Wine marketers and retailers can say what they like about their latest hipster Chardonnay or funky field blend, wine is as much about looking back as it is looking forward.
It embraces contemplation, shared experiences, lasting memories.
Forget critical acclaim and scores out of 100, it’s the human element that makes the wine world go round.
That’s something Tasmania’s close-knit wine fraternity felt all too keenly earlier this year when it suffered the tragic loss of Sinapius Vineyard co-founder Vaughn Dell. Aged just 39 years, the talented vigneron died suddenly from a heart attack at his Pipers Brook home in the early hours of May 26.
Dell left behind his grieving wife Linda Morice and two devastated daughters. Young Esmé and Clementine doted on their adoring father and he doted on them.
Linda and Vaughan at home among the vines.
During the weeks that followed, the Tasmanian wine industry and its complex web of human connections rallied around the family and the quality-driven small business the popular grower and winemaker helped create.
Midyear, a group of selfless individuals combined with Australia’s best-known wine auction house to hold a family fundraiser for Morice and her daughters. Many Tasmanian wine enthusiasts and producers gave generous support by donating highly-prized back vintages and limited-release wines.
As auctioneers engaged to conduct the online event, Langton’s Fine Wines chose to forego their buyer’s premium in order to incubate the family nest egg.
Fellow Tasmanian winemakers Joe Holyman (Stoney Rise) and Peter Dredge (Dr Edge and Meadowbank Wines) assisted Morice with the successful completion of a handful of wild ferments from the 2020 vintage. Then came the re-establishment of winery routines and post-harvest cellar management.
During the winter chill of early August, a small army of volunteer workers descended on Sinapius Vineyard to help tackle the onerous but vital job of pruning somewhere close to 30,000 vines.
Loveliness of Tasmania Pinot Noir. Image supplied.
Recent days added another chapter to this heart-warming story with the launch of the limited edition 2019 Loveliness from Tasmania Pinot Noir ($50).
The wine is the brainchild and vineyard blend of winemaking friends Cynthea Feldheim (Marion’s Vineyard), Rebecca Duffy (Holm Oak) and Fran Austin (Delamere). Their project plans preceded Dell’s death and began in January 2020. Perpetually busy, the talented trio nevertheless met over a glass of wine to consider how they could give something back to their local community.
In less than a year, their collaborative efforts have put a beautifully packaged, small volume Tasmanian Pinot Noir into bottle and made it market ready. All proceeds from its sale are to be donated to the trust account set up to help secure the future of Dell’s young family.
“Vaughn’s death was such a shock,” says Feldheim.
“Such a shock. I loved Vaughn’s vision. He pushed boundaries that no-one else had pushed before in our industry. His loss has been so sad for all of us. Little did we know when our concept was first conceived that the months ahead would bring such turbulent times.”
“Never have we seen a year when kindness and generosity have been more important,” Austin adds.
“It’s lucky that despite all the turmoil we’ve been dealing with we had something already underway that could offer some help, however humble that gesture might be.”
While the main purpose in creating their handcrafted wine was to donate financial support to a community or individual experiencing hardship, the trio believed it was imperative the resulting product should be of exceptional quality, in keeping with their high winemaking standards.
“This wine was made with the same passion and dedication that we apply to making our individual branded wines,” Duffy explains.
“It was fascinating putting it together. We’ve created a wine that truly is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Feldheim says the choice of a suitable brand name came almost instinctively to the wine’s creators.
Loveliness ladybirds – from left – Cynthea, Fran and Rebecca. Image supplied.
“‘Loveliness’ is the collective noun for a group of ladybirds,” she says.
“These humble creatures are highly beneficial in vineyards. Healthy populations are a sign of natural resilience and a balanced ecosystem. It’s the perfect metaphor for what we aim to highlight. Community is the foundation stone of our society. When we work together, we can be a powerful force for good.”
The artwork for the inaugural release was kindly donated by freelance designer Georgie Armstrong. As founder/CEO of Launceston start-up company Gretel Analytics, Armstrong is a highly respected entrepreneur in her own right, using digital technology and data to improve aged care in the state.
Wine labels were donated by Multi-colour Corporation Labels (MCC); wine boxes by Cospak; digital photography by Renee Hodskiss.
The wine is being sold in single bottles and 3-packs ($150 plus shipping) from the Delamere, Holm Oak and Marion’s websites. Better be quick. Barely 31 dozen bottles resulted from the single barrel assemblage – a small and select volume from makers with big ideas and even bigger hearts.
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Tassie wines shine
Good news comes in threes it seems.
Coal River Valley wine producer Tolpuddle Vineyard provided the Tasmanian wine industry with something to celebrate at the end of last week when it announced the company’s 2018 Chardonnay was named Champion White Wine for 2020 at London’s prestigious International Wine Challenge.
In fact, the wine picked up five trophies at an event often regarded by the national wine industry as one of the world’s most rigorous and influential wine competitions. Tolpuddle’s entry won Champion White Wine 2020, the International Chardonnay Trophy, the Australian White Trophy, the Australian Chardonnay Trophy and the Tasmanian Chardonnay Trophy.
Tolpuddle is owned by Adelaide Hills wine producers Shaw + Smith. The company says it is the first time a Tasmanian wine has collected the Champion White Trophy and the first time in seven years the award has gone to an Australian producer.
The wine clearly showed well on the day. The event’s expert judging panel scored the wine 97 points, placing it at the head of a field comprising entries from 53 countries.
Tolpuddle Vineyard. Image supplied.
Earlier this week, Bream Creek Vineyard on Tasmania’s East Coast announced its limited release 2017 Reserve Pinot Noir was awarded three trophies at the 2020 Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show.
The wine was named Best Pinot Noir, Red Wine of Show and Wine of Show at the Sydney competition. The awards bode well for January’s 2021 Tasmanian Wine Show. Judging at both shows is led by accomplished chair of judges, Huon Hooke.
Vineyard founder Fred Peacock noted the same wine had already been awarded 4 trophies and 13 gold medals at previous events in Australia and overseas.
Indeed, Bream Creek’s recent international successes underscore the universal appeal of Tasmania’s cool climate wines.
In late October, Peacock announced Bream Creek’s 2018 Old Vine Riesling had been awarded its seventh gold medal in competitions judged in seven different countries by seven different wine show panels.
Just days ago, Tasmanian sparkling wine producer House of Arras announced it had won the award of Sparkling Wine of the Year at the 2020 Decanter Magazine Awards held in London. The winning wine was the company’s 2004 House of Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged.
Made by fizz wiz Ed Carr, the Chardonnay Pinot Noir blend received a score of 96 points and an Outstanding Classification from the event’s judging panel.
Since the company’s establishment in 1998, House of Arras has become something of a local hero, winning more than 96 trophies and 246 gold medals in competition. Its impressive portfolio is focused entirely on premium Tasmanian sparkling wine.
Fizz wiz, Ed Carr. Image courtesy DL Photography.
Hobart’s Mark Smith wrote his first weekly wine column back in 1994. Now more than 1700 features and 25 years later, he continues to chart the successes of Tasmania’s small scale, cool climate wine industry with regular contributions to some of Australia’s leading industry publications.
PICK OF THE CROP
Mark gives you his honest opinions about the best wines available right now from Tasmania’s wine makers.
2018 Spring Vale Salute Sparkling $45
One of the east coast’s strengths is the production of rich, well-structured sparkling wines capable of further cellar ageing on release. This recently disgorged blend from the Lyne family meets that brief, delivering a nice subtle mix of red and white fruits on pouring. Significant changes to its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier makeup have seen greater emphasis being given to the latter, more elegant varieties than in the past. That’s resulted in additional finesse and length of flavour without detracting from the wine’s smooth, round texture. Match it to local seafood and enjoy. www.springvalewines.com
2019 Devil’s Corner Resolution Riesling $34
This single vineyard wine is sourced from the Brown Family Wine Group’s Hazards development near Bicheno on Tasmania’s east coast. The site basks in abundant seasonal sunshine, ensuring late ripening varieties like Riesling provide top-notch fruit for winemaking. This 2019 wine is a delicious drop with plenty of zesty preserved lemon flavour followed by a long satisfying finish that has a slight savoury twist. As Tasmanian Rieslings go, it’s unusually generous, with a hint of bottle age for good measure. A bottle in the picnic basket will be well received whenever the occasion arises. www.devilscorner.com.au
2020 Stoney Rise No Clothes Pinot Noir $32
Read the words ‘natural wine’ on a label and you rarely know what you’re committing yourself to drinking. You can throw caution to the wind should you come across one of Joe Holyman’s No Clothes labels. These preservative-free wines are a joy to behold – chockful of bright fruit that’s ready for immediate enjoyment. The 2020 Pinot Noir is especially impressive in delivering ripe raspberry and red cherry flavours with really pleasing mouthfeel in spite of the wine’s 11.5 percent alcohol. A light chill à la Beaujolais Nouveau will suit it down to the ground over summer. www.stoneyrise.com
2018 New Certan Pinot Noir $95
Pinot Noir in the suburbs? That was the response from Paul de Moor’s neighbours when he chose to develop a vine improvement program on his Mount Pleasant property overlooking Launceston 15 years ago. Fear not. It was a stroke of genius from the Kreglinger CEO. This dazzling Pinot Noir made by Jim Chatto provides ample proof. It is a wonderfully expressive wine in aroma, flavour and texture, so deliciously vibrant you can enjoy it now, so enticing in its promise of future pleasures that you can keep it a decade. Fragrant, juicy, savoury; it’s a Christmas gift. www.kreglingerwineestates.com
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