Michael Unwin Wines opening new winery in Windermere
A new winery and cellar door is set to open on Remembrance Drive this weekend.
EXPANDING: Michael Unwin, owner of Michael Unwin Wines, is looking forwarding to opening the doors of his new winery to visitors this weekend. Picture: Lachlan Bence
Award-winning winemaker Michael Unwin Wines has spent the past four months building the new winery at the corner of Remembrance Drive and Powells Road in Windermere.
The winery doors at his prominent Beaufort base opened to the public for the last time earlier this month.
Mr Unwin said the construction has brought grape-growing and wine-making to the one site, while creating a beautiful cellar door setting for visitors.
"We moved here because our vineyards are here and we needed to expand. It is three times the size," he said.
See Visit Ballarat's video on Michael Unwin Wines below.
"We know everyone is dying to visit. It is eminently nicer, you look out towards the mountains here.
"People are asking us on the street now about the winery - they have seen it and have been wondering about it."
The new construction has also helped strengthen the business's sustainable practices, with a compacted earth floor in the wine-making shed and cellar door instead of concrete.
Mr Unwin said concrete used an enormous amount of energy in production and the compacted earth floor helped regulate the temperature in the wine storage areas.
There is definitely room for growth in the wine industry in Ballarat.
Michael Unwin
While it has taken only four and a half months to construct the new winery, the building had been in planning for five years.
The vineyards were planted at the site about four-and-a-half years ago and Mr Unwin said they had yielded a 'beautiful' crop.
"I have to say it is the most fantastic year - there has been no disease and no pests with not a spray on them, not even organic spray. It even rained when we wanted it to and we haven't watered for months," he said.
"Ballarat is a fantastic place to grow grapes... There is definitely room for growth in the wine industry in Ballarat."
While Mr Unwin and his team of staff are excited to welcome visitors to the new winery, they are most looking forward to getting back to the core work of their business.
"What we are looking forward to most of all is to stop being winery builders and getting back to being winemakers and grape growers," Mr Unwin said.
"That is what we really love doing. We want to get the dust off this place and start winemaking."
Michael Unwin Wines was based at Beaufort since 2004. Mr Unwin and his wife Catherine first started the business in Ararat in 2000.
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