2015 Vintage Brut

Winemaker

Frieda Henskens

Grapes

70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir

GI

Tasmania

Site(s)

multi-regional blend, primarily Huon Valley and Tasman Peninsula.

Vintage notes

A much sought after vintage, with high quality fruit and moderate yield. Rainfall throughout the Spring and Summer months supported lush vegetative growth especially in the South well into the new year. Inclement weather in the south around flowering and fruit set reduced yields without dampening the quality of fruit which, as this wine attests showed excellent varietal characteristics and great flavours.

Vineyard notes

All fruit was sourced from mature vines from vineyards established in the 1970’s and 1990s. Both then family-owned and painstakingly tended by hand. The Huon Valley vineyard benefits from well-drained sandy loam soils overlooking the Huon River. The Tasman Peninsula vineyard has a Northerly aspect and is planted on red sandy and clayey soils with stony inclusions.

Winemaking

All fruit was hand-picked. Each individual parcel (two of Chardonnay, one of Pinot Noir) was gently pressed as whole bunches. Juices then cold-settled and carefully racked prior to fermentation in stainless steel. One of the chardonnay parcels underwent partial malolactic fermentation in old, small format barrels prior to blending.

Use of reserve wines: The initial blend contained 2% of barrel-aged (barrique and hogshead) reserve wines, drawn mostly from 2011.  At disgorging, the liqueur d’expedition included a tiny proportion (1.5%) of wine from the 2022 vintage.

Seven years on lees, disgorged 30 September 2022 and almost two years under cork prior to release, 3 g/L dosage, TA 8.55 g/L.

Closure: Natural cork (Amorim Spark)

ABV: 12.4%

Production size: 1830 individually numbered bottles.

Accolades

Gold medal - 2024 Tasmanian Wine Show