Campbells unveils Light Dry Red, a modern expression of Rutherglen

One year ahead of its 155th anniversary, Campbells Wines of Rutherglen has unveiled Light Dry Red, a wine that Chief Winemaker Ian Diver describes as the hot Victorian region’s alternative to Pinot Noir.

“It’s a go-to everyday wine that offers easy drinking, plus it has a lower alcohol content when compared to other Campbells reds,” he said.

“The Rutherglen wine region, including Campbells Wines, is renowned for its heavier reds and fortified wines. But at Campbells we are also blessed with the freedom to be innovative due to having an abundance of red varieties in the ground in our vineyards.”

Campbells Light Dry Red 2024 is a blend of Portuguese varietal Tinta Amarella and French varietal Mondeuse, of which were first planted at Campbells in the 1960s for potential use in port production.

“Late last year, when we tasted the Tinta Amarella and Mondeuse varieties, which are from Portugal and France respectively, their fresh and bright red flavours gave us the idea to create a Light Dry Red wine,” said Diver.

“We put the idea to our managing director, Jane Campbell [fifth generation], to create a small batch, which she supported enthusiastically.”

To create the lighter wine style, Campbells harvested the Tinta Amarella and mondeuse fruit earlier in the growing season in late February prior to co-fermentation in stainless steel using a low alcohol yeast culture.

Ian Diver said, “we kept the extraction light and pressed the grapes early, only taking the free run so we didn’t get the hard phenolics, which provide the structure and backbone in our heavier red wines, giving them longevity in cellaring.”

Campbells Light Dry Red 2024 has an abv of 11.5% and is described by the winery as easy drinking with a fruit profile of white mulberry, raspberries and cherries. It is available now at an RRP of $25

Additionally, Campbells has also announced new label designs for its Trebianno, Rosé, Amelie, and Shiraz Durif.

Managing Director Jane Campbell said, “the overall look and feel of the new labels is clean, simple, bold and modern. The range works collectively as a family, yet each label will have its own personality and unique typography.

“With the contemporary feel of the new labels, it was important for Campbells to incorporate the history of the brand into the design. Each label has a bright drop of liquid gold, which is an important and subtle link to wine and Campbells history.”