2020 Now finished: TOLPUDDLE PINOT NOIR. Tasmania, Australia (Magnum)

Made by Shaw and Smith (famous for their winery in Adelaide Hills, South Australia) in cool-climate Tasmania. Michael (Hill-Smith) actually refers to it as ‘cold’ not cool. But it’s dry, so you have less disease pressure and can leave the grapes to get fully ripe.
Tolpuddle vines are in the Coal River Valley, first planted in 1988.

100% Pinot Noir, a quarter fermented as ‘whole bunches’, all matured in French oak for 9 months (about a third new oak).

Early vintages of this, like many ‘ultra-modern’ new world Pinots, were a little skinny. This now has the perfect balance of cool-climate freshness and pure, beautiful Pinot Noir fruit.

Tasted as part of the Tolpuddle vertical in October 2022 – the finest wine in the line-up. But not at its best until 2030.

“Blueish, quite dark crimson. Intense, ripe nose with a nice saline note. Very juicy and appetising. Fine boned and not nearly ready. Great mix of sweet, sour and salt!  17/ 20”. Jancis Robinson, October 2022.