2018 Moorilla Cloth Label White, Southern Tasmania

A mashup of every white variety grown on the St. Matthias vineyard – pinot gris, gewürztraminer, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and riesling – and just a touch of pinot noir. This is such a cool smelling (and tasting!) wine. Endlessly complex with pithy citrus fruits, apple, Turkish delight, meadow flowers, feijoa, crushed stone, dried honey and some hippocampus tweaking aromas of my father's old workshop ... the neurochemistry of nostalgia. Stony, savoury and fascinatingly complex drinking.

95 points Dave Brookes Halliday Wine Companion

From the banks of the Derwent River at Berriedale, Moorilla continues to blur the lines between art and winemaking, and this Late Disgorged release is a great example of that quiet ambition. The estate, founded in 1958 and now part of the Mona landscape, has steadily built a reputation for thoughtful, cool climate wines, with the Cloth Label range offering a more expressive, exploratory side of the house.

This sparkling wine is given extended time on lees before disgorgement, allowing it to build complexity and texture well beyond a typical release. Southern Tasmania’s cool maritime climate is ideal for sparkling, preserving acidity and finesse while the long growing season develops subtle fruit character.

Fine, persistent beads rise through a pale straw base. The aromatics are layered and gently savoury, lemon zest and green apple sit alongside brioche, toasted almond and a hint of nougat from that extended lees ageing. There is a quiet richness, but it never feels heavy.

The palate carries both freshness and depth. Citrus and orchard fruits glide over a creamy, textured mid palate, with a fine mousse and a line of bright acidity that keeps everything lifted. The autolytic notes, bread dough, roasted nuts, a touch of honey, weave through the finish, giving length and complexity without losing precision.

It pairs beautifully with food that plays between freshness and richness. Freshly shucked oysters, scallops with a light butter sauce, or even fried chicken where the acidity and bubbles cut through perfectly. Soft washed rind cheeses or savoury tarts also sit comfortably alongside its texture.

Drinking beautifully now thanks to that extra time on lees, though it will continue to hold and evolve over the next few years.

There is a composed, almost understated luxury here, the kind of sparkling that rewards a slower pace, a proper glass, and a moment to take it all in.