Tolpuddle Vineyard, Coal River Valley Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2022
Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | TV202B22 | 6 x 75 | Screwcap | Contact Us |
2022 | TV202M22 | 3 x 150 | Screwcap | Contact Us |
Producer
In 2011, Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW embarked upon an eventful road trip in Tasmania, culminating with the purchase of Tolpuddle Vineyard. During the trip, they asked famed local winemaker Peter Dredge to organise a tasting of Tasmania’s best wines and quickly discovered their favourites came from the Tolpuddle Vineyard. Before their trip was through, the duo became the proud owners of a vineyard that would continue to define fine Tasmanian winemaking.
Based in the Coal River Valley, Tolpuddle Vineyard was planted in 1988 by industry legends Tony Jordan and Garry Crittenden. The vineyard takes its name from the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who were exiled to Australia in 1834 for starting an agrarian union in Tolpuddle in Dorset. The group leader, George Loveless, served some of his sentence working on a property near Richmond called GlenAyr, part of which is now the Tolpuddle Vineyard. A combination of its north-facing aspect, and positioning within a rain shadow, ensures the vineyard remains cool and dry throughout the growing season, minimising disease pressure and helping achieve optimal ripeness. Alongside talented winemaker, Adam Wadewitz and viticulturist Murray Leake, Michael and Martin have spent the past decade using the lessons learned in the Adelaide Hills to replant and re-trellis this outstanding site to produce better and better wines.
The Chardonnay is a wine of finesse and poise, with delicate flavours of lime, green apple peel and a savoury biscuit note. The Pinot Noir is floral and aromatic with great depth, soft and grainy tannins, and a surprising underlying power. They are a masterclass in Tasmanian fine winemaking.
Vineyards
The 20 hectare north east facing vineyard is located in the Coal River Valley, which is in a rain shadow, creating dry but cold conditions. The dry climate ensures there is very low disease pressure, which in turn means that they can leave the grapes on the vines longer to ensure they ripen fully. The soil is light silica over sandstone and of moderate vigour, ensuring well-balanced vines. In 2006 the vineyard won the inaugural Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year award, reflecting the performance of this unique and distinguished site.
Vintage
The 2022 vintage saw the coldest conditions for this region in over a decade. The cool conditions, particularly around flowering, resulted in lower yields. However, these conditions also produced fruit with excellent concentration of flavour and high natural acidity which is now synonymous with Tolpuddle Vineyard fruit.
Vinification
All hand-picked fruit was fermented as a combination of whole berries and whole bunches in open wooden and stainless steel fermenters, with gentle plunging. The wine was aged in French oak for 10 months, of which about one third was new oak.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
This Pinot Noir shows excellent complexity and power which is balanced by pure fruit notes and spice developed by the cool growing season. Ripe red cherry, smoked meat and olive notes are framed by fine but firm tannins, leading to a great length of flavour.
Alcohol (ABV)
13.5%
Acidity
5.4 g/l
Residual Sugar
0.3 g/l
pH
3.6
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tolpuddle Vineyard | Coal River Valley Chardonnay | TV201 | W | Factsheet |