Riversdale Estate have recently opened their estate cellar door and bistro just outside of Hobart at the start of the Coal River Valley, featuring a unique attraction: the only official Peter Rabbit garden in the southern hemisphere. This wine is part of their top tier “Stellar” collection named from the proximity of the vineyard to the nearby Mount Pleasant Observatory operated by the University of Tasmania. Winemaker is Nick Badrice.

Riversdale Estate, Crater Chardonnay, Coal River Valley 2012

8 months on lees, part natural and part inoculated ferment. Powerful expression of Chardonnay: Big bang chardonnay galaxy nose with lanolin, vanilla, toasty oak, lemon butter and yellow citrus spectrum, egg shell and some struck match/cooked bacon characters. The full oak bracketing a super lemon curd and tangy grapefruit line. Layers of flavour supplemented by spice. Finishes with quite a drying grippy experience before the trail of stars brings puckering acidity. A white giant.

RRP: $57

Alc: 13.5%

Wine sample courtesy of Riversdale Estate