By Oliver Lees
Generational wine producer Michael Dhillon has been recognised as the Winemaker of the Year for the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion awards.
With family history in the Macedon Ranges dating back to 1850, Mr Dhillon helped his father to plant the vines when he was a university student in 1988, for their new family enterprise, Bindi Wines.
Mr Dhillon said receiving the award had allowed him to reflect with pride on his family’s contribution to the region.
“I was completely stunned and very humbled to even be nominated, so to be given the award is a little overwhelming,” he said.
“This enterprise has been a great way for our family to work on the land and to contribute to the area in a productive way, by applying our passion and hard work into these vines.”
Bindi Wines has now been operational in Gisborne for 60 years and is the third oldest winery in the region.
Mr Dhillon took over as winemaker at Bindi Wines in 1998 and assumed full control of the winery with his wife, Wendy, when his father died in 2013.
“I worked in Europe on different vineyards, and it struck me that you can best help the vines if you avoid chemical treatment and other interventional techniques,” Mr Dhillon said.
“I withdrew some of those inputs and realised that if you work hard and thoughtfully, in most cases you can help vines with natural treatment.”
Mr Dhillon said the success of the vineyard was in part due to the improved growing conditions in the Macedon Ranges.
“One of the great benefits of the region is the altitude, every hundred metres of altitude means you can delay the ripening, which means you can add more brightness and acidity,” he said.
“With the climate and the diversity of soils, it’s really an exciting time in the Macedon Ranges in general.”
Details: bindiwines.com.au/
