Product Information:
Darren De Bortoli created Noble One at our family winery in 1982, three years later it won the Trophy for Best Botrytis Wine at the International Wine & Spirit Competition and it continues to reel in the accolades decades later. In fact, the 2020 Noble One Botrytis Semillon has was crowned 'Sweet Wine of the Year' at the prestigious 2024 Halliday Wine Companion Awards. This pioneering Botrytis Semillon remains the benchmark of Australian ‘Botrytis’ dessert winemaking. On the nose and palate, this is a succulent and luscious blend of stone fruits such as peach, nectarine and quince, citrus peel adds a zesty tang and followed honeyed fruit richness. Vanillan oak characters ripple through with a velvety lushness and balanced acid that will have you return for another glass.
From vineyard to cellar. 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, stabilised 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.
Maker:
The De Bortoli family story is incredible. A journey of determination and triumph that started 90 years ago in war-torn Europe and is now told, generations later, and resonating across Australia. Their heritage encompasses the universal story of immigrants making good in an adopted land. Today, they De Bortoli is a wildly successful Yarra Valley estate, led by the dynamic husband-and-wife duo, Leanne De Bortoli and Steve Webber, proudly owned by the De Bortoli family. The arrival of Kate Webber, the first of the fourth generation, in 2020, brings fresh expertise from Burgundy and Napa Valley to the winemaking team.
This prestigious winery offers a tiered selection of wines: the pinnacle, Single Vineyard, showcases the most exceptional terroirs; followed by the refined Estate Vineyard; and the elegant La Boheme. For connoisseurs seeking unique experiences, the limited-edition Melba, Riorret, and Vinouque labels present opportunities to explore innovative blends and new varietals. While the Italian-inspired BellaRiva wines derive their character from the King Valley, while Windy Peak celebrates diverse regions, including the Yarra, King Valley, and Heathcote. The PHI range, is crafted from the 17.5-hectare Lusatia Park vineyard, purchased in 2015, and Heathcote, exemplify the estate's commitment to excellence. Last but not least, it would be remiss not to mention the acclaimed Noble One, developed in 1982 by Darren De Bortoli, winning the Trophy for Best Botrytis Wine at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 1985.
More recently in 2021, De Bortoli becomes a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and makes headway into organic winemaking at the Hemley vineyard in Riverina, meeting Australian Certified Organic standards. A key milestone was hit with the Plant-A-Tree initiative, with 50,000 trees planted globally and counting.
De Bortoli's journey is a tale of a hardworking and innovative family who consider good wine, good food and good friends to be among the true pleasures in life.
Vineyard:
The fruit for this Noble One was sourced from a long standing grower of De Bortoli Wines Botrytis and from our own Estate Vineyard in Riverina. Both vineyards have an enduring history of producing Botrytis Semillon of excellent quality.
The 2020 season was a relatively dry winter with late Spring rains, which provided 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 they were able to pause the spread until early March when they 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.
Nose - Peach Flesh, Ripe Mangoes, Brandy Snaps
Peach flesh, perfectly ripe mangoes, tangerine and persimmon. Orange blossom, lemon oil and brandy snaps.
Palate - Fresh Fruits, Luscious, Persistent Acidity
A plush blend of stone fruits such as peach, nectarine and quince, with an intrinsic citrus peel tang and honeyed fruits flavour.
Finish - Grapefruit Pith, Vanilla Bean, Sugared Almonds
A grip of ruby grapefruit pith, vanilla bean oak and sugared almonds on the finish
Peach flesh, perfectly ripe mangoes, tangerine and persimmon. Orange blossom, lemon oil and brandy snaps. Exuberant in fresh fruit and, despite its utter luscious sweetness, still maintains very persistent acidity to carry the flavours long. A grip of ruby grapefruit pith, vanilla bean oak and sugared almonds on the finish. Beautiful now, sensational with decades in the cellar. - James Halliday Wine Companion, 96 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Dessert Wine
Varietal - Botrytis Semillon
Country - Australia
Region - New South Wales
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 375ml
ABV - 9%
