Liquid gold

When it comes to a bountiful wine harvest, Australia is blessed with riches from coast to coast. But while regions like the Margaret River, Hunter Valley or the Barossa Valley might be the ones to spring to mind, there are many others for the wine savvy or just plain curious to explore.

Victoria’s Heathcote is just such a region. Perhaps not as well-known as some of the big-ticket wine regions, Heathcote is just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne and 30 minutes from Bendigo and is home to 60 vineyards and more than 30 boutique cellar doors, where you will find passionate wine makers and their five-star wines.

The historic town at the foot of Mount McIvor and McHarg Ranges was once known for its gold but these days it has a reputation for its world class shiraz that frequently wins gold medals.

It’s also gaining a reputation for other wine varietals including sangiovese, viognier, vermentino and tempranillo, thanks to the rich Cambrian soils and unique microclimate.

But it’s often a case of so many wineries and too little time – so how do you decide where to start? The Heathcote Wine Hub located in the restored 1859 Presbyterian church in High Street, is ideal.

Toby Burrows and Kate Candlish, stock 200 local drops and have 17 varieties open for tasting for a $5 fee which is waived if you make a purchase.

Burrows, who loves talking wine, says it’s a great way for visitors to learn about what’s available in the area and plan their stay.

“We provide a casual experience with serious wines – it’s a large region with lots of diversity and that’s what attracts wine lovers to the area,” says Burrows.

“There is a lot of creativity among wine producers and we don’t want people to be overwhelmed,” he says.

“The wine makers are very approachable and love sharing their knowledge.”

India Munari, a former Wine Ambassador for Pernod Ricard Winemakers, is one of the upcoming wine makers along with parents Adrian and Deborah Munari, who took over the winery in the foothills of the Mount Ida Range in 1992.

Expect to be greeted by a loveable black labrador, Panther, at the cute cellar door that once saw duties as old stables. You can taste test the award-winning wines at polished antique tables or cosy couches, the wine labels inspired by old Italian postage stamps.

The winery’s new Cafe Gallio is named after their hometown in Italy near Asiago in the Veneto region of Italy. Nibble on a charcuterie platter starring regional produce while overlooking the vineyards and a 130-year-old Bunya pine tree. Meats from Castlemaine’s Oakwood Butcher and cheeses including a traditional Italian Pecorino and local condiments from the Heathcote Artisan are all featured. 

One of the newest cellar doors is Wren Wines, opened by Michael Wren, once known as the ‘fly-in winemaker’ for Esporao, one of Portugal’s best wine producers. He’s also done vintages in the US’s Napa Valley and Australia’s Yarra Valley, Nagambie and Mudgee. 

Michael and partner Barbara were attracted to Heathcote because of the rich soil, unique climate and temperature which he says is near perfect for winemaking.

The expansive cellar door features antique tables and chairs imported from France, creating the perfect environment from which to sample Wren’s latest offerings.

Named after the abandoned mine on the eastern hillside, Silver Spoon Estate, is where former geologist Peter Young and wife Tracie made a tree change from corporate life.

They have created an ‘off-grid’ winery, specialising in Rhone Valley and Spanish grape varieties, and their stunning new cellar door and restaurant are powered by solar panels and lithium iron batteries.

“We use old world wine making techniques in an off-grid winery and love sharing wine knowledge,” Tracie says.  

Always wanted to do some grape stomping – you can at Shiraz Republic, a small family-run vineyard, winery and brewery. The grape stomping is part of the Rent a Row program where you can actually buy a row of vines and be involved in everything from stomping to bottling. It is also home to the Cornella Brewery which is based at Cornella’s former post office building – now a centre for merriment and relaxation where live music can also be enjoyed most weekends. 

When it comes to dining, Chauncy restaurant, located in a beautifully restored heritage-listed sandstone building, once the office of the Heathcote’s first surveyor, Philip Chauncy, is impressive and innovative.

French born Louis Naepels creates dishes using regional produce and partner Tess Murray certainly knows her wines – local and international.

Fabulous zucchini flower and goat curd, chicken liver parfait and pickled shallots, tomato and ricotta ravioli and Duck a la orange with beetroot and cherries and the chocolate mousse star on the menu du jour.

Then, for the perfect accommodation accompaniment, The Cellars at Heathcote II is hard to beat. It boasts four contemporary self-contained luxury villas made of rammed earth and rusted steel, overlooking an olive grove and vineyard and owners Peder Rosdal and Lionel Flutto have also built an impressive cellar door with a ceiling of interwoven barrel staves in a nod to their European heritage.

The biggest surprise in each villa though is the circular walk-in stone wine cellar filled with 60 fine local and international wines. This has been described by some as the biggest mini bar and is reason enough to visit The Cellars and never leaver your villa! 

Of course there are plenty of other attractions around Heathcote other than the rich wine culture. From cycling to bushwalking for those with an active streak, to browsing the cute shops on offer or taking in the local galleries for those looking for slower paced activities.

But it is the wine that stars in this region and given its proximity to Melbourne and Ballarat, it’s an easy day trip or weekend away that should find itself on that local ‘to do’ list for Victorians and a destination to explore for a few days for those coming from out of town.