About
"Prior to winegrowing, we were both marine scientists, specialising in phycology (the study of marine plants). In our PhD studies (at different universities), we studied the biodiversity of different seaweed groups and how they are related. It was super fun and the discovery and naming of new species a big highlight, as well as the top notch collaborators we each worked with. A love of wine, food and growing things eventually drew us away from academic life. The Gentle Folk story began in 2012 after spending a lot of our free time in Basket Range helping and hanging out with James Erskine (Jauma), Alex Schulkin (The Other Right) and other early pioneers of the Basket Range wine movement. Our winemaking journey started with just three barrels of wine in 2013 from the Broderick's Basket Range Vineyard, and a dream. Over the years we have been lucky enough to travel parts of the world learning about winemaking and growing, have acquired a lot more vineyard area as well as built relationships with some amazing growers in the Adelaide Hills. We currently produce between six and seven thousand cases annually, employ five lovely humans and farm eight hectares of vines. A kid (Leonard) appeared somewhere in the middle! We hope you have an opportunity to try and enjoy our wines no matter where on earth you find yourself." - Gareth & Rainbo Belton - Owners, Growers and Winemakers
2021 Gentle Folk Single Vineyard Release
"We have six new wines to release from 2021, the coldest and latest vintage we have experienced in our part of the world. It was a mild summer after a very wet winter and spring, with the Chardonnay being picked in the second and third weeks of March and Pinot noir in the last week of March/early April. We were also incredibly lucky to secure a lease on the Monomeith vineyard in Ashton for 2021, a vineyard we consider one of the greatest Pinot noir sites in the state.
The cool and slow ripening in 2021 resulted in wines of finesse and poise. They are as pure of an expression of the sites we have made to date." - Gentle Folk: Gareth, Rainbo, Leonard & Poppy.
Ashton Chardonnay 2021
Our fourth release from this little patch of goodness where the aspect and deep clay soils result in a wine with boldness and spiciness. There's texture, beautiful stone fruit characters and a punching acid line from the long, cool 2021 season.
Vineyard: Ric's, Ashton
Planted: 1996
Clones: I10v1
Elevation: 500m
Aspect: North facing.
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist and quartz rubble.
Farming: Organic.
Vinification: Whole bunches crushed and pressed to tank for settling overnight before racking off solids to barrel. The wine spent eleven months in French and Austrian oak, 20% new. Bottled under natural cork, sealed with wax.
Alc 12.9% pH 3.41 TA 5.5 g/L
Production 120 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 11 June 2022
"Gentle Folk doing parish wines from Adelaide Hills. Taking things very seriously. From party, pop and pour wines to a significant player in the Adelaide Hills, my, how far they have come. And the best humans.
This one is slick and concentrated in a way, but doesn’t forget refreshment factor and a coolness. Lots of nectarine, a good lick of creamy almond character, indeed, Parisian almonds here through the finish and a mealy, cereal note finishes things. Slides along with authority and finesse, even, long, refined and delicious. Lots of detail but you barely notice for the drinkability. Oh, lovely."
94 Points
Piccadilly Chardonnay 2021
Chardonnay from the heart of Piccadilly where the wines are renowned for their power and flair. Lemon citrus, struck match, ripe fruit and impressive acid.
A complete package!
Vineyard: Udy’s Road, Piccadilly
Planted: 1983
Clones: I10v1
Elevation: 520m
Aspect: West facing
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist and quartz rock.
Farming: Organic.
Vinification: Whole bunches crushed and pressed to tank for settling overnight before racking off solids to barrel. The wine spent eleven months in French and Austrian oak, 20% new. Bottled under natural cork, sealed with wax.
Alc 13.2% pH 3.35 TA 6.1 g/L
Production 165 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 11 June 2022
"The internet tells me ‘the name ‘Piccadilly’ originates from a seventeenth-century frilled collar named a piccadil’, I didn’t know that, but was interested and here we go. I imagine Gareth Belton, vigneron of Gentle Folk, has a couple of frilled collars in his wardrobe. He would suit them no doubt.
This clatters around with creamy softness and a brightness of acidity. It feels not quite in synch, but all the parts are yummy and moreish, stone fruits and porridge savouriness, cinnamon spice, a bit of honeycomb (the wine finishes as such, you know, that bitter sweetness of proper honey) and there’s nuttiness in there too. Lots going on, is the deal. Sweetness of fruit, or ripeness, whatever, feels a motif here. Generosity for some, for me, a faintest bit overt, but pleasing nonetheless. Lots to like."
92+ Points
Scary Gully Chardonnay 2021
Grown on shallow rocky soils high up in Forest Range, this release - a welcomed return to the fold - has a fine boned line and is all about minerality and hints of lime and white peach from a much colder season in 2021.
Vineyard: Scary Gully, Forest Range
Planted: 1984
Clones: I10v1, Entav84
Elevation: 620m
Aspect: South-east and south-west facing
Soils: Quartz rubble over siltstone, sandstone and clay
Farming: Organic
Vinification: Whole bunches crushed and pressed to tank for settling overnight before racking off solids to barrel. The wine spent eleven months in French and Austrian oak, 20% new. Bottled under natural cork, sealed with wax
Alc 12.7% pH 3.34 TA 6.0 g/L
Production 145 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 11 June 2022
"Out of a lot of the colour and joy in the Basket Range, Adelaide Hills, perhaps one of the most concerted and considered projects is Gentle Folk. Farming hard, and organic, careful winemaking, a lot of hand wringing and a yen for staying mostly out of the spotlight, Gareth Belton and family are making increasingly very serious wines. The new releases of single vineyard chardonnay and pin0ts are case in point. Here’s the ‘home vineyard’ expression of chardy.
It’s a ripper. I tasted with a good friend and I said ‘shades of Sorrenberg’ after initially saying ‘geez, this is flavour town stuff’, and yes, it’s rich in a way but sits fresh and sleek in the palate. There’s gentle stone fruit, casual cashew nut savouriness, preserved lemon, a faint general minerality going on. But it’s soft, mallow-mellow and cruises along at a gentle pace. Flesh, pulp, generosity but liveliness. It’s moreish and quietly complex. This is chardonnay for all the lovers of great ilks of the variety. Must do."
94 Points
Little Creek Pinot Noir 2021
We say it every year, this has to be one of the most beautiful vineyards in the Adelaide Hills. It's close-planted and has been unirrigated for over 20 years. Low rainfall and cool ripening has resulted in a savoury wine with power and perfume.
Vineyard: Little Creek, Norton Summit
Planted: 1987 and 1990
Clones: MV6, D5V12, 777, Martini
Elevation: 505m
Aspect: North-east and south-west facing
Soils: Quartz rubble over siltstone, sandstone and clay
Farming: Organic
Vinification: A combination of 100% whole cluster and 50% whole cluster open top fermentations, eight months in French oak barriques, 35% new. Bottled under Diam cork, sealed with wax.
Alc 13.4% pH 3.76 TA 5.2 g/L
Production 190 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 13 June 2022
"This one from Little Creek.
Earthy and savoury, a bit dusty and quite autumnal, truffle and dark cherry with a bit of rugged tannin chiming in. It feels a bit grubby, albeit that sounds bad, but it isn’t, it’s just got this kind of washy, wild, brambly and undergrowth thing going on and the finish is tasting earth. Gritty in a way, muddy in a way. Savoury, let’s say. Has some mojo but of an ilk."
92 Points
Monomeith Pinot Noir 2021
A welcomed addition. The vineyard sits in its own little valley in Ashton where half the vines get the morning sun and half get the afternoon sun. The resulting wine has depth, acidity, juiciness and classic aromatics of great Pinot Noir.
Vineyard: Monomeith, Ashton
Planted: 1996
Clones: MV6, 777, 114, 115
Elevation: 530m
Aspect: East-west facing
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive quartz
Farming: Organic
Vinification: A combination of 100% whole cluster and 100% destemmed fermentations, eight months in French oak barriques, 30% new. Bottled under Diam cork, sealed with wax.
Alc 12.8% pH 3.68 TA 5.2 g/L
Production 190 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 13 June 2022
"This vineyard was brought to light, in some respects, by Anton van Klopper of Lucy M fame, but here we have an interpretation from Gareth Belton.
Leaps out of the glass. Rosy and red cherry fruited, strawberry, poached rhubarb sweetness, watermelon granita and general freshness. Frisky and really bright, vibrant, satiny and cool. It slips along on silky tannins and a little puckering grip says something too. And deliciousness is high. Texture is amazing, almost that gossamer, ethereal thing going on. Length is phenomenal. Geez, this is outstanding, really."
95 Points
Scary Gully Pinot Noir 2021
The combination of the region's highest and oldest Pinot Noir vines and a very cool season - we picked three weeks later than 2020 - has resulted in pitch perfect phenolic and tannin ripeness, with plenty of Scary Gully spice on the nose.
Vineyard: Scary Gully, Forest Range
Planted: 1984
Clones: MV6, D5V12, Pommard
Elevation: 620m
Aspect: South-east and south-west facing
Soils: Quartz rubble over siltstone, sandstone and clay
Farming: Organic
Vinification: 20% whole cluster open top fermentation for three weeks followed by eight months in French oak barriques, 15% new. Bottled under Diam cork, sealed with wax.
Alc 13.5% pH 3.71 TA 5.1 g/L
Production 190 dozen
Winefront Review by Mike Bennie
Posted on 13 June 2022
"The long standing, self-farmed vineyard of Gareth Belton and family. Great name for a vineyard.
Stellar wine. Pumice stone texture and finesse all round. Red berries, sour cherry, clove-spiked orange, all this and succulence, ultra-freshness and lift. Has this faint amaro and volcanic rock thing going on, hard to explain, but wonderful. Deliciousness in spades. Purity too. Silky. Supreme length. Refreshing. It’s a serious pinot noir with gluggability writ large."
95 Points
Father's Milk Pinot Noir 2021
We always talked with Taras about making great wine from Monomeith so when we acquired the site, it was decided we'd make Father’s Milk again with Taras’ father Yari taking the reins. It's a tribute to the way Taras liked them made. xo
Vineyard: Monomeith, Ashton
Planted: 1996
Clones: MV6, 777, 114, 115 Elevation: 530m
Aspect: East-west facing
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive quartz
Farming: Organic
Vinification: 100% whole cluster open top fermentation, eight months in neutral French oak barriques, bottled under Diam cork and natural cork, sealed with wax
Alc 13.3% pH 3.5 TA 6.4 g/L
Production 100 dozen
(Image: Gentle Folk Wines)