Tolpuddle Chardonnay 2017

Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania, Australia

Grape: Chardonnay

Vineyard Practice: Sustainable

Culinary Suggestions: Lobster with Lemon Butter, Roast Chicken with Tarragon, Triple-Cream Brie

Alcohol: 13%

Bottle Size: 750ml

Overview

Tolpuddle Vineyard, located in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, was established in 1988 and quickly gained a reputation for producing high-quality cool-climate grapes. In 2011, the vineyard was purchased by Michael Hill Smith and Martin Shaw, the acclaimed team behind Shaw + Smith in the Adelaide Hills. They saw Tasmania's potential for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and they transformed Tolpuddle into a boutique winery focused on these varietals.

The vineyard’s cool climate, long growing season, and limestone-rich soils create ideal conditions for these varietals, allowing for wines with elegance, intensity, and precision. Tolpuddle’s wines have since earned international acclaim for their purity, structure, and depth, particularly their single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Known for a minimal-intervention approach, Tolpuddle wines are celebrated for capturing Tasmania's unique terroir and are regarded as some of Australia’s finest cool-climate expressions.

The 2017 vintage reflects a particularly favourable growing season, marked by mild temperatures and balanced ripening conditions. This allowed the Chardonnay to achieve remarkable clarity and concentration. Hand-harvested and vinified with minimal intervention, the wine was fermented and matured in French oak, adding a touch of creaminess without overshadowing the vineyard’s unique mineral edge. The result is a Chardonnay of finesse and vibrancy, celebrated for its balance between fruit purity and structured acidity.

Critic Reviews

95+ points

Gary Walsh, The Wine Front November 2018

Lime, ruby red grapefruit, almond, some green herb character. Light but delivering plenty of juicy flavour and flinty crunch, green olive, fine-boned, good energy and zesty feel. Subtle cheesy savoury elements, lime and rind on a long and chalky finish. Better again with a couple of years on it, as they tend to be.

Drink 2021 - 2030+