Gentle Folk Wines
(Image: Gentle Folk Wines / www.gentlefolk.com.au)
 

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

Gentle Folk Vineyard Map

 

2023 Village Wines

 

2023 Summertown Sauv Blanc 

 A homage to the great Sauvignon blanc's produced in this country! We wont deny it, we love Sauvignon blanc and we hope this reflects in this wine. Barrel fermented with full malolactic fermentation, a wine of poise and tension and purity from the heart of Piccadilly.

Vineyards: Summertown, Ashton & Morialta
Vine age: 16-22 years
Clones: unknown
Elevation: 500-620 metres
Aspect: North
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist and quartz rubble.
Vinification: 100% whole cluster pressed and settled in tank overnight. Racked to neutral French barriques and hogsheads for eight months.

Alcohol. 12.9%
Production. 650 dozen

 

2023 Riesling

Our love for off-dry Riesling has meant giving the style another go this year but will some refinement. Dryer than 2022 but still with a little hint of sugar to balance out the acidity we get from the high altitude and quartz soils of Scary Gully. We love riesling, simple.

Vineyard: Scary Gully
Vine age: 11 years
Clones: GMI98
Elevation: 620 metres
Residual Sugar: 10g/L
Aspect: South-east
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist and quartz rubble.
Vinification: 100% whole cluster pressed and settled in tank overnight. Fermented and rested in terracotta egg and stainless steel tanks for eight months.

Alcohol. 10.5%
Production. 133 dozen

 

2023 Chardonnay

This blend benefits from a number of aspects and clones from three great vineyards in the Hills. Its beautifully refined and complex Adelaide Hills Chardonnay that balances acidity and ripe fruit from a very cool and long growing season.

Vineyards: Charleston, Piccadilly & Lenswood
Vine age: 22-38 years
Clones: I10V1, 95 & 96
Elevation: 350-620 metres
Aspect: Various
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist andquartz rubble.
Vinification: 100% wholecluster pressed and settled in tank overnight. Racked to a mixture of French and Austrian barriques, puncheons and foudres for nine months, 15% new.

Alcohol. 12.8%
Production. 1001 dozen

 

2023 Pinot Noir

Estate fruit plus the Wilsmore & St James's vineyards in Piccadilly. This release is bright and ethereal, reflecting the cool season, but still in our usual house style - a dance of aromatics and then the tannin across your pallet...

Vineyards: Monomeith (10%), Wilsmore (30%), Little Ck (5%), Urailda (25%) & Scary Gully (30%)
Vine age: 5-36 years
Clones: MV6, D5V12, Martini, Pommard, 14, 15, 777, 828 & 667
Elevation: 520-620 metres
Aspect: East-west (Monomeith), north-south (Little Creek), South (Piccadilly), South-east & South-west (Scary Gully), North (Uraidla).
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist and quartz rubble.
Vinification: Mostly 20% whole cluster open-top fermentation for three weeks, but the blend includes some shorter macerated 100% whole bunch fermentbarrels. Eight months in French oak barriques and puncheons, 10% new.

Alcohol. 12.0%
Production. 833 dozen

 

2023 Sangiovese

We love Sangiovese above all other grape varieties. There... we said it. Its just magic up here, puckering acidity, dusty tannins and flavour for days. It's Adelaide Hills sure, but its a clear comparison to the old world. As good as lunch wine gets we reckon, and who doesn't love a wine at lunch!

Vineyards: Charleston, Kersbrook & Forreston
Vine age: 15-26 years
Clones: H6V9
Elevation: 300-460 metres
Aspect: North
Soils: Sandy loam over siltstone and sandstone.
Vinification: 100% destemmed and open- top fermented for three weeks before closing tank and leaving on skins for an extra three weeks before being pressed and spending eight months in terracotta, hogsheads & foudre.

Alcohol. 13.5%
Production. 550 dozen

 

2023 Syrah

We are lucky to purchase Syrah from one of the best Hills sites, four clones, heaps of sun plus some thoughtful close planting. Its also grown by great friends with a passion for their land and the wine it can produce. This long, cool season allowed perfect ripeness with all the cool climate traits of pepper and perfume.

Vineyards: Charleston
Vine age: 5 years
Clones: 470, SARDI7, BVRC12 & 2626
Elevation: 460 metres
Aspect: North
Soils: Sandy loam over red-orange clay and sandstone.
Vinification: 100% whole bunch fermentation for four weeks before being pressed to neutral French puncheons for eight months.

Alcohol. 12.8%
Production. 450 dozen

 

2023 Gamay

Who doesn't love a gamay, all the spice and tension on the nose followed by a soft and delicate pallate. Lovely stuff from a variety that is slowly becoming the next big thing in the region.

Vineyard: HSV Woodside
Vine age: 5 years
Clones: RCV12
Elevation: 400 metres
Aspect: South
Soils: Light loamy clay over sandstone with extensive schist and quartz rubble.
Vinification: 100% whole cluster fermentation for between 7 days and three weeks. Fermented and rested in terracotta egg as well as various sized French oak for six months before being racked to stainless steel and bottled.

Alcohol. 12%
Production. 330 dozen

 

2022 Grenache

Our second year making Grenache from this insane old bush vine vineyard on the sands of Blewitt Springs. Raspberry and redcurrants on the nose and in the mouth it has those subtle and silky tannins we all love in Grenache.

Vineyards: Brini (Blewitt Springs)
Vine age: 81 years
Clones: Unkown
Elevation: 200 metres
Aspect: South-east
Soils: Sand
Vinification: 20% whole cluster open-top fermentation for 21 days before being pressed and put to French oak barriques and puncheons - all neutral - for eight months.

Alc 14.0% / pH 3.24 / TA 6.0 g/L / Production 383 dozen

Winefront Review by Mike Bennie

Posted on 4 April 2023

"A departure from Adelaide Hills here. Blewitt Springs. Grenache heartland.

Yummy stuff but a fuller and plusher expression. More neck oil than cerebral. Warm, forest berry compote, sweet spices and soft tannin is the go. Feels rich and round, a little formless but enjoyable in its melange of ripe fruit and spice. Breathy-warm finish not for me but for some a welcome fullness. Monochromatic but beautifully made. Blood orange lift helps elevate the wine. If generosity and grenache is your game, then this works a treat."

90 Points


(Image: Gareth Belton - Gentle Folk Wines / www.gentlefolk.com.au)

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