If we had opened this for a blind tasting, I would have failed miserably.

Tasted double blind, we agreed we would have nailed this as Riesling with its intense lemon and petrol.  Or possibly as an evolving Hunter Valley Sémillon with its lemony honeysuckle, wax and dried grass.

But, it’s not!  Here we have one of Australia’s most incredible white wines made from some of the oldest Marsanne grapes available in the world.  Yup, that’s why they call it 1927 Vines.

Coloured medium lemon, it has a nose of intense petrol and tingling minerality accompanied by aromas of deep lemon and citrus peel, light white blossom, honey, wax and dried grass.

The palate is dry with very high acidity and light alcohol and shows flavours of more lemon and citrus zest with quince, some honey and an oily texture, dried nuts and kernel, lemongrass and more of that crushed rock minerality.

With its layers of flavour and aroma, this wine is showing significant development but can go for years yet.   It’s produced by Tahbilk where 5 generations of the Purbrick family have been involved in winemaking.

Striking and direct, this is one earnest wine.
WSET Very Good plus