THE ROOTS OF SUCCESS

Having planted his first vineyard as a hobby – more than forty-five years ago, alongside his wife Pam – Vine’s passion has cultivated into a thriving family business, having undertaken its first vintage back in 1980. Almost half a century on, and Vine’s team is dedicated to showcasing the most iconic wines from Bendigo’s gold-bearing soils. “The Bendigo Winegrowers Association is a group of more than twenty wineries working together to promote the region and introduce customers to the rich, ripe reds and elegant whites produced in the region,” he explains.

Positioned completely inland within the zone of
Central Victoria, Vine explains that the Bendigo
wine region encompasses a Mediterranean climate; think warm, dry summers, with mild wet winters. As such, the region’s climate has a direct flow-on effect to its soil, and therefore, the wine it produces. Vine notes that the majority of Bendigo’s soils are described as “sandy gravel, volcanic basalt or clay loams, mostly over clay subsoils”, and is “perfectly suited for the shiraz and cabernet that the region is renowned for”. With the knowledge of its Mediterranean climate, the region is also making way and carving an “exciting reputation for Mediterranean-style wines such as sangiovese, nebbiolo and monastrell”.

grape-growing through history 

Dubbed “nearly as old as Bendigo itself”, the tradition of wine grape-growing dates back to the 1800’s. Encompassing an extensive knowledge of history, Vine details that once the easily accessible gold ran out in Bendigo, viticulture was something the general labour force “who [already] knew hard work and the area” could easily turn to. “But the threat of phylloxera in late 1893, at the Emu Creek Vineyard of Frederick Grosse, marked the beginning of the demise of the original wine industry in the Bendigo district,” he further explains.

And Bendigo’s return to glory? “The resurgence of the wine industry in Bendigo is traced back to the planting of Connor Park, Balgownie Estate and Byronsvale Vineyards in the late 1960s,” Vine explains – with the results of this resurgence speaking volumes today. “Bendigo’s new wave of winemakers are winning attention with their elegant reds and stylish whites.”

When thinking of the Bendigo wine region, chances are a classic shiraz, with its full-bodied palate, comes to mind, especially given that plantings of red grape varieties predominate over white in this region. “The cool climate classic Bendigo shiraz is vibrant and lifted, and is quite distinguishable from other shiraz-producing regions,” Vine notes. While shiraz is always a crowd favourite, Bendigo also produces a range of other elegant, long-lived varieties. “The winemakers are introducing new styles and flavours which are exciting and different, while still focusing on artisan, handcrafted methods to winemaking.” If you’re visiting the region’s cooler
areas, “the classic chardonnay and pinot noir varieties produce exemplary sparkling and table
wine”, meanwhile, riesling and sauvignon blanc
come into frame – and get poured into glass – as
the temperature increases.

THE ERA OF EXPERIMENTATION

Encompassing more than twenty impressive wineries throughout the region, Vine notes that
in Bendigo, there is “a story around every bend”.
Dubbed an era of “real experimentation, as horizons expand and options grow exponentially”, so too does the spectrum of cuisine that people are willing to try. “I think the influence of Mediterranean wines we’re seeing in Australia will only continue. We’ve seen an explosion of new wine styles in the Bendigo wine region, such as monastrell, sangiovese, tempranillo, rousanne, mousanne and fiano.” If, much like many other wine-drinkers and Bendigo locals, your tastebuds favour a red wine
such as shiraz, you’d be in luck. “Some of the local winemakers have added to the staple shiraz with exotic drops like the Spanish tempranillo. Think aromas of chocolate, raspberry and leafy tobacco, with a palate of earthy red berry and cherry,” Vine illustrates.