Wine regions Australia - Rutherglen

Rutherglen   Victoria

The Rutherglen region is fortified wine country. Two of the highlights from this remarkable wine region include the unique styles of fortified Muscat and Tokay.

Rutherglen in the North East Victoria Zone is an important producer of fortified wines and red table wine. All the vineyards and wineries straddle the top half of the region the northern boundary of which is marked by the Murray River. The main towns are Rutherglen and Wahgunyah.

Lindsay Brown a pastoralist, first planted vines in the 1850s following advice from newly arrived German settlers. His lead was followed by a group of retired miners who established wineries that to this day bear their names, Campbell's Winery, Gehrig Wines, Morris Wines and G. Sutherland Smith & Sons. Many of the wineries and vineyards today were established before the turn of the 19th century. This signifies the region's ability to deal with the twin scourges of phylloxera and economic depression. They weathered both by introducing resistant root stock and by producing heavy reds and fortifieds which were very much in demand in the first half of the 20th century. Today the wineries still produce superb Muscat and Tokays, and heavy reds, but amongst the newcomers in the 1990s have come sparkling and white wine producers.

This is flat country sitting at an elevation of between 150 and 250 metres. The soils are alluvial, deposited over aeons by the Murray River.

The climate is warm and dry with good rainfall during the growing season.

Facilities for people on the wine trail are excellent. Cafes and restaurants serve local produce including trout and there are some very substantial places to stay and cellar doors to visit. Events include the Rutherglen Winery Walkabout in June.

Harvest time: mid March to late April

Sites with more information:

• Visit Rutherglen
• The Winemakers of Rutherglen
• North East Valleys, Victoria