If there’s one wine that defines Luke Lambert’s reputation, it’s this. Planted halfway up Denton’s sun-catching northwest slope, the Nebbiolo block is a patchwork of six clones rooted in granitic sand over bedrock – a rare and striking terroir for the Yarra Valley. Luke farms it with the same quiet precision that runs through all his wines, chasing perfume and beauty above all else.In 2023, that beauty comes wrapped in tension. Wild-fermented, 18 days on skins, then 18 months resting in old Slavonian and French oak foudres, it’s a wine of filigreed structure and haunting depth. Rose petals, sour cherry, orange rind and anise spill from the glass, while the palate balances brightness with a fine-boned tannin web that stretches long and savoury.Luke calls Nebbiolo a variety “built for beauty” – and this release proves the point. Made in painfully small quantities, it’s a wine that rewards patience, but even now it’s an unmistakable benchmark for Australian Nebbiolo.
“The 2023 Nebbiolo shows every bit of the mild and very good growing season. A more open wine than the 2022 with slightly darker fruit and lower acid making it a softer more approachable young wine. One to decant if drinking in the short term, but will continue to improve in the bottle over the next 8 to 12 years.”– Luke Lambert
