2020 Luke Lambert Chardonnay Yarra Valley

Brilliant straw-yellow. Mineral-accented aromas of tangerine, Anjou pear, fig and buttered toast, plus fennel and iodine nuances in the background. Palate-staining citrus and orchard fruit, saffron, chamomile and salty mineral flavors smoothly blend depth and energy and show firming grip and back-end cut. Displays real tension on the strikingly persistent, mineral-driven finish, which emphatically echoes the pear and fennel notes. Damn, this is an interesting wine; I'd love to see it mixed into a blind Corton-Charlemagne tasting. (JR)