2011 Stefano Lubiana Prestige – Tasmania | 98 Points Halliday

AUSTRALIA'S SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR! 98 POINTS HALLIDAY! OVER A DECADE ON LEES – JUST $150!

98 Points – Halliday Wine Companion | 97 Points - Campbellmattinson.com

2026 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR

2011 Stefano Lubiana Prestige – Derwent Valley, Tasmania

RRP $150 per bottle

Now this is something absolutely extraordinary!

Forget ordinary Australian sparkling wine.

Forget the idea that the finest mature sparkling wines must come from Champagne.

And forget the assumption that a truly exceptional bottle needs to cost several hundred dollars.

Because the 2011 Stefano Lubiana Prestige has just achieved something remarkable.

IT HAS BEEN NAMED AUSTRALIA'S SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR!

Not by us.

BY HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION.

And it received an astonishing 98 POINTS from Dave Brookes.

Just consider what makes this wine so special.

ONLY THE THIRD PRESTIGE VINTAGE EVER PRODUCED.

60% CHARDONNAY AND 40% PINOT NOIR.

SINGLE-VINEYARD, ESTATE-GROWN TASMANIAN FRUIT.

CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC VITICULTURE.

TRADITIONAL BOTTLE FERMENTATION.

MORE THAN A DECADE ON LEES.

APPROXIMATELY 3 GRAMS PER LITRE DOSAGE.

98 POINTS HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION.

AUSTRALIA'S SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR.

AND JUST $150 A BOTTLE!

This is one of the most remarkable Australian sparkling wines you could hope to discover.

A magnificent mature vintage wine with extraordinary depth, complexity, freshness and persistence.

Think preserved lemon.

Freshly baked brioche.

Toasted hazelnuts.

Dark manuka honey.

Marzipan.

Sea spray.

Crushed shells.

And an almost endless, mineral-driven finish.

This is Australian sparkling wine operating at the very highest level.

2026 Halliday Wine Companion Sparkling Wine of the Year

Let's begin with the achievement that really matters.

2026 SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR – HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION.

The 2011 Stefano Lubiana Prestige was selected as Australia's finest sparkling wine in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards.

And it received an extraordinary 98 points.

This is a remarkable achievement in a country producing increasingly sophisticated traditional-method sparkling wines.

Tasmania has established itself as Australia's leading region for premium sparkling wine.

Producers across the island have demonstrated that the region can produce wines of genuine international calibre.

But to be selected as Sparkling Wine of the Year is something special.

And the 2011 Prestige is a magnificent example of why Tasmania deserves its reputation.

98 POINTS. SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR.

A truly outstanding achievement.

Stefano Lubiana – Five Generations of Winemaking Excellence

The Lubiana family has one of the great stories in Australian wine.

Steve and Monique Lubiana established their Tasmanian estate in 1990, recognising the extraordinary potential of the Derwent Valley for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and traditional-method sparkling wine.

Steve brought generations of family winemaking knowledge to the project.

His family heritage traces back to Italy, where wine had been part of family life for generations.

But Tasmania offered something particularly exciting.

A cool climate.

A long growing season.

Beautiful natural acidity.

And the ability to produce wines with exceptional elegance and ageing potential.

The family established its vineyard at Granton, overlooking the Derwent River north of Hobart.

Over the following decades, Stefano Lubiana developed a reputation as one of Australia's most respected producers of cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.

The estate also became a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Tasmania.

And the 2011 Prestige is arguably one of the most extraordinary wines to emerge from this remarkable family estate.

Only the Third Prestige Vintage Ever Produced!

Now here is something that makes this wine even more fascinating.

THE 2011 IS ONLY THE THIRD PRESTIGE VINTAGE EVER MADE.

The first was 1995.

The second was 1999.

And then came 2011.

Think about that.

Just three releases across sixteen vintages.

This is not a wine produced automatically every year.

The Prestige is reserved for exceptional conditions and fruit that the winery believes can produce something truly remarkable.

That makes the 2011 a particularly important wine in the history of Stefano Lubiana.

It represents a rare decision to create the estate's ultimate sparkling cuvée.

A wine made only when the vineyard delivers the necessary quality and character.

And the 98-point Halliday result demonstrates just how successful that decision was.

The Extraordinary 2011 Vintage

The 2011 growing season was challenging across much of Australia.

Cool conditions and frequent rainfall created difficulties for many regions.

But sparkling wine has different requirements from still wine.

The finest sparkling wines need beautiful natural acidity.

Moderate sugar levels.

And fruit with precision and freshness.

The cooler conditions in Tasmania helped create exactly those characteristics.

At Stefano Lubiana, careful vineyard management was essential.

The team worked to maintain healthy fruit and manage the season's challenges.

The result was Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with the acidity, structure and concentration required for long-term sparkling wine production.

And that is why the estate decided 2011 deserved to become a Prestige vintage.

60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir – A Magnificent Partnership

The 2011 Prestige is a blend of the two great varieties of traditional sparkling wine.

60% CHARDONNAY.

40% PINOT NOIR.

Chardonnay provides the wine's precision, freshness and mineral structure.

Think lemon.

Citrus zest.

Green apple.

And beautifully focused acidity.

Pinot Noir contributes depth, richness and texture.

Ripe orchard fruit.

Subtle berry notes.

And savoury complexity.

Together, the varieties create a sparkling wine with remarkable balance.

The Chardonnay provides the line and energy.

The Pinot Noir brings breadth and concentration.

And after more than a decade on lees, the result is extraordinarily harmonious.

This is a magnificent expression of mature Tasmanian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

MORE THAN A DECADE ON LEES!

This is one of the most remarkable aspects of the 2011 Prestige.

OVER A DECADE ON LEES.

The wine was produced using the traditional method, with its second fermentation taking place inside the bottle.

After fermentation, the wine remained in contact with its lees.

These are the spent yeast cells that gradually contribute additional texture and complexity as the wine ages.

Over many years, fresh fruit characters develop into something much more sophisticated.

Toasted brioche.

Pastry.

Honeycomb.

Roasted hazelnuts.

Marzipan.

And complex savoury notes.

The bubbles become beautifully integrated.

The texture develops greater creaminess.

And the wine takes on the depth associated with truly mature traditional-method sparkling wine.

The 2011 Prestige was disgorged in October 2023.

A wine that had already spent more than a decade developing extraordinary complexity before reaching the market.

That is serious sparkling winemaking.

An Exceptionally Dry Style – Just 3 Grams per Litre

The 2011 Prestige has a dosage of approximately 3 grams per litre.

That is remarkably restrained.

Dosage is the small addition made after disgorgement to help balance the finished sparkling wine.

At this level, the wine is emphatically dry.

The focus remains on the purity of the fruit.

The natural acidity.

The complexity developed through ageing.

And the extraordinary mineral character of the vineyard.

There is richness.

There is texture.

There is remarkable flavour concentration.

But the finish remains beautifully dry, fresh and precise.

A magnificent balance of maturity and energy.

Brioche, Manuka Honey, Marzipan and Extraordinary Minerality

The 2011 Prestige is a fascinating wine to taste.

In the glass, it displays a beautiful golden-honey hue.

The bubbles are fine and elegant.

The aromas immediately reveal the wine's maturity.

Freshly baked brioche.

Dark manuka honey.

Marzipan.

Roasted hazelnuts.

And delicate pastry.

Then come the citrus characters.

Preserved lemon.

Fresh lemon zest.

And a little ripe peach.

But what makes the wine particularly extraordinary is its savoury complexity.

Sea spray.

Crushed shells.

Subtle mushroom.

A hint of tobacco.

And an intriguing mineral character reminiscent of wet river stones.

On the palate, the wine is wonderfully concentrated.

The mousse is refined and beautifully integrated.

The acidity is remarkably fresh.

And the flavours unfold in layers.

Citrus.

Baked apple.

Honeycomb.

Roasted nuts.

And a persistent savoury complexity.

The finish is extraordinarily long.

Rich, mature and complex – yet still beautifully fresh and focused.

This is what truly great aged sparkling wine is all about.

98 Points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

2026 SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR

98 POINTS AND AUSTRALIA'S SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR!

It is difficult to imagine a more compelling endorsement.

97 Points – Campbell Mattinson

And Halliday Wine Companion is not the only publication to recognise this extraordinary wine.

98 POINTS HALLIDAY.

97 POINTS CAMPBELL MATTINSON.

AUSTRALIA'S SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR.

These are extraordinary credentials.

A Serious Alternative to the World's Great Mature Champagnes

If you love mature vintage Champagne, this is a wine you absolutely need to experience.

Consider what you're getting.

A rare prestige cuvée.

Single-vineyard estate fruit.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Traditional bottle fermentation.

More than a decade on lees.

Very low dosage.

And a remarkable combination of maturity and freshness.

These are the characteristics that make great aged sparkling wine so compelling.

Of course, Tasmania and Champagne have different terroirs and distinctive personalities.

But the dedication to exceptional fruit, patient winemaking and extended ageing is something they share.

The 2011 Prestige demonstrates that Australia can produce mature sparkling wines of truly exceptional quality.

And at $150, it represents a fascinating opportunity for lovers of serious vintage sparkling wine.

Magnificent with Food

The complexity and maturity of the 2011 Prestige make it an extraordinary food wine.

Fresh Oysters

A natural pairing. The wine's sea-spray and mineral characters complement the briny freshness of oysters.

Lobster with Butter

The creamy mousse and mature brioche characters work beautifully with the richness of lobster.

Pan-Seared Scallops

Magnificent with scallops and browned butter.

Roast Chicken

The savoury complexity and refreshing acidity complement roast chicken with herbs and a rich roasting jus.

Mushroom Risotto

The wine's subtle mushroom and umami notes make this an outstanding pairing.

Truffle Pasta

A luxurious combination that allows the wine's mature savoury characters to shine.

Aged Comté

The toasted-nut and honeycomb notes work beautifully with aged cheese.

Crispy Pork Belly

The wine's acidity cuts through the richness while its savoury flavours complement the roasted pork.

And of course, this is a wine that deserves to be enjoyed on its own.

Serve it in a proper white-wine glass.

Allow it to open.

And take your time.

This is a sparkling wine worth savouring.

Why We Love This Wine at Liquid Vibe

At Liquid Vibe, we are always searching for wines that offer something genuinely extraordinary.

And the 2011 Stefano Lubiana Prestige is exactly that sort of wine.

First, there is the producer.

STEFANO LUBIANA – ONE OF TASMANIA'S GREATEST FAMILY WINE ESTATES.

Then there is the rarity.

ONLY THE THIRD PRESTIGE VINTAGE EVER PRODUCED.

Then there is the vineyard.

SINGLE-VINEYARD, CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC FRUIT FROM THE DERWENT VALLEY.

Then there are the grapes.

60% CHARDONNAY AND 40% PINOT NOIR.

Then there is the extraordinary winemaking.

TRADITIONAL BOTTLE FERMENTATION AND MORE THAN A DECADE ON LEES.

Then there is the recognition.

98 POINTS HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION.

97 POINTS CAMPBELL MATTINSON.

And the ultimate accolade.

2026 HALLIDAY SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR!

And finally, the price.

JUST $150 A BOTTLE!

This is one of the most important Tasmanian sparkling wine releases we've had the pleasure of offering.

It's mature.

It's complex.

It's beautifully balanced.

And it represents an extraordinary achievement in Australian sparkling winemaking.

98 POINTS. SPARKLING WINE OF THE YEAR. OVER A DECADE ON LEES. ONLY THE THIRD PRESTIGE VINTAGE EVER MADE. JUST $150.

2011 Stefano Lubiana Prestige – a magnificent Australian sparkling wine and an exceptional addition to the Liquid Vibe range.

Wine Details

• Producer: Stefano Lubiana Wines

• Wine: Prestige

• Vintage: 2011

• Region: Derwent Valley, Tasmania

• Grape Varieties: 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir

• Vineyard: Single-vineyard, estate-grown fruit

• Viticulture: Certified biodynamic estate

• Production: Traditional-method bottle fermentation

• Lees Ageing: Approximately 11–12 years

• Disgorgement: October 2023

• Dosage: Approximately 3 g/L

• Alcohol: 12.5%

• Style: Mature, low-dosage vintage sparkling wine

• Aromas: Preserved lemon, brioche, manuka honey, marzipan, roasted hazelnuts and sea spray

• Palate: Rich, complex, savoury and mineral, with fine bubbles and exceptional length

• Critic Scores: 98 Points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion; 97 Points – Campbell Mattinson

• Award: 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Sparkling Wine of the Year

• RRP: $150 per bottle

• Food Pairing: Oysters, lobster, scallops, roast chicken, mushroom risotto, truffle pasta and aged Comté

• Serving Temperature: 9–11°C

• Cellaring: Enjoy now or cellar carefully for further development