When we think of wine, we think of grapes, but one couple in Healesville are reminding vignerons and tipplers that grapes are not the be all and end all of wine.
Changing that perspective, glass by glass is Eric Driessens and Alison Withers’ delicious and sweet blueberry wine, made at Badger Creek Blueberry Farm in the Yarra Valley.
Eric’s family have been blueberry growers for two generations, and the business has developed over the years from a four-acre blueberry farm in nearby Narbethong selling punnets at the roadside, to a three-hectare winery and cellardoor that stands today at Badger Creek.
A general progression from selling punnets and making jams, wine was the next natural step for the family.
And, as Alison Withers, manager at the cellar door said, Blueberry wines are just ‘a lot of fun’.
“It’s a bit of a fun wine, it’s light and sweet, and great for summer,” she said.
“It’s red in colour but more light, closer to white wine, so we treat it more like a sweet rose.”
“We also do a sparkling which is served chilled and a moscato called sweet blueberry fizz.”
The harvested blueberries on the farm are sold fresh and frozen, and made into delicious preserves and toppings, which are also sold at the cellardoor.
But the real champion is still the blueberry wine and with over 30 years’ experience, there are very few locations where you can taste the sweet and delicious taste of a chilled blueberry drop perfect for an outdoor summer setting.
Alison agrees the wines have evolved into a delicious array of flavours perfect for the warmer months.
“It is a sweeter style wine,” Alison said of the chilled sparkling blueberry wine – her favourite.
“It’s floral and lovely and rich and fruity.”
