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 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 Luke 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 is sourced from the windy, east-facing slope of the Tibooburra vineyard, a site where the poor volcanic soils (with seams of yellow clay and eroded granite) offer up the low yields and intensely flavoured berries that are sine qua non to Lambert’s minimal-intervention style. “The volcanic soils of the Tibooburra Vineyard are most evident here”, notes Luke, adding that, “because of the elevation of the Tibooburra vineyard and the aspect, the wines hold their acid structure and elegance and sail through the hotter years.”
Lambert’s Yarra Valley Chardonnay has traditionally been sourced from the windy, east-facing slope of the Tibooburra vineyard, a site where the poor volcanic soils (with seams of yellow clay and eroded granite) offer up the low yields and intensely flavoured berries that are sine qua non to Lambert’s minimal-intervention style. “The volcanic soils of the Tibooburra Vineyard are most evident here”, notes Luke, adding that, “because of the elevation of the Tibooburra vineyard and the aspect, the wines hold their acid structure and elegance and sail through the hotter years.”
The 2020 Chardonnay marks a slight shift in style, with Lambert now also sourcing from a second parcel of the same vineyard. This new parcel lies on a sunnier slope facing northwest, and has double the vine density and a higher proportion of red volcanic soil. This all adds more muscle and layers to the spine of the fruit from the eastern-facing slope. Both blocks are now blended, enhancing the wine’s texture while still retaining the coolness and elegance inherent in the Tibooburra DNA.
The winemaking follows Lambert’s typical approach: whole-bunch pressing; wild-yeast fermentation; old oak foudre (4,000 litre); no temperature control; zero fining or filtration; and minimal sulphur (plus occasional lees stirring for six months or so).
It’s a super release for this wine but undoubtedly more generous than in the past (and all the better for it). There are waves of generous Chardonnay fruit with ripe nectarine and creamy, lees-induced texture and then crystalline, pithy, citrus notes to close along with a hint of classy oak. It’s a wonderfully polished Chardonnay from an Australian master.
Our Special Price $48.99 … VERY LIMITED – LAST REMAINING STOCK OF THIS VINTAGE!
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