This spends 14 years on lees. Dosage very low, under three grams per litre. The only vintage where chardonnay has been so high, getting to 78% chardonnay. “A very dry year, an immense amount of frost which hit the pinot noir hard”, offers winemaker Ed Carr, “the strength in pinot noir wasn’t happening, it didn’t work in the blend”. This is, of course, the Grand Vintage wine, held on lees for a minimum of ten years, no blending separately – an extension of vintage is the deal. A complex matrix of decisions result in setting aside the best wines for this, from the Grand Vintage selection. First or September release.

It’s an incredible wine. It defies its richness with freshness, it layers in immense texture and yet a cavalcade of minerally pucker then brightens and intensifies the wine. Fino sherry, buttery notes, fresh and dried apples, an array of scattered exotic spice popping up differently and distinctly in scents and flavours. A shopping cart filled from all the rows of the supermarket to describe this wine. Forget that – we have a cinematic experience here, in full surround sound. A memorable one. Hyperbole is easy here as the wine presents to a drinker so much to smell, taste and feel. Far out, it’s so good! You can hang the grand marque Champagnes.

97 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.