Avance Tasmania Pinot Noir 2011

Pinot noir and riesling vines are especially well suited to the cool-climate of Tasmania, where the long growing season affords their grapes the true varietal characters. GDF wines are made by Nick at the Frogmore Creek winery in Cambridge, in the Coal Valley, where he is also a winemaker with Alain Rousseau. Each parcel of grapes is treated as an individual batch throughout its winemaking, using a wide range of techniques.

The slow rate of ripening pinot noir in Tasmania gives the seed and stalk tannins more time to mature on the vine. It’s these fine tannins in the finished wine structure that set Tasmanian pinot apart from other Australian wine regions. Along with incorporating stalks with some pinot ferments Nick also applies the techniques of co-fermentation (with pinot gris), carbonic maceration, cold soaking and post-ferment maceration. These techniques each impart their own unique flavour and texture, creating a layering effect to the final blend. GDF pinots are matured in French oak barriques sourced from coopers based in Burgundy and Cognac.