A strong focus on Victoria for this edition. Lethbridge doesn't always get coverage in any 'best of Geelong' discussion but they should. Super solid Chard, Pinot Noir and Shiraz has always been the base but the net has been cast further west to access some high quality Gris and Riesling fruit from Henty.

We've also put 2 impressive Yarra Valley Chards to the test and thankfully they both came out on top. As a retailer I would say that wouldn't I!!

Thanks for reading..................

Producer Spotlight - Lethbridge (Geelong) - 15% Discount for $300+ spend

“In the 2026 Companion, Philip Rich accorded the submissions 14 gold medal scores, and if you consider that they also make compellingly distinct sparkling wine under the Nadeson Collis banner, you could add three more to the tally. Lethbridge is a treasure trove of brilliantly individual wines.” Top 100 Wineries 2026, Halliday Wine Companion

Lethbridge, along with regional pioneer Bannockburn, is far and away our favourite Geelong producer. Ray Nadeson and Maree Collis were both successful medical researchers before succumbing to their desire to create a vineyard and winery in Geelong. They planted vines on their own rootstocks, built a straw-bale winery and house, and farmed the land according to biodynamic beliefs. Their wines are powerful, structured, pure and long-lived.

Organically & Biodynamically Managed | Vegan Friendly 

"To list everything Ray Nadeson and Maree Collis do well would be like trying to catch a waterfall in a bucket. As the domaine marks its 30th anniversary, there is no shortage of achievements to reflect upon—from the compelling Nadeson Collis sparkling program to an eclectic portfolio spanning styles as diverse as Vin Jaune-inspired Savagnin and terracotta-aged Saperavi. Whatever they turn their hand to, Nadeson and Collis seem to possess an unmistakable Midas touch. And yet, for all this curiosity, there are centres of gravity. It’s said the project itself was conceived over a bottle of Burgundy, and to this day Chardonnay and Pinot Noir remain the lodestar—followed closely, one suspects, by cool-climate Shiraz and Riesling." Bibendum  

Our expansive Lethbridge range can be found here.

Want a 15% discount? Use discount code LB15 (conditional on $300+ spend)

Head to Head - Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2024

I was fortunate enough to try the Lambert and Salo 24s recently as a side-by-side comparison. Both wines retail in the mid 40s to mid 50s bracket so I guess they could be called 'mid-market' these days.

To me 2024 seems like a more expressive and powerful chardonnay vintage, quite the contrast to 2023 which was very cool and bordering on cold (resulting in crisp and more subtle fruit profiles).

Lambert Chardonnay 2024 $41

Although Luke Lambert is no longer the winemaker at Denton he still sources fruit from the stunning granite infused slopes from this site b/w Yarra Glen and Healsville. All fresh fruit here, seemingly simple at first, but progressively works through the complexity gears. Little to no oak impact. This is immediately atractive and ready to drink.

Salo Chardonnay 2024 $55

Salo is a real personal favourite of mine and a strong contender for most under-rated white wine from the whole of the Yarra Valley. The wine is the result of a colab project between Dave Mackintosh (Afrion) and Steve Flamsteed (Giant Steps, Eldredge). Fruit is sourced from the Full Moon vineyard in Gladysdale, located in an elevated area in the south of the Valley. The wine is somewhat more controlled and structured than the Lambert and again mininal oak impact. No doubt elevation is talking here as the cooler site has likely knocked the juicy edges off the. Taking into account structure this appears to have good cellaring prospects and I'd recommend drinking from late 2027+.

Monty's Wine Wall

Fun fact! 

We have over 200 hundred wines available buy the bottle for drink in or takeaway at our neighbour wine bar. From high quality high value cost-of-living 'busters' through to some of the genuine superstars of the Australian market.

Looking for Rockford, Cullen, Yeringberg, Mosswood, Wild Duck Creek, Bindi, Noon, Koomilya, Wantirna Estate, Bass Phillip? Wynns back vintages perhaps? We've got em and all at drink-in prices we honestly believe are the sharpest in Melbourne (no BS!). 

Where? The Grape & Hop Wine Bar | 10-12 Were St | Montmorency Vic

Cheers all.