From fruit grown in the Adelaide Hills and part of the “High Altitude Hillbillies” range.

d’Arenberg, The Lucky Lizard, Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, 2016

Fermentation and maturation in French oak for 7 months. Nose of yellow stonefruit, smoky oak, hessian and straw with echoes of jersey caramel sweetness. Generous, if a little rough around the edges with nutty oak driven spice underlying crisp nectarine stonefruit and grapefruit. A little barley water, slate and pineapple core linger on the palate before regional acidity tussles with a waxy complexity for the last word. Still needs a little time in the bottle to come together.

RRP: $25
Alc: 13.7%
Rating: 16/20

Wine sample courtesy of d’Arenberg