Catching up with Michael Hill-Smith MW: Shaw & Smith 2012 whites & an update on Tasmania’s Tolpuddle venture

I caught up with Shaw & Smith’s Michael Hill-Smith MW last week who, understandably, was keen to show off his 2012 vintage releases (and tell me that he has just recruited talented young gun Adam Wadewitz, ex-Seppelt Great Western and Bests).

As Hill-Smith puts it, 2012 has “the wow factor” – no exaggeration based on what I’ve tasted so far (click here and here for earlier reports) and check out my notes below on Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2012 and M3 Chardonnay.  Incidentally, the yet to be released reds (Shiraz & Pinot Noir) are the first to have been partially fermented with stems (15-20% maximum) – savoury balance for the sweet fruit.

But what of 2013, given Tasmania’s bush fires and the mainland’s heatwaves?  Though Hill-Smith says, as a precautionary measure, they’re looking at smoke taint research, he was extremely upbeat about Tasmanian venture, Tolpuddle, which he and his cousin Martin Shaw bought in 2011.  Pointing to the show success of Tasmania’s Coldstream Hills Limited Release Roslyn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 and Bay of Fires Pinot Noir 2009, he believes that Tasmania’s time has come.

Ironically, (as I remind him) their success cuts across Hill-Smith’s observation at the 2010 Landmark Tutorial that “none of the great Pinots come from large companies.”  While he reckons that has been the case on the mainland, conversely in Tasmania, he reckons “it’s the big guys [from the mainland] who have understood fruit quality.”

At any rate, Hill-Smith is a little misty-eyed when he talks about the 20ha Tolpuddle vineyard, which he describes as “having a Burgundian single estate feel, with its lovely even slope.”  The Coal River Valley site was planted 50:50 to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in 1988 with a good clonal mix (though the sparkling Pinot Noir clone has already been grafted over) and “has got form,” he says.  (Fruit was sold to Hardys (Eileen Hardy), Arras, Bay of Fires and Heemskerk).

Though he admits “the easy route would have been a Shaw & Smith line extension,” the first Tolpuddle wines will be released this September/October under the Tolpuddle (not Shaw & Smith) label.  Referring to the much higher acidity/acid tension of the Tolpuddle Chardonnays which see 100% malolactic (versus 20-30% for Adelaide Hills), he explains, “we’ve bought heavily into regionality – Shaw & Smith is all about Adelaide Hills, Tolpuddle is all about Tasmania.”   Where the Tasmanian Pinot Noir is older than its Adelaide Hills’ counterpart, it’s harder to call the regional differences yet, though Hill-Smith says the older Tolpuddle vines produce wines of greater intensity.

The 2012 Chardonnay was pressed at Bay of Fires, then fermented in Adelaide Hills (a 36 hour journey away).  Anxious about when best to move the more sensitive Pinot Noir, it was fermented at Bay of Fires and moved in barrel post-malolactic fermentation, when it was “full of CO2 and on gross lees.” Down the track, there are plans to build a vintage cellar on site with the intention that the wines only do elevage in Adelaide Hills.

Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (Adelaide Hills)

Hill-Smith says “we can’t make enough” of this wine.  It’s primarily sourced from three vineyards – in Lenswood (where Shaw & Smith have just bought a new 20 year old vineyard), Woodside and Balhannah.  The higher, cooler Piccadilly too “if we can get it” and, in general, there’s less reliance on fruit from the Hill’s warmer regions, like Kuitpo down towards McLaren Vale.  In this tip top vintage, though rich and textural, it’s a lively, bright, aromatic wine with layers of crunchy green apple, pea pod, passionfruit and kaffir lime and a crisp finish.  Good intensity without histrionics! (12.5%)

Shaw & Smith M3 Chardonnay 2012 (Adelaide Hills)

Pale with green glints, this just bottled Chardonnay is very taut and fine, with a smoky flinty edge to its classic Hills’ white peach, a firm citric backbone too.  Great intensity of flavour without the weightiness of warmer years.  Terrific, with impressive line, length and youthful restraint.