Ned Goodwin Review

Recently, Ned Goodwin, a Master of Wine (one of 414 in the world!) visited the island state to write an article for James Suckling. The trip would take him all over Tasmania visiting vineyards and Cellar Doors. During his trip he stopped by Stefano Lubiana Wines and met winemaker, Marco Lubiana who showed him through our vineyard and wines. In Ned's own words -

'The first lightning strike during my trip was leveled by Stefano Lubiana and his imperious raft of biodynamic, single-site pinots, during my visit to his winery in Granton, in Derwent Valley.'

'The entire Lubiana range is stunning, with minimally invasive handling, a little more tension to the whites and a pulpier, easier-going nature when it comes to the reds. While I encourage you to stack your cellars with all of these Lubiana beauties while waiting patiently for eight to 10 years for them to soften, my favorite for now, as it so often is, is the Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Tasmania La Roccia 2021. The carapace of tannin is beautifully refined, serving as a bulwark of restraint, staving off any excessive fruitiness from seeping across its barriers.'

During Ned's trip he reviewed a range of our wines with our La Roccia 2021 being scored the highest out of all wines tasted! Marco treated Ned to a sneak preview of the 2022 Collina which is slated for a mid-2024 release, when the wine will be in an even better place for release.

Single Block La Roccia 2021 - 97 Points, limited
'Often the cuvée I prefer of the pack due to the sterner carapace of tannin, compressing and corralling what, in so much of the New World, can be excessively sweet fruit. Not here! Rhubarb, cinnamon stick, tamarind and bluer fruits over red. The tannins are sublime, Firm, sure, but refined, sinuous, a little stern and long-limbed, stretching across the palate and guiding flavor into every crevice. From biodynamically grown grapes. Excellent, mid-weighted pinot with ample aging potential. Best after 2026. Superb!'

Collina 2022 - 96 Points, mid-2024 release
'Collina is a hillside selection from culled barrels to the tune of 1000 liters in all. Inaugural vintage under cork. For the better. Tight. Hazelnut, acacia, lees-derived sourdough and reductive flint and mineral grit. This drives extremely long, belying its mid-weighted composure. Wow! A strident, athletic expression. Extremely complex. It funnels its way long across the palate. Great chardonnay, this. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026 or 2027.'

You can read the rest of the article from Ned via this link here. The rest of our wines that Ned reviewed are also available below.

Single Block Il Giardino 2021 - 96 Points, limited
'This is the most fragrant and graceful of the single site pinots at this fine address. Perhaps, the most precocious. A sumptuous nose of raspberry bon bon, lilac, pomegranate, and griotte. A smattering of garden herb strewn across a kit of sinewy tannins, growing in stature with time in the glass. Fresh, dense and multitudinous. From biodynamically grown grapes. There is an uncanny immediacy about this mid-weighted wine suggesting that it is drinkable now, but really it will be best from 2025.'

Sasso 2021 - 96 Points, limited
'A confluence of the best performing, lower yielding rows across the three single sites. Thus, usually the first picked as ripening is expedited. Often Roccia-dominant, as in this instance. Blood plum, ferrous notes of ironstone, darker and meatier than the other cuvees, blowing white pepper and Asian five spice long across a forceful, filigreed finish. This is a graceful, richly flavored pinot, as much as it is a sublimely elegant one. The tannins, extremely impressive. I'd bury this. From biodynamically grown grapes. Best after 2026.'

Single Block Ruscello 2021 - 95 Points, limited
'A refined nose, mute but shimmering with intent as it is clearly marked by depth and precision, with just the faintest allusions of fruit. This is a mid-weighted wine of structural torque, hinting pomegranate, persimmon, kirsch, forestry scents and rose hip after a workout in the glass. Perhaps the most enticing of the single site cuvees in its youth. A wonderful, incisive drive through the mouth, directed by beautifully managed tannins, taut but svelte at the same time. The tannins, the signature of the estate. A long life ahead. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.'

Grande Vintage 2011 - 95 Points
'A very cold year in these parts, as with most of the country. Great for fizz, as a result, befitting a cuvee that is only released when exceptional. Low dosage (3.8g/L) accentuates the chalky detail. A whooping 11 years on lees and one under cork, delivers toasty breadth and considerable power. Excellent nose of acacia, orange amaro and almond croissant, with a tensile bite across the emphatic finish. An Aussie fizz that really delivers. Drink or hold.'

Estate Chardonnay 2022 - 94 Points
'Sourced from meager, gravely soils. Hazelnut, white peach, a fleck of marzipan and pungent mineral undertones, with nothing overt. A very chiselled and taut opening act, belying extreme fruit intensity. This is an exceptional medium-bodied estate chardonnay of flavor, spunk and more sophistication than anticipated. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.'

Estate Pinot Noir 2022 - 93 Points
'A good portion of whole bunches given the benign vintage, particularly for red wines. Mid-weighted, sappy and juicy, with the bunchy tannins evincing just the right amount of grip without any notes of pickle, or mezcal. Think cherry amaro framed by gently verdant tannins and a gritty, salty finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.'

Pinot Gris 2022 - 92 Points
'A gorgeous orange to copper hue, attesting to gentle skin contact period and no color fining. Full barrel ferment confers further depth and ample texture. Rose hip, orange verbena, lilac and crushed musk stick, with orchard fruits lingering beyond. This is a wonderful gris, mid-weighted, detailed and apposite at the table. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.'

NV Brut Reserve - 92 Points
'A pinot noir dominant fizz, with a dollop of chardonnay. Just under two-years on lees, albeit, with significant older reserve wines drawn from oak, large and small, to bolster the texture. Chalk, subtle orchard fruit accents and a whiff of toast. Always a delicious, mid-weighted fizz that is easy drinking, as much as it is subtly sophisticated. Drink or hold.'

To purchase any of these wines please follow the link below.