Ah Winter – such a restful time in the vineyard as the bare bones of the vines are revealed and at a glance you can almost see the vines sighing with relief as they rest and rejuvenate – ready for the arrival of Spring and the preparations for Vintage 2024.
It’s also the season to enjoy our Muscats and Topaques – they are the absolute foundation of our winery as it stands today. They are a magical blend using old stocks reserved by our forebears to create wines of amazing age and complexity. As you walk into our cellars you are dwarfed by the giant old oak casks that house them as they patiently age. They are a daily reminder to us all of the contribution of Campbell generations past founder John, then David, Allen, and his sons Colin and Malcolm. It is fitting that our daughter, 5th generation winemaker Jules as a 12 year old walked past the giant casks and remarked “This is the soul of our winery Mum”.
In the early 1990s my husband Colin led the small team of eight Muscat of Rutherglen producers to segment the many styles and ages of muscat into 4 classifications from the youthful Rutherglen to the Classic then Grand and then the pinnacle Rare. This has been a winner, with people enjoying the difference that age and complexity bring to this unique wine style.
In setting up the soleras for the four classifications of Campbells Muscat and Topaque, master blending was required. Colin likened this to the vital blend of “The wisdom of age and the exuberance of youth”. Much like life! The complex aged flavours always need an addition of youthful vibrance.
Jane will tell you more about the making of our Muscats and Topaques in this edition of our News; however nothing beats sitting amongst the giant casks in the heart of our 150-year-old cellars and enjoying one of our Muscat Mile tastings. These special tastings inevitably finish with a taste of our trophy winning Rare Merchant Prince Muscat. Fittingly this wine was awarded the Colin Campbell Memorial Trophy at last year’s Fortified Wine Show.
If you can’t make it to see us, we hope to catch up at one of our dinners and lunches in a city near you. Of course, we always bring one or two of our special wines along.
The June Long Weekend is a highlight at the beginning of winter, and this year Campbells steps aside from Winery Walkabout and instead offers a relaxed weekend with fires crackling around the winery with great food and live music from one of our favourite local talents. We hope to see you here or throughout the wintery months…
Prue Campbell