Victoria

Wine-growing region (GI) also known as Bendigo-Heathcote in the federal state of Victoria in Australia, located 160 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. The town after which the region is named was the centre of the great gold rush, which broke out around 1850. This also led to the development of viticulture, and around the turn of the century there were more than 100 wineries producing to quench the thirst of the gold miners. At the time, this region produced around half the total wine produced in Australia. Since then, the number of wineries has been reduced to around 20. The main wine-growing districts are Baynton, Big Hill, Bridgewater, Harcourt, Heathcote (considered to be the best area for red wine), Kinkower, Maiden Gully, Mandurang and Mount Ida. The area is dry, with low rainfall making irrigation essential in parts. The total vineyard area is around 150 hectares, mostly in hilly terrain. The soils are red clay, qurtz and iron-rich stone, and are particularly suited for the production of red wine. The main red vaireties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. The leading white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. Well-known producers include Balgownie Estate, Blackjack Vineyard, Jasper Hill Vineyard, Mount Ida Vineyard, Passing Clouds, Water Wheel and Wild Duck Creek.