2023 Derwent Estate Methode Traditionnelle, Derwent Valley

A rounded, broad style of sparkling with generous palate weight and dry, lightly grippy finish that would work well with richer finger food: try with salt cod fritters with garlic aioli or crips pork belly cubes with preserved lemon gremolata.

More about this wine

A 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown in Derwent Estate’s home vineyard, the fruit was whole bunch pressed and settled in stainless steel with light sulphuring. The pinot parcel was micro-oxidised to remove some of the colour from skins and both varieties fermented in older, well-seasoned oak barrels with cultivated yeasts. The wines were lees stirred fortnightly and allowed malolactic fermentation spring before blending with a 15% component of back vintages. The bottled and tiraged wine then spent three years on lees in the bottle ahead of disgorgement, was finished with 7g/L sweetness and rested three months before release.

About this producer

Derwent Estate was established in 1992 when Trevor and Pat Hanigan planted their first vines on their Granton property in Tasmania’s Derwent River Valley. Local farmers since 1913, their son Andrew Hanigan represents the fifth generation on the site and is today the viticulturist of the family business.

Winemaker John Schuts has made the wines since 2003, initially as an external contract winemaker and since 2013 in-house, soon thereafter becoming a co-owner in the business.

Fruit is sourced mainly from the original site, today spreading over 20 hectares. This is supplemented by fruit from an additional, more recently acquired Coal River site, and smaller amounts bought from other growers across Tasmania.