On the nose, this wine is intensely aromatic with lemon peel, white blossom, wet stone and a captivating struck match note. Notes of mandarin, white peach and biscuit are complemented by mouthwatering fresh acidity. There is intensity but also plenty of texture and verve, as well as a long finish.
Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 Coal River Valley, Tasmania, Australia
The Tolpuddle vineyard was purchased by Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith in 2011. It is situated in the Coal River Valley, in Tasmania’s south-east corner. First planted in 1988 by Tony Jordan and Garry Crittenden, it has since established a reputation for growing exceptional quality grapes, with the focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The grapes were all hand picked, whole-bunch pressed, and fermented in French oak barriques. The wine spent nine months in barrel which had a mixture of toast levels and a third of which were new. There was gentle lees stirring as required, then a further two months in tank on lees prior to bottling.