Sip On Refined Regional Drops At The Best Bendigo Wineries

Awash with warm country hospitality and award-winning drops, the best Bendigo wineries lure you into giddy, all-out delicious euphoria.

Small-batch, family-run wineries reign supreme in Bendigo, with relaxed, warm and engaging encounters practically guaranteed. Rock up to one of the dozen-odd cellar doors in this enchanting Goldfields region to chat with one of the winemakers themselves, and rather than jostling for a spot at the tasting bench with busloads of tourists, you might just be the winery’s sole guests.

Looking for things to do in the area? Read on to learn more about this little-known and much-underrated wine region, with our guide to the best Bendigo wineries.

1. Ellis Wines

the vineyard at Ellis Wines, Bendigo — Ellis Wines cultivates wine grapes on the rich red Cambrian soil. (Image: Shioban)

First, let us set the scene. The soil that once glistened with gold in Bendigo is also a solid overachiever at growing grapes, renowned for its equal parts clay, silt and sand (which, for those of us playing at home, is called clay loam). It’s a hard fact the family behind Ellis Wines have grasped and ran with, boasting more than 123 acres of vines and excellent creations spanning shiraz, moscato, cabernet, merlot and more. You won’t miss this Bendigo winery’s cellar door, all sleek black-on-black with flashes of timber, where you’re invited to sample the team’s premium, signature and rebel ranges, plus there’s cheeses and dips on hand to help wash down every delight.

2. Vin du Van Estate

the cellar door overlooking the vineyards at Vin du Van Estate, Bendigo — Step into a French-inspired cellar door overlooking expansive vineyard views. (Image: Leon Schoots Photography)

Journey about 10-15 minutes’ south of Bendigo to unearth a hidden gem in Vin du Van Estate . Inspired by the rustic wineries of France, this French-inspired cellar door welcomes guests into a manicured garden overlooking the vineyards as an on-site bistro knocks up grazing boards, gourmet pizzas and other dreamy wine accompaniments. The wine itself is award-winning, nabbing the 2024 Australian Small Winemakers Show’s silver medal for its pinot gris and 2023’s bronze for its shiraz. But quality craftsmanship is just the icing on the cake at this Bendigo winery, given the pure joy you’ll experience simply sitting in this tranquil setting complete with a tiered water fountain and vivid-hued blooms.

3. Balgownie Bendigo

Wine tastings Balgownie Bendigo — Pair your wine with a delectable cheese and charcuterie board.

One of the region’s most well-known estates – and its oldest working commercial winery, established in 1969 – Balgownie Bendigo is a non-negotiable addition to any regional winery-hopping itinerary. Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz were the Bendigo winery’s first plantings and remain the winery’s trump cards, but there are plenty more reds, whites and sparklings to sample, with the label’s grapes sourced from across the state. Try a few drops (including the very special Black Label collection and limited-releases) or indulge in a cheese or chocolate-paired tasting at the rustic cellar door. Plenty hungry? There’s a hot lunch being served on the deck. You can even stay the night inside a glamping tent, one of the best accommodation options in Bendigo if you ask us.

4. Harcourt Valley Vineyards

sparkling rose at Harcourt Valley Vineyards — Sip on a glass of sparkling rosé at Harcourt Valley Vineyards.

This multi-award-winning winery is among the more schmick and modern addresses in the region, an angular granite building surrounded by gum trees, manicured lawns and native plants, with vineyards for a backdrop. The cellar door is particularly mesmerising, a bright and airy space with a large window overlooking the inner workings of the winery. In warmer weather, Harcourt Valley Vineyards ’ gorgeous adjoining deck is perfect for lounging with a glass of the estate’s crisp rosé. Second-generation winemaker Quinn Livingstone is at the helm of this small-batch winery, which turns out riesling and chardonnay, as well as sparkling rosé, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and the occasional limited release. But it’s not just fermented grape juice you’ll find on offer here — they also produce ginger beer, raspberry mead, a mango smash and an American pale ale.

5. Mandurang Valley Wines

winemakers at Mandurang Valley Wines — It’s a family affair at Mandurang Valley Wines.

The low-key, rustic vibe at this modest cellar door , just a 10-minute drive from the centre of Bendigo, is really rather charming. Seated wine experiences at Mandurang Valley Wines offer comprehensive insight into the magic of this place while accompanying cheese and charcuterie options ensure bellies remain wholly satisfied. Owned and run by the aptly named Wes and Pamela Vine, this Bendigo winery is a family affair where the couple’s son Steve takes the winemaking reins and regular wine dinners are staged in cahoots with neighbouring wineries. Don’t leave without sampling Mandurang’s GSM, which has become one of the Bendigo winery’s best in show.

6. St Anne’s Winery Bendigo

the picturesque winery and cellar door at St Anne’s Winery Bendigo — Take in postcard-perfect views at St Anne’s Winery. (Image: Adam Shui)

Once known as The Big Hill Vineyard, this Bendigo winery and cellar door is now famed as St Anne’s Vineyards , bringing the McLean family’s tally of cellar doors up to a whopping five across Victoria and New South Wales. While the cellar door’s facade is unassuming, this Bendigo winery is renowned for its well-informed and engaging staff, postcard-perfect vineyard views, and – unlike almost any other winery in the region – a few fortifieds. Tastings are free and grazing platters can also be purchased, plus, if you’re visiting on a Sunday, save stomach space for Pizza Sunday where gourmet slices (including gluten-free varieties) draw a solid crowd.

7. BlackJack Wines

A cheese and charcuterie board at (Image: BlackJack Wines). — Tuck into a cheese and meats that have been perfectly paired with their wine. (Image: BlackJack Wines)

Full-bodied reds are the signature at this small-scale Harcourt winery, once an old apple orchard, though you can occasionally find a rosé here too. And chances are, a tasting at BlackJack Wines will be led by one of the winemakers. The quaint cellar door received a total facelift in early 2020, transforming from a humble tin shed to a photo-ready showstopper looking over a pond. On one side there’s a small patio draped with greenery, while on the other, a small cellar door is dwarfed by the working winery. This Bendigo winery is run by the affable Ian and Ken, who are close mates and old neighbours, cementing the chilled out spot’s laidback and homely status.

8. Water Wheel Vineyards

Half an hour’s drive from Bendigo will land you at this quiet overachiever, specialising in shiraz. Water Wheel Vineyards released its first vintage in 1974 and has risen from strength to strength since it was taken on by local farming family the Cummings in 1989, courting the attention of many a critic, and exporting to markets including the US and Canada. There’s no bells and whistles at this cellar door, just warm country hospitality and some seriously quaffable (and very reasonably priced) wines.

9. Sutton Grange Winery

scenic views at Sutton Grange Winery, Bendigo — Soak up bucolic views.

Sutton Grange Winery has long been on the lips of Australia’s oenophiles. Despite numbering among the younger vineyards in the region – its first grapes were planted only in 1998 – this Bendigo winery has attracted a five-star rating from the illustrious Halliday Wine Companion. Produced from organically grown estate fruit, the vino is reason enough to visit, but its cellar door is also an all-too-tempting destination. Inside, you’ll find a cosy, timber-decked space complete with a stone fireplace, while outside the veranda beckons on a warm summer’s day. Wherever you sit, you’ll likely be rewarded with bucolic views over the estate, with the lush lawn tumbling down into a lake in the foreground and the jagged slopes of Mount Alexander rising in the background. The team offers a seated tasting for $10 a pop, which includes nine wines from across its Fairbank and Sutton Grange ranges.

10. Glenwillow Wines

Peter Fyffe, Glenwillow winegrower and owner — Glenwillow winegrower and owner Peter Fyffe picks the grapes himself.

Gunning for the title of the region’s most unexpected cellar door is Glenwillow Wines . Hidden in the middle of Australia’s oldest working pottery (Bendigo Pottery) in the Bendigo suburb of Epsom lies this must-visit, manned by the Fyffe family. While there are no vineyards to gaze over here, the Bendigo winery’s urban cellar door promises other surprises, including the artistic talents of Cherryl Fyffe and local olive oil to sample. Drop in for a relaxed tasting or book a private tour.

11. Sandhurst Ridge Winery & Vineyard

holding a glass of wine against a scenic vineyard, Sandhurst Ridge Winery & Vineyard — Raise a glass or two at Sandhurst Ridge Winery & Vineyard.

There’s a delightfully informal feel to Sandhurst Ridge Winery & Vineyard , run by the Greblo family, one of whom you will no doubt meet while lingering at the polished jarrah tasting bench. While there’s no food on offer here, you are welcome to BYO spread to enjoy with a bottle of one of this Bendigo winery’s finest reds. There’s seating both inside the burgundy walls of the cellar door, and out on the patio under the pergola.

12. Harvest Food & Wine

If you’re in Bendigo for a good time, not a long time, then Harvest Food & Wine is your best bet for effortless wine slurping. This smart city centre restaurant and deli also happens to be a cellar door to help promote the owner (and winemaker, and sommelier) Lincoln Riley’s label North Run, though the store stocks plenty of other local and international drops to take home with you, too. There’s a Continental feel to this much-loved local haunt, which sits right in the heart of the city’s art precinct and rolls out one of Bendigo’s best cafe menus.

13. Heathcote Winery

guests relaxing at Heathcote Winery, Bendigo — Grab a seat in the al fresco area at Heathcote Winery. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Time on your side and keen to soak up more of your stunning country surroundings? Punch Heathcote Winery into Maps to be gob-smacked by a historic cellar door that once served as a mining produce store in the 1850s. But while it’s all dusty vintage on the exterior, inside is as slick as Bendigo wineries come as guided tastings run alongside refined bites including beef bao buns, crispy flathead with fries and a burrata bowl with roasted cherry tomatoes. It’s the tasting room that’s bound to stay with you, showcasing this vineyard’s superb selection of shiraz, viognier, cabernet and rosé.

Originally written by Chloe Cann with updates by Kristie Lau-Adams

Discover the best places to stay during your visit.

Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A vino lover’s guide to the finest Bendigo wineries