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Weekender’s guide to the best wineries in the Macedon Ranges
Plan the ultimate winery weekender with our guide to the best of the Macedon Ranges.
When you think of wine in Victoria, the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Heathcote immediately spring to mind. But there is another emerging wine destination that is closer, quicker to get to and as spectacular as them all.
Introducing the Macedon Ranges. At just over 60 kilometres from Melbourne, and just under an hour’s drive, this wine-region-less-travelled is producing wines with as much depth, elegance and finesse as any from its better-known Victorian siblings.
But don’t be fooled by its relatively recent emergence. Vineyards were originally established in the area more than 150 years ago (some as early as the 1840s), but it is only in the last 60 years that winemakers have begun to revive the local viticulture. Pioneering this renaissance were Tom Lazar (Virgin Hills) and Gordon Knight (Granite Hills) who started replanting vines in the 1960s and ’70s, with Granite Hills, like many wineries in the region, still a family-run operation.
View of Passing Clouds from the cellar door
Now the hills are crawling with boutique outfits producing small volumes of deliciously premium wine that has, seemingly by stealth, established the Macedon Ranges as one of the state’s most exciting regions for cool-climate pinot noir, shiraz, riesling and chardonnay, as well as rare and interesting drops from varieties such as lagrein, gewurtztraminer and tempranillo.
Where are the Macedon Ranges?
This picturesque vine country is nestled into the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, between the granite boulders of Cobaw Ridge and the alluvial goldfields hinterland. It is home to more than 40 wineries and 30-something cellar doors specialising in elegant cool-climate varieties.
What’s so good about cool-climate wine?
Climate can impact everything from the grapes grown in a particular region to how they taste once they make it into the bottle. Certain varieties prefer cooler climes and, with Macedon Ranges being the coolest wine region on the mainland, it is ideally suited to aromatic grapes like pinot noir and chardonnay. Cooler regions generally produce wines that are lighter, lower in alcohol and more delicate, with subtle floral and fresh fruit flavours. And Macedon's wines definitely exhibit classic cool-climate style.
Where to stay
Whether you’re into camping, caravan parks or eco-cottages, there are plenty of accommodation options in the Macedon Ranges that make it the ideal escape for a cheeky weekender. Base yourself in Woodend, Lancefield, Macedon or Malmsbury to explore the region’s myriad cellar doors and wine sellers.
Main meals at Passing Cloud's restaurant
Six of the best wineries to visit in the Macedon Ranges
Mount Macedon Winery
If you want to sip your way through the region, Macedon Ranges' annual Budburst Festival, held over November, will see wineries big and small fling open their cellar doors, literally, for a weekend of good food, fine wine and friendly hospitality. macedonrangeswineandfoodfest