GENTLE FOLK SINGLE VINEYARD RELEASES

GENTLE FOLK SINGLE VINEYARD RELEASES

By Lewis Phiddian

GENTLE FOLK SINGLE VINEYARD RELEASES
GENTLE FOLK SINGLE VINEYARD RELEASES
 
Gareth and Rainbo Belton farm small plots of vineyards in the Adelaide Hills within the sub regions of Basket Range, Forest Range and Ashton. It's all about organic farming, sometimes using bio-dynamic practices, letting healthy fruit speak for itself. The resulting wines are that of real energy, purity, that truly speak of the their sites and terroir. It is with great excitement that we offer you some of the Single Vineyard wines today, they are in short supply so be quick to snap some up!
 
 
 

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, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

 

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, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

 
 
 

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, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

 
 
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.
 
Gareth Belton