Description
Tolpuddle Vineyard was established in 1988 and is named in tribute to the Tolpuddle Martyrs; the transplanted English convicts who were guilty of forming an agricultural union. George Loveless, the leader of Martyrs spent some of his sentence working on the property near Richmond which is now part of the Tolpuddle Vineyard. On our last trip to Tasmania in 2020 we privately toured this southern part of the island known as Coal River Valley which is situated about a 20 minute drive to the northeast of Hobart.
This is the same cousins’ partnership as the famous Adelaide Shaw-Smith winery. Michael Hill Smith was the first Australia ever to achieve Master of Wine status back in 1988.
The vineyard was planted in 1989 to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on a northeastern slope of light silca and sandstone for low vigor and stress. The Derwent River and the Tasmania ocean buffer the region and are highly influential in maintaining the cool temperatures.
“Deep red-purple, bright and clear colour; superb rich ripe black cherry fragrance with a kiss of smoky oak, the palate remarkably full and rich, smooth and fleshy with excellent texture and immediate drinking appeal, although it has the legs to age well too. Serious structure, but also succulent, sweet and plush—almost too much of a good thing. Outstanding pinot noir.” – 97 Bob Campell – Review Date: September 2024 (Huon Hooke, The Real Review)
“A cooler vintage for Tolpuddle with some hen and chicken and lighter bunches due to a wetter-than-normal spring, before excellent ripening conditions for the remainder of the growing season. When compared to the ’22 release there is a little more concentration on display. Vibrant, magenta-splashed ru”by in the glass with aromas of dark cherry, plum and blackberry fruits with hints of crushed herbs, softly spoken vanillin oak, raspberry coulis, charcuterie board, purple flowers, bay leaf and stone. Rich and flowy with spice, herbal and floral tendrils weaving through the pure base layers of dark fruits. Textural and harmonious with finely crushed riverstone tannins and mineral line providing support and cadence. Another cracking release from Tolpuddle.” – 96 James Halliday – Review Date: September 2024
“Deeply perfumed and floral, with aromas of wild blackberries, mulberry bush, violets and wet bark. The palate is finely tuned with seamless tannins, bright acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of dark cherries, graphite, boysenberries, spices and rose petals. High tension with a savory edge. Incredibly well balanced. Drink or hold.” 96 James Suckling – Review Date: October 2024
“This wine was recently shown by a respected Clare Valley winemaker at an options game, and it looked superb. It’s so clearly like Tasmanian Pinot Noir fruit but powerful, balanced and sapid in its execution of flavor delivery. It’s saturated, in fact. When it was revealed as being the Tolpuddle 2023 Pinot Noir, there were cries around the room of “of course!” and “wow!” To me on that evening, I was particularly impressed by the integration of the whole-bunch component, as I occasionally feel that the use of bunches in this wine can border on overt. In this 2023 iteration, it is clearly evident, but it sits within the confines of the pomegranate/cherry/raspberry fruit with aplomb. Providing further depth of character, a backdrop of star anise, blood orange, coffee grounds, lilac and red apples drive across the palate. This is an enduring wine of sophistication and long-term aesthetic value. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.” – 96 Wine Advocate – Review Date: January 2025
“Plush, fleshy, juicy black cherry, plum and blackberry flavors show plenty of spice hints, including clove, cardamom, oregano and star anise, with savory accents of dried porcini, palo santo and malty Assam tea. There’s a wonderful seamlessness and freshness to this red, lingering through on the long, epic finish. Drink now through 2036.” – 95 Wine Spectator – Review Date: December 2024