DO you love a good drop? Looking for something different to experience in central Victoria?
Take a trip to one of the region’s many wineries and breweries and enjoy a day of fresh, flavourful wines and beers.
You may also have the opportunity of speaking with passionate makers and growers, and taking tours of beautiful vineyards.
If you know of a winery or brewery that we missed off our list, please email: addynews@fairfaxmedia.com.au or phone us on 5434 4470.
Picture: BENDIGO ADVERTISER
CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO
BENDIGO
Killiecrankie
- Where: 103 Soldier Settlement Road, Ravenswood
- Open: Weekends (and most public holidays) 11am-6pm
- Grapes sourced from Bendigo and Heathcote wine regions, hand plunged ferments, basket pressing
- Contact: 0447 733 599
Glenwillow Wines
- Where: 146 Midland Highway, Epsom
- Open: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm
- Award winning wines, artwork by local printmakers, handmade jewellery, Australian opals
- Contact: 0428 461 076
Balgownie Estate
- Where: 46 Hermitage Road, Maiden Gully
- Open: Daily, 11am-5pm
- Retreat and restaurant, picturesque views, accomodation, boutique vineyards
- Contact: 5449 6222
Brookes
- Where: Mayfair Park, McDowalls Road, Bendigo East
- Open: Every Friday, 3pm-6pm
- Take away sales only, freshness and flavour, best ingredients creating malty beers
- Contact: Melissa 0408 594 733 or info@brookesbeer.com.au
True Brew
- Where: 97 Beischer Street, Bendigo East
- Open: Tuesday-Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday 9am-3pm
- Owned and operated by brothers Lachy and Cam Poyser, known for True Brew Ginger Beer - contains no added chemicals or preservatives and is not pasteurised in any way.
- Contact: 5442 9432 or lachy@truebrewbendigo.com.au
Picture: DARREN HOWE
MANDURANG
Chateau Dore Winery
- Where: 303 Mandurang Road, Mandurang
- Location sought after for functions and events, outside and inside
- Contact: 5439 5278
Mandurang Valley Wines
- Where: 77 Fadersons Lane, Mandurang
- Open: Weekends, 11am-5pm
- Home grown, hand picked, concentrated fruit flavours, lunches, barbecue available on request
LynneVale Estate Winery
- Where: 83 Cahills Road, Mandurang
- Open: For tasting Saturday and Sundays
- 2003 LynneVale Estate Cabernet Shiraz won the first of many gold medals for the winery, hot summer days and cool summer nights allow fruits to develop for best wines
- Contact: 03 5439 36350428 633 198
MARONG
Sandhurst Ridge
- Where: 156 Forest Drive, Marong
- Open: Open daily (except Christmas Day and Good Friday), 11am-5pm
- Informative conversation from wine growers who reside on the estate
- Contact: 5435 2534
HEATHCOTE
Palling Bros Brewery
- Where: 168 High Street, Heathcote
- Open: Monday-Wednesday midday-8pm, Thursday-Sunday midday-10pm
- Independent craft brewery
- Contact: 0427 848 073 or brewery@pallingbros.beer / kitchen@pallingbros.beer
MT ALEXANDER SHIRE
HARCOURT
Harcourt Perry & Cider Makers
- Where: 8795 Midland Highway, Barkers Creek
- Open: Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 10am-6pm
- Started in 1991, for over 150 years Harcourt has been producing Apples and Pears grown in granite soils
- Contact: 5474 2483
PIONEER: Harcourt cider maker Drew Henry. He and his family's hard work at Henry of Harcourt has led to multiple award winning ciders. Picture: BENDIGO ADVERTISER
Mount Alexander Winery
- Where: 410 Harcourt-Sutton Grange Road, Sutton Grange
- Open: Weekends and public holidays by appointment
- Planted in sandy granite soils, designed to maximise quality and allow strong fruit characteristics reflected in wine, hand pruned fruit, hand picked
- Contact: 0413 181 248 or 0438 559 266
Bress
- Where: 3894 Harmony Way, Harcourt
- Open: Friday to Sunday, 11am-5pm
- Inspired by mixed faring enterprises of France and Italy
- Contact: 5474 2262 or bress@bress.com.au
Blackjack Wines
- Where: Harmony Way, Harcourt
- Open: Weekends and most public holidays, 11am-5pm
- Blackjack Shiraz was first released in 1994 and won Best Shiraz at Royal Melbourne Wine Show twice, quality producer
- Contact: 5474 2355
CASTLEMAINE
Shedshaker Brewing
- Where: The Mill Precinct, Castlemaine
- Open: Tuesday-Wednesday 2pm-8pm, Thursday 2pm-10pm, Friday 2pm-10pm, Saturday midday-11pm, Sunday midday-9pm
- Commitment to making tasty beverages
- Contact: 0425 323 005
WELSHMANS REEF
Welshmans Reef Vineyard
- Where: Maldon-Newstead Road, Welshmans Reef
- Open: Open weekends 10am-5pm
- Elegant, fine wines, quality wine, belief that wine is for enjoying with friends and family, small batch winemaking, handmade
- Contact: 5476 2733
BENDIGO'S BEST: Tamara Edwards-Smith at the Wine Bank on View. Picture: DARREN HOWE
LODDON SHIRE
BRIDGEWATER
Water Wheel Vineyards
- Where: Lyndhurst Street, Bridgewater on Loddon
- Open: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, weekends midday-4pm. July to October closed Sundays
- Producing rich red wines and refreshing whites since 1974, grapes from vineyards around Bridgewater
- Contact: 5437 3060 or info@waterwheelwine.com
MACEDON RANGES
Woodend
Holgate Brewhouse
- Where: 79 High Street, Woodend
- Contact: 5427 3522 or 0499 595 559
- Bold balanced beers, brewery, brew-pub and tourism
CAMPASPE SHIRE
ECHUCA
St Anne’s Winery
- Where: 53 Murray Esplanade, Echuca
- Contact: 5480 6955
- Award winning wines, delicate, crisp whites, full bodied reds
Cape Horn Vineyard & Riverside Bar
- Where: 489 Stewarts Bridge Road, Echuca
- Open: Open daily during school hours
- Richly flavoured wine, cooked to order pizzas
- Contact: 5480 6013 or info@capehornvineyard.com.au
The Carriages Vineyard
- Where: 549 Kotta Road, Echuca
- Open: Available by appointment
- Careful blend of technology and tradition to create perfect wines
- Contact: 5483 7767
Bendigo on the hop. Picture: BENDIGO ADVERTISER
TOOLLEEN
Tellurian Wines
- Where: 408 Tranter Road, Toolleen
- Open: Every weekend, 11am-4.30pm
- Heathcote’s 500 million year old red Cambrian soils grow the grapes, reflects the love of the ancient land
- Contact: 0431 004 766
Heathcote II
- Where: 290 Cornella-Toolleen Road, Toolleen
- Open: Weekends 11am-5pm
- Premium red wines, hand pruning vines, grapes grown only from property in Toolleen, oldest vines average age of 20 years
- Contact: 5433 6292
KOYUGA
Cornelia Creek Wines
- Where: 1557 Odea Road, Koyuga
- Open: Weekends and public holidays 11am-5pm
- Cellar door overlooks main vineyard, plantings are on grafted rootstock, vines are spur pruned by hand
- Contact: 5859 2211
CORNELLA
Shiraz Republic
- Where: 507 Hamblin Road, Cornella
- Open: Open 7 days, 10am-6pm
- Award winning cellar door, 25-acre shiraz vineyard, innovative and interesting
- Contact: 5433 6338
CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS
AMHERST
Amherst Winery
- Where: 285 Talbot-Avoca Road, Amherst
- Open: Weekends and public holidays, 11am-5pm
- Small batch winemaking, elegant, hand crafted wines, achieved a 5-star winery rating in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion
- Contact: 0400 380 382
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