2015 'The Bartl' Chardonnay

Anyone with a small vineyard and winery will know that they could not get by without the help of friends. In the beginning there are always many friends keen to help out, plant vines, pick grapes, clean tanks. All they want in return is a meal and a glass of wine. As time goes by, the hard work becomes boring and they literally have ‘done it all before’. Mostly now when a job needs doing we have our staff or bring in teams to do the work. We have two exceptions to this; one is the tall Teutonic Stefan Bartl who has tended our Chardonnay vines meticulously from their infancy. This wine is the first vintage of Chardonnay grown 100% at Lethbridge.

“The first chardonnay with fruit entirely estate grown and named after Stefan Bartl, who has helped with every vintage and in-between to look after these vines. He should be very proud as the end result is excellent. Richly flavoured in the Lethbridge way with nuanced oak, creamy lees, grilled nuts, plenty of spice to the ripe stone fruit with citrus freshness. The palate is a knockout with power and finesse at the same time.” 95 points, Jane Faulkner, James Halliday Wine Companion