Description
“LL is a genius. One of the most gifted winemakers in the country.” Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
It’s been almost a decade since winemaker Luke Lambert’s daring, handcrafted and joyously aromatic wines first made their way down from the Yarra Valley and on to the lists and shelves of Melbourne’s finest wine establishments (and a few of Sydney’s).
Lambert is obviously inspired by his experience making wine in Piemonte and Australia yet firmly believes that the personality of a wine will be dictated by its “place”. Lambert’s source vineyards (in poor, rocky and elevated pockets of the Yarra Valley) are therefore managed in order to bring out their unique geographic signature in the final wines.
All Lambert wines are handpicked and of single-vineyard origin. They are wildly perfumed with moderate alcohol, fresh acidities, powdery tannins, and limited oak influence. Luke’s methodology includes wild ferments without the aid of temperature control, hand plunging, long macerations (with plenty of whole-bunch for the Syrahs), basket-pressing, gravity rather than pumping, old oak, and no fining or filtration. Lambert’s belief that “..the best wines have always been made by feel and are always sourced from unique and interesting vineyards that have natural balance and grow grapes full of character…” comes through strongly in the remarkable complexity and placeness of these wines.
This year’s Crudo Shiraz is the first release from Luke and Rosalind’s new vineyard source, the Martingale vineyard in Gruyere. Friend and owner Chris Kennedy established the vineyard in 2017 on a gentle, north-facing slope at 140 metres above sea level on the grey duplex soils of the Lower Yarra Valley. He and Luke are on the same page when it comes to farming practices, and the site is managed sustainably.
The clone of Shiraz planted on the site proved a drawcard for Luke. Unlike the lion’s share of Shiraz vines in the Yarra Valley, which are PT23 clone, the Martingale vineyard is planted to Tahbilk, a clone Luke worked with at the Tibooburra vineyard. It’s a clone that gives bunches with small round berries and rich wines with more body and mass than PT23. You can expect a delicious uptick in spice, structure and savoury nuance from 2023.
As always, Luke takes a no-frills approach in the cellar. The fruit was destemmed, and spontaneous fermentation occurred in an old 5,000-litre oak cask before being bottled without fining or filtration. The results are super impressive: it’s a high-toned, captivating, layered Shiraz, svelte and silky in weight with deep dark fruits mingled with spicy pepper notes and earthy complexity. Joyful stuff.
RRP $43 Our Special Price $34.50 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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