2023 Luke Lambert Crudo Chardonnay, Yarra Valley

Since moving his Chardonnay sourcing to the Denton vineyard, we have seen even greater mineral depth in both the Lambert Crudo and Estate Chardonnays. “The granite soils of the Denton vineyard are most evident in the Chardonnay wines,” Luke tells us. And what’s in the glass certainly backs up this claim. The Crudo fruit hails from the east/northeast-facing slope on the cone-shaped Denton vineyard. The vines are now 20 years old, sitting on those expressive soils of granitic sand over heavy granite boulders.

As is the norm, the fruit was whole bunch-pressed and spontaneously fermented with no temperature control. The wine went through full malolactic conversion and matured in old oak (2,000-litre French oak foudre) for three to four months. It was bottled without fining or filtration and with minimum sulphur.

It’s another scintillating release, a wine as composed, refined, chiselled and elegant as many with a loftier price tag. A picture of balance and harmony, it’s springtime fresh, with pure, ripe fruit flavours accented by white flowers and deep, stony minerals. It sits beautifully on the palate, composed and flowing to a long, seamless finish. Flat-out gorgeous.