2010 Clover Hill Late Disgorged Prestige Cuvee, Tasmania

Méthode traditionnelle. Hand picked and whole-bunch pressed; partial mlf; bâtonnage in tanks. Aged 10 years 10 months on lees; disgorged Dec '21; 5.0g/L dosage. It takes time for the majesty of Pipers River chardonnay to unravel, particularly in a cool, mild season of great natural acid retention such as this. A full yellow hue with a golden tint declares that it has finally achieved its glorious prime. Delightfully complex and complete, brimming with preserved lemons, exotic spice, vanilla bean, brioche and saffron. Zesty stamina and creamy, silky allure rarely unite with such effortless confidence. And, best of all, it won't begin to fade any time soon.

95 points Tyson Stelzer winecompanion.com.au August 2022

The 2010 Clover Hill Late Disgorged Prestige Cuvée is a masterclass in Tasmanian sparkling at full maturity, calm, complex and utterly confident. Clover Hill sits in the cool north east of Tasmania, close to Bass Strait, where maritime winds, low growing seasons and long autumns shape wines of precision and natural tension. This is exactly the kind of place where great traditional method sparkling is born.

Clover Hill has long been one of Tasmania’s quiet pioneers of elite sparkling wine. Founded in the late 1980s, the estate quickly built a reputation for patience and restraint rather than flash. The Prestige Cuvée represents the pinnacle of their work, drawn from the best parcels of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, then aged extensively on lees. The late disgorged release takes that philosophy even further, allowing the wine to develop extraordinary depth before finally meeting the world.

After more than a decade resting on lees, the 2010 vintage emerges with remarkable composure. Aromas are layered and deeply savoury, toasted brioche, roasted hazelnut, lemon curd, oyster shell and a whisper of honeyed complexity. The palate is broad yet finely tuned, with creamy texture balanced by bright citrus acidity and a long, mineral driven finish that speaks clearly of its cool Tasmanian origins.

What makes this wine special is the harmony between maturity and freshness. There is richness, yes, but also lift and energy, the kind that keeps you coming back for another glass. It feels effortless, never heavy, and quietly reminds you that Tasmania belongs firmly in the global sparkling conversation.

At the table, this shines with oysters, lobster, roast chicken or dishes with subtle savoury depth like mushroom risotto or aged Comté. It is already in a beautiful drinking window but will continue to hold and evolve gracefully for many years, gaining more nutty, umami detail with time.