{"product_id":"apsley-gorge-chardonnay-2025","title":"Apsley Gorge Chardonnay 2025","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Chardonnay\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry, Region:\u003c\/strong\u003e Australia, Tasmania, East Coast\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom just 1 ha of fully mature vines the total wine produced is often little more than about 100 dozen bottles. In 2025 this has been augmented with some fruit locally from a mature vineyard which Brian knows well. 2025 was a warmer more generous year for the east coast of Tasmania and the wine shows finesse and acidity together with its trademark generosity and richness and immediate pleasure to the benefit of the finished wine. Rich bright and intense with wonderful texture and depth this will drink well young and also age gracefully for 5-10 years if given time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Body\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(117, 37, 117);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e'18 years ago we pulled out a hectare of chardonnay.  Do you remember ABC (anything but chardonnay)?  We have since planted a hectare. The vines now have some age and are cropping at a reasonable level. The 2025 wines are showing their character enhanced by the fruit from the older vines, some now  35 years old. This wine is not fined or filtered and is showing a warm golden colour. The nose, rich and satisfying as befitting the Queen of wines. There is malo in this wine but it is a background component and adds to the richness without dominating.  Pure chardonnay fruit is what this wine is about. The palate is rich, with focus and tension.  Also there is a  minerality not normally seen in Apsley Gorge. Why did we pull out chardonnay? This wine is a cracker!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e' \u003cstrong\u003eBrian Franklin, Owner \u0026amp; Winemaker.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"151\" width=\"201\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0115\/8329\/1492\/files\/apsley-gorge.jpg?v=1756799825\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablished in 1988 this tiny vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir (5.5 hectares) and Chardonnay (1 hectare) and is located several kilometres inland from the coast near the entrance to the Apsley Gorge national Park north-west of Bicheno. The vineyards unique situation near the entry to the gorge brings breezes in the afternoon which have a distinct cooling effect which means this vineyard is typically one of the last to harvest in Tasmania with harvest usually being around the first week of May. This micro-climate is unique for the east coast.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSince 1999 winemaking has been undertaken by owner Brian Franklin who also does vintage each year in Burgundy with Philippe Charlopin (himself mentored by his friend Henri Jayer) in Gevrey Chambertin, and is helped here in Tasmania by young French winemakers including Philippe Charlopin’s son Yann. Including vintages undertaken in France Brian now has almost 40 vintages of wine-making experience in both France and Australia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlways aiming for full phenolic ripeness the style of wines produced are rich and intense wines characterised by fully ripe fruit made using Burgundian know-how with texture and finesse and excellent natural acidity, without excessive extraction or heaviness. Produced very naturally with only a small percentage of new oak (maximum 30%) each year these are very individual wines of great class and structure that drink very well when young yet also age and evolve over a decade or more for the Pinot Noir.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Buzz Wines","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48399669788922,"sku":"AGV25CHARD","price":65.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0115\/8329\/1492\/files\/Apsley_Gorge_Chardonnay_2024.jpg?v=1757566974","url":"https:\/\/buzzwines.com\/products\/apsley-gorge-chardonnay-2025","provider":"Buzz Wines","version":"1.0","type":"link"}