The Prince: A Wine Named for Rutherglen's Own Royalty
Growing Up Among the Barrels
Chris Killeen grew up in the Stanton & Killeen winery, surrounded by barrels, open fermenters and the deep, layered scent of fortified wine that has defined Rutherglen for generations. It was here, among the family's sixth generation, that his lifelong obsession took hold: a passion for Portuguese-style vintage port, and a determination to create something that felt true to both Portugal and Rutherglen.
Through the 1980s and 90s, Chris began planting Portuguese grape varieties at Stanton & Killeen: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional and Tinto Cão. These were names almost unheard of in the region at the time. For Chris, they offered something the classic Rutherglen varieties couldn't: extra fragrance, structure and complexity in his vintage fortified wines.
Over the years, he helped shape a drier, more aromatic and layered style of Australian vintage port, one that stood apart from the sweeter, richer wines his father and grandfather had made before him. In 2006, respected wine writer Jeni Port described him as the man who almost single-handedly held the future of Australian vintage port in this country. It's a line our family still holds close.
How Chris Killeen Became the Prince of Port
The nickname came from a party, as the best nicknames often do. At an industry dinner where the wine flowed freely, Chris stood up and theatrically recited a poem about the local Rutherglen vignerons. Guests were treated to playful descriptions of a Baron of Burgundy, a Duke of Durif, and with a smile, a Prince of Port.
The evening was talked about for years afterwards, and as Chris's passion and talent for vintage fortified wine grew, so did his reputation. He became, simply, the Prince of Port.
Chris passed away in 2007 after a short battle with multiple myeloma, at just 52 years old. His influence on fortified winemaking is still felt across Rutherglen and well beyond it today.
From Vintage Fortified to a Wine of His Own
During his life, Chris never made a table wine from the Portuguese varieties he had so carefully planted. They were reserved entirely for his vintage fortifieds. It wasn't until after he passed that the family asked a simple question that kept resurfacing around the winery: how do we keep his Portuguese story moving forward?
The answer was to let those same varieties speak in a different way. Instead of using them only for fortified wine, the family began experimenting with a dry red blend, and in 2008, the first vintage was released as The Prince Reserva, created in Chris's honour and named for the nickname that had followed him for decades.
Due to European naming restrictions, the words "Reserva" and any reference to "the Prince of Port" had to be removed from the back label. Since 2018, the wine has been known simply as The Prince Iberian Blend.
The first two vintages were made by Chris's son, seventh-generation winemaker Simon Killeen. As a young winemaker, Simon had grown up working alongside his father in the cellar and knew the Portuguese blocks intimately. Each vintage of The Prince has been blended a little differently, but the style has settled into something distinctive: medium-bodied, savoury and deeply food friendly, at home in Rutherglen while nodding to Iberia.
Simon passed away in 2025. Opening those early bottles of The Prince today feels like a direct line back to both father and son, and to the years they spent side by side in the winery.
Wendy and Natasha: Custodians of the Portuguese Story
Today, the Portuguese story at Stanton & Killeen continues under a mother and daughter team, Wendy and Natasha Killeen, the current custodians of the winery. Natasha represents the seventh generation of continuous family ownership.
Together they are investing in these varieties for the long term. In recent years they've planted white Portuguese grapes including Arinto and Alvarinho, alongside the established red vines Chris first put in the ground decades ago. Every decision in the vineyard is made with one eye on the changing climate and the other on how these varieties can continue to thrive in Rutherglen for generations to come.
The Prince sits at the heart of that journey. It brings together the family's fortified heritage, their enduring love of Portuguese varieties, and a modern, medium-bodied red style that belongs on the table.
Meet the 2022 Prince Iberian Blend
Delicate yet complex, the 2022 Prince Iberian Blend is a true tribute to Chris Killeen and the varieties he championed. It unveils layers of black cherry and blue fruits, dried herbs and licorice, with subtle notes of dark chocolate and a whisper of oak. Balanced and savoury, it offers a refined, seamless drinking experience from the first sip to the last.
The 2022 blend is a thoughtful composition of 57% Tinta Roriz, 21% Tinta Cão, 14% Tinta Barroca and 8% Sousão, the very same Portuguese varieties Chris originally planted for his celebrated vintage fortifieds, now showcasing their versatility in a distinguished premium red.
The Prince Iberian Blend 2022 750ml | 13.5% alc/vol | TA: 6.4 | pH: 3.6 | Vegan: No
Rooted in tradition but crafted for today, this is a timeless wine that honours the past while delighting in the present.
[Shop the 2022 Prince Iberian Blend]
The Prince Museum Release: A Rare Look Back
To mark our 150th anniversary in 2025, we opened the museum cellar and released a small number of mixed six-packs of The Prince, pulled directly from our family's private collection.
Each Prince Museum Release pack includes:
- 1 bottle of 2013 The Prince Iberian Blend
- 2 bottles of 2015 The Prince Iberian Blend
- 1 bottle of 2016 The Prince Iberian Blend
- 1 bottle of 2017 The Prince Iberian Blend
- 1 bottle of 2022 The Prince Iberian Blend
The earlier vintages have been quietly resting in our cool cellars ever since and are drinking beautifully now, showing layers of spice, savoury complexity and silky tannins. The 2022 is our current release, with the structure and freshness to keep cellaring for years to come.
Tasted side by side, these five vintages show how the Portuguese varieties respond to different seasons and how the style has evolved over time, while still feeling unmistakably like The Prince.
This is a genuine one-time release. Once these packs have found their homes, there will be no further release of these particular vintages from our cellar.
[Shop the Prince Museum Release Six-Pack]
Shop The Prince
Whether you're discovering The Prince for the first time with the 2022 vintage or want to trace its evolution through the rare Museum Release six-pack, each bottle carries forward the story of a man who spent his life chasing the soul of Portuguese wine in the heart of Rutherglen.
[Shop the 2022 Prince Iberian Blend]
[Shop the Prince Museum Release Six-Pack]
