Sparkling in the mist
Hugging the base of prominent Mount Macedon, the Macedon Ranges’ misty valleys, rocky outcrops and elevated plains greet you as you arrive. It’s home to a close-knit community of creative winemakers fast gaining recognition for their delicate sparkling wines, aromatic whites and spicy reds.
Less than an hour’s drive north of Melbourne, the region is popular with visitors all year long, especially in autumn when the landscape is ablaze with orange, and November when the Macedon Ranges Wine and Food Festival celebrates the grapevines’ bursting buds.
There are nine charming towns to explore, including Woodend, Lancefield and Kyneton, all popular stop-offs on the tourist trail, especially among food and art lovers. The spa towns of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, famous for their natural mineral springs, are a short drive away, and the iconic Hanging Rock is a great spot for a picnic. If indoor dining is more your style, there’s plenty to choose from, from award-winning restaurants showcasing local, seasonal produce to provedores stocked with the best artisanal products.
A cool change
Throughout the region, passionate producer families craft true cool-climate wines, many of which can only be bought from their intimate cellar doors. It might not yet be as well-known as the Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, but the Macedon Ranges produces some of Australia’s best Pinot Noir, elegant, intensely flavoured and great partners to food.
Expect to taste excellent Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon here too, as well as a growing lineup of alternative varieties, especially Gewürztraminer and Nebbiolo. And don’t miss the fizz – Macedon Ranges is known for its quality sparkling wine that rivals Australia’s best.
Thanks to its elevation and wind-chill factor, the Macedon Ranges wine region is cool to cold by world standards. This chilly weather keeps fruit yields low, meaning wines are low in quantity and high in quality. You’ll find some of the best local wines at wineries such as Bindi Wine Growers, Curly Flat, Hanging Rock Winery and Granite Hills.
Maker spotlight: Bindi Wines
Established in 1988, Bindi Wines produces some of the Macedon Ranges’ best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It’s a vast property owned by the Dhillon family and given over to grapevines, plantation eucalypts and native bushland. Like many winemakers in the region, Michael Dhillon takes a gentle approach, striving to craft premium wines that reflect the places they were grown. In the vineyard, vines are hand pruned and hand harvested, and the family have implemented organic practices to promote healthy soil and vines.
Michael, who was born and raised in the region, crafts his wines with minimal intervention and takes inspiration from the people and places behind Bindi. The single-vineyard Kaye Pinot Noir, for example, comes from Bindi’s highest-altitude vineyard and is named after the late Kaye Dhillon, “nurturer of the land and people, whose spirit resides in this landscape”.
There’s a sense of magic about the green hills of the Macedon Ranges, as vine-obsessed makers craft ethereal wines among hidden pockets of unspoilt bushland. It’s an easy day trip from Melbourne, but should you find yourself spellbound, it’s also an easy place to while away a few days.
