Marco Lubiana 2018

Marco Lubiana is the second generation of Lubiana’s – his father Steve before him – in Tasmania to make their mark via great wine.  These wines, his debut release, spark fire in the imagination, and show us the effortless expression of the Lucille Vineyard, located in Huon Valley (30 mins south of Hobart).

“Hand picked, 100% whole bunch pressed, 100% old french oak, neither fined nor filtered, Estate bottled. Lucille Vineyard is a cool climate vineyard originally planted in 1973 by Steve Ferenze. These old vines are planted on a grey clay, containing riverbed stones covered by a sandy loam top soil. The vineyard is in conversion to bio-dynamics with full certification expected in 2021.  Transitioning to bio-dynamics is crucial to maintaining biodiversity in the soil, vines and surrounding environment.” marcolubiana.com.au

2018 Lucille Vineyard Chardonnay, Huon Valley

It’s got brine, salty minerally, graphite, flint, cap-gun – there’s a popcorn glint in the eye of the peach and the nectarine and red apple seem a fine pair.  They’ve got white choc drops in their pockets.  It drinks like a Burgundy until it hits the midpalate, then all that funk, that ‘extra-ness’, it whips around to look at me straight on, and what I’m looking at… it is pure fruit.  Unadulterated, pure, fine fruit.  This is New World through and through.  The acidity is cleansing and does what it can to sweep me off my feet.  The palate is silky, viscose, velvet-like. The length of flavour is long.  I am all about the pleasure this wine offers… it is immense.  Yet so fine.

96/100

2018 Lucille Vineyard Pinot Noir, Huon Valley

A cloudy ruby in the glass, the nose writhes in eddies of sour cherry, Szechuan peppercorn, red apple skin, a hint of coffee bean and plenty of blood and salt.  This has a lithe meatiness about it; a finely shaved prosciutto character that is tempered by a cranberry jelly side.  The texture is super fine – it possesses a silty tannin profile, and the red liquorice vibe that loiters around the edge of the boundaries almost makes me think of Booj.  I like it – a lot.  I wasn’t immediately transported to Tasmania, it holds some mystery about it, and I find that to be another reason for another sip.  Yes.

95/100