisfying choice.
Shiraz Viognier 2022 “The Leader of the House” - $31.95
A blend of Canberra and Gundagai fruit, made by Alex McKay. This ruby red wine showcases the Viognier supporting the Shiraz beautifully. In this cool year, it delivers black cherry flavors, lush texture, and balanced tannins.
Cabernet Merlot 2019 “The Lobbyist” - $31.95
With fruit from Canberra and Gundagai, made by Nick Connaughton, this Cabernet Merlot is from an excellent year for ripening Cabernet. It’s a multilayered and generous wine, showcasing flavors and perfumes of blackcurrant, cherries, and plums.
Late Picked Viognier 2022 “The Treasury” - 375ml - $17.95
This dessert wine, made by Alex McKay from Canberra fruit, is golden in color with an elegant sweetness balanced by fresh citrus acidity. It’s a refined and delightful treat.
About Capital Wines
Capital Wines has carved out a unique niche in the Australian wine scene with its Political Series, which features 13 wines each represented by a playful caricature. These wines not only capture the fun and quirky side of winemaking but also demonstrate serious craftsmanship and quality. The Political Series has grown into a solid range that represents the diverse terroir of the Canberra region and its surrounding areas.
A Taste of Quality and Character
Our tasting of Capital Wines’ Political Series was a delightful exploration of wines that balance personality with quality. Each wine in the series brings something unique to the table, from the fresh and herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc to the rich and luxurious Tempranillo. These wines are not only well-crafted but also offer great value, making them an excellent choice for both casual enjoyment and special occasions.
Join us at Canberra Wine and Spirit Merchants for more tasting adventures as we continue to explore the best wines from our region and beyond. Cheers to great wine and good company!
The role of the Lobbyist is to influence, advocate and lobby for political outcomes and deliver results for their clients, members and community. Like the lobbyist, a winemaker brings together the grapes, the soil and the climate to deliver a wine to be enjoyed by the consumer.
Made from the cool climate fruit the Jeir Station Vineyard, this wine blends together Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This wine shows perfumed flavours of berries and blackcurrent from the Cabernet Sauvignon and cherries and raspberry from the Merlot.
The Leader of the House demonstrates stature and standing in the parliament so to does Shiraz Viognier which is seen as a leader and flagship red wine in this region.
The Ambassador is a diplomat with authority to represent the Head of State. What better foreign wine ambassador than tempranillo.
The Kyeema estate vineyard was the main source of fruit, supplemented by grape purchases mainly from the Canberra District. In 2019, the vineyard was sold. In early 2020 the Capital wines brand, business and cellar door was purchased by Bill and Maria Mason and Colin and Kay Andrews.
Bill Mason has extensive experience in the wine industry and owns Regional Wine and Beverage Merchants, a Canberra based distribution business that services the National Capital and Southern NSW. Bill and Maria and their family also owns Kosciuszko Wines from Tumbarumba. Colin and Kay Andrews own Jeir Station a historic property half way between Hall and Murrumbateman with an excellent vineyard located in the heart of the Canberra Wine District. Colin and Kay also own the Jirra wine range.
Like the Senator, this wine is elegant and stylish with a touch of complexity. It is a textured wine that has layers of stone fruit flavours, peach from the chardonnay. It displays the creaminess and buttery flavours from the chardonnay and the silky lush texture of viognier with subtle apricot flavours. Made from the cool climate fruit from the Jeir Station Vineyard, this is a delicate wine with a lingering finish.