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Contending for Wackiest Wine-Based Cocktail of the Year is the brilliantly named Boozla, a buzzy blend of gin, riesling, citrus syrup and soda. The refreshing sharpener is on tap at Nick O’Leary’s lively winery, perched in the picturesque Hall Valley with a bustling cellar door.

The polished concrete floor feels more inner-city than country, which is the perfect excuse to list a slab of seared Jersey-milk cheese from Marrickville’s Goldstreet Dairy, dolled up with compressed apple, fennel and another splash of riesling.

Chorizo and manchego croquettes with punchy pink peppercorn mayonnaise and bread-and-butter pickles are cracking comfort food; crisp-skinned Snowy Mountains trout is topped with a simple scattering of capers and dill.

Meanwhile, duck breast and confit leg, with carrot puree and plum sauce, makes a strong case for exploring more of O’Leary’s Canberra District shiraz. “Who’s driving?”