by Vic Harradine

Muscat grapes — the building blocks of one of the world's wine treasures.

It’s a pity there’s a challenge finding these wines, and it’s not because they’re expensive or sell quickly. They occasionally filter through the LCBO, quietly purchased by canny wine lovers. Wine critics Robert Parker Jr. and Jancis Robinson rave about them. At least one deserves a spot on your wine-tasting bucket list.

According to Parker, “… these fortifieds must be tasted to be believed as they are among the world’s most profound after-dinner fortified wines.” Jancis Robinson wrote, “Australia's greatest gift to the wine world, incredibly sweet yet subtle liquid Christmas cake conjured out of the earth and sunshine of north east Victoria.” If you’re already a fan of that delectable Spanish dessert wine commonly known as PX Sherry, these have better balance, a more involved bouquet and greater flavour complexity.

They receive scant distribution and sell slowly as most wine lovers have never tasted one. It’s catch 22 with limited availability exacerbating slow sales and slow sales the reason behind limited availability. They’re versatile and food-friendly to be served slightly chilled. You can pair with foie gras, pour alongside blue-veined cheese or aged Parmagiano Reggiano—as you would Sauternes—savour on their own as dessert or pour with spice cake, crème brulée or crème caramel. You can also sip with walnuts or figs, dark chocolate works well with older Muscats. These are some of the leading producers of stickies in Rutherglen: All Saints, Buller, Campbells, Chambers Rosewood, Morris, Pfeiffer, Stanton and Killeen—winecurrent visited four with reviews on the region, wineries and wine following. All wine prices are ‘cellar door’.

Rutherglen sports its own Geographical Indication (GI) and is between Melbourne and Sydney near the Victoria - New South Wales border. Its continental climate, lengthy growing season, long warm to hot summer days and cool nights allow the two prime grapes that fashion these stunning fortified dessert wines —Muscat (a.k.a. Muscat a Petit Grains Rouge or Brown Muscat) and Muscadelle—time to ripen to full maturity. Noble rot (Botrytis Cinera) is assiduously avoided and the grapes are not dried after picking. Another defining feature of this GI is a narrow band of sandy loam. After negotiations with the EU, ‘Tokay’, vinified from Muscadelle, is now ‘Topaque’. You’ll also find full-bodied reds and nicely balanced whites along with‘sherries’ and ‘ports’. Sherry now to be called ‘Apera’ with Port labeled as Tawny, Vintage or Ruby with no reference to ‘Port’.

Classification system

As with other great fortified wines, a classification system was developed to inform consumers of the style and approximate age of the wines. These are ‘non-vintage’ and drawn from a solera—a collection of older wines that have been stored in barrel for up to 100 years and more. All wines are bottled when ready to drink and will not improve appreciably with further bottle age. My ‘Readers Digest’ version of the classification system follows—for more detail visit www.rutherglenvic.com/rutherglen-muscat.  The Topaque classification is similar and follows.

• Rutherglen Muscat – fresh aromas and flavours, average age 2 – 5 years, 180 – 240 grams residual sugar per litre.
• Classic Rutherglen Muscat – greater richness and complexity displaying distinctive aged-Sherry-like characteristics, average age 5 – 10 years, 200 – 280 grams residual sugar per litre.
• Grand Rutherglen Muscat – more intense aromas and flavours, more texture and layering of flavours, average age 10 – 15 years, 270 – 400 grams residual sugar per litre
• Rare Rutherglen Muscat – the pinnacle of the richest finest wines in the cellar, breathtaking in complexity, texture, depth of flavour, average age 20 years, 270 – 400 grams residual sugar per litre.
• Rutherglen Topaque – the foundation style; showing fresh fruit characters and integration of spirit.  Average Age 2 – 5 years, 180 – 220 grams residual sugar per litre.
• Classic Rutherglen Topaque – rich and complex retaining some of its youthful, fresh fruit characters.  Average Age 5 – 10 years, 200 – 280 grams residual sugar per litre.
• Grand Rutherglen Topaque –intense, depth and concentration of flavour, complex, layers of texture and length.  Average Age 10 – 15 years.  270 – 400 grams residual sugar per litre.
• Rare Rutherglen Topaque – the pinnacle style. Fully developed displays extraordinary qualities using most complete wines in cellar. Breathtaking complexity, texture and depth of flavour. Average Age 20 years.  270 – 400 grams residual sugar per litre.

Stephen Chambers on left, with father, Bill Chambers, on right

Chambers Rosewood Vineyards

Their mission statement—‘We do not “indulge in fancy buildings, bottles and bullshit”—is emblazoned on the tasting room wall. It sets the tone for meeting straight shooting sixth generation current winemaker, Stephen Chambers and former winemaker, his iconic very much larger than life father, Bill—Medal of the Order of Australia recipient. Neither could be accused of being wordy; fortunately their wines speak for themselves. Parker awarded both their Rare Muscat and Rare Tokay 100 points while commenting, “…life is too short not to try one of the Muscats or Tokays from Chambers Rosewood…a true Australian treasure.” The grapes for these wines come from dry-grown vines, some100 years of age, with the oldest wine in the solera believed to be 50-70 years old. The winery was founded in 1858 by William Cambers and still remains firmly in the hands of the Chambers family.


Chambers Rosewood Vineyard ‘Rutherglen Topaque’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $16.00 375 mL 18.5% alcohol
This is amber coloured and brimming with aromas of raisins, prunes, spice and nuts mingling with nuances of tea leaves that introduce this mid-weight delightfully well-balanced and flavour-packed dessert wine. Fig, dark raisin, coffee and honeyed fruit characteristics appear in waves carried along on a creamy texture. This is bolstered by moderating acidity that provides balance and a lingering finish that’s appealing and moreish. Considered entry level, it punches well above that. (Vic Harradine)


Chambers Rosewood Vineyard ‘Grand Rutherglen Muscat’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $50.00 375 mL 18.0% alcohol
Rich and complex, this extraordinary fortified beauty delivers a memorable tasting experience that defies accurate description. The bouquet is a hedonistic cornucopia of sensory delight with malt, caramel, spice cake, orange brandy and burnt sugar among them. The intense hugely textured flavours follow on from the bouquet in waves, culminating in a monumentally lengthy aftertaste that’s balanced and not the least cloying. (Vic Harradine)


Chambers Rosewood Vineyard ‘Rare Rutherglen Muscat’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $250.00 375 mL 18.0% alcohol
This near-religious tasting experience begins with a viscous dark amber-coloured liquid chosen and blended from the oldest and best barrels in their extensive solera. The bouquet blossoms forth caramel, candied orange, spice cake and coffee as segue to a palate-coating sensory overload of oily texture and rich complex flavours. Look for dark maple syrup, honey, fig and chocolate to name but a few. The finish is incredibly lengthy and amazingly well balanced. (Vic Harradine)

David Morris on left, with father, 'Mick' Morris, on  right.

Morris Wines

With their Old Premium Liqueur Muscat (now called ‘Rutherglen Grand Muscat) named best dessert wine in the world at the ‘Decanter World Wine Awards’ in 2009, you’d hardly think they’d need an introduction. David Morris, the affable and generous (winecurrent was offered a tasting sample of over 20 wines) fifth-generation and Australia’s most awarded winemaker, gives credit to his legendary father, ‘Mick’, and the Morris winemakers before him for developing the fabulous section of older wines in the solera, many dating back 60 years, some back to the 1890s. George Francis Morris first planted vines in 1859, but two miles from the present winery location. David’s talents lie with his incredible ability to blend these into the magnificent wines now available in bottle. The Morris style is unmistakable for both dry table and dessert wine; it’s full-bodied, richly textured, powerful and luscious displaying wonderful balance. They are the best-selling—over 25 000 cases per year—and arguably the best-value of all the Rutherglen stickies.


Morris Wines ‘Rutherglen Vintage’ 2002
Rutherglen, Victoria $22.00 750 mL 18.0% alcohol
This is essentially a Port, but quintessentially Australian. Complex and simply delicious, there’s black licorice, dark berry fruit and plenty of spice on the nose. This is full bodied, luscious and fully textured sporting smooth mellow flavours of succulent mulberry ripe juicy cherry and sweet plum compote. There’s more of the same on the well balanced and muscular finish. Incredible value, it’s fresh and lively throughout. (Vic Harradine)


Morris Wines ‘Grand Rutherglen Topaque’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $35.00 500 mL 17.5% alcohol
The grapes were hand harvested, fermented for a short period of time then fortified with a neutral high-alcohol spirit stopping fermentation preserving the residual sweetness. The average age of the wine in barrels selected from the solera to blend this was 14 years. Aromas of cold tea, caramel and mixed spice waft from this richly textured well-balanced gem. It’s a huge mouthful of spice cake, orange marmalade and butterscotch that coats the palate with treacle-like viscosity. The lingering finish is balanced and flavour-packed. (Vic Harradine)


Morris Wines ‘Rare Rutherglen Muscat’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $65.00 500 mL 17.5% alcohol
This world-renowned dessert wine is a blend sourced from older premium award-winning vintages in the Morris solera. Dark amber with olive-green hues on the rim, it’s an unimagined treasure trove of aroma, flavour and value. The marvelous bouquet offers spice, expressive currant and dark raisin with hints of mocha. On the generously textured palate there’s oodles of toffee, orange brandy and essence of camp coffee. The complex monumental finish lasts for a minute or more layering on warm soft dark fruit flavours. (Vic Harradine)


Morris Wines ‘Rare Rutherglen Topaque’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $65.00 500 mL 18.0% alcohol
Unparalleled value here—it’s balanced, complex and profound with great length—given the bouquet, taste plus 100 Trophies and Gold medals won, the price is a pittance. Alluring aromas and succulent complex flavours of honeyed pit fruit—apricot and peach—butterscotch, candied orange rind and toffee provide a dazzling attack on the palate and senses. It’s rich, generously textured and full flavoured with a lingering well-balanced spice-laden aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)

Jennifer Pfeiffer - Winemaker, Pfeiffer Wines

Pfeiffer Wines

Family-owned and operated by father Chris, wife Robyn and daughter cum current winemaker, Jennifer, they’ve carved a name for themselves in very short order. The first winery on their property was built in 1895 with Chris and Robyn purchasing it in 1984 and building it back up, virtually from scratch. Chris was formerly chief fortified wine maker for Lindemans and, until recently, Chairman of Judges for the prestigious Royal Melbourne and Rutherglen Wine Shows. Jennifer stepped up to the plate in a big way recently named ‘The Wine Society Young Winemaker of the Year Sommeliers Choice Award 2009’. This prestigious national award is highly sought after. She’s now putting runs on the board with a variety of wines. A ton of hard work, good fortune and foresight coalesced to allow Pfeiffer Wines to now be a diverse and premium producer of fine wine. Chris put down wine for the solera some 25 years ago when most would have sold every drop squeezed from each grape to pay bills. The well-balanced, fresh and lively fortified stickies now available are testament to that prescient decision.


Pfeiffer Wines Chardonnay 2007
Rutherglen, Victoria $19.95 750 mL 14.0% alcohol
Aromas of toast, vanilla and tree fruit segue a clean crisp wash of tangy citrus, green apple and hints of white peach and persimmon. This was sourced from a nearby plot with a cooler micro-climate, barrel fermented, lees stirred once a week for 6 months then fined, clarified and bottled under screw cap. It’s mid weight, creamy textured sporting a lingering lip-smacking finish with pleasant nuances of savoury. (Vic Harradine)


Pfeiffer Wines ‘Christopher’s VP’ 2006
Rutherglen, Victoria $24.95 750 mL 18.0% alcohol
Made from estate-grown ‘Port’ grapes—Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao and Tinta Barocca—foot-trodden then fermented by wild yeasts, this saw no oak, moving from tank to bottle in 2005. The ‘VP’ refers to ‘Vintage Port’, its usage no longer allowed in Australia. Lifted dark berry fruit and spice aromas abound from this extraordinary gem. Lively flavours of juicy sweet ripe cherry, cassis and chocolate mingle with fine-grained tannin and moderating acidity providing good grip, structure and balance. It’s delectable now and will reward short-term cellaring—earning its final ½ star on value. (Vic Harradine)


Pfeiffer Wines ‘Rare Rutherglen Topaque’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $123.00 500 mL 17.5% alcohol
The freshest liveliest ‘Rare Topaque’ tasted in Rutherglen, light amber in colour expressing an involved alluring bouquet of caramel, treacle and espresso roast. This is elegant and perfectly balanced with a medium body and dreamy creamy oily texture supported by luscious palate-coating flavours of honeyed orange peel, savoury notes and coffee. Chosen from the best barrels in the solera with an average age of +20 years, the finish is lingering and incredibly alive with fresh flavours and moderating acidity. It’s full value and flavour packed—kudos to the Pfeiffer team. (Vic Harradine)


Pfeiffer Wines ‘Grand Rutherglen Muscat’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $83.50 500 mL 17.5% alcohol
Dark amber with beginning hints of olive green, the bouquet is an enticing mélange of savory spice, dark raisins and toffee borne of wine drawn from the solera with an average age of 23 years. Mouth-coating unctuous and value-packed, it delivers an awe-inspiring range of intense flavour with dried apricot, caramel and camp coffee flirting with nuances of burnt sugar and dark maple syrup. It’s hugely textured with a surprisingly well-balanced and fresh finish that’ll keep you going back for more. (Vic Harradine)

Brendan Heath - Winemaker, Stanton and Killeen Wines

Stanton and Killeen Wines

Like many others, Timothy Stanton left England for Australia in search of gold. He arrived in 1855, purchased Rutherglen land in 1864 and by 1875 was an established vigneron. Present winemaker, Brendan Heath, took over the winemaking reigns from sixth generation winemaker Chris Killeen after his untimely passing in 2007. Chris’s young son, Simon, is studying winemaking to become the seventh generation wine maker. Brendan’s impressive wine-making credentials include a degree from Charles Sturt Uni., 15 years at neighbouring Campbells and a bourgeoning career as an international wine judge. Along with the marvelous stickies that are drawn from now +90-year-old vines and a large +40-year-old solera, Stanton and Killeen specialize in Port-styled wine and the Durif grape, a.k.a. Petite Syrah, from cuttings brought from France in 1908. There’s a fabulous program for ‘Cellar Club’ members allowing purchase of mini-sized barrels, filled with wine blended to the member’s specification then stored here or shipped to the member’s residence—a fabulous addition to a wine-lovers collection.


Stanton and Killeen Wines Vintage Port 1983
Rutherglen, Victoria $68.00 750 mL 19.0% alcohol
This is incredibly fresh and full of flavour sourced from old-vine Shiraz and Durif (a.k.a. Petite Syrah) with a smidgeon of Touriga Nacional. Spicy and sweet berry fruit on the nose it gets into gear on the palate with a smooth and mellow mouthful of cassis and mixed ripe dark berry flavours mingling with spice and supported by fully resolved tannin. It’s drinking perfectly well now and will for the next 4 or 5 years. It finishes balanced warm and delicious. (Vic Harradine)


Stanton and Killeen Wines ‘Classic Rutherglen Topaque’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $30.00 500 mL 18.0% alcohol
This is a fabulous wine and incredible value. The average age of the wines used to blend this was 12 years as the slight green hue on the rim of the amber liquid bears witness. The involved nose offers aromas of candied citrus peel and lovely honeysuckle notes mingling with mixed spice. The palate’s treated to a viscous well-balanced shower of honeyed tropical fruit and caramel that builds in complexity dominating the lengthy finish. This is luscious rich and lip-smacking delicious. (Vic Harradine)


Stanton and Killeen Wines ‘Grand Rutherglen Muscat’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $80.00 500 mL 18.5% alcohol
This was blended from premium wine in the solera, some dating back fifty years. Raisin, currant and date aromas billow from this still fresh and vibrant beauty. Complex flavours—coffee, toffee, prune and nuts abound. It’s opulent and viscous throughout, yet manages to be clean refreshing and deftly balanced, especially on the lengthy layered warm finish. A hedonistic tasting experience providing excellent value—6 persons could easily share one bottle as an after-dinner very special treat. (Vic Harradine)


Stanton and Killeen Wines ‘Rare Rutherglen Muscat’ Non-vintage
Rutherglen, Victoria $120.00 500 mL 19.0% alcohol
Dark amber with discernible hints of olive green, this was sourced from the absolute best vintages in the past forty years. Sherry-like aromas mingle with maple syrup and nuances of raisin tart as segue to a mouth-coating layered wave of flavour with sweet melting caramel, candied fruit and orange brandy to the fore. The finish is complex and, amazingly, not cloying, but fresh, balanced and clean. It was a joy to taste and very tough to spit. (Vic Harradine)