Tolpuddle Vineyard

The term, Tolpuddle Martyrs, was used to refer to the convicts from England, who were sent to Tasmania. The Tolpuddle Vineyard, established in 1988, was named based on this reference. It was the leader of these martyrs, George Loveless, who set up this vineyard near Richmond in the year 1988 and named it Tolpuddle Vineyard. Located quite close to the Black Tea Tree Road, this vineyard was famous for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir plantations.

In 2011, Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith purchased the Tolpuddle Vineyard. Since then, they have been working very hard to make this one of Australia’s best single vineyards ever. The vineyards are located towards the southeast of Tasmania, in Coal River Valley. Here, the climate is quite cool and dry, which helps in gradual ripening of the grapes. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are grown on 237 hectares under vine here.

The grapes grown here are highly balanced and naturally rich in intensity. This is because of the slight silica content on sandstone soils that are found on the slopes of the vineyards. Shaw and Smith worked hard to improve the quality of the vines and the terroir quality of the vineyards. Their hard work paid off when the Tolpuddle Vineyard was bestowed with the Tasmanian Vineyard of the Year award in 2006.

Minimal intervention is followed in the vineyards here and the winemaking practises are also as natural as possible. Working towards 100% commitment to the vineyard to improve the quality of the wines, making the best use of the soil & climatic conditions of that particular terroir and using of hands more than machines are some of the techniques followed at the vineyards to allow the grapes express their true character, flavour, balance and intensity. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grow here are unique and way more flavourful than the ones grown in most other parts of Australia.

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