Rutherglen, Australia – Morris of Rutherglen’s 165th anniversary marks a milestone year for the brand, celebrating the marriage of the crafts of whisky and winemaking, the refurbishment of the iconic Cellar Door and the ushering in of sixth-generation Chief Winemaker, Madden Morris.

Established in 1859, George Francis Morris established a small vineyard and winery near Rutherglen in Northeastern Victoria, with a trial vineyard plot three kilometres west of the current Morris site location. By 1885, plantings had grown to over 600 acres, making Morris the largest wine producer in the Southern Hemisphere. In 1897, Charles Hughes Morris, son of George, established a new vineyard, the Mia Mia Vineyard where the winery and distillery stands today. To secure the property, Charles was reluctantly forced to sell the family’s beloved prize-winning racehorse, Fairfield. As a symbol of courage and ingenuity, it is this image of Fairfield that adorns the Morris logo today. Mick Morris commenced his first official vintage as winemaker in 1953, quickly becoming a pioneer of Durif as a table wine varietal. Mick’s son, David Morris, became the fifthgeneration winemaker in 1993 and by combining years of winemaking tradition with modern techniques, David became one of the most awarded winemakers in Australia.

Today, Morris of Rutherglen is not only a longstanding family winery but has grown to become one of the most acclaimed fortified and whisky producers in the world. Starting off as an experiment to revive the original 1930s dormant copper still in 2016 soon became the creation of a premium single malt whisky. The unique Morris Whisky flavour comes from finishing in casks which have held a selection of award-winning Morris fortified wines. Morris of Rutherglen combines decades of tradition using the heritage still and ancient fortified wine producing casks with contemporary techniques to create a whisky that is a true expression of time and place. Working with Casella Family Brands, Australia’s largest family-owned wine company, enabled the Morris family to preserve their history and built on their legacy to propel the brand to the international stage. Since then, Morris of Rutherglen’s portfolio of wines has received more than 407 Golds and above, and Morris’ whisky collection has received 130 Golds since its inception.

Passing of Baton to Chief Winemaker, Madden Morris

Following in his father’s footsteps, Madden Morris was announced as sixth-generation Chief Winemaker at Morris of Rutherglen earlier this year. Growing up walking around the Cellar and learning directly from his father, David Morris, and grandfather, Mick Morris, has allowed Madden to keep a keen eye on the winery’s focus on tradition, with an intuitive sense on the future generations to come.

While Madden holds experience all over the world, he considers Rutherglen and his family essential to his journey in winemaking. He has been able to work with wines that generations of Morris hands have touched before, noting that the region’s supportive community is at the winery’s heart. Madden remarked: “It is a fantastic achievement to be able to celebrate 165 years of Morris winemaking,” Madden said, “and we look forward to continuing the guardianship of Morris winemaking going forward into future years.”

Wine and Whisky Under One Roof

In June of this year, Morris of Rutherglen completed the renovation of its iconic Cellar Door and Whisky Distillery following an extensive refurbishment project. Located in the small and historic town of Rutherglen, the Morris Cellar Door is only a day trip from Melbourne. The revitalised space offers visitors an immersive experience of the rich heritage and craftsmanship where you can taste a full flight of whisky expressions, alongside the award-winning fortified wines that influenced them. Morris of Rutherglen boasts a new tasting room, landscaped gardens, and the opportunity for a whisky and wine immersion that weaves through the ancient barrel-house to the heart of the distillery where you can view the original 1930s copper still. The worlds of exquisite, fortified wine and Australian single malt whisky are now all in one place. To top off this eventful year, Morris of Rutherglen has launched 36 SOUTH Australian whisky – a new award-winning double grain whisky that aims to disrupt the Australian market by delivering exceptional quality at an accessible price point. Golden honey in appearance and offering upfront dried red fruits balanced with lightly charred oak on the palate, this whisky harnesses the raw elements and natural ingredients of the land to create a smooth and complex whisky.

Whilst the whisky category proves to be extremely competitive from imports and local producers, Morris of Rutherglen has fixed its long-term vision of being a credible Australian Single Malt Whisky brand that’s creating amazing flavour and enriching drinking moments for Australians. Morris looks forwards to welcoming more visitors to the newly renovated Cellar Door – the only destination in the world where you can enjoy both whisky and wine together.