Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021

James Suckling Top 100 Wines of Australia 2022

Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW (Shaw & Smith) purchased the vineyard in 2011 after a look-and-see jaunt to Tasmania when they became smitten by Tolpuddle's Coal Valley location and mature vines, planted only to pinot noir and chardonnay. They are fully committed to seeing Tolpuddle Vineyard recognised as one of Australia's great single vineyards. 

"This 2021 Pinot Noir is fine, floral, mineral, structured and if possible, a little more structured and perfect than the 2020. It captures a ductile flow of tannin that shapes the fruit, capturing a glistening display of perfectly ripe, restrained fruit. Together, it makes for a polished, scintillating wine. Exceptional."  Erin Larkin

In barely a decade, Tolpuddle has established itself as one of the country's top producers. It produces wines of blistering precision and finesse which have received rave critical acclaim. They are highly sought-after and are some of the finest examples of chardonnay and pinot noir that can be found anywhere on the Apple Isle.

"If ever a new winery was born with blue blood in its veins, Tolpuddle would have to be it."  James Halliday

"This wine is true to the Tolpuddle Vineyard style. It has very intense red and dark berry fruit, as well as some wild fennel and rhubarb notes on the nose. On the palate, there is a lot of concentrated fruit, balanced by fresh acidity and some fine tannins. Cherry and raspberry notes through to darker blueberry and boysenberry give complexity to a palate that flows seamlessly, and some Chinese five spice characters give a hint of more savoury notes to come with time.

The grapes were all hand-picked and fermented as a combination of whole berries and whole bunches, in open fermenters, with gentle plunging. The wine was aged in French oak for nine months, of which about one third was new."  Tolpuddle

Expert reviews

"Excellent depth of red with a strong purple tint, the bouquet black cherry, meaty/charcuterie and mossy undergrowth, while the palate is full and strong, with richness and fleshy extract aplenty, a powerful wine with tannins that are assertive and long. A subtle stalky whole-bunch note on the follow-through. A solidly built pinot of impressive concentration and real substance. Drink 2022-2036."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 97 points

"Riffing off the same playbook as the excellent 2020 Pinot Noir, this 2021 Pinot Noir is fine, floral, mineral, structured and if possible, a little more structured and perfect than the 2020. It captures a ductile flow of tannin that shapes the fruit, capturing a glistening display of perfectly ripe, restrained fruit. Together, it makes for a polished, scintillating wine. Exceptional. Drink: 2022-2041."  Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 96+ points

"It's hard to believe that Tolpuddle celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, but I remember being impressed by the wines at the launch, and I still await each release with a similar enthusiastic impatience. This year’s looks good already: perfumed macerated strawberry and raspberry notes with some dark cherry and boysenberry in the bass. There are hints of Chinese five-spice, rhubarb, mushroom broth, sous bois, forest floor and rain falling on turned earth, with perhaps just a whiff of struck flint in the distance. The whole-bunch component here is beautifully judged, the palate shape sleek and possessing ample tension and grace, gentle tannin support weighing in as the wine sails away into the distance. Seamless drinking now but will reward those with patience. Drink by 2035."  Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion - 96 points

"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."  Natasha Hughes MW, Club Oenologique (UK) - 96 points

"I love the transparent, floral nose of this beautifully crafted and extremely fresh Tasmanian pinot noir. Fantastic interplay of mineral acidity with fresh black cherry and ripe strawberry fruit on the super-elegant palate. Long, silky and citrusy finish. From the Coal River Valley sub-region of Tasmania."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 95 points and Top 100 Wines of Australia 2022 

"Healthy mid crimson. Complex, layered, approachable nose. Smooth and lively and so much more approachable than young red burgundy. Maybe not as concentrated as 2020. Long."  Jancis Robinson MW – 17.5+/20 points

Awards

Top 100 Wines of Australia 2022 - James Suckling

About the winery

Tolpuddle Vineyard was established in 1988 by Bill Casimaty, Gary Crittenden and Tony Jordan 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. 

Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW (Shaw & Smith) purchased the vineyard in 2011 after a look-and-see jaunt to Tasmania when they became smitten by Tolpuddle's Coal Valley location and mature vines, planted only to pinot noir and chardonnay. They are fully committed to seeing Tolpuddle Vineyard recognised as one of Australia's great single vineyards. 

In barely a decade, Tolpuddle has established itself as one of the country's top producers. It produces wines of blistering precision and finesse which have received rave critical acclaim. They are highly sought-after and are some of the finest examples of chardonnay and pinot noir that can be found anywhere on the Apple Isle.