Anyone with a passing interest in cool-climate Australia will already know that Garagiste is one of Victoria’s brightest stars. Barnaby Flanders created this label in 2006 following his amicable split with Allies co-founder David Chapman and today focuses on a range of small-batch Mornington Peninsula wines with the emphasis on single-site, sub-regional expressions of his region.

With just three plantings, Australia’s roll call for Aligoté makes for pretty short reading. There are small parcels in the Whitlands area and in Margaret River (at Blind Corner), then there’s the mother-vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula (which supplied the cuttings for the two above sites). This is cropped from three north-facing rows of 30-plus-year-old vines rooted in the sandy grey loams of Tuerong. These Aligoté vines have large, soft leaves and a matte appearance, in contrast to the glossy shine often found on Garagiste's Chardonnay leaves. The bunches are tight, berries are round and plump and there’s always a distinctive aniseed character to complement the saline and mineral highlights. The grapes were hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed to a single, old 500-litre puncheon for ferment, followed by nine months resting on its large, soft lees.

It's a very impressive rendition of the variety. There's a distinct 'old world' vibe with this wine. Yes, it's fresh and focused and drives brilliantly through the mouth, but there's something else here that takes you to another place from your first sniff. Delicate aromatics of citrus, saline minerals and flecks of green mango flow through to a direct and linear palate, perfectly balanced in weight, tension and phenolic grip.

The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal -  Aligote
Country - Australia
Region - Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13%