2021 PINOT NOIR, Tolpuddle. Tasmania, Australia

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).

Will age gracefully until at least 2028.

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.

Natasha Hughes MW (Club Oenologique): “A juicy, almost fleshy wine that shows great promise, but the fruit will need time to unwind from the taut acidity and gently grippy tannins. Dense fruit, mainly in the red berry and cherry spectrum, but with a hint of slightly darker berries in the background. Very young, but should be stunning when it settles down.” 96 points