Producer Article
Tolpuddle Vineyard
Last edited on 10/29/2019 by srh
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Tolpuddle Vineyard 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. Located about 20 minutes drive from Hobart, in Tasmania’s south-east, the Coal River Valley has established a reputation for growing exceptional quality grapes. With a climate that is at the cool extremes for viticulture in Australia, it is no surprise that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perform so splendidly. And yet the rainfall is significantly lower than many of Australia ‘s other cool climate regions with an average of approximately 500mm of rain per year. This cool but relatively dry climate allows the grapes to ripen slowly in autumn without disease pressure that heavy rainfall can bring.
Established in 1988 by local farmers the Casimaty family joined forces with two of Australia’s foremost wine business trailblazers Garry Crittenden and Tony Jordan to plant a vineyard to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Purchased in 2011 by leading producers Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith who say they never set out to purchase a vineyard in Tasmania but upon seeing the site were immediately impressed by it ‘s near perfect growing conditions. “Buying a 20 year old vineyard in a location like this and this well set up it just isn’t the kind of thing that comes along very often.” says Hill Smith. “Tasmania is a remarkable place to grow grapes …climate is cool and dry – ideal conditions to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of exceptional quality. We believe Tolpuddle will be a great Australian single vineyard.”
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
Tolpuddle Vineyard 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. Located about 20 minutes drive from Hobart, in Tasmania’s south-east, the Coal River Valley has established a reputation for growing exceptional quality grapes. With a climate that is at the cool extremes for viticulture in Australia, it is no surprise that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perform so splendidly. And yet the rainfall is significantly lower than many of Australia ‘s other cool climate regions with an average of approximately 500mm of rain per year. This cool but relatively dry climate allows the grapes to ripen slowly in autumn without disease pressure that heavy rainfall can bring.
Established in 1988 by local farmers the Casimaty family joined forces with two of Australia’s foremost wine business trailblazers Garry Crittenden and Tony Jordan to plant a vineyard to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Purchased in 2011 by leading producers Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith who say they never set out to purchase a vineyard in Tasmania but upon seeing the site were immediately impressed by it ‘s near perfect growing conditions. “Buying a 20 year old vineyard in a location like this and this well set up it just isn’t the kind of thing that comes along very often.” says Hill Smith. “Tasmania is a remarkable place to grow grapes …climate is cool and dry – ideal conditions to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of exceptional quality. We believe Tolpuddle will be a great Australian single vineyard.”