The Wine
The vineyard is situated nearly 10 kilometres inland from the coast, adjacent to the Douglas Apsley National Park just north of Bicheno. Cool air flows down from the hills along the Apsley River, which borders the western side of the property. In warmer vintages, this airflow helps keep nights fresh, allowing later harvesting as Brian aims for full phenolic ripeness before picking.
The 2025 vintage was harvested in late April. After a cold soak and primary fermentation, the wine matured for 14 months in French oak barrels at 12 degrees C, completing malolactic fermentation naturally last summer. The nose reveals pure Pinot fruit and complexity from the natural yeast, which will continue to develop in bottle, delivering the signature AGV character.
On the palate, the wine exhibits the elegance and sophistication typically associated with Cru Burgundy, with clear, persistent fruit and textured tannins. It offers an intriguing richness in mouthfeel and a refined, lingering finish.
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The Details
Variety - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Tasmania
Sub Region - Bicheno
Extra - Screw Cap
Year - 2024
Volume - 750ml
Established 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. Since 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.
Always 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. The single-minded Brian Franklin at Apsley Gorge has rendered himself half Burgundian with annual work immersion in Gevrey, and his courageously restrained winemaking combined with a warm, dry East Coast site results in Pinot of unusual breadth but great subtlety and allusiveness too. Andrew Jefford
