Vibrant purple red. Lifted fragrant and fresh black and redcurrant fruit followed by jasmine like florals, ground spices, summer pudding and pannacotta. A secondary look with air shows whole bunch notes of spice and sauvage adding complexity. The palate is juicy soft and round, laced with black fruit, raspberries, white pepper and spices. Very much medium bodied, this has beautiful line of acidity that adds length and balance to the velvety, gentle core of sweet fruit. A pure, fresh, fragrant wine.

David Bicknell is a Chardonnay perfectionist with a passion for terroir and contrasts in the characters of different vineyard sites. In the glass: Bright fine straw with a green hue. On the nose: Fabulous purity and lift with ripe, complex stonefruit combining with lees and struck match magic. On the palate: A complex funky monster! It shows tremendous depth and umami being satiny soft throughout with amazing refined power and balance and extraordinary length and persistence. Classy!

OAKRIDGE WINES 864 Close Planted Block Shiraz, Yarra Valley

OAKRIDGE WINES 864 Winery Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley

The aspiration of Oakridge LVS -- or Local Vineyard Series -- wines is to be outstanding expressions of single vineyards within the Yarra Valley. Local Vineyard Series wines enable wine lovers to compare and contrast the power of terroir and geography in winemaking. In essence, different grape varieties thrive in different soils, and Yarra Valley terroirs and altitudes vary widely. Oakridges expertise and understanding of the region allows viticulturists and winemakers to match a particular variety with a particular site -- with marvellous results. Almost all LVS wines are cellarworthy. The Willowlake Vineyard is just outside Gladysdale in Victorias Upper Yarra Valley. Planted in 1979 at an elevation 300 metres, the cool-grown Chardonnay here ranks with the regions very best. Add the skills of leading Chardonnay exponent David Bicknell and these hand-picked grapes become wines that express their variety and origin with consummate precision and flair.

The 864 range features exceptional wines from specific and single blocks, produced in small quantities and released in only the best years. An Oakridge 864 wine is terroir-driven, made to demonstrate the importance of time and place with every bottle, and always a tribute to tradition. The 864 Syrah is sourced from the Oakridge Vineyard, Close Planted Block. This vineyard is east-facing at 120 metres above sea level. Planted at 5,200 plants per hectare in the grey alluvial loams of Coldstream using the R6VW28 clone and cropped at 6.7 t/Ha. The wine is vibrant purple in appearance with a ruby hue. Opulently fruited on the nose, with aroma of dragonfruit, blueberry and plum leading to notes of cassis. Elements of black olive, green pepper, bunch spice and toast add complexity. The palate is expansive, textural and concentrated with a generous core of blue and purple berried fruits, long chains of plush velvety tannins are intricately woven within the fruit providing length and supportive structure. A subtle line of acid keeps the wine on point, never wavering. Pure, succulent and refined from start to finish.