Historic Wineries of Victoria, Australia
Two Phases to Wine Production in Victoria Regions
The first phase of the industry lasted between 1850 and the 1890s. The modern phase got under way about 1970. Very few vineyards straddle both eras.
In 1960 wine author W S Benwell published the first edition of his book Journey to Wine in Victoria. It seemed like the last rites for the Victoria wine industry which was conceived in the 1840s, burst into the world in the 1850s with the gold rush and reached its prime in the boom years of the 1880s. From thence it slipped inexorably into decline to is supposed death bed in 1960.
But while Benwell was writing the requiem for Victoria wine in 1960 the first stirrings of the Renaissance were felt. By 1975 he was able to write the second edition of Journey to wine... with a much more optimistic tone. All the regions from the nineteen century were being replanted and a new boom had begun.
Majestic Rutherglen
The backbone of winemaking in the Rutherglen region is dominated by a few names that go back over a century. A few of the currently operating wineries are All Saints (established 1864) Campbell (1870), Chambers (1858), Jones (1864), Morris (1859) and Stanton and Killen (1875). Many on the wineries are still housed in exuberant red brick buildings from the gold era. The wines produced at Rutherglen today are robust reds made from Shiraz and Durif as well as superb, stunning fortified wines sold under the names of Muscat, Tokay and Port. These latter wines will have new names shortly but the quality will remain first class.
North Eastern Victoria
Brown Brothers have been in operation since 1885. They are among the largest family owned wineries in Australia. They are also the most innovative with wines made from over 40 different grape varieties. Their winery, cellar door, restaurant and home vineyard is located at Milawa but they have other vineyards to exploit a range of climates to produce the best wines from their vast portfolio of varieties.
Central Victorian Icon
The winery at Tahbilk, formerly called Chateau Tahbilk, is dominated by the eccentric timber tower depicted on the label. Established on the banks of the Goulburn River in 1860 Tahbilk has now been in the Purbrick family since 1925. Visiting the National Trust classified building is a rite of passage for Victorian winelovers, but many come for the wine as well. For many years there was more of the Marsanne white wine variety planted in Tahbilk's vineyard than anywhere else in the world. The Marsanne from here still accumulates gold medals and trophies at a furious pace. Tahbilk also have some wonderful wines made from old vines (both Marsanne and Shiraz) and in recent years it has successfully introduced new varieties such as viognier, tempranillo and sangiovese.
The Great Western Region
Two wineries have dominated this region since the Gold era - Best's and Sepplet. Best's maintains a small nursery block planted with more than thirty obscure varieties 140 years ago. Some of the varieties are so obscure that even today they defy identification.
Honorable Mention, the Yarra Valley
A few more wineries and regions were prominent in the first phase of Victoria's wine history but virtually none has continuous production since then. De Bury's Yeringberg was established in 1863 and is still in the same family. In fact the original building is used for winemaking today, but no wine was made for several decades after the 1920s.
The Victorian wine scene today is an exciting blend of the old and the new.The Rutherglen region has adopted a marketing slogan "Young Bloods and Bloody Legends." It sums up where the whole of Victoria's wine industry is today.
You find more information about innovative Victorian wines at Vinodiversity's List of Victorian Wine Regions
Tahbilk marsanne
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