Crisp fresh Pinot Noir and Chardonnay was sourced from premium Australian vineyards to mix a duo of strawberry and citrus flavours. The Andrew Garrett band of winemakers crushed the fruit and gently massaged the juice from the skins into stainless steel, keeping this wine fresh and lively. The wine then took a new direction, undergoing secondary fermentation in the bottle for a period of 6-12 months. The wine was then disgorged and placed into its new look pack before release.

There’s a lot of wine ahead of it in the queue, but I got excited by this one..and Australian sparkling rarely excites me. Also mightily impressed to see a Cuvee number, so even though it’s non-vintage, we all know which batch we are talking about. And it fairly spanks many NV Champagne at a similar price point (and I’m equally sure it will be available for less than the quoted RRP).

Toasty brioche notes, a little marzipan, citrus and sea shells, but what’s most important is the way it feels in the mouth – gentle persistent pin-prick bubbles and its fine clean acidity set it apart from most local sparklers. Has complexity, dryness and length all sewn up tight. It’s a new local benchmark and one I’ll be buying again. Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Oct10 Alcohol : 12.5% Price : $55 Closure : Cork Drink : 2010 - 2016 By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

A traditional method blend of multi-Tasmanian region pinot noir and chardonnay given many years on lees prior to disgorgement. Pale straw-green, it is at once intense yet fine, brioche and toast nuances in a creamy web, the acidity perfect, the palate long and harmonious. Rating: 96 points, $55, Cork, 12.5% alc; James Halliday Top 100 for 2011; The Weekend Australian, November 19th

After ten years on lees, it is the patience to allow the wine to mature at its own pace and the experience to know when it is at its best that has allowed this wine to achieve rich new heights in complexity and intensity.

Crystal clear with a fine and persistent bead, this wine is deep straw in colour with a bright yellow gold hue. The nose shows intense mushroom/butter/toast characters with lanolin and oyster nuances. On the palate, the wine is rich and flavoursome, whilst very complex and intense. Multi-layered flavours of truffle, toast and sea brine combine with a great length of flavour and brightness. A dry style with a refreshing, natural acid finish.

After 10 years on lees, it is still a bright yellow-gold, shot with green. As one would expect, this is a tremendously complex wine, with bready/nutty/toasty characters through the bouquet and palate; however, there is also an intense citrus/white peach fruit line running the length of the palate sustained by perfectly balanced acidity. Bollinger beware. Rating: 97 points, $190, Cork, 12.3% alc; James Halliday Top 100 for 2011; The Weekend Australian, November 19th

The blend of chardonnay and pinot noir is 100% Tasmanian from a number of vineyard sites. The usual hand picking and whole bunch pressing of the best sparkling wines was practised, and only free-run juice was used. The parcels are separately fermented and taken through malolactic fermentation on lees. Pale straw-green; an exceptionally elegant, yet intense, wine that effortlessly displays its full suite of almost juicy fruit woven through spice/brioche/almond/cream notes; has utterly immaculate balance. $70, Cork, 12.5% alc. 97 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2010 – The Weekend Australian November 13-14, 2010
 
Arras gets a re-branding with the release of this complex and powerful cool-climate Australian sparkling. Red fruits, apple, citrus and more, this really is a wine to marvel over. The palate has length and drive, plenty of flavour, super-fine texture and a lingering finish. 96 Points; Vintage 2003 RRP $70; Nick Stock; Wine Business Monthly
 
Champion Sparkling White or Rosé - Winewise Championship 2010
 
The Arras Grand Vintage is a wine of outstanding quality, enriched by the great complexity of character that follows five years of tirage. The traditional blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir retains all the brilliant freshness and longevity that will continue to allow the wine to improve with age. Crystal clear with a fine and persistent bead and mousse, this wine is medium straw in colour with a fresh gold hue. The nose displays a complex mixture of aromas including honey biscuits, truffle and Swiss mushrooms and the distinct aroma of sea brine. The palate has a truly epicurean mix of characters reminiscent of the above aromas. The structure is tight and seamless with a strong natural acid backbone.
 
Fruit for the Arras Grand Vintage was hand-picked from premium cold climate Tasmanian vineyards prior to gentle, whole-bunch pressing, collecting only free run juice. Individual batches were then fermented on light grape solids followed by malolactic fermentation on primary ferment lees. Once clarified, wines were judiciously blended to style and prepared for large tirage, with approximately 1% of the wine treated to 1 year old French oak. The expedition liqueur completes this traditional method wine, adding the last components of complexity and ensuring a balanced palate.

Pale and bright; fine citrus fruit, and a touch brioche on the bouquet; fine bead, with a delicate mousse, chalky acidity and a focused finish. Cork. 12.6% alc. Rating 92 Drink 2014 $30 Date Tasted Mar 09 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010

The Non Vintage Brut was created to showcase the house style of Blue Pyrenees “methode traditionelle” sparkling wines. A portion of the previous year(s) sparkling base wines are held back in tanks to blend with current year sparkling base wine so that consistency across vintages is achieved plus some mature wine characters are instilled. This also has the effect of reducing the necessary time of aging on secondary bottle fermentation lees to achieve the desirable complex flavours.

Pale straw with a green hue. The complex aromas of mature white wine, fresh dough, citrus and hint of confection give an overall impression of freshness and vitality. The Blue Pyrenees Non Vintage Brut exhibits a fine and persistent bead, the hallmark of true methode traditionelle sparkling wines. Lemon freshness, shortbread and toasty aged wine complexity linger harmoniously together on the palate of this wine.

A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay hand picked from the south facing slopes of cool climate vineyards of the Piccadilly Valley and Lenswood sub-regions of the Adelaide Hills. Select parcels are chilled, gently pressed and gravity settled before racking to separate the clean juice. Matured on yeast lees in bottle prior to disgorging and release. The wine literally bursts out of the glass with a fine creamy mousse and is a full flavoured expression of sparkling wine from the Adelaide Hills.

Salmon-pink; the pinot noir influence shows throughout, with red fruits and spicy notes; the wine has very good mouthfeel and balance, the long finish with perfectly calibrated dosage, one second sweet, the next dry. Cork. 13% alc. Rating 94 Points; Drink 2012 $24 Date Tasted Sep 09; James Halliday Wine Companion

From the Adelaide Hills, this is the understudy to the top-shelf Croser sparkling wine in the Petaluma range. Its shiny straw in colour with a sustained foaming bubble and a nose of strawberry, white peach and citrus. Some biscuity hints add dimension, and the palate has soft, subtle flavours that echo the aromas, leading through a long, zesty finish. 4 Stars; Ralph Kyte-Powell; The Age

A little bit of sophistication here, finely beaded with faint pinot character from the start cut by bracing acidity. It's a good style statement if you like your fizzes extra racy. Adelaide Advertiser

The little sister wine of the more famous Petaluma Croser, this brings into play your major sparkling characters of chardonnay and pinot noir in a clean, fun, fresh and zingy pour of summer bubbles. No deep thinking here – just enjoy. Tony Love

A blend of quality fruit from Lenswood and the Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills, yeasty characters on the nose, stonefruit and citrus apple fruit flavours, a creamy palate, lively bubbles and a clean finish. Kerry Skinner

Grapes were sourced from a range of cool climate sites including our Green Point vineyard in the Yarra Valley, along with vineyards in Strathbogie and the King Valley. The cool climate of the Yarra Valley and the high Alpine regions produce Chardonnay base wines with tight palate structures, vibrant fruit characters and high acidity. Soils at these sites vary from free draining sandy loams to aged alluvial loams with high clay content. Vineyards are planted to various densities depending on soil types, with an average yield between 10 and 12 tonnes per hectare. Most vineyards are trained to the standard vertical shoot positioning trellis to minimise the development of phenolics and tannins whilst maintaining vibrancy of flavour. Winery Notes

The structure of the wine is characterised by a creamy and soft front/mid palate which flows seamlessly into a generous and persistent length. Flavours of white peach, honey and roasted nuts blend harmoniously to create a complex wine with a refreshing finish. Chandon Brut is a Methode Traditionelle sparkling wine that has spent 18 months ageing on yeast lees before release.

10 Aussie Sparklers; From the producer that really took Oz fizz to a new level and is still doing so, this has pear, spice and lemon notes with an attractive hint of autolysis on the finish. Ken Gargett, Crema Magazine

A bright-looking wine with a clean aroma reminiscent of citrus and stone fruit…the palate is smooth and fresh with a long, crisp finish. Try it as a party starter. Huon Hooke & Ralph Kyte-Powell

Bright green-straw; incorporates 45 different base wine parcels; the usual balance and length, tangy chardonnay prevailing over the softer pinot; some brioche/nougat notes; long, clean finish. Like all the sparkling wines, is a methode traditionelle. Diam. 12.5% alc. Rating 93 Points; Drink 2013 $29 Date Tasted Mar 10 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011

6 of the Best from the Yarra Valley; Candied fruit and fresh, pear-like aromas lead to a smooth rounded palate and fine structure. The taste is soft and refined, with a fine spine of acidity. Drinks well with sushi. Alan Hill, SkyWest OUTthere Magazine.

The addition of five to 10% percent Pinot Noir red wine to a Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Brut blend not only produces the distinctive rose colour, it introduces red fruit notes to the nose and increases the vinosity of the palate. Red berry fruits and complex yeasty aromas lead to a lovely creamy palate with a long, complex and firm finish. Perfect as an aperitif, this style is also ideal with a wide variety of foods including sashimi, shellfish, and salmon, rare grilled tuna, steak tartare and Peking duck.

Pale salmon; delicious fresh and lively wine, which has a lovely mixture of small red fruits and citrus, the dancing finish and aftertaste zesty and dry. Diam. 12.5% alc. Rating 95 Drink 2011 $39.95 Date Tasted Oct 08 James Halliday Wine Companion

Smooth and creamy, with a slightly meaty scent of raspberries, cherries, sweet red flowers and bakery yeasts. Its long, crackly and powdery palate of confectionery cherry and raspberry fruit culminates in a shapely and tightly focused finish of balance and elegance. Wrapped up in a vibrant acidity, it's pleasingly sculpted and assertive. (18.2/93, YTD 2007-2010) Jeremy Oliver

The addition of five to 10% percent Pinot Noir red wine to a Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Brut blend not only produces the distinctive rose colour, it introduces red fruit notes to the nose and increases the vinosity of the palate. Red berry fruits and complex yeasty aromas lead to a lovely creamy palate with a long, complex and firm finish. Perfect as an aperitif, this style is also ideal with a wide variety of foods including sashimi, shellfish, and salmon, rare grilled tuna, steak tartare and Peking duck.

This has long been a favourite of mine, although I’ve not tasted it for a few years now. This has a strong Pinot influence of cherry and strawberry with a touch of gaminess adding intrigue. In the mouth dry with very fine bubbles and  yeasty crackers providing a solid base on which to spread the fresh red fruits. The length is perhaps abbreviated by the overall sensation of dryness (i.e. not relying on sugar to stretch it) but is certainly good enough for me. Excellent wine. The vinosity of it really wins me over. Rated : 93 Points Tasted : Oct-08 Alcohol : 12.5% Price : $39 Closure : Diam Drink : 2008 - 2012 Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

Bottle-fermented, the wine is sourced from multiple regions including estate vineyards in the Yarra Valley and Strathbogie Ranges. Pale salmon-pink, it is a delicious rose, constructed from pinot noir and chardonnay, with a small amount of pinot noir red wine adding a distinct strawberry influence; the length, balance and finish are particularly good. A sparkler to be drunk with gusto. 94 points, $29, Cork, 12.5% alc; Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2009 – The Weekend Australian November 14-15, 2009

Chandon's vineyards are something quite unique. Being a specialist maker of effervescent wines, Chandon is in a position to allocate the best resources for the creation of some of Australia's finest sparkling Cuvées. With a heritage of growing the Yarra Valley's best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, expressly for the purpose of making world class sparklers, Chandon can set aside the most favourable batches of grapes to fashion into the most enticing sparkling Rosé. Crafted to true Methode traditionelle, assembled from a selection of the most complimenting vintage wines, rested on yeast lees to age and to infuse a rich autolysis, disgorged and treated to liqueur doseage

Is there a hedonist who can resist the creamy pink? Chandon's is bred to be luscious yet poised and elegant, exuding perfumes of sultry liqueured cherry and essences of framboise. The Pinot Noir's seductive aromas and darker berry fruit flavours dominate this exciting Cuvée, whilst the presence of Chardonnay's rich tropicality and the tang of fine pineappley acidity keep things strictly Pinot Chardonnay. An élite effervescent Rosé, and not for the frivolous, match the richness of this wine with grilled salmon and strawberry Pannacotta
 
This copper pink Rosé is as spectacular to behold as it is to taste. It's heady perfumes of liqueured cherry and tart pineapple precede secondary bouquets of citrus, and of nuts. Aromas unfold with layers of strawberry cream and freshly baked cakes, autolysis characters and nuances of lemon. On the palate are impressions of refreshing juicy berries, currant and strawberry, cherry and custard flavours give way to a creamy mid-palate offering toastyness, raspberries and plum. The wine retains it's effervescence all the way through, it's creamy mouthfeel and petulance matches taste sensations, with fine texture. True to the House style, it offers seamless structure and an impressive finish

The 2008 Chandon Vintage Brut appeals visually with a vibrant light straw hue. At first aromas of brioche and roasted almonds are revealed from the extended yeast aging and are complimented by a fresh lifted bouquet of citrus blossom, nougat and spicy cinnamon. The complex and enticing palate starts with a bright and zesty entry reminiscent of grapefruit and citrus before opening up to a creamy and intense mid palate where warm roasted fig, quince and chestnuts meld seamlessly to a refreshing crisp and dry finish. Complex and elegant, this classic expression of the vintage is suited to quiet contemplation to joyous, spontaneous moments.

The complexity of the Vintage Brut is inherent in the diversity of cool-climate sites, including vineyards of varying altitude, age and aspect. Grapes were sourced from regions as diverse as the Yarra Valley, Strathbogie, Macedon in Victoria along with Coonawarra and Adelaide Hills (South Australia), Great Southern (Western Australia) and the Coal River Valley (Tasmania). Regional sourcing provides many different characters and flavours, adding to the complexity of the blends. Soils at these sites vary from free draining sandy loams to aged alluvial loams with high clay content. Vineyards are planted to various densities, with an average yield between 7 and 10 tonnes per hectare. Most of the selected vineyards are trained to vertical shoot positioning trellis to maintain vibrancy of flavour.

Gold Medal - 2011 National Wine Show

Like the Tasmanian Cuvee, has good mousse to its bright straw colour; more than 30 different bas wines of Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier/Chardonnay were blended before bottling using the Traditional Method and spent over two years on lees; the fruit flavours have developed figgy, creamy characters balanced by citrussy acidity and modest dosage. 94 Points; James Halliday

This unique style is modelled on the French Champagne style 'doux'. The Cuvée Riche is unmistakably sweeter, richer and more luscious yet finishes refreshingly crisp. Cuvée Riche is a surprisingly adaptable wine, it can be enjoyed as a richer aperitif style and it is ideal with food such as foie gris, pate and smoked salmon. As a dessert wine, it best matches desserts of low sweetness such as tarte tatin, quince tart or summer pudding. “Cunningly balanced and made; no-holds-barred sweetness, but neatly off-set by acidity”. Rating: 92 out of 100. James Halliday Wine Companion

Charlie was one of the first to recognise the value and tradition of Barossa’s old vine Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre. At a time when others were pulling out vineyards of Shiraz to plant more fashionable varieties, Charlie was convincing growers to keep their historic vineyards, being one of a small group of winemakers ro retain the viticultural heritage of the Barossa Valley.

2010 looks to be a stellar vintage for the red grape varieties.  The fruit set on Grenache was affected by a burst of heat in November but the good winter and spring rains stood the vines in good stead.  An early start in mild ideal harvest weather has given us fully ripened and flavoured fruit.
 
A deep vibrant pink colour, with a very fragrant strawberry nose and then a lovely spicy/sweet and rich but not overly sweet palate. A touch of autolysis character adds a little serious note. Think summer, duck salad and a late afternoon.

The base wine is tirage bottled and left on lees for 6 months. It is the riddled and disgorged using the traditional methode. That is the proper Methode Champenoise.

There's wild strawberry fragrance to begin the seduction process, ripe sweet redcurrant and strawberry flavours, gentle fizz and a fresh, clean, sweet finish. Good. Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2011

Moscato has hit the bargain end of the shelf this year, and rightfully so. As a wine for the sweet-tooths to quaff, this does a mighty fine job with its pretty salmon hue and its perfumed rose petal, Turkish Delight and strawberry flavours. 90 Points; Wine Business Monthly

Chill this local moscato well, and enjoy its bright berry aromas and sweet fruit flavours. Soft and creamy on the palate, with a gentle fizz, it suits the sweetness of white chocolate. Sally Gudgeon, Sun Herald

De Bortoli has developed this into an exciting little sweet spritzy sparkler that is simple yet effective. A pale pink in colour, with ripe fresh fruits dominating the light (eight per cent alcohol) palate and lovely hints of strawberries, fresh blossom, musk and spice aromas on the nose. Jon Helmer, Bellarine Times, February 2010

Visually mouth-watering, a pale rose petal pink with potent aromatics of muscat - honey, peach/apricot, orange blossoms and candied citrus peel. Expect a sweet bubbly, with a friendly mousse and snappy, refreshing acidity. The flavours echo the aromas making this a wine made for fruit pavlova or an aperitif paired with spicy mini appys. Wine Diva (Canada)

What's the story? It's from De Bortoli's newest range, so named to honour the family matriarch. And the happy bonus is it's only 8% alcohol. Tastes Light and refreshing, with musk stick flavours and a touch of spice. Lyndey Milan, Australian Good Food Magazine

I tasted the two 'Emeri' moscatos on different occasions and wrote quite similar notes on how they tasted. As well as its delicate salmon-pink colour, the pink had delightfully grapey flavours that were full-throttle, sweet on the mid-palate yet finishing clean, fresh and crisp. Still sweet but gently, refreshingly so. Peter Forrestal, Quaff

Very fresh, fruity muscat nose with plenty of sweet muscat flavours on the palate, well balanced by acid. Winestate, Champagne & Sparkling Tasting

There should be more wines of this style at this price. Emeri is a lot of fun, light in both alcohol and flavour, packed with honeyed ginger, Turkish delight and ripe strawberry fruits. Most importantly, it's fine, balanced and refreshing. 90 points; Tyson Stelzer, WBM100

Glug, glug-a-lug. Not one drop was left on Christmas Day of this refreshing fruity drink that's so delightfully thirst-quenching. Lightly frizzante, it's full of musk rose petal and Turkish delight notes, lovely and sweet but fresh with a clean finish that means a top-up is needed. In this instance, another bottle. Jane Faulkner, The Age,

Gold Medal - 2010 Hobart Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2009 Hobart Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2008 Cairns Wine Show

Pale colour with green tinges. Leesy nose, delicate rose petal like flavours. Soft creamy textured palate with length and drinkability. Vineyards are selected for fruit subtlety and finesse. On the valley floor these are generally East through to South facing slopes and in the upper Yarra the aspect is not so critical. Fruit is whole bunch pressed to avoid colour and phenolic pickup. The juice is racked to barrel and tank and fermented at warm temperatures to ‘blow off’ the fruitiness. The wine is allowed to complete natural malolactic fermentation and sits on lees for 14 months before secondary fermentation and bottling. 
 
Of course, it also needs to taste good, and the De Bortoli Rococo Blanc de Blanc sure does. It's fresh and fluffy (yep, I'll stand by that), but it has lots of baked bread flavours, too. And the packaging is spectacular. Campbell Mattinson, Sunday Herald Sun, February 2010

Sophisticated and delicate, this is the bargain bubbles that we've all been wishing for years. Extended lees contact has blessed it with great texture and restraint, with earthy, yeasty complexity riding under its complex lemon and dried fruit flavours. 92 points; Tyson Stelzer, Wine 100 WBM, May 2009
 
Fine elegant lemon fruit and green apple bouquet, with a fine bead and linear acidity; a nicely balanced wine, with a dry, even and attractive finish. 90 points; James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2010, September 2009

A new label from De Bortoli's Yarra Valley winery, it's a youthful, fruit-led, chardonnay-driven bubbly with persistence, fine acidity and a clean finish. Young and simple but pristine with some pretensions to serious quality. Best within two years. Best Sparkling; Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald, Good Living , March 2009
 
Pleasant, youthful sparkling with light green apple aromas and fresh citrus flavours. Easy Drinking. Winestate Magazine, March 2009
 
Rococo blanc de blanc is De Bortoli's cheeky new Yarra Valley fizz. Maker Steve Webber says they were looking at a complex blanc de blanc style with a bit of character and plenty of giddy-up. Here it is. David Bray, QHA Review, January 2009

Every time Steve Webber and Leanne DeBortoli return from a jaunt to France, their wines take on a little more Euro nuance. Detail and subtlety are always the hallmarks, captured impeccably by Rococo’s textural citrus. It’s as sophisticated as its baroque label – a monumental statement at $17. 92 points; Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste

Very pale pink. Creamy, petal like aromas that are perfumed and complex. A soft, light wine with perfectly ripe flavours of raspberries, cherries and strawberries mingled with a splash of pink. Being a non-vintage wine, vintage conditions vary from season to season. This is a blend of several vintages from selected vineyards. The base wines are blended to a style – creamy, complex, fine, interesting.

Chardonnay for the creaminess, Pinot Meunier for spice and perfume, Pinot Noir for complexity and grace. Fruit is gently pressed to avoid any nasty, bitter flavours. The pressed juice is fermented in both tank and cask at elevated temperatures to ‘blow off’ the fruitiness. The base wines are blended each year and then over blended with previous vintage material to produce the desired flavour profile. The resultant cuvées undergo secondary fermentation to give them their fizz. The finished wine is light and mineral with texture and feel, dry and very delicious.

A sophisticated sister to De Bortoli's newish Rococo Blanc de Blancs sparkling. It's a dominant blend of chardonnay, pinot noir (14 per cent) and pinot meunier (8 per cent), creamy and complex with fragrant rose petal notes on the nose, sweetish red berry fruit flavours, a fine persistent bead and a crisp, dry finish. Drink as an aperitif. Kerry Skinner, Illawarra Mercury, January 2010

A sparkling blend of chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir. The colour is a pale, just off-white, candy pink. Lively fragrant nose of rose water and strawberries. Shows a dry, clean palate of new season summer berries with a tang of lemon zest at the finish. Ideal summer luncheon fizz. Martin Field, The wine Blog

In typically De Bortoli fashion, over-delivers at its price point; it is a multi-vintage with components ageing on yeast lees in bottle for up to seven years and a small portion is taken through malolactic fermentation. Good mousse, and salmon pink colour; obvious care in selection of base wine, most from the Yarra; the strawberry fruit notes are, of course, pinot derived, backed up by citrussy acidity. 89 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2009 – The Weekend Australian November 14-15, 2009

Youthful, nutty, yeasty nose with subtle strawberry notes which become more obvious on the refreshing palate. Winestate, Champagne & Sparkling Tasting, December 2008

A fresh and quite lively fizz with some subtle cherry and strawberry tones. It's slightly pink from the pinot influence. Nice clean crisp finish and value for money. Ray Jordan, Top 100, The West Australian

This colums has previously raised the value that can be found in Australian sparkling wines, and the Windy Peak is no exception. A fair guide is that fruit from one of Australia's most respected sparkling regions, the Yarra Valley, has been used in this wine. This is a multi-vintage blend, with its bronze colour and complexity reflecting some aged characters. Even so, it is both fresh and refreshing. Mike Burnett, Launceston Examiner

Complex and creamy with strawberry flavours, integrated biscuity characters and a crisp, clean finish. Kerry Skinner, Illawarra Mercury, November 2006

From De Bortoli's Victorian range comes a very good bubbly: delicate pink tinge (what the wine buffs used to call 'partridge eye'), hint of raspberry, lively flavours, creamy texture, crisp zingy finish. For the fun times.Good. Peter Forrestal, Quaff, January 2006

Smells of fresh strawberries with hints of quince. Nicely structured creamy palate developing complexity. Winestate, Style Tastings

The fruit is machined picked at night to ensure cooler temperatures and to retain fruit aromatics. On arrival at the winery the fruit is gently crushed and pressed to minimise phenolics and maximise fruit flavour and delicacy. All wines undergo 100% malolactic fermentation and remain on lees until required for blending and stabilising. The final base wine components are then bottle fermented and spend a short period on tirage lees providing further yeast complexity in the final wine. Individual base wine components are then carefully selected for the final blend prior to bottling.

This sparkling displays a hint of Pinot Noir, with a lively, strawberry fruit nose and a clean, long, delicate finish - said to be a gorgeous wine. Panel Tasting, National Liquor News (Aus), Vol 27. No 9 - October 2008

A pleasant, easy-drinking bubbly that is well made and finishes with refreshing crisp acidity. Peter Forrestal, Quaff 2008, October 2007

The wines from this new venture for Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, Yalumba, "celebrate the coastline and its importance to our maritime vineyards, much like that of the beaches in our lives." And here’s a sparkler that will happily lubricate several celebrations, with weighty Pinot Noir being given a lift from a large helping of Chardonnay. It's a friendly soul, with smoky tropical fruit to spare, but also with a citrus finesse and creamy note to the finish. Wine & Spirit UK, January/February 2007

The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were selected from premium districts, including Buckland Valley (VIC), Cowra (NSW) and Adelaide Hills (SA). Harvested in the cool of night, minimal juice contact with the skins and gentle pressing produced juices of elegance, finesse and delicate fruit flavour.  These juices were fermented separately using a yeast strain isolated in Champagne, to produce delicate base wines, which then underwent secondary fermentation in bottle.

Mid straw green with a fine and persistent mousse. The citrus and toasted cashew nut flavours of Chardonnay are married to the fresh attractive breadcrust characters of Pinot Noir. Elegant fruit flavours enhanced with creamy yeast autolysis providing depth and flavour. The wine finishes soft, crisp and clean.

Full yellow-gold, with some cashew aromas, followed by an intense mix of stone fruit, citrus and strawberries set in a creamy mid-palate, the citrus-toned finish clean and fresh. Cork. 12.5% alc. Rating 94 Points; Drink 2010 $24.95 Date Tasted Sep 09; James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011
 
Combines delicacy with intensity and length; tangy fruit flavour with some bready notes, then a clean, zesty finish. Extended lees contact; several vintages. 100% Tasmania. Cork. 12.5% alc. Drink to 2009 $22.95 Rating: 93 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion 2009
 
Straw-like Tassie regional character plus lemon/citrus nuances; it's a fresher, less complex wine but far from boring, with crisp chardonnay-driven flavour and a dry finish, giving a lip-smacking aftertaste. Just right for oysters. Huon Hooke, Good Weekend Living Magazine
 
Bright, fragrant, and approachable, with ripe red-scented fruit aromas, some citrus and stone fruit too. Smooth and supple palate, mixing cool acid cut with creamy mousse. Nick Stock, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine