There's a curious clone of grape that's closely related to Traminer and which seems to appear without explanation in disparate vineyards around the world. Golden Ball introduces the suave Savignin in flamboyant French styling, barrel fermented in seasoned oak, treated to the opulence of six months lees stirring battonage and a judicious term of age. Its long textural palate of lemon curd creamyness, animated by the crunch of crisp mineral, pursing the cheeks with the juicyness of crabapple and citrus green, Savignin that resonates and sings.

De Bortoli remain in possession of one of the most extensive aged fortified wine collections in Australia. They have acquired precious stocks of very old wines from Rutherglen and the Barossa, from time to time assembling them with their own substantial reserves to make a Very Special Old Port, the final blend at an average age of 21 years.

Cofield practice careful hand picking of fruit and rigorous barrel selection to enhance the ultimate quality in their wines. The careful culling of fruit and barrels also leads to smaller production, limiting quantities of each wine from between 100 to 600 dozen, dependent on vintage quantities and quality. Cofield take aim at assembling one of Australia's most essential sparkling red wines each year, based on the best stocks from the finest vintages.

To maintain the unique qualities in their Sparkling Shiraz, Cofield have chosen to create a more complex and complete wine by blending small amounts of older vintages. Crafted to the traditional Methode champenoise, Cofield is treated to an ancient process called tirage, where sugar and yeast are added to the base wine, initiating a second ferment in bottle. This is what creates the sparkle, infuses complexity and introduces texture.

The vineyards of Rutherglen are planted to soils that are underlayed by veins of quartz, which enhance the warm continental climes, trapping the sun's heat during the day and releasing it over the cooler nights to encourage development of natural sugars and rich flavours in the fruit. Cofield have been growing grapes in Rutherglen for generations. They know the land best and retain the finest low yielding vines. Fruit is picked throughout the chill of early morning to capture the piquant aromaticness and varietal complexity which lends Chenin Blanc such charm.

The growing terroirs of Rutherglen are an extraordinary confluence of soil and microclime which translate into distinctive fortified wines, praised and cherished by the world's most discerning enthusiasts. The vineyard crew truly have their work cut out for them, the focus is on growing the best Rutherglen fruit and maintaining a strict adherence to a century of winemaking traditions. A refreshingly drier Tawny style, laden with plum and rancio, rhubarb and fig fruits, the warming patina of barrel maturation characters in support, an exquisite, lingering walnut finish.

Parcels of intensely flavoured Shiraz grapes, grown to younger vines on the Chambers Rosewood property, are vinified and barrel aged into a generously flavoured Ruby Port. A spiced cherry, black and blueberry bouquet, complexed by sweetly scented liquorice and the savouryness of tar. Mouthfilling palate of ripe plum and cherry fruits over coffee and dark rich chocolate flavours. An impressive finish of great length and lingering dried festive cake fruit characters. The fortified wine of choice to accompany ice cream based desserts and good coffee.

Small yields of Muscat à petits grains from younger vines grown to the quarantined Chambers Rosewood Vineyard at Rutherglen, are aged and assembled with older stocks to create an entry level into one of Australia's most internationally cherished dessert wines. Sourced from old vine material, matured in seasoned casks for up to ten years, crafted to the fundamental Chambers Rosewood style, the final Muscat wine displays fresh raisin aromas, rich fruit, clean spirit and great length of flavour, the hallmarks of all Rutherglen fortifieds.

One of the nation's most internationally feted marques in fortified wine. Tokay grapes are harvested late in the season to take advantage of fully developed fruit sugars and maximum ripeness. Unlike table wines and vintage ports which treat vintages separately, various casks of wine across a number of years are cellared and assembled into a unique wine of individual character. Marked by its freshness of fruit and warmth of spirit, exceptional length and multi dimensional palate, an exquisite introduction into the world class range of Chambers Rosewood.

There are many factors which contribute to the magnificence and opulence of Chambers Rosewood, a legacy of old, quarantined, pre phyloxera vines, a century of tradition and the pursuit of uncompromising excellence. All work is performed by hand and nothing is done hastily, Chambers Rosewood are host to some of the most precious old vines on the continent. A luscious Muscat style, redolent of rose petal, dried fruits and graceful age, a lively fruit cake and raisin palate, balanced, clean and fresh, with a moreish, elegantly drying finish.

Established 1858, Chambers Rosewood have continued to produce the richest, most complex dessert wines. Their ancient, rarest stocks date back to soleras from 1890, the unirrigated vines, many of which are over eighty years old, yield scant harvests of precious grapes which are endowed with wonderfully concentrated flavours. Magnificence in an old vine Rutherglen Muscadelle, complexed by barrel age, deeply satisfying as an elegant accompaniement to the finest consommes, richly sauced game bird recipes and of course, wickedly decadent desserts.

Established 1858, in continuous operation by several generations of the founding family, Chambers Rosewood are custodians of priceless old vineyards. An extraordinary tradition of sensational vintages have defined Chambers Rosewood as one of the world's great marques in fortified wine. Dark mahogany hued, its rich nose of chocolate plum, fruitcakes and marzipan, quince andf soft, sweet spice over tea chest oak maturation notes, unravel layers of red black fruits throughout the length of palate, a gentle warmth of spirit complementing the finish.

You can travel down Barkly Street Rutherglen and not even notice the tiny little winery housed in a collection of corrugated iron sheds, yet Chambers Rosewood are internationally renowned. Afficianados of Australian fortifieds could easily be forgiven for not realising that some of the world's finest Muscat are produced here. This small, family operation was established by William Chambers in 1858 and has operated as a winery continuously ever since, long enough for the sixth generation of Chambers to make wine.

The unirrigated, heirloom Chambers Rosewood vines, many of which are a century of age, yield meagre harvests of parched little berries with a wonderful concentration of rich flavours. The rare, ancient oak Cuvees date back to soleras from the 1890s. Assembled around a precious stock of 1960s vintage base wines, Grand Muscadelle is crafted to be incredibly intense, rich and smoky, with black cherry, rancio and anis jaffa flavours. Those who are lucky enough to experience Chambers Rosewood are converted forever.

The Campbells of Rutherglen are one of the nation's great winemaking dynasties, internationally recognized for their profound expressions of profoundly Australian Shiraz. They remain custodians to some of the world's last remaining plantings of pre-phyloxera Durif. Two of Rutherglen's defining varietal grapes have been assembled into a finely integrated, complex and engaging wine. The Shiraz component contributes full flavours with spicy berry fruit, Durif adds violet and black cherry characters, solid structure with length and a firm tannin finish.

Campbell's Topaque bears a venerable oval logotype symbolizing the great vineyards of Australia's most distinguished wine growing region at Rutherglen. The skillful art of blending old barrels Tokay, handed down to Colin Campbell by his forebears, is painstakingly carried out to ensure consistency of quality and provenance of the Campbell style. A luxurious compilation of aged Tokay stocks from a number of vintages, assembed into the richest and most complex accord of lusciously wicked, fruit filled indulgence.

Muscats of Rutherglen are considered the world's richest wines, highly cherished internationally, they bear a mark of authenticity, the oval logotype with stylised R, only ever applied to wines drawn from the great Muscat vineyards of the region. The Campbell house style is typically complex and elegant, encapsulating a rainbow of raisin fruit flavours. Sensational if enjoyed chilled as aperitif, great with blue cheese and fruit bread, divine with espresso and plum pudding.

Intensely rich and concentrated, the Durif of Rutherglen are renowned throughout the world of wine for their varietal purity, eloquence and articulation of place. Crafted from the fruit of ancient quarantined vineyards, vinified on skins over the course of a week, followed by an extended eighteen months in a selection of well seasoned French and American Puncheons. Deep, brooding bouquets of dark, chocolatey plum fruit, its crisp bramble acidity and drying, black olive savouryness over a lengthy course of bold, ubiquitious, gripping tannins.

Merchant Prince is the pinnacle of the Muscat makers art, the richest, most complex and complete wine, awarded a perfect 1OO point score from the distinguished panel at Wine Spectator. Assembled from a legacy of ancient barrels over seventy years of age, laid down by forebears of the family which are custodian of our nation's most priceless stocks. Fruit is left to ripen on the vine until an extraordinary level of complexity and richness is achieved, the ferments arrested with brandy and filled to Soleras for a timeless passage throught the Campbell cellars.

Exclusively old vines Tokay Muscadelle from the quarantined Campbell Vineyards at Rutherglen. Rare Rutherglen Tokays are bottled in tiny quantities each year, for those privileged to taste them, these are wines of breathtaking complexity, mesmerising character and astounding flavour. Grapes are left to ripen on the vine as late as possible into the season, achieving the most extraordinary levels of lusciousness. The oldest inclusions into Isabella are well over seventy years of age, a superior assemblage of the finest vintages over the generations.

The oval logotype with stylised R classification assures an exceptional level of richness and complexity, through a precious elevage of very old wines matured in well seasoned oak, infused with distinctive dry rancio character. The Muscats of Rutherglen are considered the world's richest wines and bear the mark of authenticity, only ever assigned to the great Muscat vineyards of the region.

Campbell's Topaque is the most wickedly intense, lusciously rich elixir, laden with candied peel flavours, honeycombed fruit and amber complexities. Painstakingly crafted to the old world Solera system, a bespoke tradition of fractional blending and elevage, achieving the most indulgent concentration of flavour through a laborious racking of barrels as the angels take their share. At its peak of development upon release, savour Topaque as a refined accompaniment to consomme or extravagantly dressed turkey.

The original Bobbie Burns site was established by John Campbell in the 1870s, it was the first vineyard in Rutherglen to be replanted with phylloxera resistant stock. Bobbie Burns has since commanded a peerless reputation for delivering an Australian icon wine that's accessible to all, sharing the power and potency of Rutherglen Shiraz. Showing exquisite balance and structure while drinking brilliantly on release, a splendid red wine to enjoy with confidence, whatever its age, alongside warming meat and potato recipes or spiced and marinated grills.

Rutherglen may have the only major plantings of genuine Durif in the world, due to the Phylloxera vine disease. Rutherglen can also lay claim to the oldest productive examples in all of Australia. From within their quarantined vineyards at Rutherglen, Campbell's have been the protagonists of Durif for generations. Unquestionably, Durif at its finest, Campbells release The Barkly only in years when vintage conditions are exceptional.

"FOUR STARS****!" Winestate. One of Buller's more outstanding offerings and certainly quite a superior effort for in a Rutherglen Merlot. It's Medoc like climate has yielded a sublime and velvety red that delivers, from nose onto the tongue. Harvested and plunged by hand and basket pressed, this intensely aromatic wine offers ripe plummy fruits, mint and dark chocolate on the nose. The palate is equally intense with dark fruits, dried herbs and enticing savoury and gamey characters. Not your average Merlot, albeit one that will continue to integrate and soften over the next 6 to 8 years.

Buller of Rutherglen holds amazing stocks of aged red in barrel which it calls upon from time to time, to blend into superlative and extremely limited releases. Inspiration and the high art of blending are the catalysts for this stalwart winery's precious little specials, and in this instance they've brought together an uncompromising cuvee of 15% 1972, 37% 1988 and 48% 1996 vintages which have been topped up with a liqueur doseage to undergo a second fermentation. A currant jelly-like colour and mousse bordering on whipped strawberry leads to a magnificently round and contented palate of dry and sweet ju-jube-like flavours.

The wines of Buller are the result of four generations experience growing the most superlative fruit and vinifying the most resplendent examplars of Rutherglen. Name for the sleepy hamlet at the heart of the Swan Hill winegrowing region, Beverford is a range of wines fashioned for contemporary Australian palates. An immensely satisfying, generous Old Tokay with a profoundly fruit driven palate and lusciously aged rancio characters. The older material in the blend provides weight and depth of flavour, the younger wines contribute freshness and vigour.

Blessed with a sunny climate, good soils and ample water, the Buller vineyards at Beverford, nestled within the Swan Hill region, produce the richest, nut and citrus flavoured Old Tawny wines which can rival the finest in Victoria. A generously flavoured Old Port in the traditional style, Buller is endowed with great complexity. Sweet fruit and beautifully integrated oak combine to display all the developed characters of long term ageing. Along with the slow transformation in colour from bright ruby to deep tawny, have arrived the most exquisite changes of flavour.

Prodigious, dark amber-colored, boasts colossal aromatics and flavors of melted caramels, coffee, toffee, candied fruits marinated in cognac, magnificent richness, and a huge finish that lasts over seventy seconds. These fortifieds must be tasted to be believed as they are among the world's most profound after-dinner fortified wines, 100 Points.

Light amber color is followed by an intoxicating fragrance that includes scents of prunes, figs, maple syrup, molasses, and gobs of fruit. The glycerine is extraordinary, the acid level provides freshness and definition, and the finish lasts over a minute. Its freshness, good acidity, soaring aromatics, and unctuous flavors must be tasted to be believed, 96 Points!� -eRobertparker.com,.

Calliope is the name of the original vineyard established by Reginald Langdon Buller in 1921. Calliope is also the Buller estate flagship, reserved for outstanding vintages. Wine grapes have been grown at Rutherglen since first settlement, arguably the world's most precious enclave of old pre phyloxera vines, many thanks to the world's oldest quarantine. Rutherglen is famous throughout the world of wine, Calliope continues to endure as a wine of concentrated dark plum and brambleberry fruit, supported by the most statuesque, lingering tannins.

Best Merlot Trophy & Gold Hobart. Exceptional Merlot fruit for this vintage, the Patricia Merlot has not been released since 2000. Sourced from the superior Glenkara vineyard in the Pyrenees and a small parcel 6% from the Taylors vineyard at Beechworth, Patricia has spent 18 months in a combination of new and older French oak. A wine of unshakeably gelatinous flavours like cherry and berry ju-jubes, Patricia is supple with fruit intensity and tenderness, it's soft palate and fine silky tannins, hit an immediate chord with Australian wine judges.

Hunter Valley Shiraz is defined by its poise, a medium bodied style of lighter hues, elegant restraint and supple tannins. Brokenwood also retain vineyards a little further afield, amongst the Blewitt Springs and McLaren Flats of McLaren Vale. The fruit here makes a wine of greater substance and palate weight. A choice parcel from a superlative Beechworth site, contributes to a concord of astonishing balance, the chocolateyness of McLaren Vale coats the crisp red fruits of the Hunter, coalescing into a dulcet cherry ripe of tensile tannins and background coconut oak.

Attention to detail has always been at the centre of the Brokenwood ethos, in this case, an assemblage of three clones Pinot Noir, harvested off several individual blocks on the eminent Indigo Vineyard at Beechworth. Blessed by a confluence of oblique terrains, mineral soils and chilly climes, Beechworth represents the ideal home for the pastoral Pinot Noir. Structured, balanced and offering excellent weight of fruit, everything in the right place and in good order, splendid with the traditional accompaniement of duckling, steak tartare or salmon escalopes to suit.

The historic goldfields at Beechworth are now delivering a different type of gold, in the form of suave white wines with panache and style. Pinot Gris has taken well to the cooler climes and mineral rich soils atop the steeply sloped aspects. The Indigo property is the most prominent vineyard in the area, trained for decades by local growers to yield vintages of the finest fruit. Brokenwood have taken the pick of crop, fashioned into the essential accompaniement for all fresh and evocative fare, white meat recipes, tapas and terrines.

A seamless red wine, brimming with the requisite panache of all things Brokenwood, centred around a backbone of intensely flavoured McLaren Vale Shiraz. The winemaking team are always keen to find dedicated growers with superior vineyards who are on the ball about the quality of fruit that's central to the Brokenwood label. A heightened level of complexity is at the core, fashioned to express the character and charm of each vineyard, generously proportioned and layered with ripe, juicy flavours, followed by a satisfyingly savoury, mouthfilling finish.

Brokenwood release two editions of Pinot Noir each vintage from the eminent Indigo Vineyard at Beechworth. There are a number blocks and clones on the property, the pick of crop is reserved for a single site bottling behind the Indigo moniker. Established in the 1990s after an exhaustive, nation wide search for the next great vineyard, Indigo is a source of fruit for the most demanding winemakers and prestigious labels. An effusively perfumed Pinot of generous proportions and juicy black fruit flavours, perfect for pink duck or maghrebi spiced tartare.

It was the compelling efforts of the artisanal Giaconda which placed Beechworth on the map for world class Chardonnay. Indigo Vineyard is a close neighbour, younger in age and slightly different in terms of aspect and clime, it yields a quality of Chardonnay which lends itself to a more modern style of winemaking. A measure of old world practices are nevertheless employed, wild ferments in new French oak and a judicious term of age, the objective is to encourage fruit to unlock its potential, while retaining natural eloquence and sense of place.