Tahbilk, 'Museum Release', Nagambie Lakes, Marsanne

Lifted honeysuckle and toasty notes lead to a rich and honeyed palate, brimming with lemon citrus fruits and finishing with a mineral freshness.

Producer Note

Established in 1860, Tahbilk is an historic family-owned winery, renowned for their rare aged Marsanne. Tahbilk is known as ‘tabilk tabilk’ in the language of the Daungwurrung clans, which translates as the ‘place of many waterholes’. It perfectly describes this premium viticultural landscape, which is located in the Nagambie Lakes region of Central Victoria. The estate comprises 1,214 hectares, including a seven mile frontage to the Goulburn River. Environmental sustainability is paramount at Tahbilk and in 2013 they became carbon neutral. In 2016, Tahbilk was awarded 'Winery of the Year' by James Halliday.

Vineyard

Tahbilk’s vineyards are grouped along the banks of the Goulburn River and an anabranch of it which flows through the estate. The water has a tempering influence on the climate. The vines are grown at approximately 134 metres elevation of gently undulating and flat terrain. The soils are sandy loam with ferric oxide content, which vary from very fine sand near the anabranch to denser loams on the plains. The vines planted prior to 1986 are on ARG rootstocks. They are trained on a single wire trellis with a mixture of head and cordon training, with cane pruning. Tahbilk's vines are sustainably cultivated; composting and mulching takes place which improves soil health by promoting earthworm activity. Mulching helps to control weeds and conserves water, reducing vine stress. The grapes were hand-picked.

Winemaking

Made in a reductive style – without contact with oxygen to preserve the fresh, fruity character. The fruit was de-stemmed, lightly crushed and cooled through a heat exchanger and pressed. The must was clarified and fermented with neutral yeasts at low temperatures of 10 to 12°C, fermenting at 0.5 to 1°Baume per day. The ferment stopped at 2 to 3 grams per litre residual sugar. The wine did not go through malolactic fermentation in order to retain its crisp character. It was then protein stabilised, cold stabilised, medium filtered, blended and bottled.

Tasting Note

The complexity that comes with ages shines with lifted honeysuckle and toasty notes on the nose. The rich and honeyed palate is brimming with lemon citrus fruits and finishes with a chalky, mineral freshness. Delicious with shellfish in a creamy sauce.

Grape

Marsanne 91%, Riesling 5%, Chardonnay 1%, Roussanne 1%, Sauvignon Blanc 1%, Verdelho 1%