ONE of Rutherglen's wine legends has retired after 55 years in the industry.
As a member of the family that owned and operated All Saints winery for 124 years, George Sutherland Smith led the region's conversion from bulk fortified wines to bottled table wines in the 1960s.
As foundation president of the Rutherglen Wine Festival, Mr Sutherland Smith was behind the highly successful annual Rutherglen Winery Walkabout. Awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001, he was granted Special Legend status by the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and Legend status in the Rutherglen Wine Region.
Mr Sutherland Smith left All Saints after it went into receivership in 1991. Now 76, he has spent the past 17 years operating his business and cellar door in the refurbished Emu Plains winery at Howlong, which he will close.
Mr Sutherland Smith says he has no immediate plans for the future.
He regards Rutherglen as the most diverse viticultural area in Australia.
"We're making excellent sparkling wines, very flavoursome full-bodied whites, huge reds and magnificent fortifieds," he said.
"A very few (of the region's winemakers) are doing well because they've got niche markets, mostly we've got the same problems as everybody else in Australia."
