Rutherglen
PAVED WITH GOLD
Rutherglen is a historic region where fortified wine is liquid gold and tradition has endured. But scratch the surface and you’ll find exciting new paths being forged.
Grapevines came to Victoria’s Rutherglen with the gold rush of the 1850s and the region became Australia’s unchallenged capital of fortified wines. Many wineries still house old-fashioned equipment. Others are home to young winemakers experimenting with new grape varieties and modern techniques, keeping Rutherglen on its toes.
It’s a region where you can see history in the streets, swim in rivers and waterholes, taste a 100-year-old Muscat alongside gourmet produce, and watch exciting new stories unfold.
Read on for more about Rutherglen.
36° 11'S
latitude
146° 27’E
longitude
781HA
total vineyard area
Climate and Altitude
Rutherglen is an inland region with gentle hills and a classic continental climate: hot summers, cool winters and a long dry autumn.
330MM
growing season rainfall
23.7C
mean temperature
122-592M
altitude
The Environment
Rutherglen is in northern Victoria about three hours from Melbourne. It’s right near the New South Wales border and close to the Murray River.
Climate
Summer is usually sunny and very warm though temperatures dip at night, thanks to cool air coming from the foothills of the Victorian Alps. Autumn brings crisp air and golden leaves, and winter days are cold.
Soil
Soils range from red loam over clay through to sandier soils closer to the Murray River.
The Makers
Top Varieties Grown
MUSCAT AND TOPAQUE
Rutherglen’s fortified wines made from Muscat and Muscadelle are uniquely Australian and among the best in the world. Some are aged for up to a century to produce rich, sweet and complex wines.
DURIF
This rare variety thrives in the Rutherglen wine region and produces full-flavoured and age-worthy red wines.
SHIRAZ
Robust, intensely flavoured wines that are ready to enjoy straight away.
