Apsley Gorge

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 results at Apsley Gorge are wines, and especially Pinot Noirs, that brilliantly express spirit of place, a Tasmanian terroir through Burgundian technique – richly flavoured, complex Pinot Noirs, with soft tannins, that are an ode to the splendours of late autumn fruit.’ Konrad Muller, A Burgundian odyssey, Decanter, February 2019.

2024 Chardonnay - due December 2025
From just 1 ha of fully mature vines the total wine produced is often little more than about 100 dozen bottles. 2024 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 carrying a fresh balanced 13.8% alc. 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.

‘Today, Franklin looks less maverick than seer, as Burgundian methods have become more frequently applied to Pinot Noir in Australia. Critical acclaim has also come, and Apsley’s cult wines sit comfortably in the premium price range for Australian Pinot Noir (on a par with Burgundy premier cru).’ Konrad Muller, A Burgundian odyssey, Decanter, February 2019.

2023 Pinot Noir
2023 was a challenging year. The pinot fruit achieved good phenolic ripeness while hiding the berry characteristics under some very firm tannins. We pushed it through a very long cold soak to express more varietal fruit. The wine is initially closed, with some funky notes , and then opens up to show complex pinot character. This wine will fully reveal itself once decanted.
Brian Franklin (owner/winemaker)

2022 Pinot Noir + magnums
The 2022 Pinot is reminiscent of the 2013 Pinot.  A very intense yet fine wine, it is a product of the cooler more typical Tasmanian vintage, with a long slow ripening. The nose shows rich, dark fruit with some cigar box and sous bois character. On tasting you immediately sense the mouth filling texture with that ethereal pinot fruit that goes on and on. As always decanting is recommended.
The colour is similar to the 2021 belying a mysterious intensity of nose and palate . This is a fruit driven wine on the nose but with that underlying Apsley Gorge complexity from the indigenous yeast. There is mouth filling richness from the purity of the pinot fruit with the texture of the subtle tannins ,that continues into that classic long finish.
Brian Franklin (owner/winemaker)