2016 This was a higher-yielding vintage. Not only was the crop bigger, but the bunch and berry sizes were also “weirdly bigger,” said Hill Smith. “It produced nice wines, but they lack that crunch in the middle.”
Chardonnay (13% ABV)
Pale gold in color, this shows an attractive, leesy solids character in the aromas. It’s bright and fresh, with appealing sub-threshold oak, nicely balanced with a peachy ripe Chardonnay fruit quality that is underpinned by refreshing grapefruit-like acidity. | 92
Pinot Noir (13% ABV)
Ultra-pale in color. The Pinot fragrance, while still a tad quiet, is delicately perfumed, the fruit itself savory in character, thanks in large part to an underpinning of some quite fi rm tannins, but becoming nicely juicy and fresh, with fi ne, sub-threshold oak, albeit just drying a tad on the fi nish. | 91
2015 It was a year that remained cool and dry through to harvest, with perfect conditions for fl avor development, and “we were very happy with it,” enthused Hill Smith.
Chardonnay (12.5% ABV)
Pale gold. Delicate, refi ned aromatics, stylish, nutty oak. Lovely fruit concentration and richness, more mouth-fi lling than previous vintages, elegantly balanced between peachy ripe fruit and fresh acidity. | 93
Pinot Noir (13.5% ABV)
Now starting to shade to an evolved garnet. This is quite Burgundian in its earthy beetroot and spicy Pinot scents, showing appealing mid- palate strawberry sweetness. Still very fresh, with nicely rounded tannins, an overall fi ne balance, and good, juicy, fresh acidity. | 93
2014 This was a cool year overall, with “miserly” yields but greater concentration. In a cool year, the stems were not that ripe, and the ratio of berry to stem was higher because it was a lower-yielding year. A successful trial in which 50 percent of the grapes were sent to the mainland as fruit meant that all the grapes were dispatched in this way from 2015 onward.
Chardonnay (13% ABV)
Expressive, nutty aromatics combine with a refreshingly zesty acidity and delicate sub-threshold oak. This is followed in the glass by high-quality Chardonnay fruit-concentration, supported by a crisp, Chablis-like acidity, for freshness and balance. Still going strong after eight years, with a good fi ve years of life left in it yet. | 94
Pinot Noir (12.5% ABV)
Fragrant, fresh, and spicy. There’s a whole-bunch, root-like complexity to the aromas and to the berry fruit, which is concentrated and fresh, with a light tannic bite to it, showing that whole-bunch character and bringing a degree of structure. A savory element adds to the aging potential. | 92
2013 This was a slightly warmer year than 2012, and Chardonnay still only went through around 50 percent malolactic fermentation. Yields were low, with good concentration of fl avor. This was Adam Wadewitz’s fi rst year as Tolpuddle’s winemaker. “In Tasmania, where you get intense concentration, we like a bit of whole-bunch in the Pinot Noir, because the wine can seem a bit simple without it,” said Hill Smith.
Chardonnay (12.5% ABV)
Pale gold. Lemony, citrus aromas, rather quiet and a tad four-square. This is showing buttery fruit yet is still fresh, with pleasing, savory acidity and integrated oak. It’s just lacking an extra dimension of complexity. Drink now. | 90
Pinot Noir (12.5% ABV)
Relatively pale-hued and pleasantly fragrant. The attractive smoky oak, root-vegetable, and strawberry-sweet aromas are reprised on the palate, with a village Burgundy-like savor. This is supported by subtle sub-threshold oak rounding out the fruit, which is attractively juicy in texture and remains fresh and approachable. | 92
2012 A very good year, with good fl owering and even ripening. Crops were down 20 percent on average. The grapes were pressed at Bay of Fires, and the juice was transported to the mainland, resulting in some loss of lees. There was a problematic malolactic fermentation, which stuck, and the Chardonnay was very acidic on release. “The Pinot was quite reductive as a young wine, with an argument as to how long it should spend on the lees,” said Hill Smith, “but it has since picked up nice tertiary characters. Time in bottle adds to the overall enjoyment, even though it may not have quite the intensity and drive of some other vintages.”
Chardonnay (13% ABV)
Yellow gold. Lightly lemon and nutty oak, still surprisingly fresh. Quite buttery in character, with a nice brightness to it. Some nutty oak behind juicy Chardonnay fruit, the marked grapefruit-like acidity bringing a slightly raw feeling overall. | 89
Pinot Noir (13% ABV)
Mature shading to the garnet hue. This shows earthy root-vegetable and spice aromas, with some appealing, juicy strawberry- and cherry-fruit sweetness on the palate, and good oak underpinning. Still maintaining its freshness and balance. Drink now. | 90
and winemaker Adam Wadewitz, much effort has gone into soil improvement, including inter-row ripping to avoid soil-compaction, plus extensive composting and the use of cover crops for organic matter. They moved from spur pruning to mainly cane pruning, and they have been gradually replacing the less well-regarded clones. The new Chardonnay plantings are with Bernard 76, 95, 96, and 548. In the early days, the Pinot Noir was
mostly MV6, but the introduction of 777, Abel, MV6, 667, 828, and Pommard has had a positive impact. “In a marginal climate like Tasmania, having a mixture of planting material covers your bases. Pinot is so site-specific that it’s difficult to generalize, but Tasmanian Pinot Noir has a reputation for power, so it comes down to how you manage it. And our understanding of how to grow better Pinot down there is starting to show,” claimed Hill Smith. “The variation from vintage to vintage will be less marked.” A new dam has been created for frost control, along with improved drainage and run-off, while new foliage wires were added and the cordon wires lowered. An additional purchase of 15 acres (6ha) of neighboring land to the north has brought the total area under vine to 68 acres (27.36ha). “After ten years, we’ve got to the stage where we’re finally pleased with how its performing,” said Hill Smith. In the cellar, Chardonnay is whole- bunch-pressed before fermentation, then the juice is fermented in French barriques, since Tolpuddle seems to crave oxygen. For Pinot Noir, Adam favors around 50 percent whole berries and 50 percent whole-bunch in layers within the fermentation vessel. “Without that, the wine would look a bit simple,” suggested Hill Smith. Both wines see about 30 percent oak during maturation. “The flavors are so intense from Tolpuddle Vineyard that the wines seem to carry the 30 percent effortlessly,” said Hill Smith. While the vineyard will settle down at 60 percent Pinot Noir, 40 percent Chardonnay, production volumes will remain roughly equal. Not ones to rest on their laurels, Michael and Martin are building a tasting room at the vineyard—as if there weren’t already enough reasons for visiting what is, arguably, Australia’s most exciting up-and-coming wine region.
THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 79 | 2023 | 107
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