"The tradition of wine grape growing in the Bendigo region is nearly as old as Bendigo itself. Bendigo is situated in central Victoria and has a Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and wet winters. The first grapes were planted in the Bendigo region in 1856, just after the start of the Gold Rush which brought tens of thousands of hopeful diggers from all over the world to seek their fortunes.
Bendigo’s first vignerons were Jacques Bladier and a German named Delscher, both of whom planted vineyards at Epsom about 1855, and Jean-Baptiste Loridan.
The main red varieties, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, are both well suited to the region with winemakers producing long-lived wines from both styles. Bendigo is also one of Victoria's most elegant cities, with a vibrant mix of sidewalk cafes, art galleries, antique stores, stunning gold rush architecture and century-old gardens." - Wine Australia
Maps courtesy: Wine Australia & James Halliday’s Wine Atlas of Australia (Hardie Grant Books 2008)
