Skip to main content
NewsWinemakingYarra Valley

Optume Debuts At $800 A Bottle

By Friday 25 March 2022September 29th, 2023No Comments

Levantine Hill Estate in the Yarra Valley has released a wine called Optume which retails for $800 a bottle, making it one of the most expensive wines in Australia and most expensive new-release wine to come out of Victoria.

There are two wines – 2017 Levantine Hill Optume Shiraz and 2017 Levantine Hill Optume Cabernet Sauvignon.

Levantine Hill has made 65 dozen bottles of the Shiraz and 58 dozen bottles of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

“The wines pull together hand-sorted grapes sourced from selected Yarra Valley sites,” winemaker Paul Bridgeman says.

“The combination of terroirs and climate allows for more nuanced flavours and complexity.”

“This wine has been created to embody the sum of our people and the sum of our work,” managing director Samantha Jreissati says.

“Optume was born following a chance discussion between Levantine Hill Estate’s founder Elias Jreissati and winemaker Paul Bridgeman, who had a meeting of minds about what sort of wine could be created in the Yarra Valley if no effort or expense was spared and other premium wine growers were given the opportunity to submit grapes for inclusion in it.

“While the $800 price tag is expected to make Optume Victoria’s most expensive bottle of new release wine, Levantine Hill has proven that there is a strong market both locally and overseas for pure excellence in the quality and craftsmanship of these wines.”

“The rarity of these wines is due to the pulling together of the particular strengths as well as expressions of a small number of select single site grapes around Levantine Hill and the broader Yarra Valley, expressly targeted for predicted contributions they will have towards the final blend,’’ Bridgeman says.

“The bringing together of various strengths and personalities of these grapes we hope will result in finished wines which reach heights greater than the limitations of the individual components in isolation.

“In the end, the wine’s expression aims to be greater than the sum of all parts which conveys a synergy and seamless balance across the palate, reflecting broader vintage conditions across the multitude of targeted vineyard sites.’’

The bottles were imported from France. Locally-crafted presentation boxes encase each bottle complete with their own individually numbered key to preserve and secure the contents.

The wines were recently made available only to Levantine Hill Estate’s Inner Circle members and their Chairman’s List.

Levantine Hill Optume is available to purchase online at levantinehill.com.au or at the Levantine Hill Cellar Door, Armadale Cellars in Melbourne and Moncur Cellars in Sydney.

Related content

Epic Yarra Valley Grand Auction

Yarra Valley Trophy Winners

Leave a Reply