Seven dishes you must try in Rutherglen, Victoria: Chef Simon Arkless

MandyJones Corowa lamb.

COROWA LAMB RUMP, JONES WINERY & RESTAURANT

Winemaker Mandy Jones, a graduate from Cordon Bleu in Paris, has developed a menu focused on local produce and balanced flavours. A favourite is the roasted Corowa Lamb Rump with snow pea, red onion and mint. Jones Restaurant is open Thursday to Sunday lunch from 12pm. See joneswinery.com.au

Simon Arkless

RUTHERGLEN BERKSHIRE PORK

Producers of Heritage Breed Berkshire Pork, these pigs are farmed in an ethical and humane manner and live a free-range life. Berkshire Pork is known for is full depth of flavour, marbling, texture, juiciness and tenderness of the meat. A favourite breed of ours which produces high quality and flavoursome dishes, buy from the Albury Wodonga Farmers Market. See alburywodongafarmersmarket.com

SANGIOVESE ROSE, JAMES & CO

A new cellar door in the main street of Rutherglen owned by Georgie and Rikki James, their Sangiovese Rose is fantastic wine for a long Rutherglen lunch next to the Murray River. See jamesandcowines.com.au

RUTHERGLEN MUSCAT & CHICKEN LIVER PATE, PICKLED SISTERS

Pickled Sisters is an institution in Rutherglen and has always focused on high-quality produce in a relaxed atmosphere at Cofield's Winery. It's fantastic the way they incorporate one of the region's most famous wines with this dish, Rutherglen Muscat & Chicken Liver Pate, served with turmeric and fennel pickles. See pickledsisters.com.au

KIDDEN PARK GOATS

These delicious tender goats make an appearance on our menu from time to time. The farm is located on the outskirts of the picturesque Rutherglen. The goats are the Kalahari Red breed, which originate from the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. They are innately hardy and naturally adaptable.

PARAGON OLIVE OIL, THE WICKED VIRGIN

The Wicked Virgin is a small family olive grove established by John and Laurel Nowacki in 1999. Situated on the hill looking across Rutherglen, it's the perfect place to visit at sunset.

Their Wicked Virgin 'Paragon' extra virgin olive oil is our favourite. See wickedvirginrutherglen.com.au

PRC CHARDONNAY, SCION WINE

Rowly and Sally Milhinch make some really interesting wines with great flavour profiles. Situated close to town, their cellar door is beautifully laid out and fun for a glass of wine or two. My favourite wine is the PRC Chardonnay, which is a project Rowly has concocted with wine making pals Chris Catlow (Sentio, Beechworth) and Pete Graham (Domenica, Beechworth). Fruit was sourced from one of the country's most revered plantings of chardonnay, the Lusatia Park Vineyard in Victoria's Yarra Valley. One parcel of handpicked fruit was divided three ways, with each winemaker setting out to craft a wine shaped around their individual interpretation of the fruit, delicious! See scionwine.com.au

Simon Arkless has headed up the hatted The Terrace restaurant, at the All Saints Winery in the Rutherglen wine region, north-eastern Victoria, since 2012. Previously, he worked at London's OXO Tower Restaurant, Harvey Nicholls' 'Fifth Floor' restaurants before moving to Melbourne. He describes his style as employing European techniques with local produce. See allsaintswine.com.au