On a beautiful patch of land at Oaklands Valley, a vineyard was left to wither about three years ago.
The 45-hectare property on St Johns Road, Bulla, had been bought in 1982 by hand surgeon Dr Wayne Stott, who planted the vines and produced premium-quality reserve wines for 27 years under his Wildwood Vineyards label before succumbing to cancer last year.
His prized winery, which sits at an altitude of 130 metres – giving it views back to Port Phillip Bay and of the Melbourne skyline – closed in 2012. But it has since been revitalised by business partners Effie Dimitriou and Andrew Pattichis and film of its restoration will be beamed onto television screens across the state on July 5 during Channel 9’s
Postcards program.
Ms Dimitriou said the pair spent eight months tirelessly restoring the vines and cleaning up the 120-year-old homestead.
While they won’t be producing wine on site this year, they hope to do so with their 2016 harvest. The pair still operate under the Wildwood Vineyards name and will continue to cultivate shiraz, chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. They plan to open a café for the public.
Former Hawthorn footballer Shane Crawford will host the
Postcards segment and preview other tourism spots in the region as well.
Wildwood Café and Vineyards, 80
St Johns Road, Oaklands Junction. Inquiries: 9307 1118
Lexi Cottee
