Whimsical and wholesome in its natural form, Macedon Ranges houses some of the wine world's most hidden gems.
Whispers ween their way outside the wine community about the best-kept secrets, but Budburst Wine Festival is bursting the bubble on the best cool-climate bottles.
Shining a spotlight on the Macedon Ranges’ masterful wine region, Budburst Wine Festival returns for 2024 across the weekend of Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November with a party for your palette.
Budburst Wine Festival 2024
- What: Budburst – A celebration of Macedon Ranges wine and hospitality
- Where: Various wineries, cellar doors, and venues across the Macedon Ranges
- When: Saturday 16 – Sunday 17, 2024
Keep up with the latest food and booze news across the region here.
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An annual festival, Budburst Wine Festival curates a program of local family-owned and small batch wine makers to open the doors to their cellars and take guests behind the scenes into their meticulous process. Of course wine connoisseurs already hold the Australia’s coldest climate wines in their collections but for the novice tasters or the enthusiastic explorer, Budburst is a great opportunity to open the palette to unique blends from independent growers and producers.
Cool Wines and Warm Hearts
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Macedon Ranges region is webbed by nine historic and creative villages linked by stunning backcountry vistas and all situated less than one hour from Melbourne. Billowed and bold landscapes are the base for stunning gardenscapes and scenery that becomes an autumn and spring tourism drawcard. But these spots also bear the labours of locally grown produce and vineyards.
The cooler climate lends itself to the growing and finessing of perfect Pinot Noir, the crunchy crushings of Gamay, deep Merlot, crisp Chardonnay and herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. These varieties will all be on display for Budburst Wine Festival.
Across the spring weekend, more than 20 Macedon Ranges winemakers, across 16 budburst sites, will be offering wine tasting from 10am to 5pm. Define your palette and learn the distinct flavours of these varieties, stepping behind the scenes of the growing and making process through meet and greets with the local producers, whilst putting a face to their drops name.
The extensive list of wineries includes Attwoods Wine at Mount Monument, Hanging Rock Winery, Cleveland Estate, Lyon Will Estate and Passing Clouds, a destination winery reached by Spa Country Railway from Daylesford.
The list also includes Cold Acre (at Hanging Rock), Double Oaks Estate, Glenhope Vineyard, Hesket Estate, Hunter-Gatherer, Kyneton Ridge, Lord Malmsbury Vineyard, Midhill Vineyard, Mount Monument, Mount Towrong, North Wines (at Mount Monument), Northern Hope Winery (at Wilimee), Paramoor, Parkside Winery and Farm, Red Poppy Estate, Shadowfax (at Hunter-Gatherer), Wilimee, Zig Zag Rd (at Parkside).
The approach to Budburst Wine Festival is one of championing the region not only through celebrating the family-owned and small batch vineyards but through supporting the local food producers, artists and musicians.
Indulge in the both the culinary and creative community of Macedon Ranges as the festival curates local food menus for wine pairings, presents art shows, takes you on sculptor walks and programs live music for local talent across participating wineries. With so many wineries to choose from there is a wide range of food, music and art offerings to provide the perfect accompaniments to a wine weekend in the Ranges. From pizzas, tapas and paella through to home-grown organic sausages and BBQ beef sliders, there is sure to be something for everyone with wineries serving up their menu favourites. Complete your afternoon with local performers providing a soundtrack to every sip.
Budburst Bus brings you to each doorstep
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Come the weekend, Budburst Wine Festival goers have travel options. By all means feel free to independently roam from vineyard to vineyard around Macedon Ranges’ winding country roads and picturesque mountain ranges. Or for those wanting to avoid the designated driver discussion you can connect in with one of the festivals local bus companies to round out the festival experience. Whilst the main Budburst bus loops are already sold out, the Budburst Wine Festival won’t let you get on by foot. The festival have partnered with local wine tour companies to assist in moving guests around the ranges across the weekend. Patrons can create their own bespoke Budburst tour by contacting one of the partner tour companies including Cool Climate Tours, Journey Through the Ranges, Wine Tours Victoria, Kangaroo Hopping Tours, Daylesford Wine Tours, Blue Wren Shuttle and Kimco.
If you choose the designated driver route, you also get into the festival for free – a salute to your efforts!
The ticket to tastings
Have we got your tastebuds bursting for Budburst Wine Festival yet? If so, this next part is important.
Your ticket to Budburst Wine Festival starts from $39, covering the entry to wineries, a Macedon Ranges tasting glass to remember your experience, a festival passport featuring information about the wineries and the weekend, as well as all your tastings at Budburst wineries across the weekend. A weekend pass for the two days – more wineries to visit – is for $49 and a Sunday only ticket is $39. Again your designated driver is for free as are any children that come along for the journey!
Tickets are on sale now for the Budburst Wine Festival fun here.
