2024 Chardonnay.

18 years ago we pulled out a hectare of chardonnay.  Do you remember ABC (anything but chardonnay)?  We have since planted a hectare. The vines now have some age and are cropping at a reasonable level. The 2024 wines are showing their character enhanced by the fruit from the older vines, some now  35 years old. 

This wine is not fined or filtered and is showing a warm golden colour.

The nose, rich and satisfying as befitting the Queen of wines. There is malo in this wine but it is a background component and adds to the richness without dominating.  Pure chardonnay fruit is what this wine is about.

The palate is rich, with focus and tension.  Also there is a  minerality not normally seen in Apsley Gorge.

Why did we pull out chardonnay? This wine is a cracker!  

 

2023 Pinot Noir.

2023 was a challenging year. The pinot fruit achieved good phenolic ripeness while hiding the berry characteristics under some very firm tannins. We pushed it through a very long cold soak to express more varietal fruit.

The wine is initially closed, with some funky notes , and then opens up to show complex pinot character. This wine will fully reveal itself once decanted.

 

2024 Pinot Noir.

On pouring the first thing you notice is the colour. A deep ruby red, full of promise. This wine is not fined or filtered, yet it  is bright and crystal clear.

The nose, mysterious and deep with underlying ripe pinot fruit. No bracken or green character here.

The palate has a textured entry, mouth filling and rich.  The long, persistant  finish has just enough acid to really make this wine sing. Sit back and enjoy the performance. 

 

2022 Pinot Noir Magnums.

The colour is similar to the 2021 belying a mysterious intensity of nose and palate . This is a fruit driven wine on the nose but with that underlying Apsley Gorge complexity from the indigenous yeast.

There is mouth filling richness from the purity of the pinot fruit with the texture of the subtle tannins ,that continues into that classic long finish.

 

2024 Pinot Noir Magnums.

(See 2024 Pinot wine notes above).

 

Wine notes compiled by winemaker Brian Franklin.

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