A Vintage worth remembering. 2011 saw Tasmania’s cool climate provide the ideal conditions for an exceptional vintage for our sparkling wines. From outstanding vintages, a very small selection of our absolute finest are set aside for extended maturation on lees. Years of careful ageing, constant attention and nurturing by our winemaker have culminated in a rare Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage Collection.
These vintage sparkling wines have no predetermined release date. Instead, these sparkling wines spend years maturing on lees and are only released when our winemaker believes that their balance of complexity, freshness and structure are at their absolute peak. The result is a rare expression of Tasmanian sparkling wine, shaped by patience, precision and the character of an exceptional vintage preserved and perfected with time.
Exclusively available in limited quantities, this collection brings together 40 Years of Jansz Tasmania sparkling wine excellence, and three 2011 vintage sparkling wines: Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvée, Late Disgorged Vintage Rosé, and Late Disgorged Vintage Blanc de Blancs. Each bottle in this collection has spent an extraordinary 175 months on lees, developing additional complexity for over 14 and a half years, while retaining the freshness and structure that so distinctly define Jansz Tasmania sparkling wines.
At Jansz Tasmania, all of our Vintage sparkling wines are crafted in the Méthode Tasmanoise way, a philosophy that we have coined which applies the same the techniques as the traditional method to craft Champagne. Méthode Tasmanoise combines the precision of traditional sparkling winemaking with the distinctive characteristics of Tasmania's cool climate. Through bottle fermentation and extended maturation on lees, the Late Disgorged sparkling develops incredibly fine bubbles, with layers of depth and complexity.
For 40 years, Jansz Tasmania has crafted exceptional Tasmanian sparkling wine, with the quality beginning in the vineyard, and this is no exception for our Late Disgorged Vintage collection.
For the Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvée 2011, individual vineyard blocks were hand-picked and kept as separate parcels until blending later in the year. Gentle handling, partial barrel fermentation and careful assemblage helped shape the wines final blend of 56% Chardonnay and 44% Pinot Noir.
The Late Disgorged Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2011 and Late Disgorged Vintage Rosé 2011 are each crafted from a single grape variety. Made entirely from Chardonnay, the Late Disgorged Vintage Blanc de Blancs fruit was hand-picked from a carefully selected section of the Jansz Tasmania vineyard in Piper’s River. The Late Disgorged Vintage Rosé is crafted from 100% Pinot Noir, and uses hand-picked fruit from a small, north-facing section of our Piper’s River vineyard overlooking Bass Strait.
Following crushing and primary fermentation, the base wines spend several months maturing in French oak, before starting secondary fermentation in bottle to create bubbles and complexity from extended time on lees. Over time, extended lees ageing gives the sparkling wine greater depth and texture, allowing tertiary notes of brioche and toasted nuts to emerge whilst retaining the freshness and fruit characteristics.
The Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage Collection 2011 has spent 175 months, more than 14 and a half years, resting on lees. Throughout this time each sparkling has continued to evolve in bottle, until our winemaker decides that the wine has reached its optimal state and is perfectly balanced by its vibrant acidity and freshness.
Reflecting the craftmanship behind Jansz Tasmania’s sparklings and following the traditional practices of Méthode Tasmanioise, every bottle of our Vintage and Late Disgorged Vintage collection wines are carefully riddled by hand. Bottles are placed in tilted riddling racks, and every day over several weeks are gradually turned by hand, guiding the lees to settle neatly in the neck of the bottle. It’s a step that requires consistency and care to ensure each bottle is properly prepared for disgorgement.
After years of maturation, disgorgement marks a defining and exciting moment in traditional method sparkling winemaking. The neck of each bottle is chilled, freezing the lees sediment into a small plug. When the crown seal is removed, the pressure created inside the bottle expels the frozen lees, leaving the sparkling wine clear.
For our Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage 2011 Collection, this moment marks the end of an extraordinary 175 months of maturation on lees. The removal of the sediment uncovers the sparkling wine’s evolution over more than 14 years, revealing its developed layers and complex nuances balanced by its enduring freshness and acidity.
Following disgorgement, the sparkling wine is carefully assessed by our winemaker, who adds a small amount of dosage liqueur to complement the character, style and structure of the evolved wine.
Every bottle of the Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage 2011 Collection is beautifully finished with a crown seal and adorned with a signature royal blue and gold foiled label. To celebrate 40 years of Jansz Tasmania, this release of the Late Disgorged Vintage collection is presented in a special edition 40th anniversary gift box.
With over 175 months maturing on lees, each of our Late Disgorged Vintage Collection wines have developed uniquely over time and express their individual characteristics.
Our Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvée 2011 is the product of combining a cool vintage with Tasmania’s finest varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, resulting in a powerful and elegant Vintage Cuvée. Jansz Tasmania’s hallmark classic sea spray and oyster shell characteristics are complemented by a fine, fresh line of acidity, with greater depth, richness and complexity developed through its extended time on lees.
Crafted entirely from Pinot Noir, our Late Disgorged Vintage Rosé 2011 has evolved from fragrant aromas and bright red fruit to more nuanced notes of marzipan and brioche, while savoury rose and strawberry delight the palate. Beneath these developed layers and more complex expressions, lives a vibrant structure and freshness from the wine’s preserved acidity.
Exclusively made from Jansz Tasmania’s most exceptional Chardonnay grapes, the Late Disgorged Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2011 showcases added layers and a developed richness from its extended maturation. Complex expressions of truffled honey, toast, lemon curd, and roasted hazelnuts have evolved, while its freshness is defined by a lively and youthful mineral acidity.
The Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage Collection is not bound by an annual calendar, instead its release is reserved for when our winemaker believes the wines from the finest vintages have reached their peak. While our Vintage sparkling wines are crafted to express the character of each season, the Late Disgorged Vintage Collection offers the opportunity to taste a snapshot of Tasmania’s finest seasons, preserved and perfected with time.
After 15 years in the making and 175 months on lees, the Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage 2011 Collection is ready to be enjoyed now. Providing a rare opportunity to taste the character of Tasmania’s 2011 vintage, these wines offer an extraordinary and collectable expression of Jansz Tasmania, making for a memorable gift for a wine enthusiast, or a meaningful way to celebrate a milestone.
Released in very limited quantities, the Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged Vintage Cuvée 2011, Late Disgorged Vintage Rosé 2011, Late Disgorged Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2011 is available exclusively through the Jansz Tasmania website, and at the Jansz Tasmania Wine Room.
