Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023
Coal River Valley, Tasmania, Australia 🇦🇺

Overview
A thrilling first encounter with Tasmanian Pinot Noir, vivid, ultra-fresh, and beautifully lifted. This cool-climate expression leans into precision and energy rather than weight, delivering juicy purity without drifting into jamminess. Lightly chilled, it absolutely sang in the glass, showing how Tasmania is quietly carving out a serious identity for elegant, high-definition Pinot Noir.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright dark cherry, cola spice, and fresh red-black berry fruit lead the aromatics, layered with subtle floral lift and a hint of forest freshness. On the palate, juicy cherry, cranberry skin, and gentle baking spice glide effortlessly, keeping everything lively, transparent, and beautifully balanced without heaviness.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and silky, flowing texture. Energetic, refreshing, and wonderfully agile, the wine literally dances across the palate, especially when served slightly chilled.

Food Pairings
Roast chicken or duck with herbs. Grilled salmon or tuna. Mushroom risotto or lentil dishes. Charcuterie boards with soft cheeses. Asian-inspired dishes with light soy or ginger notes.

Verdict
A joyful, eye-opening Pinot Noir that delivers freshness, precision, and pure drinkability. Not jammy, not heavy, just beautifully expressive cool-climate Pinot with real personality. A reminder that Tasmania deserves serious attention on the global Pinot stage.

Did You Know?
Coal River Valley is one of Tasmania’s coolest and driest wine regions, benefiting from long daylight hours, cool nights, and maritime influence, ideal conditions for preserving acidity, aromatics, and finesse in Pinot Noir. Commercial vineyard plantings here only began in the late 1980s, making it a young but rapidly rising region.

🍷 Personal Pick
This was pure discovery joy for me, lightly chilled, insanely fresh, and dangerously easy to love. Exactly the kind of wine that makes you rethink what Pinot can be outside the usual Burgundy and Oregon lanes. — 2 months ago

David White

9.4

What can I add - just read @Bob McDonalds notes
Excellent Tasmanian Pinot — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Mid crimson in colour - almost transparent. Red fruited with typical Huon Valley perfume - earthy, Sous Bois, mushroom - sweet and savoury characters on the palate. Finely textured (Chairman’s Trophy - 2020 Tasmanian Wine Show). There is a Reserve Cuvée which is richer still. Had another bottle 63 weeks later on 1st August 2024 with similar notes. Always rich and delicious. I can see why it won the Chairmans Trophy in Tasmania. Had another bottle on 21st June 2025 with similar notes. Luscious, mouth filling and delicious. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Top flight Tasmanian Chardonnay from Tolpuddle in the Coal River made and owned by Shaw and Smith. A logistical challenge shipping the grapes from Tasmania to the Adelaide Hills in refrigerated containers to Shaw and Smith HQ where the grapes are crushed and vinified. Initially the wine is lean when tasting - perhaps a little young. Lemon and grapefruit fruit notes and barrel ferment characters with a 10 year life ahead. My first of 3. The next in 3 to 5 years by which time I expect more stone fruit textures to be apparent. 98 points from Huon Hooke. — 5 months ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.4

Consistently exceptional
You truly need a bottle of this wine at reach always.
Easy drinking, but also deep
This is telling me that Tasmanian Pinot can definitely be considered super seriously at a world level. They have set a style and the bar is quite high. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Very identifiable as Tasmanian Pinot - this one from the Coal River and the high performing Pooley Wines. Last tasting note here was way back 153 weeks ago. Red fruited - drinking this early in its drinking window. Light to medium weight - lovely Tassie purity. Fine tannins. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Pale crimson in colour - nearly transparent. Has that luscious mouthfeel typical of many Tasmanian Pinot. Great palate intensity. Cherry with some stemmy herbal notes. One of those wines where the pale colour doesn’t prepare you for the profound palate intensity. Only 20% whole bunches in the ferment which shows sensitive intuitive winemaking. Winner of the Trophy for the best Pinot Noir at Royal Adelaide and also at Royal Hobart Wine Shows. Incredible value for such a highly awarded wine: 6 bottles @ $39.95 each. Luckily I have 3 bottles left. Plan to have one each year - 2027, 2028 and 2029. I didn’t see this note and had another bottle 14 weeks later on 25th November 2025. This Pinot is a class act. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

My 2nd last 2018 Pooley Pinot Noir. Pale Ruby in colour, tawny shades almost transparent. The colour appears to have become paler with age - a characteristic I haven’t seen before. On the palate evidence of whole bunch in the ferment - herbal, stalky amid the red fruits. The pale colour belies the palate intensity. Coal River is becoming part of Tasmanian Pinot Royalty. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

See 2 previous notes from 2019 and 2022. Rich red and black fruits with Raspberry Strawberry Red Cherry and Black Cherry. A cool tasting Pinot (temperature). Barely medium weight but with great palate intensity. The remaining few will still be kicking in 3 plus years but as I said in the earlier notes the wow factor was there when it was young and I tried it at the Tasmanian Pinot Extravaganza in Launceston approximately 5 years ago. I had the last one 2 years later on 23rd August 2025. Gorgeous aromatics and palate. Still a gold medal wine around 96 or 97 points. — 3 years ago

Gabby

9.7

Burnt ends - what a fucking cool Tasmanian Chardonnay! Super mineral and fruity. Kind of too oaky at first but it mellowed and it was beautiful. The sommelier told me it was close to a Chablis premier cru because the soil is mostly@limestone. — 3 years ago