Weekend highlights include the annual Tour de Rutherglen, the Rutherglen Durif 101 Not Out! celebrations, gala dinners at Cofields and Vahalla wineries and the eagerly awaited return of the Arts Rutherglen Sculptural Trail.  

• The Tour de Rutherglen will again see cyclists take to the country roads and lanes around Rutherglen on a tour of the area’s many fine vineyards and wineries. With a focus on the array of Mediterranean wine varietals grown in the region, the Tour will offer a host of opportunities for special wine tastings with the winemakers, gourmet picnic lunches as well as the Winemaker's Dinner on Saturday night.

• Rutherglen Durif – 101 Not Out! Celebrations of the region’s legendary red wine will take place throughout the weekend with a number of individual winery activities such as special back vintage releases, masterclass tasting and barrel sampling. The highlight of the celebrations promises to be Campbells Wines’ Icon dinner in their atmospheric cellars on Saturday evening when the 2007 Barkly Durif will be released.

• Cofield Wines will celebrate 100 years of the Cofield family working in the vineyards of Rutherglen with a dinner in the winery barrel room prepared by the renowned Pickled Sisters Café and featuring a live dance band. 
• One of the newest wineries to the region, Valhalla, will celebrate the second anniversary of the opening of its cellar door. Visitors can join winemaker Anton Therkildsen at his Straw bale winery for a scrumptious celebratory dinner matched to Valhalla Wines. And on Saturday 4 October, the celebrations continue with a great evening of wine, music trivia and a live DJ. 
• In its second year, the Arts Rutherglen Sculpture Trail returns from 2 to 19 October. The Trail will feature indoor and outdoor displays of works at wineries and businesses around Rutherglen. A feature of this year's event is an Acquisition Award for a permanent display in Rutherglen. Artists are being encouraged to create affordable sculptural art from everyday materials and objects including found objects, recycled materials or rusted iron. 

For more information on any of these events please contact Liz Jeffers at the Rutherglen Wine Experience on 1300 787 929 or at www.rutherglenvic.com

Visit www.beechworthonline.com.au/events, www.rutherglenvic.com, www.uniqueyackandandah.com.au or www.chilternvic.com to find more about where to stay and what to do in this lovely part of the world over the coming months.