One of the longest-lived white wines in France, the extremely rare M.Chapoutier Ermitage de lOrée is a single varietal Marsanne sourced from a single vineyard Murets plot at the eastern edge of the Hill of Hermitage. Orée means edge in French and is also a reference to the colour of the wine as or in French means gold. Rich, full-bodied and immensely complex, Ermitage de lOrée has the structure and concentration to age often well beyond 50 years.

The wine pours well with impressive mousse, followed by a fine bead with moderate persistence. Deep straw colour base wine. The nose is showing some developed character with aroma of yeast lees, cashew and biscuit with honeycomb end note. Creamy textured palate, with flavours of strawberry, yeast lees and biscuit. Clean acid finish. Creamy strawberry aftertaste. A very good Commercial style. Cellar 1-2 years (2009-2010) Alc/Vol: 12.5% First tasted: August 1999 A newly re packaged Methode Champenoise and at its price point, very impressive. Bright pale straw colour followed by very fine and very persistent bead. Excellent nose with distinct yeast autolysis and a hint of grapefruit and citrus. Full bodied creamy palate, excellent finesse followed by persistent biscuit, yeast flavours and crisp acid finish. Great everyday drinking.

Sourced from dry-grown, hand tended vines in the north east of Victoria, this Beechworth Chardonnay from Savaterre will surely convince even the most hardened Chardonnay critic that modern Australian Chardonnay is of supreme world-class standard. Keppell Smith handcrafts a Chardonnay of utmost power and concentration that produces a length of flavour that borders on the immortal.