If South Australia is the engine room of Australian wine production, then Victoria is the boutique. It is a fraction of its former size – the end of the gold rush, the interruption of the Second World War and decline in the sales of fortified wine sales all contributed to that. Victoria also has a vast range of regions many of them climatically cool. There are mountains, coastal areas, rolling hills and flat bits around Rutherglen too. Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula were for years Australia`s Burgundy, while the Goulburn valley is arguably its northern Rhone. Victoria’s heritage is centred on fortifieds, both port style wines and the magnificent liqueur Muscats that are a style unique to Australia. In fact, in sparkling Shiraz, Victoria provides another unique contribution to the world of wine. (CW 8/04/20)