“Rutherglen is at the heart of a region known for its big reds and fortified muscats and tokays made by esteemed wineries,” writes wine columnist RICHARD CALVER.

I’ve been to Rutherglen in northeast Victoria many times, as it’s a town very close to a large number of wineries and it’s an easy drive from Melbourne (where I lived for 22 years) and 384 kilometres from Canberra.

There are extensive bike paths around the area including the excellent Murray to the Mountains trail. 

Rutherglen is at the heart of a region known for its big reds and fortified muscats and tokays made by esteemed wineries such as Chambers Rosewood, Morris and Stanton & Killeen.

Most producers are small, family owned estates, but corporate ownership is a trend, with Morris bought out by Casella Family Wines, that made its mark through the Yellowtail brand, with Rutherglen Estate now owned by De Bortoli.

Having said that, both these larger winemakers are family owned rather than part of one of the dominant offshore-based companies such as Accolade. 

The town itself is a mix of the historic, the well restored and some barely-hanging-in-there architecture. Unfortunately, the main street is often split by the physical presence of and noise from a large number of heavy vehicles that need to use the Murray Valley Highway.

One of the standout buildings that has been given love and money attention is the Victoria Hotel, a major redevelopment by new owners Kate and Matt Halpin.

It’s a pleasant mix of heritage architecture, from the building’s 1800s origins, with modern open space, especially the front courtyard. 

So, with a high sense of anticipation, seven of us travelled to Rutherglen recently to attend a Victoria Hotel event called Rutherglen Reimagined. The blurb for this event promised exposure to a range of local wines and produce for an entry ticket price of $85.

We weren’t staying at the Victoria Hotel so we decided to get there a bit early before the event so we could look around the hotel. 

But 20 minutes before the event, we were turned away with an abrupt: “Go and get a drink elsewhere”. We did. 

We shared a bottle of a pleasant sparkling red made by Cofield, a non-vintage shiraz and durif blend that can be bought from the winery for $26. I paid $50 for a bottle at the upmarket wine bar, Thousand Pound, just down from the Victoria Hotel, a venue owned by All Saints winery and which is a very well set out, renovated space. After having this aperitif we ventured back to the Vic.

We were given a “passport” that entitled us to a sampling from 14 different food and drink outlets, including an oyster on entry. I am allergic to oysters but others said that was a good start. 

The Discovered Wildfoods venison was easily the best of the food, with the James & Co Italian-style sangiovese a counterpoint to the traditional big reds you’d expect from this region’s producers. Scion Wines also offered a wine on taste, a sweet white that was a modern spin on muscat. The Morris stand offered traditional fortifieds and a taste of their whiskey but there were no big reds on offer (unless you purchased them). It felt like when I visited the library to ask for books on paranoia and the librarian whispered to me: “They’re right behind you”. 

The band played at 8.30pm, Minnie and the Moonrakers, a very polished ensemble that had a few people up dancing. As I danced, I thought just try to be as light on your feet as these new style wines. The music was very good, and when the band stopped for a break the silence was only interrupted by the hum of the attendees and the muffled sound of a truck’s airbrakes. 

“Adaptability is the simple secret of survival.” –Jessica Hagedorn