An Exclusive Champagne Masterclass with Mrs Nathalie Vranken, owner and Global CEO of Maison Pommery & Associés. 

A First Look at Maison Pompadour and Champagne Pommery’s New Releases

Join us in the upstairs room at Le Foote for one of Australia’s first opportunities to discover the new Maison Pompadour Champagnes, alongside Pommery’s new Apanage 1874 collection and the rare Cuvée Louise Parcelles 2008.

We’ll explore the story of Clos Pompadour, the historic walled vineyard within Domaine Pommery in the heart of Reims. From its distinctive vineyard character to its treasured reserve wines, this extraordinary site lies at the heart of Maison Pompadour’s contemporary, gastronomic approach to Champagne.

With Nathalie Vranken as our guest of honour, this is a rare opportunity to discover the heritage, ambition and personal stories behind these wines.

You’ll be welcomed with a glass of Pommery Brut Apanage NV, before a masterclass featuring:

• Maison Pompadour Réserve Brut NV

• Maison Pompadour Clos Pompadour Blanc de Blancs 2017

• Pommery Apanage Brut 1874

• Pommery Apanage Blanc de Blancs 1874

• Pommery Apanage Rosé 1874

• Pommery Cuvée Louise Parcelles 2008

From the fresh perspective of a new Champagne Maison to the depth and refinement of Cuvee Louise 2008, this promises to be a memorable evening for Champagne lovers.

Tuesday 10 November 2026 | 6pm–8pm
Le Foote — Upstairs Room
101 George Street, The Rocks, NSW 2000

Tickets: $195 per person
Includes Champagne on arrival, the six-wine masterclass and canapés, plus $100 redeemable against wine orders of $500 or more placed on the night.

Canapés will be served throughout the masterclass. Please note this is not a full meal.

Tickets are strictly limited. Secure your place for this special evening.

Terms

Please advise us of any dietary requirements when booking. We will do our best to accommodate these; however, due to the nature of the menu and the limited size of the event, not all dietary requirements may be able to be accommodated.

Cancellations are accepted up to four days before the event, with refunds issued less a $10 booking fee.

Each paid ticket includes one $100 credit. A minimum wine spend of $500 applies per credit, calculated before the credit is deducted. Two guests redeeming their credits together require a minimum $1,000 order. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts.

Region: Yarra Valley
Sub Region: Gladysdale – Upper Yarra Valley
Variety: Chardonnay
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2025

The Wine

Bastard Hill is rapidly establishing itself as one of Australia’s great Chardonnay sites. Planted by Ray Guerin in the late 1980s on the steep slopes of Gladysdale, the vineyard rises towards 400 metres, making it one of the highest and coolest vineyards in the Giant Steps portfolio. Its deep red, ferrous volcanic soils and significant elevation give the wines an intensity that is matched by naturally high acidity.

The Chardonnay is drawn predominantly from the south-facing Block 7, which ripens dramatically later than the lower Yarra sites. In 2025 it was picked on 7 March—around a month after Tarraford and Sexton. This extended hang time without excessive sugar accumulation is fundamental to Bastard Hill’s character: flavour builds slowly while acidity and mineral tension remain intact.

The fruit was entirely hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, then transferred by gravity to 500-litre French oak puncheons without settling. There was no malolactic fermentation, and the wine spent nine months in oak, only around 17% of it new. The winemaking is deliberately restrained given the natural power of the vineyard.

Bastard Hill has a character all its own: crushed rock, nashi pear, grapefruit and orange blossom alongside wild honey, chamomile and a long saline line. The concentration is significant, but everything feels tightly packed rather than heavy.

NOTE: We are just await extra stock from the winery which will ship week commencing 7th Sep

Cellared Says

This is my must-have Chardonnay from the 2025 release. Bastard Hill has been getting better with every vintage and this feels like the point where the site has moved into genuinely elite territory. There’s more intensity than Applejack, but also extraordinary freshness and length. If allocation allows, this is the one I’d put away in quantity.

Reviews

“This is the third and best wine Giant Steps has made from this cool site.”

98 Points – Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion

“The most complete wine yet released under the Giant Steps Bastard Hill name; which is saying something.”

97 Points – Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Region: Burgundy
Sub Region: Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
Variety: Pinot Noir
Country: France
Vintage: 2023

The Wine

Les Suchots is widely regarded as one of the finest Premier Crus in Vosne-Romanée, lying directly between Romanée-Saint-Vivant and Richebourg. Given its extraordinary location and remarkable consistency, it is often spoken of as a de facto Grand Cru, producing wines that combine the perfume and exotic spice of Vosne with exceptional depth and longevity.

Domaine de l'Arlot farms a small parcel within this celebrated vineyard under the same biodynamic principles that have transformed the estate over the past two decades. The limestone-rich soils, gentle east-facing slope and old vines consistently produce fruit of remarkable precision and natural balance.

Fruit is hand harvested before partial whole-bunch fermentation using indigenous yeasts. Gentle extraction and maturation in French oak preserve the vineyard's hallmark fragrance and silky texture while allowing the distinctive mineral character of Suchots to shine through.

Production is tiny, making this one of the rarest wines in the Domaine de l'Arlot portfolio and one of the most sought-after.

Cellared Says

There are very few Premier Crus I'd choose ahead of Suchots, and this is a wonderful example of why. It delivers much of the perfume, silk and complexity collectors chase in Vosne's Grand Crus, but at a considerably more approachable price. If you're looking for one bottle to put away for a decade or two, I'd start here.

Reviews

"A magnificent Suchots with exceptional aromatic complexity and beautifully refined tannins."

96–98 Points – Jasper Morris MW

"Brilliantly detailed and effortlessly elegant, with outstanding persistence."

95–97 Points – Neal Martin, Vinous

Region: Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2024

The Wine

Farrside comes from a northeast-facing slope on the By Farr property, where limestone sits beneath dark volcanic soils. Although it lies only a few hundred metres from Sangreal, the cooler site and darker soils give Farrside a very different expression — later picked, more savoury, more structured and with a distinctly darker-fruited edge.

The 2024 release feels like a wine from a site now fully in its stride. After more than two decades of working these vines, Farrside has moved well beyond simple power. There is plenty of depth here, but also finesse: red and black fruits, spice, forest floor, fine tannin and that signature Farrside savoury pull. Wild fermented in open-top fermenters, with 40–50% whole bunch/stem inclusion and élevage in new Allier oak, this is serious, detailed Geelong Pinot Noir with real character.

Cellared Says

Return to the Farrside. This is always the darker, more brooding sibling in the By Farr Pinot lineup, but the 2024 has a lovely sense of polish and generosity. Dark cherry, forest floor, spice and savoury oak sit around a plush core of fruit, with enough acid and fine tannin to keep everything pulled tight. There’s plenty of texture and depth, but it never feels heavy. A very good release, and one that should appeal to both Burgundy drinkers and Australian Pinot fans looking for something with a bit more edge.

Region: Eden Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2022

In original Wooden Case Gift Box.

The Wine

Hill of Grace remains one of the defining wines of Australia: a single-vineyard Eden Valley Shiraz from ancient vines planted beside the historic Gnadenberg Church. The heart of the vineyard includes ancestor vines dating back to the 1860s, planted by Nicolaus Stanitzki, an ancestor of the Henschke family.

First produced by Cyril Henschke in 1958, Hill of Grace is now one of the most revered single-site Shiraz wines in the world. Today, Stephen and Prue Henschke continue that legacy through meticulous winemaking and regenerative viticulture, with organic and biodynamic principles guiding the management of the vineyard.

The 2022 vintage was mild and late, producing wines of lifted aromatics, freshness and long-term ageing potential. It is a very different expression to the powerful 2021: more perfumed, more precise, and perhaps more graceful in its frame. Blackberry, blueberry, plum, sage, bay leaf, black olive, sweet spice and fine-grained tannin all sit within a structure of exceptional length and composure.

This is a major Hill of Grace release: not simply powerful, but poised, detailed and deeply expressive of its ancient Eden Valley site.

Cellared Says

The 2021 Hill of Grace will likely remain the obvious investment vintage, but the 2022 may be the wine many collectors prefer to drink. It has the depth and authority expected of Hill of Grace, yet there is a cooler, more aromatic and more refined quality here that makes it utterly compelling.

This is not a wine built on excess. It is built on vineyard, patience and line. A remarkable release from one of Australia’s greatest sites.

Reviews

99+ Points – Ray Jordan
“May well be the prettiest Hill of Grace yet released. May also be the best, and that’s saying something.” Ray Jordan notes the wine’s black olive, bay leaf, sage, blackberry, blueberry, floral lift, immense fruit concentration and fine-grained tannins. Cellaring potential: 45 years.

99 Points – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
“The 2022 Hill of Grace Shiraz leads with dark fruit and an abundance of exotic spice.” Erin Larkin highlights blackberry, blueberry, tobacco, crushed quartz, ferrous undertones and detailed freshness, calling 2022 a sleeper vintage with serious longevity.

98 Points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Dave Brookes describes a wine of aromatic complexity, texture and elegance, with the fruit, tannin and structure moving in perfect harmony.

97 Points – The Wine Front
“Magical wine.” The Wine Front praises its boysenberry, saturated plum, sweet spice, peppercorn, musky fruit depth, long tannin and decades of cellaring potential.

18++/20 – Jancis Robinson MW
“A wine built to last.” Jancis Robinson notes its balance, ripe tannins and classic South Australian Shiraz identity.

19.5+/20 – Matthew Jukes
Matthew Jukes praises the wine’s restraint, structure, elegance and extraordinary waves of flavour, noting the coolness and freshness carried through the fruit.

Region: Eden Valley
Sub Region: Wheelwright Vineyard
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2022

The Wine

The Wheelwright Shiraz comes from a single Eden Valley vineyard planted by Cyril Henschke in 1968 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Henschke family winery. The wine itself was first released to commemorate 150 years of Henschke family winemaking and pays tribute to Johann Christian Henschke, the family’s founder, winemaker, stonemason and skilled wheelwright.

The Wheelwright Vineyard is the most southerly of Henschke’s three single-vineyard Shiraz sites and shows a different expression to both Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone. It is typically more red-fruited, floral, energetic and immediately expressive, with fine tannins and bright natural acidity.

The 2022 vintage suits the site beautifully. A mild, late season has delivered a wine of perfume, freshness and shape: red fruits, blueberry, violet, pepper, sage, flowering herbs, graphite and fine spice. It is matured for 20 months in French oak hogsheads, 10% new and 90% seasoned, giving polish and structure without overwhelming the vineyard character.

This is a beautifully seductive expression of Eden Valley Shiraz, with impressive depth, concentration and freshness. It is perhaps the most immediately charming of the 2022 Henschke Shiraz releases, while still carrying the structure and balance for long-term cellaring.

Cellared Says

The Wheelwright can sometimes sit in the shadow of Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone, but the 2022 deserves real attention. It is fragrant, pure and beautifully shaped, with red fruit, spice, violet lift and fine chalky tannins.

For collectors, this is a smart addition alongside the two icons. For drinkers, it may be the most approachable and seductive of the trio, while still offering decades of life ahead. We often show this wine at our corporate events and it never fails to inspire the guests. A serious wine at a considered price.

Reviews

97 Points – Ray Jordan
“This distinctive wine has been an annual favourite of mine from the time it was first released.” Ray Jordan praises its bright red fruits, lively acidity, chalky tannins, peppery violet fragrance, depth and 30-year cellaring potential.

96 Points – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Erin Larkin notes lifted spice, purple flowers, pomegranate, raspberry, red liquorice, pink peppercorn, olive tapenade and impressive persistence.

96 Points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
Dave Brookes highlights blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, brown spice, flowering herbs, sage, violets, graphite and a graceful, sustained finish.

96 Points – Nick Ryan, The Australian
Nick Ryan describes vibrant berry fruit, Dutch liquorice, dark spice, violets, rosemary and plush, supple tannins.

18/20 – Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson notes composed aromatics, freshness, delicacy and a soothing, persistent finish.

18.5/20 – Matthew Jukes
Matthew Jukes calls it the most complete vintage of The Wheelwright to date, praising its purity, elegance and linear structure.

Region: Burgundy
Sub Region: Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Chenevottes
Variety: Chardonnay
Country: France
Vintage: 2023

The Wine

Chenevottes sits mid-slope in Chassagne, close to the northern border and not far from Le Montrachet itself. The site is notable for its extremely shallow soils — often just 15cm before hitting bedrock — which drives concentration, minerality and naturally low yields.

The domaine farms around 0.62 hectares of vines planted in the 1960s. This is a site that, with age, can show a profile approaching grand cru level in complexity.

As always at PYCM, fruit is whole-bunch pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in 350L barrels with minimal new oak. Elevage is long and controlled, with a portion of time in tank to refine the wine before bottling. No bâtonnage, no filtration.

Cellared Says

This is a serious site, and PYCM treats it that way. It has the bones of a long-term wine, and it’s one of those bottles that will look cheap in hindsight. One for the cellar.

Reviews

Three plots, one which Pierre-Yves purchased in 2002, and two from his father-in-law, Jean-Marc-Morey. Pale colour, steely nose. Very evenly balanced across the palate between the fruit with its greener edge, though still ripe, the tannins and just a little bit of wood to back them up. A wine which grows towards the back of the palate. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Oct 2024.

(92-95) Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes has also turned out beautifully, offering up a gently reductive bouquet of crisp orchard fruit, toasted almonds, white flowers and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it's racy and pure, with a layered, complete profile. Pierre-Yves Colin has delivered another successful 2023 vintage, and almost everything I tasted remained un-racked on the lees, undergoing a long élevage in pursuit of more tension and complexity. As ever, picking tends to be on the early side with a view to retaining freshness. As readers may know, Colin's bigger cuvées are crushed and see four-hour press cycles, whereas smaller cuvées aren't crushed but see even longer press cycles lasting five or more hours. Vinification and maturation in barrel, with a heavy emphasis on larger-format barrels, follow. As I've written before, since moving to his new, much colder cellars in Chassagne-Montrachet's "zone artisanale," he finds his wines retain significantly more free sulfur dioxide for any given addition, so a touch less is being used.
92-94 Points - Wine Advocate Jan 2025

Region: Valpolicella, Veneto
Variety: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella
Vintage: 2017
Country: Italy

The Wine

The SVM400 “Macie” Amarone della Valpolicella 2017 is a single-vineyard expression from 400m above sea level, on calcareous-clay soils. Grapes are carefully selected, then aged for 3 years in large 40hl French oak, followed by 12 months in bottle. The result is a structured, textural Amarone with depth and aromatic lift, expressing the terroir of Massimago’s highest site.

Cellared Says

Velvety, floral and heady—this single-vineyard Amarone layers black cherry, spice and cocoa with seamless length. A wine of stature, focus, and finesse.

ONLY 12 Bottles in Australia

Wine Reviews

“The 2017 Amarone della Valpolicella SVM400 lifts from the glass with a seductive mix of dusty rose, confectionary spice and cocoa-tinged black cherries. This is deeply textural, almost creamy in feel, with masses of tart red fruit and zesty acidity to balance. Hints of candied citrus mix with dark chocolate under an air of violets and lavender, as the SVM400 finishes lightly structured and with outstanding length. This is almost heady today, but I expect a short stay in the cellar should bring the 2017 into lovely focus.”
94 Points – Eric Guido, Vinous