Chateau Owner Mr Lance Milne said he believed theBrothers would be excited to see how their vision has unfolded, W B the horticulturist in current viticultural practices and Ben the engineer in the equipment now in use in district wineries.

Currently busy getting ready for his 4th vintage since acquiring the Historic Premises Lance said he was considering an appropriate celebration to mark the milestone later in the year.

2007 had been a great year for the team at the Chateau with their wines especially the Reds being rated in the top echelons of Australia’s Wines.

The Psyche Reserve Shiraz being one of 30 wines from over 600 entrants in Winestates International Shiraz Challenge to receive 5 stars, and the Psyche Reserve Cabernet being placed in the top 4 Victorian 2005 Cabernets at the Prestigous Concours des Vins Competition.

Mr Milne said that one of the most enjoyable aspects of being custodian of the historic winery was the number if visitors including from overseas who were now visiting as a result of word of mouth from other visitors who had been intriqued by the comprehensive collection of historic wine memorabilia on display in the winery’s museum plus enjoyed tasting the extensive range of wines available on offer in the unique atmosphere of the century plus old building.

In 1968 Mildara Board member and vineyard supervisor Bob Hollick and Peter May from the CSIRO toured the USA inspecting the grape harvesters that were being developed there.

The Americans were impressed by their interest and the makers of the Upright Harvester supplied a machine for the CSIRO as well as the Cornell University sending out its development machine also a Chisholm Ryder machine was sent out to the CSIRO for trial work, A Mildura firm Patterson Engineers had also made a machine which was being trialled at this time.

Legend has it that the reasons the Americans were so keen to have trials done in Australia was a threat from the Mexican Revolutionary leader Che Gueverra that he would have all the Mexican grape pickers in California strike if work continued on developing mechanical harvesting in California.

Initial results with the UR machine were not promising so the picking head was removed and used with a locally developed tow behind machine.

The remainder of the machine was roughly converted to a dried fruit wetting machine by the Aurora packing shed and in 1985 acquired by the Cook family of Red Cliffs, long time dried fruit innovators who made improvements to it and used it for a number of years before it was retired from use.

The competition restricted to Victorian Wines across 7 classes saw 390 entries from 124 of the states wineries ranging from its smallest boutique ones to some of its largest.

The Judging unique among Australian Wine Competitions is by a panel of 6 senior French Wine Judges this year led by renowned Rhone Valley winemaker Michel Chapoutier and a team of 8 young French sommeliers.

The wines are tasted blind and judged using the 20 point international system.

Chateau Mildura was successful gaining a Silver Medal for its 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon in a class with 55 entries where 2 gold medal and 2 silver medals were awarded.

Winery owner Mr Lance Milne said he was extremely delighted to have his Cabernet, the most “French” of all French varieties judged so highly by Monsieur Chapoutier and the French judging team.

Mr Milne said the early years of the Chateau Mildura Winery established by the Chaffey Brothers in 1888 had had a strong French influence with 3 of the leading French Vignerons in Australia during the late 1800’s early 1900’s Francois de Coueslant, Pierre Mazou & Florentin Louie Gelly being employed at Chateau Mildura as Managers.
Plus Montpellier trained Ron Haselgrove who had been in charge of the Company during its golden post war era had been a very strong Francophile.

Double Success for Psyche Wines! (Added November, 2007)

Winestate magazines results for its second international worlds greatest shiaz challenge have been released.
The competition attracted over 600 wines from local and overseas countries and was judged over 4 days by 10 judges.
30 wines were awarded 5 star or gold medal level

Among the 5 star wines were world icon shiraz such as ‘m chapoutier l’ermite ermitage 2004 rrp $374, cuilleron les serines saint joseph 2003 rrp $108 penfolds grange 2002 rrp $550, warrenmang black puma pyrenees shiraz 2004 rrp $80, wines from the premium areas of france & Australias great shiraz areas the Barossa & McClaren vale, Heathcote, pyrenees etc

Also in the 5 star lineup was the 2005 psyche reserve shiraz from mildura rrp $19.99 which was judged best in its class 2005 $15 to $20

In the 2005 $10 to $15 class the psyche smuggler shiraz was also judged top of the class with 31/2 stars.

The double win scored by Psyche Wines covered the most popular price range brackets and clearly ranks Chateau Mildura and Psyche Wines a producer of Quality Red Wines at affortdable prices.

Slow Food Mildura Event to be held at Chateau Mildura (Added May, 2007)

Slow Food Mildura is proud to announce its first Slow Food Ark of Taste event

Flor Sherry – The Wine of Sunraysia

Chateau Mildura 11th May 2007

Of all the wines that Sunraysia can call its own none stand head and shoulders above the rest than Flor Sherry. This wine was the holy grail of Australian wine making for half a century.

Flor sherry is a lightly fortified wine traditionally produced from Pedro Ximenez and Palomino grapes in the warm districts of Jerez and Sanlucar de Barrameda in southern Spain.

The flavour profile is one of refreshing acidity together with nutty and salty aldehyde characters imparted by the flor yeast that grows on the top of the finished wine.

The resources applied to research of flor sherry between 1905 and 1955 in Australia were significant for the wine industry and the results have had a flow on effect to the applications in every other winemaking activity, leading to the understanding of pH and acidity, temperature control, yeast propagation, wine analysis, bacterial diseases and malolactic fermentation.

It, in fact, led to the science of oenology in Australia and the industry success that this country has enjoyed since the 1980’s.

The foundation for making fine Australian table wines was laid by the research into this single wine style.

Mr. R. Haselgrove, the technical advisor of Mildara Wines at Merbein in Victoria, Australia became preoccupied with flor sherry production. In 1943 he had constructed open concrete vessels with a pitched roof (replacing the open barrel method generally used) that are intact at the Chateau Mildura winery today.

Sherries produced by Mildara Wines were made at the Chateau Mildura winery first constructed by the founders of the irrigation colony in 1892. Production continued until 1999 when sherry was considered to be outside of the core brand styles and no further production was scheduled.

From the Slow Food perspective “the Ark of Taste aims to rediscover, catalogue, describe and publicize forgotten flavours. It is a metaphorical recipient of excellent gastronomic products that are threatened by industrial standardization, hygiene laws, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage. The Ark of Taste is the result of an idea conceived by Slow Food. Today, thanks to support from representatives of the world of culture, scientific research, the food and wine industry, journalism and politics, this idea has turned into a project aimed at safeguarding and promoting small-scale fine food purveyors who are threatened by extinction. The project embraces both the scientific and the promotional sides of the issue.”

Leader of Slow Food Mildura, Garry Mann, says the significance of flor sherry to the Australian wine industry and our region’s wine industry is so important that the product must be saved from extinction. “Of all the wines that have come from this region none have had the impact that flor sherry has had yet we are in danger of losing both the wine itself and the knowledge of its production.”

“We have in Chateau Mildura the home of flor sherry in this district and the event will be held there on 11th May 2007. The irony is that Chateau Mildura itself was almost lost to the district and has been resurrected as a showcase of winemaking in this region by owner, Lance Milne. We are hoping to save the Sunraysia – and indeed Australian - flor sherry style through this event.”

Slow Food Mildura will make a formal submission to the Australian Slow Food Ark of Taste panel following this event.

Slow Food is pleased to have McWilliams Wines and Chateau Mildura as supporters of this event.

Flor Sherry Slow Food Ark of Taste workshop will be held at Chateau Mildura, Belar Ave, Irymple, Victoria Australia on Friday 11th May starting at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

Alternative Kissing at Chateau Mildura (Added Oct, 2006)

As part of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine  Show, Chateau Mildura will be holding a dinner on Wednesday November 8th, 2006 titled "The Kiss of Viognier" celebrating Australia's love affair with wine from the Viognier grape.

The meal starting at 7.30 pm will be prepared by Breath of the Wok’s Garry Mann and include fresh Murray Cod and Spring Lamb together with other seasonal and local produce presented with Breath of the Wok’s usual warm and spicy flair that will evoke both Australia and France.

A highlight will be the 2005 release Clonakilla Shiraz/Viognier, one of Australia’s acclaimed red wines. From the home of the viognier grape a French Condrieu will be matched with the Yalumba Virgilius.

Sunraysia grows some of the best viognier in the country and grapes from this area are sought after by wineries both big and small.

Chateau Mildura has, from the first vintage in 2005, produced viognier and will be showing the 2005 and 2006 viognier white wines and the renowned 2005 Shiraz/Viognier. Both the white and red viogniers have been awarded at regional wine shows in Australia in 2006.

In addition the Mildura Wines Band will be performing on the night. This band of talented musicians drawn from wineries throughout the district will perform with guest star Max Allen, none other than the Chairman of Judges at the AAVWS, on mandolin.

Bookings are essential and can be made by phoning Chateau Mildura on 03 50245901

Food and Music Every Friday at Winery (Added May, 2006)

Chill out after work at Chateau Mildura with some cool food and cool music!
$15 cover charge includes some great food and live music. Food prepared by Garry Mann from Breath of the Wok.
Wine and mineral water available by glass or bottle. For more info and bookings phone 0401 714 704 or (03) 5024 5901

Museum Opens (Added April, 2006)

Easter Saturday 15/04/06 saw Stage 1 of the Chaffey Wine & Horticultural Museum opened, the Museum contains items dating to the birth of Australia’s wine industry, Grape crusher destemmers, pumps, filters a Brandy Pot Still built in Adelaide in 1927, a collection of extremely rare early wine bottles and demi-johns featuring the names of Australia’s wine pioneers :

Hans Irvine, Wilkinsons Coolalta, L Kitz & Sons Mora Mora, Andrew Rowan, Emu Emu Wines, Burgoynes, Tintara etc.

Also featured is a collection of  bottle corking equipment, Bar corkscrews and advertising material, in one section of the winery a replica of an 19^th century Coopers barrel making workshop has been created containing the complete set of equipment from the Lymns Cooperage that operated in Melbourne 100 years ago. 

The $10 entry charge to the museum includes a souvenir tasting glass and 10% on wine purchases from the cellar door.