2021 Apogee Deluxe Vintage Rose, Pipers Brook

Light salmon pink in the glass. Aromas of red apple, redcurrant and raspberry along with hints of ruby-red grapefruit, sea spray, almond paste, white flowers, brioche, grilled brazil nut, red berry danish and crushed stone. Taut, high-tensile, saline acidity draws the wine into focus and provides a mineral-laden driveline, pastry and red fruits swelling before slowly retreating with a precise line and lingering, umami-rich finish. Drink to 2034.

95 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, October 2024

A single vineyard blend of 51% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay and 10% Meunier. Pink salmon with onion skin hue. An attractive yet pleasing array of small strawberries, cranberries, red currants, warm brioche, toasted bread, malt, and baker yeasts. The palate is screaming Pinot Noir and Meunier; it has a certain vinosity, accompanied by a well-balanced dosage and a wonderful mousse. The fruit shines on the finish. Drink to 2030.

95 points Lisa Cardelli for Wine Pilot, October 2024

Medium depth salmon-pink hue, with rich almond-meal, quince paste and smoky strawberry aromas. The wine is soft and gentle but dry on the palate and finish. Good intensity and the flavour is satisfying and long, the texture smooth and dry without austerity. Drink to 2031.

92 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, August 2024

This is a 51/39/10 blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The hand-picked fruit was whole bunch pressed with oxidative handling methods to enhance complex flavours and degrade pigment derived from the black pinot noir skins.

The 2021 was bottled with yeast for the secondary fermentation in late-November 2021 and has been disgorged in batches with a minimum of 30 months on lees. You’ll find the exact disgorging date on the back label. These sparkling wines have a long-life span of five to ten years from disgorging date if stored sideways in a cool, dark spot to keep the cork moist.

About this producer

Apogee was founded by Dr. Andrew Pirie, the trailblazing viticulturist who was a leader in establishing the fine wine credentials of Tasmania’s northeastern corner and who remains one of the most influential figures in Tasmanian wine. Dr Pirie remains the owner, viticulturist and winemaker of what he intends to be the culmination of his now-legendary 50-year career in Tasmanian wine.

The small two-hectare vineyard near Lebrina in northern Tasmania’s Piper River area is planted to Chardonnay as well as Pinots Gris, Meunier and Noir. The emphasis is on high quality bottle fermented sparkling wines, complimented by small batches of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir table wines.