A wine region hotel where old meets new

Rutherglen is a small town in north-east Victoria that draws wine lovers from around Australia to sample its bold reds and legendary fortifieds.

When I lasted visited - a few year ago now - the Victoria Hotel was just another old pub on the main street.

Built in 1868, it had history on its side, but looked in need of some care and attention. 

The Victoria began as a modest wooden building before being transformed into a two-storey brick landmark by the magnificently named Shadrack Platts Gollings in 1893.

With its heritage features -including Rutherglen’s original mortuary tucked just beyond the carriage gates - The Victoria proudly holds Victoria’s longest continually operating hotel licence.

In 2021, Kate and Matt Halpin became the custodians of this historic landmark.

The couple returned to their regional origins, adopting the philosophy of "city style meets country soul."

Their vision was to honour The Victoria’s heritage while transforming it into a modern destination that celebrates connection, community, and the spirit of the High Country.

Boy, have they succeeded.



After a multi-million-dollar restoration, they have managed to preserve the hotel’s historic character while introducing contemporary comforts. So much so that last year The Victoria was named ‘Best Redeveloped Hotel in Victoria’ by the Australian Hotels Association.

When I stayed last month in one of the 14 impressive and spacious suites, the popular restaurant (open seven days for lunch and dinner) offering award-winning regional cuisine was jumping, even on a chilly midweek night.

So think elevated, flame-focused dining right on the main street (make sure to try the Pillow bread and the croquettes) just a short drive from cellar doors including my hosts at Morris, All Saints, Campbells, Stanton and Killen, Scion, Pfeiffer and other desirable destinations.

The main street is home to Thousand Pound wine bar, boutiques, cafés and the legendary Parker Pies shop.



For anyone arriving late, or checking out early, there is keyless experience with contactless check-in. The technology works!

The suites feature air-conditioning and heating, flat-screen TV, Hunter Lab bathroom amenities, good sized fluffy towels, tea and coffee-making facilities, a phone charger that works, free high-speed wifi, a bar fridge, off-street guest parking and bath robes and slippers.

There is a lively bar, the restaurant and several shared rooms like the clubby The Library.

* Rutherglen is Around 30 minutes drive from the regional hubs of Albury/Wodonga, Wangaratta and Yarrawonga, The Victoria is an ideal base from which to explore surrounding heritage townships like Beechworth, Milawa, Chiltern, Wahgunyah and Corowa. Or venture a little further afield for a day trip to the King Valley, Alpine snowfields or picturesque Bright & Myrtleford, located less than 90 minutes away.

You can book direct at https://www.victoriahotelrutherglen.com.au/ 

# The writer was a guest of Morris of Rutherglen and Casella Family Brands 

Wine range celebrates a 1969 "masterstroke"

You have to be impressed by the consistency shown by Adam Eggins and the winemaking team at Clare Valley-based Taylors Wines.

From budget releases to high-end flagships like The Visionary, The Legacy and The Pioneer, Taylors releases deliver bang for your buck.

You’ll probably be familiar with several of the ranges produced by the Taylor family - who are among Australia’s top 20 producers in terms of volume and now source fruit from across South Australia.

The ranges start with budget Promised Land wines and include Taylors Estate, Taylor Made, TWP and Jaraman, heading upwards to the St Andrews range - named after the Taylors’ 1892-established property in the Clare Valley.

In many markets the wines are labelled as Wakefield Estate, given the pesky international presence of a venerable port producer laying claim to the name Taylors.

The 2025 Family Flagship Release features wines from the Masterstroke range - showcase a less publicised trio of reds.

“The Family Flagship Release is always a proud moment for us here in the Taylors winemaking team, and this year is no exception," says Eggins.

"We are showcasing some of the most special vintages we’ve experienced here in the Clare Valley – think 2022 as an absolute standout."

The Masterstoke wines are the 2020 Masterstroke Shiraz, McLaren Vale, the 2021 Masterstroke Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, and the 2022 Masterstroke Cabernet Shiraz, Clare Valley (all $60 rrp) .

I thought the Coonawarra cabernet was an absolute ripper - composed and delicious- with the others not far behind.

The name Masterstroke celebrates the decision patriarch Bill Taylor Snr. made when he established the family winery in the Clare Valley in 1969. He recognised the potential for the region to produce outstanding table wines.

"This range offers the ultimate expressions of varietal character and champions the regional terroir of three diverse South Australian wine regions where each varietal shines," the Taylor family says.

Award-winning landscape photographer Benjamin Goode has captured each of the three wine regions and his images are featured on each of the wine bottles in the range.

For more info see www.taylorswines.com.au

The secrets of grenache with panache

Grenache is perhaps Australia's most under-rated wine grape variety.

It is such a pity that a juicy, fruity, delicious grape is ignored by many consumers, perhaps because they are not sure what to expect stylistically.

This Friday, September 16, is International Grenache Day and the perfect excuse to get your laughing gear around some grenache with panache.

Yalumba, who produce several fine examples of grenache, combined with Andrew Hardy and his Ox Hardy label for a recent media tasting to showcase the variety and I've also tasted some excellent recent examples from producers including Willunga 500 and Oliver's Taranga.



Other leading producers include Chalk Hill, Chapel Hill, Yangarra Estate, d’Arenberg, Varney Wines and SC Pannell.

In Australia, particularly, grenache seems to be at its best in warmer climes like the Barossa and McLaren Vale.

It is dominant variety in many Southern Rhone wines, particularly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Grenache, also known as garnacha in Spain, used to be the backbone of many of Australia's best fortified wines; back in the day when we had wines labelled as sherries, ports and tokays.

It is one of the most widely planted red wine varieties in the world but it needs careful work in the vineyard to make sure it is not too high-yielding, given its tendency to become overblown.

Grenache was one of the first varieties planted in South Australia, with plantings in McLaren Vale in the late 1830s and the Barossa in the early 1840s

Here, it is most often seen in GSM blends with shiraz and mourvedre (mataro), but many of the vines have been pulled out. Those that remain are often old and produce intense fruit. Handled correctly, the vines produce wines that are vibrant, aromatic and food friendly.

Yalumba senior winemaker Kevin Glastonbury, and Ox Hardy Wines boss Andrew Hardy agree that grenache is currently riding the success wave of the “the Pinot Noir revolution” with many drinkers looking for red wines of substance that are not too big, or oaky.

One of the keys to "new generation" grenache is picking the fruit before it goes to full ripeness, going for “red fruit rather than towards the black fruit spectrum,” Glastonbury says. "If you lose the fresh acid in grenache, then you lose the magic, because acid is the key.

"There is no doubt that grenache's time has come, particularly when it is made as a more elegant style of wine that is so friendly and drinkable."

Hardy agrees, hailing "lighter, fresher, aromatic and lifted" styles.

Wines tasted were the Yalumba Tri-Centenary Grenache 2019 ($65), Yalumba Vine Vale Grenache 2021 ($40), and two brilliant "value" offerings in Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache 2020 ($28) and Ox Hardy McLaren Vale Grenache 2021 ($38).

Willunga 100 winemaker Skye Salter - who makes outstanding individual vineyard examples from the Trott and Smart vineyards in McLaren Vale - says grenache is "undervalued and underutilised as a stand-alone variety in Australia", adding it is "a variety that never ceases to give me joy."

The Willunga 100 wines are made in tiny quantities and the 2021 wines retail for $55 with the Trott the more elegant style and the Smart a tad more assertive. 

Meanwhile, McLaren Vale’s inaugural Grenache & Gourmet kicks off this month.

The two week-long celebration of the region’s world-class grenache and grenache-blends launches on International Grenache Day and runs through to the Labour Day Long Weekend (1-3 October) with experiences at several wineries and restaurants.

See www.grenacheandgourmet.com.au for details.

The wine times they are a changing

St Hallett has always been a winery with a reputation for big, but stylish, Barossa red wines. Wines with bold personality. 

Back of the days of legendary long lunches with Bob McLean, there has always been a certain swagger to St Hallett reds. 

Think Bruce Willis rather than Graham Norton

That's still the case with wines like the newly released 2017 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz ($150) - an icon wine that can be enjoyed now or in two decades' time. 

But times change, tastes evolve and now there is a growing market for easy drinking young red wines with minimal oak, designed for being enjoyed chilled n a summer day. 

I'd go for a Beaujolais myself if looking for this style, or an Australian gamay. 

St Hallett's offering in this category is the new 2021 Blockhead Shiraz Nouveau ($26, cheaper on special). 

"It’s delicious, it’s fun and It’s definitely one wine that will be so much fun to experiment with," says the St Hallett website. "Our suggestion is to simply serve in a stemless wine glass over a couple of ice cubes, chill down and serve around 12 degrees, or change it up in your favourite sangria recipe." 

OK. I generally try to be positive, but I found this wine limp, insipid and devoid of appeal. 

Winemaker Helen MCarthy says: “While a lighter style shiraz, it’s still unmistakably Barossa in its generosity of flavour."

If you are a St Hallett lover be sure to try before you buy.