We're really pleased by what we now find in the glass a fine, elegant, luxurious sparkling wine that is rich and complex in aroma and flavour, yet still retains the fundamental verve and freshness of the authentic non-vintage style. Its cool Tasmanian origins are as clear as a bell. The palate carries our region's Chardonnay-driven crisp, citrusy acidity which helps define the wine's classic structure and food-friendly character.

Aroma: Lemon blossom, apple, mandarin, wildflowers and stonefruit with hints of musk and mineral. Palate: Refreshing flavours of lime and fresh juicy citrus with limestone minerality and a clean crisp finish. Seamless balance, mouth-watering tension and lasting concentration. Cold harvested at night. Following a brief period of skin contact the grapes are carefully pressed using fully protective handling to avoid juice oxidation. This preserves naturally vibrant varietal aromas and flavours. Juice is racked off solids and fermented slowly at cool temperatures in stainless steel to enhance freshness. Bottled under screw cap. Ninth Island is one of the labels of the Kreglinger group. Krelinger is a Belgium based company that was formed as a family business in 1797, their business brought them to Australia in 1897 but it was not until the year 2000 that they diversified into wine. Ninth Island represents the second label of the Pipers Brook vineyards, based in Tasmania. The name refers to a tiny island that sits alone in the Bass Strait, just offshore from the Pipers Brook Estate. The Ninth Island vineyard can be found on the banks of the Tamar. The site is comparatively warm and perfect for the production of table wine styles such as Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. They are predominantly made as early drinking styles, with all the fruit sourced from Tamar valley. The Ninth Island's windswept, pristine environment is the inspiration behind this modern range of wines that capture the wild flavours of Tasmania.

With 130 years of expertise under the family’s belt, Angove have plenty of experience to call upon. In recent years they have been awarded ‘Winery of the Year’ and many medals besides for individual wines. Fourth generation John Angove now heads up the cellar that Dr William Angove started in 1886 near Adelaide (by making award winning brandy – a product they’re still famous for) and, besides championing unusual grapes, John also pioneers modern styles of wine. His 2018 turns its back on the weighty, golden, heavily oaked Chardonnays of last century and embraces bright stone fruit, shot through by lemony brilliance. No wonder this grape is back in favour.

The aromatics are alive with poached pear, guava, peach and spice. The palate is expressive with a textural mouth feel and great length of flavour. A classic natural acid line retains balance and structure, finishing with a light spice.

Richard Angove was very lucky to have grown up in a winemaking family. Since 1886, five generations of his family have worked in winemaking and grape growing. In 2008 he worked harvest in the beautiful Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania. He just loved the landscape, vineyards and flavours of the wines. Many years later when the opportunity arose to work with a number of small growers to create a range of small batch wines, he could not resist the opportunity, and so Lost Farm Wines was born.

Pop open this great value and delicious sparkler. It's from Tasmanian Vintners, a joint venture between Tassie businessman Rod Roberts and Fogarty Wine Group (Deep Woods, Evans & Tate, Dalwhinnie). They've attracted some extraordinary winemakers, including Marlborough-born Liam McElhinney, the former Jimmy Watson Trophy winner. The brief is to produce stylish, modern wines from premium Tasmanian fruit with an identity that remains somewhat mysterious. This sparkling cuvee boasts crisp apple, lemon and hints of strawberry and cashew. A lovely way to kick off a backyard feast. Yum!

Green apple, French oak and fresh cream on the nose, the palate opens up with white peach, melon and slightly bready notes. This wine has seen some malolactic fermentation and the richness, creaminess and texture created by this process allow natural acid, zesty citrus and oak-spice to really get to work. A very well-thought-out chardonnay that ticks all the boxes without breaking the bank. This is a smart pick up.

A masterful Tassie Chardonnay that screams premium quality. Flinty and zesty, nutty and oaky - seriously delicious.