With Easter here, Bendigo’s winemakers have compiled five separate wine trails to make planning a long weekend really easy.

The wineries are right in the middle of harvest, giving you a unique opportunity to see vineyard and winemaking activities, taste wine and speak with the winemakers.

The trails are a perfect way to sample some of the region’s exquisite and award-winning drops. The tradition of wine grape-growing in the Bendigo region is nearly as old as Bendigo itself. With the first vines planted in 1855, before the threat of phylloxera in the late 1800s marked the demise of the original wine industry. The region bounced back in the 1960s and Bendigo’s new wave of winemakers are winning attention with their handcrafted wines.

The signature grape varieties in the Bendigo region are Shiraz, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

“As people meander their way along one of the trails, they will have the opportunity to enjoy these rich flavours, as well as sampling some Mediterranean styles, new to the region,” said Bendigo Winegrowers Association President, Wes Vine.

“The majority of the local Bendigo wineries are small to medium-sized, and are still run by the families who founded them.

“Regular visitors to the region fondly refer to it as ‘The Winemakers’ Region’, knowing it is not uncommon to meet the winemakers, sleeves rolled up, tending vines or working in the winery.

“Meet the faces behind the wineries and celebrate the ‘road less travelled’ of the Bendigo wine region.

“That’s the aim of the wine trails that we’ve put together, and Easter is a wonderful time to visit,” says Wes.

Easter is a time for indulgence, where the cellar doors are plentiful and there’s wine as far as the eye can see.

The wine trail map and details can be accessed by clicking here.