Lost Farm Tasmania Pinot Noir 2023

"Bright ruby with aromas of wild strawberries, red plum and raspberries. Hints of spiced morello cherries, berry flan, wood spice, undergrowth, ginger tea, Chinese barbecue meats and pressed flowers. Purely fruited with a sweep of sour cherry, powdery tannins and an appley acidity promoting cadence... 93pts" Dave Brooks, The Halliday Wine Companion. Fifth-generation South Australian winemaker and grape grower Richard Angove fell in love with the Tamar Valley while working vintage in '08, but it took him a decade to realise his ambition to work with a small group of growers to produce wines in the region. Pinot Noir lovers will be very glad he did.
Angove’s Lost Farm label marked both a new frontier for the South Australian family business, moving into Tasmanian wine for the first time, but its name was also a significant nod to history. Half a century ago, the South Australian government compulsorily acquired prime viticultural land, including Angove’s first vineyard, in order to build a new suburb of Adelaide. Richard’s grandfather fought it all the way, but unsuccessfully. Richard Angove explains: “The story is that my grandfather came back from the Supreme Court afterwards and he went down to the warehouse and was just kicking the dirt around. He said to the guys, ‘Well, looks like we're finished here.’ “And we were. Some of those vineyards to the northeast of Adelaide were great growing country. Penfolds had beautiful vineyards, some of the original Penfold Granges from the 1950s had fruit sourced from those from vineyards. “And now it's a beautiful suburb of Adelaide!” He continues. “I worked in Tasmania in 2008 and had seen the beauty of the Tamar Valley vineyards and the wines that they can produce. Fast forward 10 years and I had the opportunity to get my hands on a couple of small parcels of fruit. With everything there comes opportunity and I wouldn't have the opportunities that I've had without a long-term history of the family being in the wine industry. “There’s always a nod to the previous generations that have invested so much of their time and energy, to give us the opportunity to make the best tasting wines that we can every vintage.”