The story of Noble One by De Bortoli Wines is a testament to Australian ingenuity and dedication. In 1982, a young Darren De Bortoli, armed with knowledge from Roseworthy College, embarked on a pioneering project with Semillon grapes.
Driven by a bold vision to create a unique Australian dessert wine, Darren created Noble One, now one of the world’s most celebrated Botrytis wines.
For over four decades, Noble One has set the standard for Australian Botrytis wines. The recent release of the 2020 vintage further strengthens its legacy. Recognized by the prestigious 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Awards for Best Sweet White of the Year, the 2020 Noble One continues the tradition of excellence, boasting two trophies and nine gold medals.
Crafting Noble One is a delicate dance with nature. The winemaking team, led by Senior Winemaker Julie Mortlock since 2000, navigates the complexities of Botrytis, ensuring the perfect balance of humidity and timing in determining the ideal harvest time. Over the years, the process has evolved, incorporating unoaked components to preserve freshness.
"We've come a long way," says Mortlock, acknowledging the challenges presented by climate change and shifting weather patterns. "Despite these hurdles, the 2020 Noble One's reception is truly humbling."
Raising a glass to the 2020 Noble One, we celebrate more than just a wine. We celebrate a legacy built on passion, dedication, and innovation. Here's to another chapter in the remarkable journey of Noble One, an icon of Australian Botrytis dessert wines.
WINEMAKER: Julie Mortlock
VINEYARD: The fruit for this year's Noble One was sourced from a long standing grower of De Bortoli Wines Botrytis and from our own Estate Vineyard. Both vineyards have an enduring history of producing Botrytis Semillon of excellent quality.
SEASON: A relatively dry winter with late Spring rains, provides moisture for good canopy growth with moderate yield. Rain in January and February, initiated the onset of Botrytis in the vineyards, but with careful management we were able to pause the spread until early March when we received more rain. This then promoted the Botrytis throughout the vineyards with harvest beginning 18th March, our second earliest harvest in the history of Noble One.
TASTING NOTE: A plush blend of stone fruits such as peach, nectarine and quince, with an intrinsic citrus peel tang and honeyed fruits flavour. Integrated vanilla oak with a velvety lushness and balanced acid gives the wine its length and structure.
WINE STYLE: The perfect accomplishment for that decadent plate of cheese and dried fruits or an Almond Sablé. Be bold and try Noble One with a savoury dish such as Smoked Duck or Tempura cod with fermented mushrooms.
WINEMAKING: The fruit is harvested, crushed and left overnight to release further flavour and sweetness. Following this, pressing the juice is clarified and then fermented in tank. The ferments are carefully monitored until the balance of alcohol, sweetness and acidity is achieved. The ferment is halted, while the wine is clarified, stabilized and then matured in French oak barriques. After 12 months in oak, each parcel is assessed and then blended. The 2020 Noble One was matured in 37% new oak, 33% one and two year old oak and 30% unoaked to provide the fresh fruitfulness to the wine.
WINE ANALYSIS: Alc/Vol 9.0%, pH 3.55, TA 9.9 g/L
CELLARING: This wine can be enjoyed on release but will continue to evolve and develop complexity over the next several decades.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Vegetarian
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