Q & A with Claire Lloyd
When did you decide to first go into wine-making?
The decision to make wine circled us slowly for several years before it was welcomed in our camp. Our clear and shared understanding was to resurrect this patch of land, this 20 hectares of hilly pastures, where few trees remained after nearly 100 years of use as a cattle property. Neither of us had a background in wine-making, although we had collected and enjoyed wines. We purchased the property in 2008, spent several years developing the soil and overhauling infrastructure, then planted the vineyard here at Bridestowe Ridge, North Lilydale, in the (southern) summer of 2013-2014.
What attracted you to it?
We wanted a small piece of Tasmania to return to, birthplace for each of us, after decades in sub-tropical northern Australia. For Susan, it was almost a homecoming, as her family had created the southern hemisphere's first commercial lavender growing and distilling operation in this valley, a century ago now. Her first 20 years were here. Harry hailed from Burnie (coincidentally he was employed as wine-waiter on opening night for Tasmania's first licensed restaurant, John Licandro's Martini in Burnie). North Lilydale was perfect for putting our toes back in Tassie soil!
What’s special about the spot you chose for your vineyard ?
Special things which translate into wine quality are our altitude, annual rainfall and terrain. Altitude matters, because it means ripening days have cool nights, stretching out the ripening period, perfect for pinot noir which requires slow ripening to develop its nuanced flavours. Good annual rainfall allows vine vigor, in turn to be controlled by a high-intervention Scott Henry trellis system. The terrain is very special: a lofted valley. The vineyard enjoys all-round shelter from steep valley sides, yet is nested high in the foothills of Mt. Arthur. The vineyard slope - up to 20 degrees - props the vines up to the sun, and works against frost risk by allowing free runoff for cold air.
Tell me bit about your wines?
Our wines are from young vines - vintage 2016 was our first. But in those few years, our wines have been recognised for their quality:
• Our 2017 pinot noir: 96 points by James Halliday;
• Our 2018 pinot noir: Gold Medals at 2020 Royal Hobart Wine Show and 2021 Tasmania Wine Show;
• Our NV Sparkling Rosé: Top Gold and Trophy at 2021 Australian Sparkling Wine Show
• Our 2019 pinot noir: Gold Medal at 2022 International Cool Climate Wine Show.
We understand that wine quality is the result of our fruit being in good balance at harvest. That is, there is a symmetry and tension between the fundamental elements of the fruit: the sugars (smoothness and body), tannins (dryness) and acidity (sharpness and tang). Our fruit has significant levels of retained acidity at harvest; this is a direct result of those cool nights during ripening, which in turn are a function of our altitude at this latitude. Cool nights dampen the natural shedding of acidity which accompanies ripening. So we harvest ripe fruit with sound retained acidity. That translates into good bottle age, and increasing complexity as the wine ages in the bottle: the result of the acidity reacting with post-ferment sugars and tannins during the entropy which is captured in each bottle.
I love your pink rose. Can you tell me a bit about it?
Our NV Sparkling Rosé is 56% pinot noir, 6% pinot meunier and 38% chardonnay. All fruit is from our single vineyard here at Bridestowe Ridge. Being non-vintage (NV) allows blend of vintages. We set aside part of the wine fermented from each vintage and draw an equal volume from our reserve base to blend with the remainder of the new crush into the bottle ferment for the next iteration of our NV Sparkling Rosé. The amount set aside replaces the drawdown from our reserve base. That way, we maintain a balance between old and new elements in each year's production. The blush in the glass comes from pinot noir skin contact. This also introduces further tannins. The result is what you love!... A sparkling wine with robust fresh characters, showcasing our fruit.
Tell us about the flavours of your reds, and whites ?
The theme which ties our reds and whites together is the backline of acidity balanced with tannins and sugars. There is balance between those elements at harvest, which is maintained through the superb management of the winemaking processes by Fran Austin. The outcome is a buoyant representation of our fruit; relatively lightly oaked in our red wine, naked in our white! Our chardonnay is unoaked, in the style of Chablis or, for some, perhaps Mâcon. The tannins of oak barrels are not required in this delicate offering. The balance inherent at harvest, maintained through fermentation, does not require any softening oxidation as promoted by barrel time. The flavours are our fruits.
What’s the biggest compliment someone’s given you about your wine?
In simple terms, when we witness a newcomer to our wines express their pleasure in what they have encountered, that is the biggest - the best - the greatest compliment!
What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
The best rewards are in the satisfaction from nurturing the soil and other aspects of the property, and in the expressions of pleasure that we receive from our guests at Cellar Door who choose to taste our wines. Seeing the land thrive under our care, and sharing the pleasures of wine and stories in open fellowship at Cellar Door, are our true rewards. Thank you.
Striking The Right Notes
For the wines of The Ridge North Lilydale, it’s all about altitude, latitude and attitude.
The Ridge North Lilydale is a small vineyard off the beaten track, under the shelter of Mt. Arthur. It is a vineyard in a valley, but the journey to the valley climbs up through hundreds of meters from sea level. So it is a lofted, or nested valley.
This is important for producing fine pinot noir. More so for outstanding wine, as the 2017 Pinot Noir from The Ridge North Lilydale has been awarded by Halliday Wine Companion: 95 points Gold; the 2018 Pinot Noir awarded Gold Medal at the Royal Hobart Wine Show 2020 and Tasmania Wine Show 2021, and the 2019 Pinot Noir awarded Gold Medal at the International Cool Climate Wine Show 2022. These have been delivered a striking accompaniment in the award of Top Gold and Trophy for Best Sparkling Rosè at the Australian Sparkling Wine Show 2021.
Because altitude, at Tasmania’s latitudes, means the drop in night temperature during summer, during ripening, retains natural fruit acid. When the grapes from The Ridge North Lilydale are pressed at harvest, juice for the new vintage is sweet and tight, blending the natural sugars with acids. This promises complex delights for the enjoyment of pinot noir.
Tasmania is being world recognised for the quality of its pinot noir wines. Perhaps less well recognised is the diversity of pinot noir styles and themes within Tasmania. From the coastal vineyards of the East Coast, the rich agricultural vineyards of the Coal Valley, the moist temperate vineyards of the North West, and the elevated vineyards like The Ridge North Lilydale, Tasmania produces a range of pinot noir variations in a single wine region.
Of course, all Tasmania’s pinot noir can be traced back through genetic heritage to the original home of the variety, Burgundy in France. But there is richness in the diversity that has evolved in the pinot noir as it has taken root in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Tasmania.
As with music. It could be said that blues originates in Chicago, that trad jazz comes from New Orleans and that bluegrass music is from Tennessee. But blues and jazz and other music is interpreted where it has taken root, around the world. Recognition of the origins of music, as with wines, allows variations on the original themes to better reflect the values and tastes of the local regions where now enjoyed.
Tasmania is fortunate in many dimensions, including its music and its wine. It’s something to do with the Tasmanian attitude: reflecting our development from rugged hills and narrow valleys, across the extraordinary diversity of our landscape and our geography. Celebrate our differences; strike a chord or two with some fine Tasmanian wine.
Photo by Stefany Andrade Unsplash
“Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.” – Audrey Hepburn
Elegance in fruition: our Chardonnay 2019
Grace, elegance and class. Features of style that come to mind when we think of Audrey Hepburn, famous and beloved for her portrayals in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair Lady, Charade, Funny Face and other classic film roles.
And those qualities are evoked in our Chardonnay, vintage 2019.
This is our first chardonnay table wine. Until vintage 2019, our 4th vintage, our chardonnay has been directed to sparkling blends. But now, it stands alone, and shines! Released for summer, this is indeed a cooling libation, but promises to endure all seasons.
Our Chardonnay 2019 displays what our vineyard does best: producing quality fruit. The aroma catches your attention, pulls your focus to the glass. There is an immediate and striking interplay between fruit and acidity. Elegance and class, style and grace. With a promise for enhanced reward in cellaring for up to 10 years.
Why wait? Online orders now being filled. And remember: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn
The Ridge Cellar Door
The Ridge North Lilydale now has a Cellar door!
A secluded cellar-door, off the beaten track.
Open Sundays only, 10:30 am to 5pm. At 106 Browns Road, North Lilydale.
Although the décor could be described as “low-key industrial”, it boasts plenty of character and welcoming atmosphere. Art-works adorn the walls, amongst bins of our premium wines.
Be among the very first to enjoy this space – sipping wine as you take in the spectacular views across the vineyard to Mt. Arthur.
The faces behind the vines
The Ridge North Lilydale produces premium wines. But what about the faces behind the vines? Have you met Harry and Susan? Owners and operators of The Ridge North Lilydale.
Susan
Captures beautiful views on canvas…
The finer pursuits of art and wine go together, so they say… and never better when your life allows both!
Something to aspire to, but chances to mix up the oil paints with full-time viticulture are few and far between.
In our case there are 6,000+ vines (all with names) that demand constant attention, leaving little for the same, standing in front of an easel.
Signed
Sealed and delivered artworks are available from Susan’s online gallery.
But the onset of winter does give a little leeway, as the vines shut down and the pruning programme is put on hold. A small corridor and it’s a green light to go! Where?
No better place for a “chomping on the bit” artist than the MacDonnell Ranges in the Red Centre.
Finally a chance for an 8-day sojourn in the heart of “Albert Namatjira country”, what a treat and a first for me. The landscape and its colours were everything I imagined, and then some.
So brushes in one hand & swatting flies with the other, I frenetically painted in chosen spots that caught my eye, throughout West and East Ranges.
It was such a special time to soak up the magic of the region – a wonderful break. Can’t wait to go back and explore further afield.
You can see more art works in the online gallery.
Harry
loves his beans and Paul McCartney replica-bass….
The Has Beans… a band of sorts…. I play a Paul McCartney replica-bass in company with Trevor, Brian, Pete, Steve, David and Neil, and we “interpret” songs from the 60’s – 70’s made popular by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Cream, The Doors etc.
The Beans
Will be playing live on Sunday 24th November
We’re gearing up for a big session Sunday afternoon, 24th November, at Hobart’s Sandy Bay Bowls Club. $10 a ticket – proceeds go to Rotary’s Youth Leadership Program on STV Windeward Bound. A great cause, and a great reason for getting together to relive the sounds of the ‘60s!
What is it about Sparkling Rosé
What is it about Sparkling Rosé
Our Sparkling Rosé is made by the classic method, which means the bubbles come from fermentation in the bottle. It is the method by which all best sparkling wines are created.
What is fermentation? In this context, it is the creation of wine from the cells and sugars and fibres which make up our premium fruit.
Our Sparkling Rosé is wine first, then sparkling. There are two fermentations: the first to make our wine, the second to make our wine sparkle!
Our Sparkling Rosé is mainly pinot grapes: Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, blended with Chardonnay.
Pinot Noir is a classic and delicate grape variety, appealing to the taste of those who prefer their wine to develop characters in the glass over the course of a bottle. Pinot Noir brings nuances and aromas, textures and tannin profiles for those who look for these points of difference from full, front-ended wines.
Pinot Meunier is a variation on Pinot Noir, characterised by its white flowers on the vine and dusty white shading underleaf. It blends beautifully with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in development of our Sparkling Rosé.
Our Sparkling Rosé has attracted warm recognition; here are the words of Huon Hooke, writing recently for The Real Review:
Light to very light salmon-pink hue. The bouquet is faintly herbal with some celery-like notes, the palate soft and round, finely-textured and intense, the flavours focused and fine, taut and long and very appealing. There's a tinge of honey. It's complex, multi-faceted, and entertaining. There's a hint of liqueur sweetness cleverly counterpointed by fresh acidity, the whole thing transmitting serious energy. A top wine.
Our Sparkling Rosé matches beautifully with classic French and Italian cooking, and with Asian spicy foods – such as from India, Japan, China and Korea. Best of all, seafood is a perfect match – especially Tasmanian seafood – rock lobster, oysters and scallops, deep sea wild fish and Tassie’s trademark salmon!
Why not match our Sparkling Rosé with a new recipe!
Before the Vines...
- By Susan Denny
The story begins with my paternal grandparents nearly a hundred years ago.
Prior to the First World war, Keith Denny worked as a chartered accountant for one of the biggest soap manufacturers in the U.K. During his time there, he over saw the firm’s expansion, (eventually to Unilever), and in so doing, became a highly proficient perfumer. He learned the very best lavender for the perfumery trade was the French Alpine lavender (“Lavandula angustifolia”) but this prized strain was at risk of becoming hybridised by a native “Spike lavender” …growing at lower altitudes and which had undesirable levels of camphor. It was a continuing problem for the French to protect their pure Alpine lavender from contamination.
Keith Denny ‘s solution was to look further afield…...to the Southern Hemisphere where no native lavenders existed and where no hybridisation could occur. He chose Tasmania…. because of its climate and similarities to Southern France.
Keith had married Nellie (my grandmother) in 1913, in her home town of “Bridestowe” in Devon, England. So…. the name “Bridestowe” was appropriated to their new southern hemisphere property at North Lilydale. In 1922, they began their new life with their two young sons Jok (7yrs) and 1-year old Tim.
Before the war years, (WW11), there were up to a 100 local people employed at Bridestowe; be it in the Factory, Tea Rooms or, out in the 50 acres of lavender fields; cutting the lavender flowers by hand with a sickle into a shoulder bag. However, war time took much of that labour force away, so production was greatly reduced.
But by the end of the war, in 1946, amongst the purpose-built sheds of the past, emerged a squash court! (it’s rumoured that it was part of Keith’s plan to entice his two sons back from England after the war to help him with the lavender). The sons, my father Tim and Uncle Jok; highly decorated from their war efforts had some pretty good prospects of their own in England, but under some pressure, returned to North Lilydale with their new brides & young families, to take on Grandad’s dream.
It was decided to purchase a second property at Golconda/ Nabowla. The North Lilydale site was proving to be problematic …. the lavender was prone to frost damage, and the planting layout…which was designed for cross cultivation, (not in hedgerows) restricted healthy growth. The challenges to reach satisfactory oil yields were mounting. In addition, there had been no serious isolation of prize lavender strains for oil quality. The new Nabowla property of The Bridestowe Estate was a fresh start and a real chance to innovate. A blank canvas. From its inception, progress was continuous and strong… but ultimately financial rewards took many decades.
Over many years of isolating the most desirable traits of numerous lavender clones, Tim Denny produced from the Nabowla site high end and unmatched lavender oil, which became widely sought by the large perfume houses of Europe and the U.S.A.
He re-wrote the scientific papers on Steam Distillation of Essential Oils that took him across the globe as the world’s leading authority.
Over his watch, he revolutionised the Lavender Industry. Through that time, he often repeated Fred Kelp’s advice some 42 years before: “Get the balance right. It’s all about …10% inspiration & 90% perspiration…not the other way ‘round!”.
Keith
Denny
He chose Tasmania because of its climate and similarities to Southern France.
Blanche Ellen Denny
Her home town of “Bridestowe” in Devon, England inspired the name.
The first seeds
Sourced from the French Alps.
The first
planting
The first planting trials from that original packet of seeds began.
Early tending
Early days for the lavender, and 100 workers. Today’s vineyard is planted centre top of the ridge, below Mt. Arthur.
Drying
Room
1960s
Bridestowe Homestead
1960s
“Woodcroft”
Nabowla
1970s
Joan Denny
1973
“Women’s Weekly” 1973; An example of red soil infiltration for Yours Truly!
1980
Lavender Views
Joan & Tim Denny
The next generation who carried on traditions at Bridestowe, before the vines.
My parents, Joan and Tim Denny.
Season's Greeting
Winter greets us with demands for renewed attention to soil and vines. This is time for pruning, shaping the architecture of the vine for the new Spring ahead, time for laying out mulch to lock-in soil moisture and add organic matter, and time to test current soil structure, chemistry and biological material for replenishment after Vintage 2018.
Vintage 2018 will deliver fruit-driven pinot noir table wine ahead, and a bountiful reserve for our future offering of NV Sparkling Rose.
Our previous harvests have laid the base for an exciting release of the NV Sparkling Rose for enjoyment from Spring 2018. We are delighted with responses to early tasting; our peers have praised our award-winning vineyard for grounding a NV Sparkling Rose with great promise.
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Our 2017 Sparkling White is into its second year on lees, as we follow through with our contribution to the reputation of Tasmania in its offerings of finest sparkling wine, produced by traditional method.
Vintage 2018 Sparkling White is in the care of our winemakers, attentive to temper the blend to optimise its promise.
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Our warmest congratulations for the team at Abel Labels! Their printing of the bottle labels of our 2016 Pinot Noir won them a 2017 Diemen Award from the printing industry - Well Done!
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Delighted to share some recent reviews!
A beautiful bright crimson in colour. Rich maraschino-like sweet / sour cherry notes are complexed some savoury leathery elements; a very rich and perfumed aroma. Sweet mid-palate fruit dominates immediately; silky soft tannins are in perfect harmony with the fruit in this wine. A great natural acid spine adds to this wine's length and contributes to the excellence balance. A complex Pinot Noir to be enjoyed slowly!
- Gasworks Cellar Door, Hobart
This is a promising vineyard. The wine has plenty of depth and weight as well as pinosity. Spicy smoked meat nuances with dark cherry and herbal/stemmy characters, plus a bite of acidity and tinge of bitterness. It has the weight to carry all of this with aplomb.
Gourmet Traveller Wine
Medium to light red/purple hue; smoky meaty charcuterie-like aromas, attractive, oak-kissed and complex. There are sulfides and smoky oak combining on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied and quite savoury, with stemmy flavours and red fruits, a bite of acidity which enlivens the whole thing. Good, and has potential to improve with a little age. Very good pinosity.
Huon Hooke, The Real Review
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Releasing soon... our NV Sparkling Rose!
Warmly, Harry Rigney and Susan Denny, producers.
Good attitude
Morning cloud on The Ridge North Lilydale
The mantra at The Ridge North Lilydale is Altitude Latitude Attitude.
Relevance of Altitude and Latitude for its produce is for comment another day. Today, some remarks on Attitude.
Attitude is one of those words where meaning depends on context; a feature of our language which makes English a great medium for literature, for all forms of creative writing, and a very poor language for precision in tax law!
In present context, Attitude for the vineyard at The Ridge North Lilydale has meanings which include:
- orientation to the north-east
- slope of up to 17 degrees from the horizontal
- the motives and methods of the people who carry on its enterprise.
North-east orientation
Alignment to the north-east presents the vine rows perpendicular to the sun in the early to mid-afternoon. The soil is warm, the sap flows strongly. The daily cycle in the vintage processing of sunlight into wine is optimised in this geospatial layout.
Slope
Slope is a major influence on the character of The Ridge North Lilydale. Slope allows air-drain. Air-drain minimises the risk of frost in early or late season, which means the vineyard can benefit from the longer cooler ripening window provided by its altitude and latitude. Quality pinot noir and pinot meunier fruit, central to production of quality Tasmanian sparkling, can only result from long and cool ripening.
Motives and methods
Its all about attitude: good attitude. There are many facets of good attitude in this context. But at the end of the day, all is good if the custodians pass through with the lightest of positive footprints.
Warmly, Harry Rigney and Susan Denny, producers.
Hedging our best
Wild growth this time of vintage, requiring firm trimming and hedging to maintain balance between the vines' vegetative (cane growth) and reproductive (fruit growth) endeavours.
The season is presenting well - relatively stable periods of warmth.
But more sunlight hours are required, the fruit not yet coloured, on the cusp of veraison.
Warmly, Harry Rigney and Susan Denny, Producers.
Tucked in for New Year
Here's the way our vines are prepared for the year ahead: rolled down, tucked in and secure.
There are vertical and horizontal 'windows' between and within vines in our Scott Henry trellis system, helping sun and airflow to bring out the best in the new bunches.
So far, so good... for Vintage 2018 at The Ridge North Lilydale
Warmly, Harry Rigney and Susan Denny, producers.
While the sun shines
Making hay is a big event this time of the year...
Long mellow days, in the run-up to summer solstice, roast the grain and grill the heads of rye and barley for this annual ritual, mowing - raking - baling, for the happiness of horses in the valley of our vines.
A day for bold effort... shared with friends as fellow-workers.
Warmly, Harry Rigney and Susan Denny, Producers
Flowers of the vine
Such small and delicate beings, the flowers of the vine have emerged from under their caps, for their passage in transition to our wine.
Sensitive to threats from the natural environment, from weather events and from predator organisms, the flowers must pass through this phase from shelter to exposure, from ordered and genetic shelter to the care and custody of the vigneron.
Enjoy this moment in passage; for it comes but once and is gone forever,
Warmly, Harry Rigney and Susan Denny, Producers
Caring from the ground up
This is how we care for the vines at this time of the year; last summer's silage gracing the under-row.
There are a few reasons why. First, the silage builds up the organic content of the soil beneath, as it breaks up in the weather. Also, the silage layer helps the soil retain moisture as this dry spring draws to summer. The moisture that has been in the upper soil from winter has long gone, with plant take-up and just plain old evaporation. This is how it should be. Shedding that moisture has allowed the soil to warm up at its best rate. The warming of the soil - up through 10 degrees Celsius - spurs on the plant growth. But now the vine growth is up and away, the silage cap allows moisture to pass down, but slows its rate of evaporation.
Like an organic diode!
Sparkling Tasmania 2017
On the eve of Effervescence - the festival to celebrate Sparkling Wine in Tasmania - we have been thrilled to go through our first tirage, our 2017 Cuvee Tasmania into bottles for second fermentation. Two versions, a traditional blend of our pinot noit, chardonnay and pinot meuniere, also sparkling blush rose. The wait begins; perhaps a sneak preview approaching summer for 2018-19.
Slowly warming the soil for Vintage 2018
Some late frosts have sparkled the ground this November. The soil is warming, but slowly.
This is as we expect, here at this latitude and altitude, but the dawning sunlight is welcome as it spreads west through the valley.
Excitement in the air... growth in the vines is accelerating... each day is apace with the challenge to train and shape.
Good for the attitude!
Our Pinot Noir 2016 well received during 'Lazy Sunday Afternoon' at The Lilydale, Sunday 29 October 2017
Sunday 29th October was 'Lazy Sunday Afternoon' at The Lilydale, in Main Street Lilydale, North East Tasmania. The Lilydale is our 'shopfront' on the Tamar Valley Wine Route and you will be welcomed there if you call during your time in this region.
'The Has Beans' with friends fired up for an afternoon of fun live music, and a very good time was had by all.
We are very happy to acknowledge warm feedback on our Pinot Noir 2016. The comments include:
"...fabulous colour and clarity...."
"...the bouquet - a nice mix of fruit and oak..."
"... very complex - an initial hit of sweetness and acidity rolling into one with a lingering and very long aftertaste of lovely blackberries, mulberries and black cherry flavours, and just a hint of tannin to carry it through the years..."
"... very mouth-filling and super yum..."
Enjoy!
Harry Rigney & Susan Denny, Producers
