Friends From Whyalla

Meet Ulla, Ben, Trish and Fred - four friends from Whyalla who dropped by the winery this week.

Fred's father-in-law was Italo Cassetti, an old customer from the Veritas days when Rolf Senior would load up the trailer and deliver wines into the lower mid-north of South Australia. A lot of European migrants came to work in the ship building plant in Whyalla, the coal mining in Port Augusta, and the lead smelter in Port Pirie. Ben and Ulla are from Sweden and came to Australia in 1971 to work in the shipyards, speaking no English. A lot of sign-language was used in those days.

Rolf and Mrs Binder knew only one Italian phrase -'Nessun contanti più vino'.

No cash - no wine!

The four friends enjoyed their tasting at the Tasting Room, particularly the Black Muscat. Found in our old shed where the Binder's first set up the winery, it is believed to be somewhere in the vicinity of 30-40 years of age, and made by Rolf Senior. When the barrels were first brought to the new winery, the liquor inside them was like molasses - black, thick, and rich. We have had to add some fresh port to it so that one doesn't have eat it with a spoon!

The Black Muscat is still in barrel, and Carlene, our champion lit'l bottler, just decants it as we need it. It is not available in the shops, only from our Tasting Room, or online through our Shopping Cart.

Head to our page about the Black Muscat here to order some of this delicious, and very old, sweet fortified wine.