2023 Empire of Dirt Lyra Chardonnay, Bellarine Peninsula

This characterful Chardonnay opens with seductive aromas of apricot Danish pastries and roasted citrus. The chalky, lively palate is rich yet genuinely fresh, with fine citrus acidity running the length of the long finish.

A clever study in contrast, this would look good with Moroccan spice-rubbed roast chicken with cous cous, preserved lemons and toasted pine nuts.

About this wine

Vega is the brightest star in the Lyra constellation and was the name of winemaker Tash Webster’s first cat and her sidekick for over 17 years. The Lyra Chardonnay is Tash's ode to Vega whose passing came to mark the beginning of Empire of Dirt.

This is a single vineyard wine sourced from a Bellarine Peninsula site, barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak of which a quarter were new and allowed partial (25%) malolactic conversion.

About this producer

Orange (NSW) born Tash Webster is the founder and winemaker of the Moorabool Valley based Empire of Dirt. She first struck out on her own making wine in a partnership in 2017, but the business ran into issues, and she decided to go solo the following year. Empire of Dirt is part homage to the distinctive territory of the Geelong region and part reminder of tough times past.