Social media bloggers Cellar Door Score came for a visit to the Bendigo Wine Region in September and left satisfied, wine in hand and bellies full. This is what they had to say about the Bendigo Wine Region -
"Whilst primarily renowned for its Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, the region offers quite a range of varietals, including some fabulous whites. The cellar doors in the region tend to be smaller in size, often meaning that you will be hosted by either one or more members of the family and/or winemaking team. This makes for not only a very informative experience, but a much more personal and interactive experience. We do note that as many of these working wineries are family run, a large number are only generally open on weekends, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.
One thing that we did notice in this region compared to many others is that a number of the cellar doors showcase the same wine across a number of vintages, enabling you to get a sense of the impact of different weather conditions and cellaring potential of the wines. We personally think this is a fabulous way to help visitors understand and appreciate the wines.
There are a number of great dining options in the region, both at a number of the wineries and in Bendigo itself. We had great lunches at both Balgownie Estate Winery and at Masons of Bendigo and if you do visit Masons, we highly recommend doing the "Roaming Menu", whereby the chef selects a number of dishes for you to showcase the best of what is on offer. Not only was every dish beautifully prepared and presented, but we thought that it was sensational value for the quality of food and service.
Congratulations to Balgownie Estate Bendigo and Sandhurst Ridge who each received a "1 door" award and Killiecrankie who received our "Hidden Gem" award."
For all the details of their visit and the cellar doors visited go to their blog.