Bendigo is a productive sub-region 35 miles (55km) from the tourist resort town of Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the eastern part of Central Otago, along the banks of the Clutha River before it flows south toward Bannockburn and Alexandra. The northern slopes of the Dunstan mountain range provide a spectacular perch on which the vineyards sit. Red wines made from Pinot Noir in Bendigo are richly flavored with strong tannins, and are considered to be the most muscular, full-bodied wines made in Central Otago.
The small town of Bendigo, like much of Central Otago, was settled in the 1860s during the region's gold rush. Bendigo was one of the richest gold-mining areas in New Zealand, and mining continued in the lucrative quartz reef mine here until the 1940s. Many of the vineyards and producers in the area are named for this golden legacy, and the town itself is named for the gold-mining locality of Bendigo in Victoria, Australia, which today is similarly home to a thriving viticultural industry.
Due to its position in the rain shadow of the Southern Alps, Bendigo has a semi-arid climate, and temperatures in mid-summer can reach as high as 95F (35C). Hot, sunny days during the growing season are followed by much cooler nights, helping to slow the ripening process and allowing grapes to retain acidity as they develop rich flavor complexity. The long, dry autumns help with this as well: a lack of humidity and rain during these months decreases the chances of vine diseases, and the grapes have a correspondingly long hang time.
The dry soils in Bendigo are rich in minerals but low in organic matter, mostly because of the lack of vegetation in the area. This lack of vegetation is most likely because of the region's low annual rainfall, but has also been attributed to the huge population of rabbits that plagues the area. The soils, mostly made up of clay, gravel and quartz, are shallow and free-draining, which serves to stress the vines. These stressed vines have to work harder to stay alive, and put more energy into producing small, richly flavored berries than into leafy vegetation. Wines made from these grapes have concentrated flavors and firm tannins, giving Bendigo its reputation for producing some of the most intensely flavored wines in Central Otago.
Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay are planted extensively throughout Bendigo. A few enterprising producers are also taking advantage of the hotter mesoclimate and experimenting with Syrah.
