By Jessica Micallef
Fine wine and good food will be on the menu at this year’s Macedon Ranges Wine and Food Budburst Festival.
More than 25 wineries across the region will open their cellar doors for the two-day event, serving up the best of local wines.
Hunter Gatherer Winery owner Brian Martin said this year’s festival was the fourth year he was participating.
“At our winery we will have live music from a local singer Sarah Wilkinson – she’s an acoustic singer,” he said. “A friend of ours who is a winemaker works at Hanging Rock Winery and during the last two Budbursts, he’s come to our place and cooked gourmet woodfire pizza. We’ll probably have a barbecue going as well. There’s a couple of food options plus music and lots of wine tasting.”
Mr Martin said up to 500 wine lovers are expected to attend his Pipers Creek winery during the festival. “It’s been getting bigger every year,” Mr Martin said. “Hopefully it continues to grow.
“It’s pretty enjoyable. I love chatting to people and there’s a real buzz … everyone’s in a good mood.
“When they’re moving from winery to winery, there are new things around the corner every time. It’s a new experience, rather than …sitting at the one winery all day.
“We’ll have riesling, chardonnay, pinot, shiraz and rose. I think the prosecco is going to be the go-to drink if the weather is nice.”
The festival will be on November 9-10. Buses have been organised to transport visitors between wineries. Bookings visit: macedonrangeswineandfoodfest.com.au/
