This is not only a land of fortifieds, but of big, bold Shiraz & Durif (which does well in hot and dry weather) plus their Sparkling Wine. The people here still do their Sparkling wines remuage by hand. Although the Shiraz alcohol levels can go up to over 16%, they are sturdy and have lots of flavour in them to balance with the alcohol. The shiraz here can also suck in a lot more oak just like those in Heathcote. This area is considered a continental climate. There is a french connection with the people of Rutherglen in that all the winemakers have gone to France to do at least a vintage; at least all the winemakers I have talked to here has gone to the Rhône, which makes sense cause the climate here is very much like the Rhône. The rainfall here is 560mm.
Andersons
Howard runs the winery here along with his family. Everything is done by hand including the bottling. According to him, the brandy spirit they use here is distilled to 80% instead of the Spiritus Vinum Rectificatum (SVR) which is 94-96%. For more on SVR and brandy, check out http://www.monashscientific.com.au/AlcoholDistillationTheory.htm#FractionalDistillation
Jones Winery
Jones is worth stopping by since it is nearby. They make a Shiraz that is not your typical Rutherglen type of boldness. The winery has 16 acres under vine. I find their Apera having fusal oil characters and rancio notes.
Campbells*
This is one of the biggest wineries in Rutherglen. I do recommend people to come here and try their Rieslings, Durif and Tempranillo. For those of you who really want to know what is the difference between a Topaque and a Muscat or it's development, I have included some notes below as a guide. Topaque (or as Tokay as they once called it) is made from Muscadelle.
Topaque
Grand - changes from caramel, fish oil characters when young to toffee, black tea and walnut characters. On the palate, luscious, high acid, layers of walnut, coffee flavours with long length.
Rare - aromas of coffee, toffee, leather and a lingering fish oil smell. On the palate, very developed, leather, light mushroom and flavours of burnt toast.
Muscat
Normal - grapy smell, linear
Classic - light flowers, more spicy, fruit cake caramel, longer length than the Normal.
Grand - Not as much toffee, coffee, more floral. Not as dark in colour as the Topaque Classic. Flavours of christmas pudding, black tea, prunes, liqourice, figs.
Rare - light floral characters, roast, malt. On the palate, syrupy and molasses.
The intensity increases with age as well as the concentration. There is also an increase of burnt aromas.
Stanton & Killeen*
Although Simon Killeen wasn't around, Joe Duncan showed me around and guided me through the tastings. What a great bloke! Nobody should miss going to S&K if they are in the region. These guys make awesome fortifieds! Interestingly, they started using diam corks as early as 1986. I never knew diam was already invented during that time. Below are some personal observations about the wines tasted from S&K. If you don't get it, it probably is written in my own language.
Vintage Port
2005 18.5% $32 Med plus purple in appearance. Nose of light aged characters and cherries, plums, tea, med plus intensity, Palate of med plus acid, very ripe berry, high tannins, chalky texture, good fruit characters, med plus length, a bright fruit finish.
1986 18.5% Brick fade to garnet. Light glue, leather, cloves, slight VA, med intensity on the nose, Palate is leathery, developed characters, med plus acid, light cloves, spicy, long length fading away gently with a light berry lingering finish.
Tawny Port
Ruby 18% avg age 4 years, Durif, Shriaz, Touriga $18
Nose of red currents, black jam, med plus intensity
Palate of med plus acid, jam, red fruit, med plus tannins, slight roughness, med sweet.
Classic 19% 12 years, Shiraz, Touriga $30
Nose of rancio, cedar, wood, med plus intensity
Palate of med minus sweetness, high acid, light leather, fruity characters exist, lots of berries, med plus tannins, smoother on the palate, long length, but light finish
Grand 19% 25 years, Shiraz, Touriga $80
Nose of rancio, wood, earth, developed, light metallic
Palate: Fruit is still in there, earth, walnuts, high acid, med plus tannins, smoother, long length, earthy and rancio finish
Topaque
Normal 17.5% $18
Nose of light fishoil, raisins, med plus i
oily palate, fish oil, light cod liver flavour, med plus acid, med plus length, almond finish
Classic 18% $30
Nose of fishoil, cod liver, med plus i
Palate of cold tea, med plus acid, med plus length
Grand 18.5% $80
Nose of fruitcake, fish oil, toffee
Palate of dried apricots, dried figs, long length, beautiful fig backpalate
What I notice about Topaque is that is evolves from more elegant, not as complex and not as syrupy to dried apricots and fruits, rancio and nuts
Muscat
Rutherglen 17.5% $18
Nose of grape, musk, med plus i, rich
Palate of toffee and molasses, more dominant flavours than Topaque
Classic 18% $30
Nose of vanilla, cedar, cakebread, light rancio, syrupy, thick, raisin
Palate of med plus acid, raisins, rancio, long length
Grand 18.5% $80
Nose of cedar, wood furniture
Palate of med plus acid, raisin, light coffee, syrup, very long length, complex, lingering cherry cake bread, grape
The woodiness in Muscat tends to come out more as it ages.
Pffieffer*
I really loved a lot of the wines made here. Especially interesting here is the Gamay that they make. Paul was a fantastic bloke who walked me through all the wines here. It was also really nice of Jen Pffieffer, the talented winemaker, to come out and chat with me as well as give me a taste of the latest Chardonnay that they were bottling. Picking of the grapes can start in January for the Chardy and May for the Muscat. Wines growing on sandy soil do tend to have problems in producing natural acid, requiring acid adjustment.
Topaque
Rutherglen 17.5%
Nose of fish oil, cod liver, med plus i, cold tea, orange musk
Palate of med plus acid, fish oil, cold tea, apricot, long length, orange zest
Classic 17.5% 10-12 yrs
Nose of light varnish, med plus i, butterscotch
Palate of med plus acid, toast, butterscotch, light toffee, very long length
Grand 17.5%
Nose of toasty, cedar, smoke, leather, rancio, roast
Palate of treacle, musk, toffee, tea, very long length, orange zest, med plus acid, orange peel back palate
Rare 17.5%
Nose of toast, molasses, toffee, leather, developed, rancio, walnut
Palate of toffee, treacle, syrup, med plus acid, not cloying, lots of flavour, dried fruit, prune, very long length,
Muscat
Normal 17.5%
Nose of grape, raisin, floral, soap
Palate of med plus acid, grapy fruit cake, prunes, long length,
Classic 17.5%
Nose of light raisin, cedar, med plus i
Palate of med plus acid, grape, light toffee
Grand 17.5%
Nose of rancio, slight VA, dried fruit but not as heavy as Rare, leather
Palate of toffee, molasses, caramel, dried fruit, rancio, bolder than Topaque, long length, nutty coffee
Rare 17.5%
Nose of raisin, VA, dried fruit, molasses, roast
Palate of high acid, raisin fruit, lots of syrup, coffee, molasses, long length, complex backpalate
Warrabilla Wines
The meaning of Warrabilla means clean water. If you have the time, do drop by to taste their wines. What is interesting is that their reds are high alcohol but still taste in balance because of the concentration of their grapes.
Additional Notes:
Buller wines is also worth paying a visit
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