2018 Blanc de Blancs
Immerse your senses in a sparkling dance of delicious and delicate bubbles. Our latest release, the 2018 Meadowbank Blanc de Blancs, is elegance and indulgence personified.
Our Meadowbank dream team have called upon everything their extensive backgrounds have to offer. Gerald Ellis, the legendary Tasmanian vigneron, who has tended to and grown grapes for some of the best sparkling wine in the world (hint hint...House of Arras). Peter Dredge, the cult winemaker / artist / mad scientist, who has worked alongside and been mentored by iconic Australian sparkling wine doyen's Brian Croser (Petaluma and Croser Sparkling) and Ed Carr (House of Arras). Add to this the wonderful Mardi Ellis, whose natural effervescence inspires everything that we do, and this is when the magic truly happens.
Our 2018 Blanc de Blancs was made exclusively with Meadowbank Chardonnay from our south-facing Far Horse Vineyard block hidden deep in the Derwent Valley. It was left on tirage for 5 years and disgorged in September 2023 with a minimal intervention dosage liqueur - only 3g/L of sugar was added which makes this wine super dry in style (aka Extra Brut!). This allows the wine to showcase an authentic 'sense of place' experience, with trademark Meadowbank vineyard flavours and seasonal characteristics detectable between vintage releases.
This wine is now in it's prime time for release and your drinking pleasure. Our Blanc de Blancs is the aperitif, the starter, the sparkling you would reach for with fresh oysters. Refined and delicate, with lemon/lime acidity dancing alongisde creamy brioche in the glass. This wine will happily sleep in your cellar for up to 5 years, if you're more intruiged by secondary and tertiary flavour development.
Really though, it's hard to go past drinking this one right now. With oysters, and loved ones.
2018 Blanc de Blancs Review:
95 POINTS - "Lovely brightness in the glass and a super mousse and bead. Lifted and pretty aromas of brioche, baked apple, white stone fruit and bath salts. The palate is fine, focused and driven by a core of nectarine and green apple flavours. There's also lovely creaminess and mouth-feel, with the crunchy, punchy acidity doing its thing and delivering cut and purpose. Classy gear." - Aaron Brasher (The Real Review)
94 POINTS - "This is 100% estate-grown chardonnay from the Far Horse Vineyard block, on tirage for five years, disgorged September '23. Light straw with a fine, energetic bead. Fruit tones of apple, white peach, grapefruit and lemon with underlying hints of grilled nuts, brioche, crème fraîche, tarte Tatin, soft spice, dried honey, sea spray, almond meal and white flowers. Fine, tight, briny tension with excellent clarity and length of flavour, finishing with a touch of cream, proving dough and apple pastry." - Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)
*Note: for those wondering, all our wines are vegan friendly.