The Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay 2023, crafted in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, is a stellar example of cool-climate Chardonnay from a vineyard established in 1988 and acquired by Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW in 2011. From a 30-hectare site with mature vines on silica-sandstone soils, this wine reflects the coolest vintage on record, with low yields amplifying its intensity. Hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, and fermented in French oak for 10 months with four months on lees, it offers a pale straw hue and lifted aromas of orange blossom, white jasmine, and flinty minerality.
The wine won the following awards in International Wine Challenge (IWC).
Best International Chardonnay
Best Australian White
Best Australian Chardonnay
Best Tasmanian Chardonay
Critics are effusive: Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion) gave it 98 points, praising its “crisp citrus, white peach, and nectarine” with “struck match and flinty complexity”, calling it an “outstanding Australian Chardonnay” with a “dreamy texture”. James Suckling awarded 97 points, noting its “sophisticated flint, lemon curd, and beeswax” with “laser-like acidity”. Erin Larkin (Wine Advocate, 95 points) lauded its “saline thread” and “tense acidity”, recommending cellaring.
With powerful yet precise flavors of grapefruit, lemon pith, and grilled hazelnuts, it pairs beautifully with pan-fried scallops. Drink now or cellar through 2035.
