Origin: Geelong
Region: Victoria
Grape(s): Chardonnay
Style: Medium-bodied white wine aged in new French oak
Drinkability: Contemplate
Alcohol: 13.5%
A simply stunning Chardonnay influenced by white Burgundy. Textbook example of how good Geelong Chardonnay ages. There are no signs of decline whatsoever, but instead the wine has reached its apogee of stunning richness, complexity and opulence. It feels relatively big and quite round, yet it doesn’t come across as heavy nor flabby because of its balanced acidity and bright, almost trebly minerality, balancing the weight and richness wonderfully. So very lovely. Tremendous value at this price.
For the common man, the word “terroir” seldom sparks interest in Australia. This term is usually reserved for regions such as Chablis, Pomerol or Mosel. But we would be foolish to say there is no terroir in Geelong. Especially when you’re talking to Ray Nadeson, winemaker and owner of the, now, world-famous Lethbridge. Before phylloxera was discovered, the Moorabool Valley in Geelong was the largest grape-growing region in Victoria. In recent decades, new vines have been planted and the region is undergoing a resurgence, with winemakers and consumers rediscovering all the richness this piece of land has to offer. Lethbridge is a leader among these wineries ? focusing on forward-looking, provocative wines.
