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IT was all about the outfits, and of course, the wine in Rutherglen at the weekend.
The 41st annual Winery Walkabout drew a crowd of more than 12,000 and the region received an economic boost of millions of dollars once again.
Men in classy suits sipped glasses of red next to others wearing mullet wigs and flannel shirts or Disney-inspired costumes.
Also among the crowd was Bev Sandford, who has been attending the festival since it was established in 1974.
This was the second year she had dressed up and she stood out among the masses of stalls and people in the main street with her rainbow wig.
“It’s all about getting into the spirit of the day,” she said.
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Ms Sandford spent some of her day on the sidelines of the traditional grape stomping competition, where Corowa’s Leisha Buckingham and Wahgunyah’s Kylie Moorhead took out first place for squeezing out more than a litre of juice.
“We had a good system, I stomped while Leisha made sure the drain was clear,” Ms Moorhead said.
The festivities continued at Campbell’s Winery, which was where most people finished up yesterday.
Marketing manager Susie Campbell said about 3000 wine enthusiasts visited the vineyard on Saturday and 4000 yesterday.
“We love the opportunity to engage with young people and educate them on wine and start them on their wine journey,” she said.
“It’s a great time of year for wine because it’s cold and Rutherglen is renowned for its lovely reds and rich fortifieds.”
Ms Campbell said the weekend seemed busier than past years.
“It’s always the biggest weekend for us though,” she said.
Rutherglen Wine and Tourism executive officer Natalie Ajay said it had been one of the most successful Winery Walkabout events.
“Sales are way up on last year and it felt very positive and the atmosphere was fantastic,” she said.
“This event is so important for Rutherglen and we took more precautions this year to keep things safe and friendly.”
This year private buses had to register so organisers could keep track of them and Ms Ajay said there were more than 300.
Rutherglen police were also kept busy and arrested four men yesterday.
Two 20-year-old men, from Finley and Tocumwal, and a 24-year-old Pakenham man were arrested for being drunk and disorderly.
Sergeant Brian Curran said two were being belligerent and obnoxious at Buller Wines while the other was at Stanton and Killeen. They will be receiving penalty notices.
A 24-year-old Melbourne man was arrested while he was walking between wineries on the Murray Valley Highway.
He was arrested for being in possession of cocaine and has received a drug diversion notice.