The Auswine Forum

I have taken on Gavin's challenge in an earlier posting to stop lurking and start posting.

This easter myself and a few others will be heading down to Bendigo (from Canberra) for the winemaker's festival. We would like to get to as many other regions as possible in 4-5 days. My question is, what regions (and wineries) would you reccomend in visiting?, and also I would like names of restaurants and nice places (B&Bs etc) to stay in these regions.

Thanks in advance,

Justin

JPG wrote:I have taken on Gavin's challenge in an earlier posting to stop lurking and start posting.

This easter myself and a few others will be heading down to Bendigo (from Canberra) for the winemaker's festival. We would like to get to as many other regions as possible in 4-5 days. My question is, what regions (and wineries) would you reccomend in visiting?, and also I would like names of restaurants and nice places (B&Bs etc) to stay in these regions.

Thanks in advance,

Justin

They make wine in Victoria ????

I reckon TORB will have about 20 million pages on notes on his current visit down that way for you to soon read through - if you like red wines that it.

Thinking about it, are there any white wines you would visit a cellar door in Victoria to taste?

I have never had a Yarra Valley Chardonnay that blew my mind. Never had a Mornington Chardonnay that blew my mind either.

The only exceptions to my "Victoria does not make good whites hypothesis" are:
Beechworth Chardonnay
Tahbilk Marsanne
Riesling from Drumborg/Henty/Far South West (although too far to travel and you should definitely go to Seppelts anyway)

I thought the 2001 Dalwhinne Chardnnay was a cracker though.

Got a bit off the point but my answer really should be it is good to see you post and that I don't have much info!!!

Adair

JPG,

From my view you're ideally placed to jump around to the best of the Victorianm regions with only an hour or so's drive each time. Your problem is going to be acomodation come Easter so book early.

See www.visitvictoria.com.au for the details, click on Food & Wine, but here's a couple of ideas in addition to Bendigo/Heathcote.

Great Western; Seppelt, Best's Langi Ghiran et al. The Magdala Motor in at Stawell is good solid Motel accomodation.

Pyrenees: Taltarni (picking their game up); Dalwhinnie; Summerfield etc. Stay at the Pyrenees Vintage Village at Warrenmang. The restaurant is also damn good.

Nagambie Lakes: Mitchelton, Tahbilk etc We stayed at the Nagambie Motor in which is a good Motel.

Rutherglen, on the way down or back.

btw the latest AGT Wine Mag has a feature on Heathcote that has some good advice too.

> They make wine in Victoria ???? [/quote]

sure do cowboy, and there not all boringly same-ish either
[aka 'ray martins'].

Victoria just has less borish, brainwashed, blowhards thats all.

V-ictoria stands for v-ariety and VIVA la difference.

Producing lovely Pinot [gippsland-MP-Geelong] and Shiraz [heathcote/ bendigo] and Marsanne is amazing for not much more than $10 a bottle.
cripes that should be criminal. glad it isn't though.
i love the suppleness of Nagambie Cab; King Valley's Italian varietals are genuinely good and getting better, and Rutherglen fortified rule OK dude! we even have older vines than SA as well, so i guess Victoria deserves some kudos.

OK, ya pushed my buttons

yeah, i love SA Shiraz, Cab [though i believe there are some very over-rated wines trading on the Coonawarra name] and Riesling is also majestic and age-worthy.

anyway, got to go wash my teeth with some average Grange. And i'll spit it out as well!

Justin, I suggest you have a read of Ric's Tour Diaries (torbwine.com) as a good starting place. Not only are his wine notes comprehensive but he also gives honest appraisal of accomodation and eateries.

Easter can be a time that's fully booked so get moving, try Summerfield Winery in the Pyrenees for excellent new cottages.

Don't forget we'll want a tour diary from you too!

Steve,

10 months too late, and my memory isn't that good for Tasting Notes!

Justin