When the Covid-19 pandemic hit Australia in February last year, the food and wine industry was left reeling from weeks of forced lockdown closures – or in the case of some parts of Victoria, months. As cellar doors shut and travel bans were put in place, the community sentiment for supporting local producers grew exponentially.
“We knew people wanted to support Victorian businesses and we needed to make it a whole lot easier for that to happen,” says chair of Wine Victoria, Angie Bradbury. Angie, alongside Global Victoria and Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas, has championed a new initiative that aims to bring the state's best wineries direct to consumers in an easily accessible way.
“Our state has so much to offer but there has never been a simple, one-stop-shop for people to visit and connect with new or favourite producers. Behind the Vines has been created to champion our talented local winemakers and connect wine lovers with producers who are creating wines that resonate with their individual tastes.”The online wine directory houses over 400 Victorian producers hailing from 21 different regions across the state. Users simply input their wine preferences – delicate or bold, sweet or dry, traditional or alternative, fruit-forward or full-bodied – and are directed towards styles that best suit their palate.
Behind the Vines helps users find a new favourite – like a fruit-forward Gippsland pinot noir, a crisp Yarra Valley chardonnay or a rich, smooth Heathcote shiraz – and for those wanting to plan a trip, the site offers easy travel time suggestions, simple itineraries and maps to follow.