Sunbury
Just 40km from Melbourne's CBD, Sunbury is one of Victoria's oldest wine regions and one of its most overlooked: a basalt plain rising to the Macedon foothills where Shiraz produces a cool-climate, peppery style that bears little resemblance to its warmer counterparts.
Experiences
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We are continually curating new experiences. Check back shortly as we expand our presence in this region.
The Dossier
Sunbury is 40km northwest of Melbourne, about 35 to 40 minutes via the Calder Freeway: closer to the CBD than most people expect for a functioning wine region. The cellar door presence is modest and the landscape is not dramatic, but the proximity to Melbourne makes it a genuine option for an afternoon visit without the commitment of a longer regional trip. It pairs naturally with the Macedon Ranges for a more complete day out.
Harvest runs late March through April. The basalt plain retains cold air in spring and the growing season is cooler than the latitude suggests: this is what makes the Shiraz here distinctive. Spring (September to October) is the most pleasant window for visiting; the open landscape reads differently to vine-covered hills but has its own quiet appeal. Summer is warm; winters are cold and the proximity to Melbourne means cellar doors stay well-patronised year-round.
Shiraz is the region's signature: cool-climate, savoury, and peppery in a style closer to Heathcote than to Barossa. Craiglee, the region's benchmark producer, has been making wine here since 1976 and demonstrates what the basalt plain is capable of in the right hands. The cellar door experience in Sunbury is unpretentious and accessible; this is a region that rewards the visitor who arrives without expectations and leaves with a case they didn't plan on buying.