Bendigo

Location
 Zone - Central Victoria
State - Victoria

Map Reference
 36 degrees and 45 minutes South
144 degrees and 17 minutes East

Elevation
 250 - 450 metres above sea level

Subregions
 Nil

Introduction
 Gold and grapes were the driving economic forces throughout the nineteenth century following the discovery of gold in 1851. In 1864 there were more than 40 vineyards and by 1880, 216 hectares with over 100 wineries existed.

Phylloxera brought a cruel end to winemaking in 1893, but a shift to fortified wines also played its part in the end of winemaking in the region.

A gap of over 60 years ended when Bendigo pharmacist Stuart Anderson planted vines at Balgownie in 1969, and within five years he had captured the wine drinkers from Melbourne to Sydney with his astounding red wines with colour, character and strength.
Primary Grape Varieties
White
 Chardonnay 50 ha
Riesling 20 ha
Sauvignon Blanc 20 ha
Other 10 ha
Total White 100 ha
Red
 Shiraz 200 ha
Cabernet Sauvignon 120 ha
Merlot 20 ha
Pinot Noir 10 ha
Other 45 ha
Total Red 395 ha
Primary Wine Styles

White Wines
Almost unavoidably Chardonnay leads the white grape plantings, proving again that it can be successfully grown and made in almost any combination of climate and soil in Australia. Worthy Riesling is also produced.

Shiraz
This is the great red wine of the region. The colour is deep, and the wine has finesse in the way the flavours and the texture fill the mouth. Pepper and spice harmonise with mint, but often replaces it, with red berry and black cherry fruit supporting these more exotic flavours.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon also excels in this region. There is a specific character which runs right across Central Victoria which was initially noted 100 years ago by Francois de Castella who recorded that the red wines of the Bendigo region were recognised for a 'faint curious character, resembling sandalwood', at present we use the term mint or eucalyptus flavours to describe this character. Intensity may vary from vintage to vintage or from wine to wine but it is rarely entirely absent.

The wines have enormous depth of colour; a rich texture with plentiful tannins and fruit flavours ranging from more common blackberry, blackcurrant flavours through to faintly tobacco and herbaceous characters. The wines are long lived with excellent cellaring prospects.