Tasting

Sparkling wine from Coldstream usually opens any tasting in the Yarra Valley. This order follows a simple principle: light before heavy, pale before dark. The fine bubbles rise in thin strings of pearls, the aroma recalling toasted bread, lemon peel, and sometimes freshly baked brioche. On the palate, a freshness remains that never feels tired, even after long ageing in the bottle.

Next comes the Pinot Noir, usually lighter in colour than expected, almost translucent at the rim of the glass, with red cherry, wild strawberry, and a spicy note on the nose that some liken to allspice. On the palate, the tannin is fine and the acidity noticeable — never intrusive, but always present. It's a wine with structure that still never feels heavy.

The Chardonnay alongside it shows just how far the style has shifted since the nineties. Instead of buttery richness, citrus fruit, white peach, and often a flinty edge take centre stage, coming from the restrained use of new oak. Tasting both wines side by side, you quickly notice how differently they respond, even though the contrast is still striking. Both varieties experience the same cool climate, yet each expresses it in its own way.

Finally, if available at all, comes one last glass: the Quintet from Mount Mary. The Bordeaux blend smells of blackcurrant, cedar, and dried herbs, but tastes leaner and cooler than its French counterpart — the same grape varieties evidently find a completely distinct voice in a cool valley on the other side of the world.