Product Description
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Small Wonder, Landscape, Pinot Noir, 2023, Tamar Valley, Tasmania, Australia
Producer Profile
Overstory, the owners of SMALL WONDER, is an Australian company proud to own vineyards in both Margaret River, Western Australia, and the Tamar Valley in Tasmania.
These very different locations offer the opportunity to craft wines with distinct profiles according to the unique terroir of each region. Tasmania is a classically cool climate area, producing wines of fresh acidity, elegance and restraint.
41 degrees South and 50 metres above sea level, on the Western Ridge of the Tamar Valley is where you’ll find Small Wonder. Their 20 hectares of vines were planted in 1998, nestled within native bushland and feeling the influence of both the Tamar River, as well as the cooling winds which whip off the Bass Strait, to the north. This allows their wines to show freshness, detail and vivacity, expressing the remarkable characteristics of Tasmania and importantly – their small place within it.
The estate has already seen a few challenges as they traverse the landscape of this vision and know there will be more hurdles to come. This is just a reminder that the journey is only just beginning.
The Landscape wines are a celebration of Tasmania and its many wonders.
Slightly surreal in nature, each label depicts a different Tasmanian landscape, celebrated in unique ways by the archive characters. Their varied interactions with the land express how each of us enjoys the land in our own way, and how valuable and inherent that connection is.
Viticulture
This Pinot Noir is a combination of Pommard, 114/115, and D5V12 clones from two soil types. The 114 and 115 clones are planted at higher elevation, but on a steeper slope, which promotes early ripening. The combination of cane pruning, detailed shoot thinning, and light leaf removal with these soil types, helps to enhance the natural elegance of this wine.
The Pommard blocks are at lower elevations and on more gentle slopes. Pommard is naturally a little later to ripen. More leaves are removed in these blocks, which plays into Pommard’s strength of colour and tannin density. The added canopy management also helps ensure that the fruit ripens evenly and has greater resilience to Autumn rains. Pinot blocks were hand-harvested over a 1-week period beginning in mid-March.
Winemaking
Warm and dry conditions over the 2024 growing season led to an early and compact vintage for Pinot Noir. The grapes were harvested over a short 2-week period in mid-March, then chilled overnight and sorted into 4-tonne open-top tanks for fermentation.
The must underwent a 3-day cold soak to bleed colour and supple tannin from the skins, before being warmed and inoculated with yeast. The wines were handled gently throughout fermentation, and drained and pressed after 14 days on skins. Malolactic fermentation was carried out in oak and after maturation for 10 months, the final blend was assembled and bottled.
Tasting Note
Delicately red fruited. Fine boned with grace and texture then slimming out with a sense of tension (tang) which adds a dimension of seriousness and charm. Gentle, lithe and energetic.
Goes well with
Pairs well with dishes featuring duck, pork, mushrooms, salmon, and earthy vegetables like roasted beets. Its versatility also extends to creamy dishes such as mushroom risotto or richer poultry like roast chicken.
Cellaring
3 – 5 years with careful cellaring.
Don’t take our word for it
“Gorgeously fruited and finely scented, the inviting bouquet shows dark plum, cherry, violet, dried herb, and mixed spice aromas. The palate displays excellent weight and silky flow, wonderfully framed by fleshy texture and finely infused tannins, making it structured and harmonious with a sustained, satisfying finish. At its best: now to 2034.” – 95 POINTS – Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
Features
Varieties: Pinot Noir 100%
Colour: Red
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: Tasmania, Australia
Region: Tamar Valley
Vintage: 2023
