NEWS
Oakdene's Sparkling New Release
And it's almost Valentines Day too!
It's almost harvest time for our next sparkling base, and the vineyards are looking magnificent! So even though summer may be drawing to a close, that doesn't mean it is time to put away the bubbles just yet!
We have recently released new vintages of both of our traditional methode sparkling wines, and with Valentines Day just around the corner, they are just perfect for sharing.
All of our Sparkling Wines are made in a dry style, using the traditional varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and include our fruit driven Non-Vintage house style. Our limited production Vintage wines are made using the traditional method with extended lees aging resulting in complex wines.
You can order online at any time, or visit the Oakdene Cellar Door, open 7 days from 10am - 4pm.
Oakdene Sparkling 6 Pack
This 6 Pack contains:
2 x Oakdene NV Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay
2 x 2016 Oakdene Yvette Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay
2 x 2017 Oakdene Kristen Sparkling Blanc de Blancs
Members price $167.40 - RRP $186
24/03/2021 at 4:54 PM
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Halliday Top 100 - Oakdene Chardonnay
2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Chardonnay, makes it in to the Halliday Top 100!
The 2020 edition of Halliday’s Top 100 has landed, and our 2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Chardonnay has been selected as one of the best by category in the Best Whites under $25! This Chardonnay is rated 94 points and is one of only 5 Chardonnays featured in the category!
Each year James invites the top-rated wineries listed in the Wine Companion to submit six of their best wines for review. This year 1055 wines from 325 wineries were submitted, so to make the list for the second year in a row (2018 Bellarine Shiraz made it in last year), was a fantastic boost for our team!
This wine is still available for order and at the cellar door, but if it is one of your favourites too, don't wait to order because it will be a sell out!
2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Chardonnay
94 points, James Halliday -"Fermented and matured for 10 months in new and used French barriques. Gleaming straw-green hue. The quality of the fruit is obvvious; the wine already in the saddle; the gait smooth and supple; white stone fruit, citrussy acidity and creamy cashew in harmony"
11/11/2020 at 4:58 PM
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Wine tastings are back at the Oakdene Cellar Door!
Oakdene Wine Tastings are back!
We have been really looking forward to offering wine tastings at the Oakdene cellar door, so from this Saturday 7 November, we will be pouring once again!
We are offering a fully seated tasting experience for $10 per person, with your choice of 6 Oakdene wines, from our entire range, and you can take your time with a 45 minute seating.
Places are limited due to room capacity, so BOOKINGS ARE PREFERRED. We have set up a booking system to make sure you don't miss out. Click here to visit our event page and to have a read of the finer details.
Thank you for supporting us and we look forward to seeing you at the Oakdene Cellar Door!
See you soon!
The Team at Oakdene
05/11/2020 at 2:32 PM
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We so look forward to seeing you again...
New beginnings....
If we ever needed a sign that things are changing, bud burst is it! This is just about our favourite time of year, with the new growth, right across the vineyard signalling the next phase of a new vintage. It also seems pretty symbolic as we move into the next phase of having a few visitors back!
We are really looking forward to welcoming visitors from Regional Victoria to Oakdene once again. Here are a few details:
Cellar Door: Our Cellar Door is open for take away wine sales only, no tastings as yet. You can still visit, learn about our wines and take home your favourites with a 10% discount on all purchases of 6 bottles or more.
Open 12pm - 4pm Monday to Friday, 11am - 4pm Saturday & Sunday
Mr Grubb @ Oakdene: From today, Friday 18 September, Mr Grubb will open 7 days per week for lunch and dinner over multiple sittings, bookings are essential as seating is limited. Contact the team directly for further information mrgrubboakdene@oakdene.com.au, book online or call on 03 5255 1255
Marty @ Oakdene: The restaurant remains closed.
For our friends in Metro Melbourne, we can't wait to see you when you can come down the highway again, but in the meantime we are still delivering wine straight to your door so all of your favourites are still at hand.
See you soon!
The team at Oakdene
*We always have our customer and staff safety at the front of our minds! We are following all government recommendations to help stop the spread via table placing, sanitiser stations and regular cleaning. We please ask that any customers who are feeling unwell, or showing any symptoms of illness, to stay at home.
We still have a number of ways you can place a wine order:
ONLINE – Just click here and we will take you straight to the website (or select any of the items below).
VIA EMAIL – Click here for our email template and let us know which wines you want. Someone from the team will call you for credit card payment over the phone.
PHONE – Call our cellar door on 03 5256 3886 (extension 1) and we will take the order for you. Please leave a message if no one answers and we will get back to you ASAP.
17/09/2020 at 3:27 PM
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It's finally Spring, and isn't that glorious?!
SEPTEMBER 2020
Spring has sprung at last........
Finally, the new season is upon us and winter is over! Warmer, longer days are coming, and with them, the promise of a beautiful evening, and the hope that we will soon be sharing those nights with family and friends.
We have put together a list of Spring favourites from our great value Bellarine Peninsula collection, including our fresh fruit-driven Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and a beautifully balanced dry Rose, that are all perfect for enjoying in the warmer weather.
These wines are available now, along with all of your favourites, online and in the Cellar Door. The Cellar Door is currently open from 12pm - 4pm daily for take away sales and order collection, meaning you also still have time to come and get something for Fathers Day!
2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Sauvignon Blanc
Ned Goodwin, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion, 92 points 'Sauvignon is always a cut above at this address. Texturally broader than most, without being fat. Conversely, there is nothing green, raspy or screechy about the texture either. Just an easy glide of greengage, grapefruit, herb and a lick of spearmint.'
2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Pinot Grigio
Ned Goodwin, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion, 91 points 'Straight-up quality grigio and no, this is not an oxymoron. Tarte tatin, nashi pear and cinnamon glaze spurt across a juicy plume of a finish. Eminently satisfying.'
2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Rose
Ned Goodwin, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion, 92 points - 'A melody of cab, shiraz, merlot and franc making for an intensely flavoured rose. In an age when so many seem to be striving for pallid expressions bound by a herbal twine, this has flavour. Lots of it: red currant, musk, tangerine and orange rind. The acidity is saline and fresh, towing it all long.'
03/09/2020 at 3:31 PM
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Great results from the halliday Wine Companion 2021!
2021 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION
Every year we get excited about the release of Halliday's Wine Companion, and even though this year is a little bit different, the results are still great to see.
This year Oakdene has 13 wines rated 91 points or above and has retained a 5 red star rating for the seventh year running, keeping Oakdene in the top echelon of Australian producers.
We have put together our list of Halliday silver and gold rated wines (91pts - 96 pts), some yet to be released (watch this space), so you can make a selection of our best, and have them delivered to your door with a 10% discount and free shipping Australia wide on 6 bottles or more. We have also noted the wines Halliday has declared 'Special Value' wines considered to offer special value for money, indicated by red diamond ♦
You can download a copy of the tasting notes here.
2021 Halliday Wine Companion Scores
2019 Bellarine Peninsula Sauvignon Blanc ♦ 92 points
Sauvignon is always a cut above at this address. Texturally broader than most, without being fat. Conversely, there is nothing green, raspy or screechy about the texture either. Just an easy glide of greengage, grapefruit, herb and a lick of spearmint. (Ned Goodwin)
2019 Oakdene Single Vineyard Jessica Sauvignon (not yet released) 93 points
Drinking more like a Graves than a Sancerre. The barrel work, the dice of differentiation. Pink grapefruit and candied tangerine zest reel across a broad palate, flecked with curd, lanolin and pungent mineral notes. Richness and a tensile freshness all in one. (Ned Goodwin)
2019 Bellarine Peninsula Pinot Grigio 91 points
Straight-up quality grigio and no, this is not an oxymoron. Tarte tatin, nashi pear and cinnamon glaze spurt across a juicy plume of a finish. Eminently satisfying. (Ned Goodwin)
2019 Oakdene Single Vineyard Ly Ly Pinot Gris ♦ (not yet released) 94 points
This mid-weighted gris has been treated with as much love and care as any in the land. Oak, nicely worked into the fray, imparts textural detail, while conferring a structural authority to riffs of bitter almond, marzipan, baking spice and ripe apple. Long, pointed and intense of flavour. (Ned Goodwin)
2018 Bellarine Peninsula Chardonnay ♦ (sold out) 93 points
This mid-weighted chardonnay was fermented and matured in French oak (10% new; 10 months), serving as a pillar of guidance to the billowing flavours: nashi pear, nectarine and a core of lees-derived nougatine to toasted nut riffs. Real intensity of fruit here manifest as a sappy feel of glycerine and extract in the mouth. Delicious and fine value. (Ned Goodwin)
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard Liz’s Chardonnay ♦ 96 points
Stunning chardonnay! Unabashedly rich, but tensile, energetic and incredibly long. The stone fruit references and notes of dried mango are almost sublimated by a saline maritime freshness, beautifully appointed oak and Meursault-like suggestions of toasted hazelnut and curd. Oakdene's tattoo of intensity of flavour melded by quality fruit, a fine site and a deft winemaking hand. (Ned Goodwin)
2019 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Late Harvest Riesling ♦ 95 points
A stellar wine, packing extract and an uncanny intensity of flavour into an ethereal, feather-weight package. Sublime! Nashi pear, talc and Granny Smith apple, with merely a semblance of sweetness sublimated by a whiplash of acidity. And yet 135g/l of sugar. Very fine. (Ned Goodwin)
2019 Bellarine Peninsula Rose ♦ 92 points
A melody of cab, shiraz, merlot and franc making for an intensely flavoured rose. In an age when so many seem to be striving for pallid expressions bound by a herbal twine, this has flavour. Lots of it: red currant, musk, tangerine and orange rind. The acidity is saline and fresh, towing it all long. (Ned Goodwin)
2018 Bellarine Peninsula Pinot Noir ♦ (sold out) 92 points
The estate line is impressive. Ample wines with lip-smacking fruit and a generosity juxtaposed against maritime tension. This is no exception. MV6 fuelling Dijon 114 and 115 clones. Pulpy. Sappy. Crunchy strawberry to dark cherry notes. Lilac and a little bracken. Gentle seams of oak galvanising the melee. (Ned Goodwin)
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard Peta’s Pinot Noir 94 points
An ambient ferment in open-top pots, smattered with 20% whole-bunch, before completion in French barriques (30% new). The result is a rich pinot with a spicy brood and pallid hue. Cherry cola, root spice and satsuma plum notes billow across a hinge of woodsy tannins, earthen scents and cardamon to turmeric-soused acidity. (Ned Goodwin)
2018 Bellarine Peninsula Shiraz ♦ Halliday Top 100, 95 points
Open-fermented in small pots, then matured in French oak for 11 months. A most attractive assemblage of bright, supple red and purple fruits, the oak hovering but not threatening the fruit, the tannins exemplary, the pinch of spice well selected. (James Halliday)
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard William Shiraz (not yet released) 93 points
A lustrous crimson. Glossy and attractive. This is good. Very. High on personality and a welcome respite from the wave of overtly reductive shiraz that mars the contemporary wine-scape. A seasoning of 15% whole-bunch in the mix. Maturation in French oak (30% new) for 16 months. Ferrous of texture. Saline, too. Violet, tapenade, iodine and salumi notes shimmy long across a rail of peppery acidity. A little more grape tannin would service more savouriness. (Ned Goodwin)
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard Bernard’s Cabernets (not yet released) 91 points
A Right Bank Bordeaux-inspired blend of merlot (63%), cabernet franc (23%) and the rest, cabernet Fermented under the aegis of natural yeast before a maturation period of 16 months in French wood (30% new). A mid-ruby segueing to aromas of blood plum, lilac florals, red currant, rose water and cedar oak. Mid-weighted. Easy-going. Almost too easy. A bit more grape tannin would be welcome, but a poised and effortless drink nevertheless. (Ned Goodwin)
06/08/2020 at 3:40 PM
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A day dedicated to Shiraz? Yes please!
JULY 2020
Someone decided we should have a day for Shiraz, and we think its a great idea!
By volume, Shiraz is THE most popular red grape variety in Australia and there has never been a national day deditcated to this really delicious variety, until now!
The good people from consultancy firm Mastermind, thought that Australia should have it's very own day dedicated to the variety, being the third Thursday in July every year. And so, the day was born and this inaugural tribute is tomorrow!
This year, our very own regional celebration of Shiraz was unable to go ahead (though in reality we celebrate Shiraz everyday) and we still think Geelong creates some of the best Shiraz around, so we decided to put together 2 packs, which include both of our highly rated, 95 point Oakdene Shiraz. These packs are 10% off with FREE shipping Australia wide*
2017 Oakdene Single Vineyard William Shiraz
Gold Medal and Trophy for Best Shiraz Geelong Wine Show 2019
95 Pinots, James Halliday, Wine Companion 2020 - "Hand-picked, wild yeast fermented in small open vats with 15% whole bunches, matured in French barriques (30% new) for 16 months. Oakdene has decided to go for it in this spectacular vintage, and has got off to a flying start with this sumptuous wine. Picked at a modest baume level, it has the power more commonly found in the Barossa or Eden Valley at 14.5% - 15% alcohol. This also has fine-grained tannins in best cool climate style."
2018 Bellarine Penisula Shiraz
95 Points, James Halliday Top 100 2020 - "Open-fermented in small pots, then matured in French oak for 11 months. A most attractive assemblage of bright, supple red and purple fruits, the oak hovering but not threatening the fruit, the tannins exemplary, the pinch of spice well selected".
Oakdene Shiraz 12 Pack
6 x bottles 2018 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Shiraz
6 x bottles 2017 Oakdene Single Vineyard William Shiraz
Oakdene Shiraz 6 Pack
3 x bottles 2018 Oakdene Bellarine Peninsula Shiraz
3 x bottles 2017 Oakdene Single Vineyard William Shiraz
23/07/2020 at 3:57 PM
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2018 Jessica Sauvignon, Best in Victoria
2018 Jessica Sauvignon ranked #1 at The Real Review
With the current restrictions on travel and events in place, the major wine shows in Australia will not take place this year, leaving small producers such as us with less opportunities to have our current release wines independently assessed and reviewed.
Luckily, the hard working Australian wine media are still tasting thousands of wines each year, with only the best appearing in print.
We recently received these fantastic reviews from the team at The Real Review, for our great value Bellarine Peninsula Shiraz and our 2018 Jessica Sauvignon.
Both wines are available now, online and in the Cellar Door. The Cellar Door is currently open from 12pm - 4pm daily for take away sales and order collection.
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard Jessica Sauvignon
#1 of 20, Top Ranked Victorian 2018 Sauvignon Blancs
Huon Hooke, 93 points
Light, bright yellow colour. The aromas are very fresh and fragrant: feijoa, passionfruit varietal notes intertwined with subtle cashew-nutty oak nuances and the faintest sweaty note. The palate is delicate, finely-textured and dry, the finish clean and harmonious, lingering and refreshing, with cleansing acid in balance, finished off by a subtle trace of tannin grip. The aftertaste is tangy and mouthwatering. A very smart sauvignon blanc. (100% barrel fermented and aged for 8 months in French oak barriques, 15% new)
Ralph Kyte-Powell, 93 points, Cellar Talk
'The evolution of barrel-fermented and oak-aged sauvignon blanc, both in Australia and New Zealand, has been a tale of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thankfully those two latter types have been disappearing as expertise with the style evolves in favour of gentler, less wood-driven wines. At their best, such wines have given us a different slant on Downunder sauvignon blanc.
Instead of fruit bombs, these sauvignons are wines of complex interest, savouriness, and textural dimension. Oakdene’s Jessica is a good example, elegant and rather understated.
Yellow-straw in colour, its inviting aroma harmoniously weaves ripe fig and tropical fruit through chalky and gently nutty threads. The palate shows real finesse, with excellent integration of fruit and subtle barrel influence, appetising freshness and a light firmness at the end.'
2018 Bellarine Penisula Shiraz
#14 of 37, 2018 Shiraz from Port Phillip
Huon Hooke, 92 points
'Medium to deep red/purple colour, with a complex spicy, vegetal and floral aroma, very aromatic and lifted - possibly whole-bunchy. The palate is rich and sweet-fruited, succulent and fruity but not simple in the slightest. The flavour is exotic and delicious. How can a wine this tasty be this cheap?!'
20/07/2020 at 3:35 PM
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Sauvignon Blanc is NOT just for Summer
Not just a summer wine.....
There is no need to leave Sauvignon Blanc out in the cold this winter. Its fresh, crisp fruit driven characters, can been enjoyed anytime of the year. Whilst early drinking (fruit-driven) Sauvignon Blanc still remains the largest selling white varietal wine in the market, subtle use of oak and longer aging before bottle can produce a wine with more subtle fruit characters and mid palate texture.
For the past 10 years Oakdene has produced two contrasting styles of Sauvignon Blanc, from the fresh, fruity and zesty to a food-friendly, lightly oaked European style.
With our Jessica Sauvignon, we’re seeking texture, balance, restrained fruit and a long length of palate, which we achieve through barrel-fermentation and the use of older oak to mature the wine. This style can age, and match a broad range of foods. It was in 2008 that we decided to put a small portion of our sauvignon blanc into French oak, to create something different to the more fruit-driven styles in the market, and it’s now one of our most successful wines.
Oakdene's Sauvignon Blancs are fresh and bright with abundant fruit and they are easy to drink. In general, these wines are also lower in alcohol and pair well with an array of dishes.
There is really never a better time to enjoy these wines!
2019 Bellarine Peninsula Sauvignon Blanc
Pale straw with a green tinge and a fragrant bouquet of tropical fruits, citrus, green pea and green bean. Highly expressive palate of fresh tropical fruits, and citrus notes. Firm crunchy acidity offering balance and a long finish. Hand harvested Sauvignon Blanc was crushed and pressed into stainless steel tank. Fermented at 13 degrees C for 14 days, with lees contact post ferment for 2 months, then fined, filtered and bottled in October 2019 to retain fresh fruit driven characters. Best consumed young while expressing the fresh fruit driven characters of the variety.
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard Jessica Sauvignon
Pale straw with a green tinge and a lifted bouquet of green tropical fruits and citrus with subtle nutty aromas derived from barrel fermentation. Abundant guava and pink grapefruit, vanilla and a mineral edge, with oak adding texture to the mid palate. Citrussy acidity adding precision, focus and length. Enjoy now, or cellar for the next 4 years, to gain mid palate weight and complexity.
94 points - Halliday Wine Companion
'Hand-picked, crushed, pressed to French barriques (15% new) for cultured yeast fermentation and 8 months maturation. High quality estate fruit, matched by skilled winemaking. This is a wine of real quality and stamina, its citrussy acidity driving the long palate and aftertaste.'
20/05/2020 at 4:01 PM
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A wine for all seasons, Pinot Noir
MAY 2020
Meet Peta.....
By now, most of you will know who Peta is. She is the daughter of owners Bernard & Liz and is also our amazing Project Manager! Lucky Peta, is also the name behind our Single Vineyard Peta's Pinot Noir.
Peta is working on some pretty exciting projects around Oakdene, but you will often find her in her happy place working in the vineyard, picking, lifting and doing anything else that needs to be done!
Pinot Noir, native to the famous French region of Burgundy, is ideally suited to the cool growing conditions of the Geelong wine region.
Pinot Noir has become enormously popular over recent years and it is little wonder, when in spite of its lighter bodied style, it remains a highly flavoursome red wine delivering complex red-fruit flavours with the occasional hint of spice.
At Oakdene we produce two styles of Pinot Noir which vary in fruit weight, tannin structure and complexity. Our Bellarine Peninsula Pinot Noir is made in a more fruit forward, earlier drinking style and aged in second use/older oak barrels. Peta's Pinot Noir is made in a more cellar worthy style using a percentage of whole bunches and aged in 30% new oak, adding more structure and a stemmy perfume.
Both of these wines are an excellent representation of the Pinot Noirs of today and have great cellaring abilities. Get your hands on some today!
2018 Bellarine Peninsula Pinot Noir
Bright garnet in colour with a Perfumed bouquet of red flowers, dry spice and ripe red fruit notes. Generous mid palate, with ripe red cherry and abundant savoury/spicy notes. Subtle oak and earthy notes are balanced by firm acidity and fine tannin on the finish. Conclusion, Enjoy now or over the next 2 to 6 years.
2018 Oakdene Single Vineyard Peta's Pinot Noir
Garnet in colour with a deep hue. A lifted bouquet of red fruit notes, cherry, plum and spicy notes. Rich and textured mid-palate dominated by cherry and dark plum notes. French oak and whole bunches adding a savoury element to the wine, which is complimented by the regions earthy characters. Excellent fruit weight balanced by firm acidity and fine ripe tannins. Enjoy now with food or cellar for the next 5 to 10 years.
5 star - Winestate Magazine, September / October – 'Nose has a good hit of cedary oak sitting on top of some very interesting spicy peppery fruit. rich upfront fruit sweetness on the palate with long savoury tannins and good acidity'.
13/05/2020 at 4:11 PM
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