Rutherglen’s All Saints winery scores golden ratings from James Halliday’s team, including 95 for Pierre cabernet blend

Historic All Saints winery in Rutherglen is reaching new heights, including two 100-point ratings from James Halliday’s team.

A strong pedigree of family stewardship and high-quality winemaking.

Nick Brown was still studying winemaking at university when his father, one of Victoria’s original “Brown Brothers”, was struck and killed by a four-wheel drive while riding his motorcycle.

The shocking accident left Peter Brown’s family reeling but 17 years later his children, Nick, Eliza and Angela, continue to take their father’s historic All Saints winery at Rutherglen to even greater heights.

All Saints, acquired by the family in the 1990s, has just been awarded eight scores of 95 points or more in the Halliday Wine Companion, including two perfect 100s for its museum fortified wines, the NV Muscat and Muscadelle – the first time a winery has achieved two perfect scores in one year.

“It is a great thrill for our team to receive such scores – James Halliday has been so well respected for many years that it does mean quite a lot,’’ Nick told me.

A highly rated All Saints wine that has special meaning for the family is among four Victorian and NSW classics The Australian Wine Club is offering on Wednesday in the countdown to our pinnacle 2022 Annual Dozen release next week.

The All Saints Pierre 2018, which scored a 95-point rating from the Halliday team last year (and again this year for the 2019 vintage), is a seamless blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Utterly enjoyable – at a special price only in this dozen.

The Pierre carries far greater resonance for the Browns than its consistently high ratings: it was originally made as a one-off for their father in 2005 to celebrate his 60th birthday, only months before his death. (Pierre was Peter’s nickname as a boarder at Scotch College in Melbourne.)

“Dad thought cabernet made such beautiful wines – he always wondered why shiraz got so much of the limelight,’’ said Nick, who began making wines and working the vines at All Saints in 2007. “The 2018 was a cracking vintage – even ripening, everything fell into place.”

Nick, Eliza and Angela are the fourth generation of their family to make wine in Victoria, with the Brown heritage dating back to 1885 when their great-grandfather, John Francis Brown, planted grapes at Milawa in King Valley and made his first wine four years later.

He named his business Brown Bros in the hope his brothers would join him in the venture. They didn’t but his son, John Charles Brown, grew the business and had four sons – John Graham, Peter, Ross and Roger – who were the first “Brown Brothers” to be involved in the enterprise.

In 1999, Peter acquired All Saints, a Rutherglen winery with its own storied past, dating back to 1864 when it was established by Scottish settlers. The All Saints “castle” – designed to look like the Castle of Mey in Scotland – was built in the 1800s and is still used today to make brilliant modern wines under the stewardship of Nick, who oversees the winemaking team. Eliza is All Saints’ chief executive and Angela the sales and marketing director.

The Pierre is one of four wines on offer in this special dozen. Each winery boasts a strong pedigree of family stewardship and high-quality winemaking, reflected in all four being awarded five red stars in the latest Halliday Wine Companion.

All Saints Estate Pierre Rutherglen 2018

A blend of 52/41/7% cabernet sauvignon/merlot/cabernet franc, each variety picked and fermented separately in old, open concrete vats, hand-plunged 2-3 times a day. Basket-pressed then matured in new (10%) and seasoned French oak for 14 months before blending. Named in honour of the owners’ father, Peter Brown, who loved a good bordeaux blend. Pierre needs a good decant for the wine’s aromatics to soar. Violet, musk, red/black berries, licorice and earth with dried herb. Tannins run deep and fine. Well composed and quite the beauty. Team Halliday rating: 95 points (by Jeni Port) 14.1% alc; RRP $50 a bottle.

SPECIALS $43.99 a btl in a straight dozen; $20.84 a btl in NSW-Vic Halliday dozen

Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Elegant, fresh and linear. Purple-red in colour of medium depth. It’s all fresh blackcurrant and blackberry, pie-like vanilla crust with a sprinkle of vanilla. The cooler season bringing more precise and higher-contrast fruit with slightly chalky tannins. Team Halliday rating: 93 points (by David Bicknell) 14% alc; RRP $23.95 a bottle.

SPECIALS $20.36 a btl in a straight dozen; $20.84 a btl in NSW-Vic Halliday dozen

Tyrrell’s Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019

 

A juicy, mid-weighted wine with ample fealty to region embedded in its whiff of red fruits, polished leather, sarsaparilla and bergamot. Gentle terracotta tannins confer a welcome savouriness, woven loosely enough for imminent access. Team Halliday rating: 90 points (by Ned Goodwin) 13.5% alc; RRP $25 a bottle.

SPECIALS $20.99 a btl in a straight dozen; $20.84 a btl in NSW-Vic Halliday dozen

Leogate Brokenback Hunter Valley Shiraz 2018

In many ways this is the flagship Leogate red, a regular feature in Qantas business class. Matured in used French (80%) and American oak for 14 months, with a small part rendered in tank to promote freshness and fruit. Strongly of the region, with a varnishy swath of tannin galvanising scents of dark cherry, iodine, violet and bitter chocolate. Savoury. Some polished fresh leather, lingering across the tangy seams. A very solid wine from a superb vintage. Team Halliday rating: 92 points (by Ned Goodwin) 14% alc; RRP $40 a bottle.

SPECIALS $29.99 a btl in a straight dozen; $20.84 a btl in NSW-Vic Halliday dozen; VIC-NSW SPECIAL Three bottles of each wine for $20.84 a bottle;

CHARDONNAY EXTRA Add three bottles of Dalwood Estate Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2020 (RRP $35 a btl) for $19.99 a bottle across the 15 bottles

Order online or phone [phone] Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine