OUTSTANDING!!! Never again will you see a $115, 96 point sparkling at this price again!! $115 a bottle for a current release Australian sparkling wine might seem implausible, if not outrageous. But if you want to find out just how close the wine in question comes to the style of Bollinger, the price takes on a different make-up. The LD Hanging Rock Cuvée Six (96 points) spent almost nine years on lees before disgorging in September this year. Its excellent fine mousse attests to its very long lees contact, as does its immaculate balance, despite its low dosage of only. The complex bready/biscuity characters of the palate are reminiscent of Bollinger, and very good acidity stretches out the long, lingering finish.
James Halliday: 95 VIII. yellow-gold; extremely complex, with strong nutty/brioche characters ex lees; very low dosage ensures elegance along with powerful flavour; not the least acidic, and aldehydes just where they should be.
James Halliday - "If you use the most common climatic measurement for vinyards, heat degree days, Macedon is the coolest Australian mainland region (without taking into account the windchill factor.) Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grown in conditions such as these are obviously tailor-made for sparkling wine base and the wines age with extreme grace . . . .".
In 1983 we established The Hanging Rock Winery in Victoria’s very cool Macedon Ranges Wine region. Our aim: to produce a world-class sparkling wine. According to those who should know, we have well and truly achieved this aim. ‘Macedon LD - ‘Late Disgorged’ is the fulfilment of our longer term dream – to make a sparkling wine with greatly extended lees ageing; confirming our belief that this would produce a wine of unparalleled richness and complexity. With at least 15 years years of extended lees ageing, in this bottle, the wine achieves previously unseen levels of flavour development, complexity and refinement for an Australian sparkling wine, surpassing its own already high standards. The components in each blend of Hanging Rock Macedon are aged on-lees from the moment primary fermentation is complete. The ageing process begins with the base wines which are stored on lees in old French oak barriques. These barriques contain the lees from many previous vintages and are never washed - this residual lees material playing an important part in developing the complexity that is the hallmark of this wine. Each Cuvée comprises 50% of the current vintage (Cuvée VIII is 50% from 1997) and the balance is reserve wine from 1996 back to 1987. After some two years of maturation in barriques the wine is then blended. The blend is approximately 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Ageing then continues on lees in the bottle, in which the wine remains until disgorging takes place. Its excellent fine mousse attests to its very long lees contact, as does its immaculate balance, despite its low dosage of only 2g per litre of sugar. The bead is fine and persistent and the bouquet is full of of honey and brioche like aromas. The wine should be enjoyed with food.
