Bacchanalia Estate

Noted ABC broadcaster and journalist John Reid, and wife Val, established Bacchanalia Estate in 1994 on the fertile black soils of Bacchus Marsh, adjacent to the Werribee River. The 3.2ha vineyard was planted to shiraz, semillon, cabernet sauvignon and viognier. By the end of 2007 John Reid was getting close to retirement, and as part of the family's succession plan, son Ben began planting vineyard at Gherang, near Anglesea, just around the corner from Brown Magpie Wines. The first crop was in 2009, and took the place of the Bacchus Marsh vineyard which has been sold to a developer. -JAMES HALLIDAY