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WinemakingAll fruit was hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed. The cuvee taille (first cut free-run juice) was settled naturally overnight prior to racking to a mix of stainless steel tank and large format old barrels for fermentation.Fermented and aged separately in small batch lots on settled lees for nine months. The blended wine then underwent secondary fermentation in the bottle. This wine has been aged for an extended period on its autolysing yeast lees for more than four years to garner richness and complexity to its innate elegance and finesse.Winemaker's notesThe protracted growing season allowed a drawn-out ripening, resulting in an uncommon richness of flavour tempered by the abundant natural acidity contributed by the season.A bouquet of nashi pear, glazed brioche, lemon cheesecake and Amaretti buscuit. Flavours of nougat, lemon rind, jasmine and chestnut underpin a palate of steely acidity with delicated bubble, fruit weight and earthy 'sur lie' characters providing textural accompaniement, richness and creaminess to the finish. An excellent match for freshly-shucked oysters or semi-hard cow's milk cheeses.

Jayden Ong working with some very fine Chardonnay from the upper Yarra Valley.

Bollinger Special Cuvée is unquestionably one of the finest of all French champagnes, the Bollinger style is distinctive for its full-bodied toasty character derived from a high proportion of Pinot Noir and the inclusion of base wine that has been matured in oak.

This 20ha vineyard was planted on red clay loam soil at Woori Yallock in 2001 by Lou Primavera, with whom Giant Steps has a long-standing grape-supply relationship. Pinot Noir (114, MV6 and G8V3 clones) grown here on the north and north east facing slopes at 230m is noted for its complex structure and pronounced perfume. The 114 and MV6 are fermented as whole bunches in open vats, while the G8V3 is destemmed, given a long cold-soak and fermented separately to enhance its aromatic contribution. All ferments use indigenous yeasts and the whole-bunch components are periodically foot-stomped to release additional juice. The wines are pressed to 228 litre, French barriques (about 8% new) for 11 months before blending and bottling without fining or filtration.

From a unique vineyard site in Melbourne's eastern suburbs the Egan family have been producing this beautiful Bordeaux-styled red since 1997; cassis and cedar characters with admirable length. Adorned with artwork from Melbourne cartooning icon, Leunig, the Amelia is firmly established within the Langton's Classification of Australian Wine and is a must have for all serious wine collectors.

The nose displays aromas of raspberry and herbs with an attractive earthiness. The palate shows red berries, pomegranate and some lovely forest floor characters. A fine tannin profile and bright natural acid lift provide great depth and structure to the plate. The beautiful acidity suggests this.

A more restrained style, Yeringberg Chardonnay has some minerally notes overlayed with subtle hints of fermentation in French oak barrels. Not an overt wine, yet possessed of impressive intensity. It should develop a soft and smooth maturity after several years in the cellar.

Paringa is one of Australia's best and most consistent Pinot producers. This wine shows superb varietal aromas of cherry, plum and spice, and the palate is long, textured and complex. With the ability to be cellared for the medium to long term, Lindsay McCall's Estate Pinot is a certainty to be included in any cellar of a great Pinot Noir lover.

Fresh and flavoursome, Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial is perfect for spritzing up a sunny afternoon or adding an elegant tone to any dinner party. Flavours of fresh citrus and stone fruits with ravishing acidity and length.

The Levantine Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is redolent with blackberry, blackcurrant and cocoa-rich chocolate. The supple, balanced middle palate evokes truffle, bramble and earthy complexity. An outstanding example of the Yarra Valley region, its chewy, satisfying tannins are beautifully-integrated with fleshy fruit characters, hedonic spice and lingering, persistent length.