The superb 2025 Tasmanian growing season gave these vineyards an exceptional canvas.
A long, beautifully measured season allowed Chardonnay to ripen slowly and evenly, building flavour and phenolic maturity while retaining the crystalline acidity that is so intrinsic to Tasmania.
The fruit arrived in the winery concentrated and ripe without excess and carrying the tension, energy and natural freshness that underpin Chardonnay of real longevity. It was a season in which little needed to be forced; the quality was already written into the fruit.
The wines
2025 Lowestoft ‘La Meilleure’ Chardonnay RRP $107
Three distinctive parcels of Chardonnay were chosen to compose this wine, each bringing its own cadence of flavour, texture and place. The philosophy is one of restraint: to work gently, preserve the natural line of acidity and allow vineyard and vintage to speak with clarity. Rather than imposing a house style, the aim is to reveal the detail already present in the fruit, building complexity through selection, élevage and the quiet accumulation of small decisions in the winery.
The maturing Chardonnay plantings at our Gillingbrook vineyard have brought a new dimension to this approach. Different soils, aspects and mesoclimates give rise to parcels of subtly different character, providing greater depth from which to shape the final wine. One parcel may bring fruit intensity, another mineral tension and line, another depth and texture. As the vines deepen their roots and the vineyards find their natural rhythm, these differences become more pronounced, allowing the blend to be assembled with ever greater precision. It is less about having more Chardonnay and more about having greater choice—and the ability to select only those parcels that bring something distinctive to the composition.
In the cellar, the hand remains deliberately light. Parcels are kept separate and allowed to find their own expression, with fermentation and maturation in carefully selected oak used as a frame rather than a feature. Time on lees brings texture and quiet savoury complexity, while the wine’s natural acidity provides shape, tension and length. The craft lies as much in knowing when not to intervene as it does in intervention itself—preserving the fine details that distinguish one vineyard and one season from another.
There is a quiet authority to the finished wine, carried with remarkable finesse. White blossom and nectarine emerge first, followed by nougat, fresh citrus and finely drawn lime pith, with a cool mineral note running beneath. The palate unfolds around a luminous core of lemon curd and white stone fruit, subtly embroidered with hazelnut and restrained oak spice. There is intensity here, but no excess; texture without weight; complexity without distraction. Fine, mineral acidity carries the wine effortlessly through a long, composed finish—a Chardonnay of purity, tension and quiet power, shaped by an exceptional Tasmanian season and an increasingly intimate understanding of place. – Liam McElhinney, Lowestoft
2024 Lowestoft ‘La Maison’ Pinot Noir RRP $137
Hand-picked fruit was destemmed into 1.5-tonne open-top fermenters together with selected whole bunches, resulting in a final blend of approximately 60% whole bunches. Primary fermentation occurred naturally without additions. Cap management consisted exclusively of twice-daily pump-overs to wet the cap and minimise over-extraction. The wine remained on skins for 21 days before being pressed directly to 500-litre French oak puncheons, 35% new, where it matured for 13 months before bottling with minimal intervention. Alcohol 14%; pH 3.6; TA 5.6g/L.
Bright aromatics of dark cherry, red plum and raspberry pip are layered with pomegranate, cocoa powder, black tea and dried sage. Savoury notes of amaro, souk-like spice, struck flint and earthy minerality add depth and complexity. The palate is concentrated yet finely detailed, with vibrant red fruit framed by silky, powdery tannins and mineral-driven acidity. Elegant, expressive and beautifully composed, it finishes long, savoury and persistent. – Liam McElhinney, Lowestoft
Mid-ruby with finely honed aromas of dark and red plum and cherries, wild strawberry and raspberry coulis with hints of fine, souk-like spice, crushed minerals, an expression of orange oil, citrus blossom, amaro, shiitake broth, charcuterie, judicious nutty oak, dried citrus rind and a wisp of undergrowth. Gorgeous fruit but man … that savoury line is fantastic, all tension and stony purpose with melt-in-the-mouth crushed rock tannins and a super-long draw of flavour on the finish. A great release from a superb vintage. 97+ points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion Mar 2026
The 2024 La Maison Pinot Noir leads with waxy white flowers, sweet tobacco and red cherry notes. The wine has an exotic patchouli, raspberry, red apple character. The tannins are one of the features by which this wine is defined. The tannic load borders on immense, yet it serves to add gravitas and impact to the wine. I like this; I like the way it performs, but I would suggest that some further time in bottle—even if only a year—will help this to integrate even further. This was tasted at the Tasmanian Wine Show, where it achieved a well-deserved gold medal. I love the 2024 vintage, and this wine typifies it. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. 95 points. Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate Mar 2026
I love the 2024 vintage, and this wine typifies it.
Erin L:arkin. Wine Advocate
2024 Lowestoft Single-Vineyard Jacoben Pinot Noir RRP $107
Fruit from the Jacoben Vineyard was hand-picked, destemmed and fermented in 2-tonne open-top fermenters. Twice-daily pump-overs ensured gentle extraction throughout primary fermentation. The wine remained on skins for 18 days before pressing to tank for malolactic conversion. It then matured for 10 months in large-format French oak, 35% new, before selective barrel blending and bottling with minimal additions. Alcohol 14%; pH 3.55; TA 6.g/L.
Deep ruby in colour, with vibrant aromas of red cherry, raspberry and red plum layered with black tea, dried mountain herbs, sandalwood and savoury notes of amaro and forest undergrowth. The palate balances a generous core of dark red fruit with the grace and brightness characteristic of the Derwent Valley. Fine, pillowy tannins and vibrant natural acidity provide poise and drive, while hints of sour cherry, exotic spice and earthy complexity linger through a long, savoury finish. – Liam McElhinney, Lowestoft
Sourced from a tiny 0.5ha vineyard on the east side of the lower Derwent River. Deep ruby with aromas of dark cherry and plum fruits with a sheen of wild strawberry and raspberry pip, veiled in exotic spice, dried meats, leaf litter, caraway, roasting game, crushed herbs, judicious nutty oak and citrus blossom and an expression of orange oil. More depth here yet not sacrificing tension and cut. Structured with fine, chalky tannins and a beautiful stony flair on the finish. A cracker from a superb vintage. 96+ points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion Jul 2026
The 2024 Single Vineyard Jacoben Pinot Noir leads with an interesting nose, with dusty notes of musk stick and clay, if that makes sense. Clones MV6 and D5V12 were planted in this vineyard around 25 years ago. In the mouth, the wine is supple and chalky, with loads of tannin that shape the fruit. The oak sits in the wine, but the volume of the 2024 fruit will surely absorb it soon. This is long and textural and quite distinct. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. 94 points. Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate Mar 2026
2024 Lowestoft Estate Chardonnay RRP $69
Fruit from 55% Coal River Valley, 40% East Coast and 5% Tasman Peninsula was hand-picked and chilled overnight before being whole-bunch pressed into seasoned French oak 300-litre and 500-litre barrels. Wild fermentation took place with a proportion of solids retained. Following primary fermentation, 50% of the wine received sulphur immediately, while the remaining 50% was left unsulphured and underwent regular bâtonnage for a further three months. The wine matured for nine months in oak before blending and bottling with minimal intervention. Alcohol 13%; pH 3.3; TA 6.7g/L.
Pale straw with subtle green hues. Delicate aromas of white peach, nectarine and citrus blossom are layered with grapefruit zest, struck flint, toasted cashew and finely integrated oak spice. The palate is poised and finely detailed, with white stone fruit and bright citrus woven around a taut mineral core. A subtle creamy texture and savoury lees complexity are balanced by vibrant natural acidity, creating exceptional tension, precision and persistence. Elegant and restrained, it finishes long, pure and saline. – Liam McElhinney, Lowestoft
A grower-driven chardonnay; Coal River Valley with East Coast and Tasmanian Peninsula fruit. Light straw with ripe white peach, nectarine and citrus fruits veiled in soft spice, nougat, clover blossom, meadow flowers, vanillin oak, grapefruit pith, crushed stone and ozone. A stunning saline, briny mineral cadence drives the wine forward. The fruit is gorgeous and the flavours draw out nicely. A great release from a very strong vintage. 96+ points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion Jul 2026
2023 Lowestoft Estate Pinot Noir RRP $69
Hand-picked fruit was fermented in 1.5-tonne open-top fermenters with 15% whole bunches. No additions were made during fermentation, with temperatures naturally peaking at 30°C. Gentle extraction was achieved through a combination of hand plunging and pump-overs. The wine remained on skins for approximately 21 days before being pressed to 500-litre French oak puncheons, 30% new, where it matured for 10 months prior to blending and bottling. Alcohol 13.5%; pH 3.5; TA 5.6g/L.
Pure red cherry and ripe red plum sit at the heart of this beautifully poised Pinot Noir, layered with baking spice, dried herbs, forest floor and a subtle gamey savouriness. Hints of rose petal, wild mushroom and crushed leaf emerge with air, adding further complexity. The palate is vibrant and finely detailed, with sour cherry and cranberry fruit wrapped around a core of mineral freshness. Fine, chalky tannins and lively natural acidity provide balance and persistence through a long, savoury finish. – Liam McElhinney, Lowestoft
Pinot noir sourced from the Lower Derwent Valley (95%) and East Coast (5%), 25% whole bunch, and matured in large-format French oak (30% new) for 10 months. Lowestoft wines and winemaker Liam McElhinney have been on a roll lately, and the 2023 release sees that form continue unabated. Pure red cherry and red plum fruits daubed in fine spice, amaro herbs, forest floor and light gamey tones. Sour cherry coming through on the palate with fine, chalky tannins and a bright, lingering exit. 95 points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion Oct 2024
