New Icon Wine: 2021 La Meilleure Chardonnay awarded 97 Points in the Halliday Wine Companion 2024
On the eve of the premiere release of our newest Lowestoft icon wine, the 2021 La Meilleure Chardonnay was awarded a stunning 97 points in the Halliday Wine Companion 2024.
On tasting this wine, the Halliday team described the La Meilleure Chardonnay as "wonderfully expressive" and said:
"Pale straw in the glass with aromas of white peach, nectarine and grapefruit with a nicely dialled-in struck match/sulphide nuance and hints of soft spice, oatmeal, white flowers, nougat, lemon curd and clotted cream. There is impressive detail, clarity and composition here with a long, wonderfully expressive pure flow across the palate on rails of mineral and stone, not a hair out of place, a picture of tension and release. Beautiful drinking."
The La Meilleure Chardonnay was produced to sit alongside our La Maison Pinot Noir, and these two Lowestoft icons represent the pinnacle of Tasmanian wine. In 2020 Chief Winemaker Liam McElhinney was inspired to create an ultra-premium Chardonnay which purely reflected the coastal terroir of Tasmania. He began to search for the best parcels of fruit around the island state, leading him to vineyards across the Coal Valley, Tasman Peninsula, East Coast and Tamar Valley. Liam's description of the final wine summarises his success in capturing this terroir:
"This wine is a reflection of two coastal vineyards in Tasmania, both of which have significant deposits of fossilised seashells throughout the soil profile. It truly captures the coastal elements of the fruit, with lifted minerality and a lovely saline/salt spray influence."
We are delighted that the 2021 La Meilleure Chardonnay has been reviewed so highly in the 2024 Companion, with one of the highest Chardonnay scores awarded this year. You are able to purchase this newly released icon wine here.
We are also very pleased to announce that the 2021 La Maison Pinot Noir was awarded 96 points in the Halliday Wine Companion this year (the same points the 2020 La Maison received in the Companion last year when it won Pinot Noir of the Year). Tasmanian taster and expert judge Dave Brookes said:
"Pure red plum and dark cherry fruits strut their stuff here with hints of five-spice, sous bois, dried raspberry, cranberry, black tea and vanilla, with light roast game further in the distance. Savoury and true with excellent fruit depth and purity, chalky tannins providing support. I'd expect this to cellar admirably."
Chief Winemaker Liam McElhinney said: "We are immensely proud that the consistency of style we are capturing in the La Maison is setting a new benchmark for Australian Pinot Noir."
We will be releasing the 2021 La Maison in September this year, however we welcome you to place a pre-order for this wine. Please complete this form here and return to us via email to enquiries@fogarty.wine
Our other 2021 releases, the Lowestoft Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the Single Vineyard Pinot Noir were also all highly reviewed with 95 points. These wines will be released in the coming months, with members being informed via email.
Congratulations are given to the Lowestoft winery and vineyard teams, led by Chief Winemaker Liam McElhinney and Viticulturist Fred Peacock respectively, on these exceptional scores and reviews.
Halliday Wine Companion 2024 Reviews
2021 La Meilleure Chardonnay
97 Points
"Pale straw in the glass with aromas of white peach, nectarine and grapefruit with a nicely dialled-in struck match/sulphide nuance and hints of soft spice, oatmeal, white flowers, nougat, lemon curd and clotted cream. There is impressive detail, clarity and composition here with a long, wonderfully expressive pure flow across the palate on rails of mineral and stone, not a hair out of place, a picture of tension and release. Beautiful drinking."
2021 La Maison Pinot Noir
96 Points
"Pinot Noir from the close-planted vines (8300 per hectare) at Lowestoft planted in 1986; matured in French oak (35% new) for 10 months. Pure red plum and dark cherry fruits strut their stuff here with hints of five-spice, sous bois, dried raspberry, cranberry, black tea and vanilla, with light roast game further in the distance. Savoury and true with excellent fruit depth and purity, chalky tannins providing support. I'd expect this to cellar admirably."
2021 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir
95 Points
"Pinot Noir sourced from the Woodlands vineyard in the Coal River Valley. Bright cherry fruit studded with spice, pomegranate, pressed flowers, cranberry, mountain herbs and subtle undergrowth at the core. There is a pleasing depth to the dark cherry and wild strawberry fruits with fine powdery tannins, a bright mineral-laden line and a composed, savoury swish of the tail on the exit."
2021 Chardonnay
95 Points
"Tamar Valley/Coal River Valley/Tasman Peninsula-sourced Chardonnay; matured in large format French oak for 10 months. An immediate wash of mealy lemon, grapefruit, white peach and nectarine fruit notes along with hints of fine spice, white flowers, flint, crushed river stone, nougat, oyster shell and sexy French oak. There is a swirl of struck-match complexity in the mix, and the wine presents an expansive palate with plenty of clarity, tension and complexity. A long, dreamy finish, too."
2021 Pinot Noir
95 Points
"A bright, complex Pinot Noir sourced from a number of vineyards, predominately the Lowestoft site overlooking the Derwent River. Pure red and dark cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry fruits with hints of Chinese barbecue shop, five-spice, teacake, mushroom, purple floral and subtle leaf litter tones. There is a nice sense of space and clarity in this wine, fine acidity providing the pulse and a sustained red-fruited finish studded with game, amaro and spice."
Shop all top scoring Halliday Wine Companion 2024 wines here.