2023 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay
Grape
Chardonnay
Its Origins
The 2023 Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay has won the Françoise De Castella trophy for Best Young White Wine at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards. Also known as the “Frankie”, it is the white wine equivalent of the Jimmy Watson Trophy. This is the third time this wine, made by Adam Wadewitz, has been awarded the trophy, having previously won in 2018 and 2021. "If ever a new winery was born with blue blood in its veins, Tolpuddle would have to be it." — James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2014. Tolpuddle Vineyard was established in 1988 and it took its name from the Tolpuddle Martyrs: English convicts transported to Tasmania for forming an agricultural union. The leader of the Martyrs, George Loveless, served some of his sentence working on a property near Richmond, part of which is now Tolpuddle Vineyard. The vineyard is planted with mature Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines, facing north-east, and sloping gently up from Back Tea Tree Road. The soil is light silica over sandstone and of moderate vigour, ensuring well-balanced vines producing grapes of great flavour and intensity. In 2006 Tolpuddle Vineyard won the inaugural Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year award, reflecting the performance of this unique and distinguished site. Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW purchased the vineyard in 2011 and are fully committed to seeing Tolpuddle Vineyard recognised as one of Australia’s great single vineyards.
What The Critics Say
98/100 Huon Hooke (2022 vintage)
"Light bright yellow with a smoky, nutty, barrel fermented bouquet which also packs seaspray/oyster-shell, mixed spices and talcy aromas into the mix. In the mouth it's very intense and focused, tensioned and crisp, without strident acidity but lovely refreshing properties. A superb wine, quietly complex and penetrating, obviously barrel-fermented but not showing too-overt oak. The acidity is bright and refreshing and cleanses the aftertaste. Amazing length. Magical stuff. 14 SEP 2023." Drink 2023 - 2037
98/100 Halliday's Wine Companion, Dave Brookes (2022 vintage)
"Another alluring Coal River chardonnay release from the folks at Tolpuddle. It's at once full and concentrated but is reined in by a tight framework of acidity, coiling on rails of minerality before powering across the palate. Tension and detail on point, light textural phenolic elements give it a sleek and silken mouthfeel. The fruit tones of white peach, nectarine and citrus are cloaked in soft spice, white floral tones, struck match, almond paste and crushed stone and the wine displays a stony elegance and seriousness on the long finish. If we were to talk in hushed tones about what would constitute a Tasmanian Grand Cru chardonnay, the Tolpuddle would be the front-runner. Superb." Drink 2024 - 2034
96/100 The Wine Front, Mike Bennie (2022 vintage)
"It’s compact and tense, precise and poised. It tastes fancy from hello and asserts a strong riff of chardonnay’s best assets of green apple, briny acidity, savoury-nutty undertows with a slick of cedary, spicy, cinnamon-meets-clove oak seasoning well measured into it all. Spicy, indeed, refreshing in that way and coolness with a sense of exceptionally judged, just-ripe fruit rippling with authority through the wine. It’s a persistent wine, immensely satisfying with each sip staining the palate gently. Inherently complex, gulpable with drinkability, wonderfully evocative of a cool place. A brilliant, crystalline chardonnay expression on hand.I had a nice chat with Michael Hill Smith MW this past week, with an invitation to return to the Tolpuddle tasting arena. A coup! Meanwhile, the Tolpuddle house style is still distinct in this wine but the flavour profile seems to have increased, pleasingly so. Elegance has long been the headline of course, and more of that here. This would have to be my favourite release of this distinguished wine." Drink 2023 - 2030+
| Variety | Chardonnay |
|---|---|
| Region | Tasmania |
| Closure | Cap |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Maturity | 2024 - 2038 |
This Wine Goes Well With
Taste
We deliver throughout New Zealand and to some locations overseas. Our deliveries are made by trusted third party carriers. For further details on prices and delivery options please go to DELIVERY INFORMATION section of our site.
If for any reason you are not entirely happy with your order or you suspect that they may be affected by a quality issue, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will remedy the problem straight away. Contact us on 0800 422 767.