I remember my first sniff of Luke Lambert. A couple years ago wine rep had brought an older vintage by, and when I smelled it, I couldn't believe the aromas-- it had that meaty, bacon smell that you can find in aged northern Rhone wines, but also this rocky, lingering minerality. It was so terroir driven, so bold yet clean. I instantly recognized this as something special and added it to the wine list. I was also impressed by the aging potential-- there was great balance here, whereas sometimes Aussie reds (especially the high-alcohol, explosive reds from the late 1980s) can reach their peak sooner than expected. I'd love to save up some back vintages of this and do a crazy dinner in a decade or so.
There's been renewed interest in these wines, especially after Eric Asimov's article about cool climate Australian reds a few months back.
Luke Lambert is among Victoria's "South Pack," a group of young winemakers who do little manipulation, opt for spontaneous ferments, and avoid fining and filtration. This wine almost seems like an homage to the Northern Rhone, and I look forward to watching the South Pack lead Australia into their next generation of winemaking.
There's been renewed interest in these wines, especially after Eric Asimov's article about cool climate Australian reds a few months back.
Luke Lambert is among Victoria's "South Pack," a group of young winemakers who do little manipulation, opt for spontaneous ferments, and avoid fining and filtration. This wine almost seems like an homage to the Northern Rhone, and I look forward to watching the South Pack lead Australia into their next generation of winemaking.
Luke Lambert syrah, 2010 (Yarra Valley, Australia)
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