Description
Helmut Konecsny, the owner of Rochford Wines, has purchased Toolangi Vineyards and has immediately started ringing in the changes. Of course, it’s early days, but from what we have seen so far, the future for Toolangi now looks very, very bright. Apart from the new packaging, Konecsny and his team seem very serious about rejuvenating and upgrading the work in the vines. This was, after all, one of the few Yarra producers to engage the services of renowned soil scientist Claude Bourguignon on his recent visit to Australia, and the Toolangi vineyard was one of the sites he analysed. In terms of winemaking, Toolangi will now control its own destiny with the talented duo of Kaspar Hermann (stints at Seville Estate, Viticoltori De Concillis in Campania, Coldstream Hills, Punch and 8 years as assistant winemaker at Mount Mary before joining Toolangi) and Kelly Healey (started his wine career in Otago in his homeland of New Zealand then Chandon in the Yarra Valley and Moet & Chandon in India, followed by a spell at Kilchurn in Macedon). Crucial to the Toolangi team is experienced viticulturist, John Evans (previously Chief Viticulturist at Yering Station for 14 years, Vineyard Manager at Yarra Ridge and worked at De Bortoli, as well as various Vineyard Consulting roles including the setup and redevelopment of Toolangi Vineyard in 2001, which he has continued to this day.) Safe to say, John knows the Yarra like the back of his hand and exactly how to get the best from the Toolangi vineyard.
There are now only two tiers of wine—the Toolangi and Paul’s Lane labels.
Kaspar Hermann has now been at the Toolangi helm for six years. Under Hermann’s site-first approach—allowing the place and vintage to dictate the result rather than forcing a particular style—the true character and quality of Toolangi’s vineyard are starting to reveal themselves.
At Toolangi, 2023 was another in a string of low-yielding vintages. Thankfully, the lack in quantity was more than recouped in quality, and the wines are marked by vibrancy, pure flavours and textural finesse. Drawn from 20+-year-old vines, the estate Pinot Noir was handpicked over two days in the third week of March. The fruit was partially destemmed and fermented as whole berries, with a small portion of whole bunches included (10%). After 14 days, the wine was pressed to oak (10% new) for nine months’ maturation.
We don’t need to tell you about Kaspar Hermann’s serious winemaking chops. And we really don’t need to tell you how much bang for your buck you get from this diligently farmed single-vineyard bottling. This release says it all.
From the winemaker about this wine: “2023 was a vintage where a wet spring provided challenges, yet through hard work and perseverance we enjoyed a mild and kind harvest period that has produced wines of vibrancy and finesse. A super vibrant expression of Toolangi Pinot in 2023. There’s rich red fruits of raspberry and red cherry, spice and florals coming from the whole bunch ferments, and an undercurrent of earthy Toolangi character. The palate flows with spiced red berry fruits, gentle sappy tannins and finishes with stony mineral notes.”
91 points, Philip Rich, The Wine Companion “All estate fruit with a small portion of whole bunches (5%) and 10 months in French puncheons and barriques (5% new). A very bright crimson. Leaps out of the glass with its aromas of strawberries, cranberries, blackcurrant pastilles and some spice. Juicy-fruited, quaffable and still attractively priced.”
91 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front“Juicy raspberry and cherry a bit of spice, a little floral too. It’s medium-bodied, bright red fruit flavour, the stony feel of the tannin is maybe unexpected, but altogether pleasing, and while it’s maybe ever so slightly breathy, it does deliver plenty of gently sappy Pinot satisfaction, along with solid length.”
RRP $36 *Our Price $32.99*
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