Complex and layered with wonderful fruit purity, Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Chardonnay is a finely structured, tightly honed style. The fruit is a hand-picked field blend of different clones. Each parcel is vinified separately and is pressed into tight grain large French oak puncheons for wild yeast fermentation. Eleven months maturation on lees imparts attractive nutty complexity.

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.

PIERRE-YVES COLIN-MOREY, Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune blanc