In case you hadn’t noticed, Garagiste and its main man are on fire. The new Stagiaire releases have just rolled into the warehouse and are in great form. 2024 saw a slight bounce-back in yields for the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (though still well below average), and the trend of top-drawer quality prevails. “The balance is excellent, and all the purity and detail we strive for are there. These are classic Stagiaires—people definitely won’t be disappointed,” says Barney—and you can take him at this word.Garagiste continues to stake its claim as one of Australia’s very finest producers of Pinot and Chardonnay, yet, to paraphrase The Police classic, “Every little thing he does is magic.” This release has brought a few delicious surprises. Last made in 2018, Garagiste’s uber-seductive Gewürztraminer makes a welcome return. From a handful of north-facing rows of low-yielding Gewürz rooted in Tuerong’s grey sandy loams, there’s just a single puncheon’s worth of this aromatic marvel. Then, there is a super cameo Grenache Blanc sourced from Ian Rathjen’s low-yielding Whistling Eagle vineyard in Colbinabbin. Barney has been hankering to work with Grenache since his time making wine in the Rhône Valley, and this is the year the cat got the cream. It’s a mouth-wateringly pulpy, salty white that should be firmly filed in the ‘Don’t Miss’ category. Last but not least, we offer Barney’s single-site Merricks Pinot Gris. Barney has long since cracked the Gris code, and the new release is a masterclass in the balance and sheer personality this variety can achieve in the right hands.