2016 Swift Vintage Cuvee, Orange

65/35% chardonnay/pinot noir; the fruit is sourced from the Newbridge vineyard at 1000m. Eight years on lees and a low dosage of 3.5g/L have shaped a wine of balance and clarity. Hazelnut skin, ginger root and white raspberry emerge first, followed by a dusting of white pepper and a gentle honeysuckle richness through the mid-palate. Succulent acidity provides both energy and structure, drawing out notes of golden apple and sustaining a line of impressive length. The finish reveals lightly charred toast and lemon tea, lingering with finesse, power and drive. Wonderful value.

96 points Special Value Shanteh Wale for Haliday Wine Companion

Pale lemon-yellow colour. Bright and fresh aromas of lemon sherbet, baking sourdough and oyster brine. Palate is very vibrant and fresh, remarkably so at nine years of age. There's ample apple and citrus fruit with an underlying strawberry note as the primary drivers. As it flows with a super-fine bead lifting it, some nutty and toasty secondary characters appear. The finish is long and complex, with a richness building as it rolls along. A wonderful expression of Australian sparkling that offers everything you could ask for 18 Jan 2025 Drink 2025–2033

95 points Stuart Knox the realreview.com #5 of 52 2016 Sparkling whites from Australia

Trophy Best Sparkling Royal Queensland Wine Show 2025

Swift Sparkling is a boutique producer dedicated to crafting traditional method wines that rival the finest sparkling expressions from around the world. Sourced from the elevated vineyards of Orange, one of Australia's premier cool climate wine regions, the Vintage Cuvée reflects the purity, finesse and natural acidity that make this region so well suited to premium sparkling wine. Extended bottle maturation and meticulous attention to detail have created a wine of remarkable complexity while retaining freshness and vibrancy.

The 2016 vintage provided outstanding conditions across Orange, with cool temperatures and a long, even growing season delivering fruit of exceptional balance and intensity. Produced in the traditional method and matured on lees for many years before disgorgement, this Vintage Cuvée has developed the richness, texture and toasty complexity that only time can achieve. Every stage of production has been carefully managed to preserve elegance while building depth and refinement.

Bright straw gold with an exceptionally fine, persistent bead, the bouquet opens with preserved lemon, crisp apple and white peach before revealing layers of brioche, roasted almond, nougat and delicate honey. Time in the glass brings notes of baked pastry, citrus curd and a subtle chalky minerality. The palate is beautifully poised, combining creamy texture with vibrant acidity and flavours of lemon zest, orchard fruits and toasted hazelnut. The finish is long, dry and precise, leaving an impression of freshness, finesse and effortless balance.

A superb aperitif and an outstanding partner to freshly shucked oysters, lobster rolls, grilled scallops, tempura prawns or triple cream Brie. Drinking beautifully now, this mature Vintage Cuvée will continue to reward careful cellaring for another five to eight years.