Ben says
★★★ Outstanding Wine “This wine’s fleshy green apple nose leads into a palate of Granny Smith apples that are crisp but not sour. Juicy white nectarine follows and envelopes the mouth, leading to a saline, long and lightly creamy finish, which is long and layered. The wine tastes even more youthful than a younger vintage I tasted in the same flight and it has all the vibrancy and racy character you long for in a good Chablis, while bringing in that mouth-watering stone fruit.“
KEY POINTS
Varietal Chardonnay with 13.5%. Fruit selected from a single north-facing block of closely planted vines 240m above sea level. Hand-picked in March and then sorted before whole bunch pressing in French oak puncheons with natural, wild fermentation. It is matured on lees for 10 months in used French oak and a further six months in tank.
Grown in: Yarra Valley, Victoria, South AUSTRALIA.
Food Pairing
Vibrant and juicy, this delicious Chardonnay would pair really well with a flavoursome fish pie and steamed greens. Its acidity and brightness also makes it a natural partner with goat’s cheese or salty hard cheese and cured meats.
Disclosure & Price
Tasted at the vineyard cellar door during a paid-for wine tasting experience. Find for $62 AUD or other vintages can be found in the UK for circa £45.
Reviewed and tasted: 27/03/2024
About the Producer
Oakridge Wines started in the Yarra Valley’s expansion in the 1970s with Horst “Jim” Zitzlaff planting vines on a four hectare cherry orchard in Wandin East, which later became the Five Oaks Vineyard block.
Oakridge made its name for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines, and moved its production to the Coldstream in 1998. The Zitlaffs sold to Evans & Tate, who employed winemaker David Bicknell in 2002, who continues to run the operation today. Bicknell has continued to work at Oakridge under the D’Aloisio and Atlas families between 2007 and 2021 and since 2021 under Paragon Wine Estates. The vineyard is managed by chief viticulturist Steve Faulkner. Today Oakridge produces a wide range of wines, including its top label 864 Block, which has been lauded by critics like Halliday.
