Wine Lessons > Rutherglen Riches
Rutherglen Riches
Australia, like most of the New World (South Africa, New Zealand, USA, South America etc...), has a relavatively short history in winemaking compared to the Old World (Europe). Whereas regions of Europe have had centuries to perfect the 'styles' of wines they produce (e.g. the Ports of Oport, Portugal, or the reds of Bordeaux, or Champagne, or the Chianti of Tuscany), the New World has sent much of its time trying to emulate the great wines of Europe. So while we may produce distinctive varietal wines, it is rare that a "style" of wine is created and nutured such that it evolves into a world renowned "style" unique and synomous to a region.
The Muscats and Tokays of Rutherglen are one such example of the birth of a regional style in the New World.
So what makes them special?...then again what makes them at all?
Both Rutherglen Muscat and Tokay are the result of the aging process enforce upon the fortified wines made from Muscat Rouge a Petits Grains (the red skinned variety that produces Muscat) and Muscadelle (the white skinned variety that produces Tokay). Once made these wines are aged in old oak casks and allowed to concentrate as the evaporation takes away the "angel's share". This concetration leaves a lusicous, vicous orange/brown (Muscat) of golden yellow (Tokay) wine with exposive richness in the mouth.
Blending then takes place once the wines have reached the required age and the resultant wine is given one of the following classifications according to the average age and the richness. All true Rutherglen Muscats and Tokays are branded with the oval logo containing an 'R' and a bunch of grapes and are label one of the following (from lightest to richest); Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay, Classic Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay, Grand Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay or Rare Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay. Prices vary from around $15-$25 for a Rutherglen to about $80-$500 for a Rare Rutherglen.
Rutherglen Muscat and Tokay does not improve with age in the bottle as the exposure to the air/oxygen is part and parcel of its development in the barrel.
Some top producers of Rutherglen Muscats and Tokays are Morris, Stanton & Killeen, Seppelt, Chambers Rosewood, All Saints, Pfeiffer, Bullers Calliope, St Leonards and Campbells.
The Muscats and Tokays of Rutherglen are one such example of the birth of a regional style in the New World.
So what makes them special?...then again what makes them at all?
Both Rutherglen Muscat and Tokay are the result of the aging process enforce upon the fortified wines made from Muscat Rouge a Petits Grains (the red skinned variety that produces Muscat) and Muscadelle (the white skinned variety that produces Tokay). Once made these wines are aged in old oak casks and allowed to concentrate as the evaporation takes away the "angel's share". This concetration leaves a lusicous, vicous orange/brown (Muscat) of golden yellow (Tokay) wine with exposive richness in the mouth.
Blending then takes place once the wines have reached the required age and the resultant wine is given one of the following classifications according to the average age and the richness. All true Rutherglen Muscats and Tokays are branded with the oval logo containing an 'R' and a bunch of grapes and are label one of the following (from lightest to richest); Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay, Classic Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay, Grand Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay or Rare Rutherglen Muscat/Tokay. Prices vary from around $15-$25 for a Rutherglen to about $80-$500 for a Rare Rutherglen.
Rutherglen Muscat and Tokay does not improve with age in the bottle as the exposure to the air/oxygen is part and parcel of its development in the barrel.
Some top producers of Rutherglen Muscats and Tokays are Morris, Stanton & Killeen, Seppelt, Chambers Rosewood, All Saints, Pfeiffer, Bullers Calliope, St Leonards and Campbells.
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The Regional Wine Service
What is The Regional Wine Service?
The Regional Wine Service is a home-delivered wine business, run by country people to service country people.
The Regional Wine Service is focussed on providing regional Australians with access to a great range of the best value wines – without paying a premium for living in the country.
Each offer by the RWS is hand selected by Dave Cann and Stuart Hay, founders of The Press Cellars, and draws on their 30 years of combined experience in all areas of the wine industry including production, wholesale, restaurants and retail; to source great wines for your enjoyment.
Stu and Dave have a passion for wine and want to offer country Victorians the opportunity to access an appealing range of quality wines. Hours are spent tasting a wide range of wines at every price point in order to bring you the best selection. Our dozens will always be interesting and delicious.
The RWS Daily Dozenconsists of twelve wines hand selected by Stu and Dave perfect for casual everyday drinking. The RWS Daily Dozen is a mix of 12 different red and white wines, but is available as a red or white only option. You can look forward to a new Daily Dozen every month.
The Regional Wine Service is focussed on providing regional Australians with access to a great range of the best value wines – without paying a premium for living in the country.
Each offer by the RWS is hand selected by Dave Cann and Stuart Hay, founders of The Press Cellars, and draws on their 30 years of combined experience in all areas of the wine industry including production, wholesale, restaurants and retail; to source great wines for your enjoyment.
Stu and Dave have a passion for wine and want to offer country Victorians the opportunity to access an appealing range of quality wines. Hours are spent tasting a wide range of wines at every price point in order to bring you the best selection. Our dozens will always be interesting and delicious.
The RWS Daily Dozenconsists of twelve wines hand selected by Stu and Dave perfect for casual everyday drinking. The RWS Daily Dozen is a mix of 12 different red and white wines, but is available as a red or white only option. You can look forward to a new Daily Dozen every month.
New at The Cellars
Some Young Punks
When Jennie Gardner, Nic Bourke and Col McBryde got in with the wrong wine " We blame the booze. The whiff and the swill did us in and all that was left to do was make more. In may ways the wines that weren't worth the pull of the cork caused this as much as the wines that we will never have the pleasure of decorking again. This is Passion, a monster bigger than the three of us that leads us to soapbox, grandstand,and sometime pass out on the couch."
These limited edition wines taste as good on the inside as the look on the outside, watch out these guys are seriously cool. There website is definitely worth checking out.
someyoungpunks.com.au
These limited edition wines taste as good on the inside as the look on the outside, watch out these guys are seriously cool. There website is definitely worth checking out.
someyoungpunks.com.au
Hundres of Beers
Warragul's Cheapest 6 Packs
The Press Cellars guarantees the CHEAPEST 6 PACK BEER in Warragul & Drouin. Show us a cheaper advertised price and we’ll BEAT IT!
#LOWEST LIQUOR PRICE GUARANTEE
- Advertisements must be current and items identical.
- Competitor must have stock available in quantity requested.
- Any competitor restrictions on offers may also apply.
- Competitors' premises must be located within the Warragul (Postcode: 3820) or Drouin (Postcode: 3818) areas.
- Excludes trade buyers, online offers and liquidation or clearance sales.
- We reserve the right to limit sales to retail quantities.
#LOWEST LIQUOR PRICE GUARANTEE
- Advertisements must be current and items identical.
- Competitor must have stock available in quantity requested.
- Any competitor restrictions on offers may also apply.
- Competitors' premises must be located within the Warragul (Postcode: 3820) or Drouin (Postcode: 3818) areas.
- Excludes trade buyers, online offers and liquidation or clearance sales.
- We reserve the right to limit sales to retail quantities.
Grape Variety Profiles
Tempranillo
Hola, My Name is...Tempranillo
My amigos often call me...Tinto Fino, Aragonez, Cencibel, Tempranilla, Tinta de Toro, Tinta Roriz, Tinto del Pais, Ull de Llebre.
I have...skin as black as the ace of spades
I grew up in...under the Medditerrian sun in the regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero in Spain
I usually hung out with... Granacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Monastrell.
People most like me because...I’m trendy and everyone in the know wants to be associated to “the next big thing”. I became trendy because of my brains, rather than my brawn. I am very dark, intensely complex and a little spicy!!
I’d most like to live...I am not too fussy, but prefer moderate climates. I am not a huge fan of the heat.
I do my best work for...Vega Sicilia in Ribera del Duero. Here I am the King and primarily responsible for Spain’s top red wine, “Unico”. In 2004 a magnum of this prestigious wine was sold at auction for US$65,000.
I bet you didn’t know...as an important part of Port production in Portugal, I am one thing Spanish that the Portuguese actually embrace.
The celbrity most like me is.... Will Smith, I'm not to everyones tastes, but you can't deny I'm cool.
My amigos often call me...Tinto Fino, Aragonez, Cencibel, Tempranilla, Tinta de Toro, Tinta Roriz, Tinto del Pais, Ull de Llebre.
I have...skin as black as the ace of spades
I grew up in...under the Medditerrian sun in the regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero in Spain
I usually hung out with... Granacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Monastrell.
People most like me because...I’m trendy and everyone in the know wants to be associated to “the next big thing”. I became trendy because of my brains, rather than my brawn. I am very dark, intensely complex and a little spicy!!
I’d most like to live...I am not too fussy, but prefer moderate climates. I am not a huge fan of the heat.
I do my best work for...Vega Sicilia in Ribera del Duero. Here I am the King and primarily responsible for Spain’s top red wine, “Unico”. In 2004 a magnum of this prestigious wine was sold at auction for US$65,000.
I bet you didn’t know...as an important part of Port production in Portugal, I am one thing Spanish that the Portuguese actually embrace.
The celbrity most like me is.... Will Smith, I'm not to everyones tastes, but you can't deny I'm cool.
Wine Talk
Water Wheel Celebrates 30 Years
Water Wheel Vineyards of Bendigo recently celebrated 30 years of winemaking with a special retrospective tasting at Pure South Melbourne.
I was lucky enough to attend this special event on invitation from the Cumming Family.
We tasted wines dating back to 1974: the winery's first ever vintage . Both the 1974 Hermitage (Shiraz) and Cabernet Sauvignon have held up amazingly well.
The 1984, 1990 and 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon were standouts and the 1990, 1994 and 1996 Shiraz vintages were drinking exceptionally well.
The 1993 Chardonnay was a surprise: it is a luscious, rich and golden wine that is still refreshing at 13 years of age.
Both the current vintage Cab Sauv and Shiraz are terrific rich flavoursome wines. In my opinion the Cabernet outshines the Shiraz this vintage but both are definitely wines to look out for.
I was lucky enough to attend this special event on invitation from the Cumming Family.
We tasted wines dating back to 1974: the winery's first ever vintage . Both the 1974 Hermitage (Shiraz) and Cabernet Sauvignon have held up amazingly well.
The 1984, 1990 and 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon were standouts and the 1990, 1994 and 1996 Shiraz vintages were drinking exceptionally well.
The 1993 Chardonnay was a surprise: it is a luscious, rich and golden wine that is still refreshing at 13 years of age.
Both the current vintage Cab Sauv and Shiraz are terrific rich flavoursome wines. In my opinion the Cabernet outshines the Shiraz this vintage but both are definitely wines to look out for.
Gallery Images
Jock Harvey from Chalk Hill christens The Cellars
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Keywords: rutherglen, muscat, tokay, making,
