Gareth Belton of Gentle Folk is producing some of the most exciting wines in Australia right now. His 2023 single vineyard release is nothing short of a masterclass in cool-climate winemaking - we fell in love with these from first sip.
This collection, which includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sangiovese, is not only the best we’ve seen from Gareth—it’s among the most compelling we’ve tasted from the Adelaide Hills in recent memory.
The 2023 vintage was a challenging one, marked by unusually cool, long ripening conditions. Gareth's patience in the vineyard and precision in the winery shine through in this beautiful collection of wines that capture the elegance and finesse that many in the Adelaide Hills strive for but few achieve.
"Tiny yields again in 2023, but the wine are delicious. They're all so juicy because of that longer hang time."
- Gareth Belton
In our opinion, Gareth’s 2023 Chardonnays are the standout wines of this release and possibly the best he’s made. Many producers picked on the leaner side of ripeness in one of the latest, coolest vintages they've ever seen in the Hills. Gareth held his nerve. He picked these wines the deep into Autumn, when flavour was at its peak. The resulting Chardonnays are mesmerising. Each vineyard has its own unique fingerprint, yet all are marked by a stunning combination of purity, tension, and drive.
The Piccadilly Chardonnay, always the most tightly-wound, brims with citrus and melon, wrapped in a fine mineral frame, while the Ashton Chardonnay offers richer stone fruit notes without sacrificing its acid backbone. And Scary Gully Chardonnay — possibly our pick of the vintage — is a wine of electric energy and minerality, with layers of citrus, fennel (Yes!), and white peach. It’s a wine that demands attention and rewards it in spades.
Pinot Noir can be a tricky grape in the Adelaide Hills, but Gareth’s 2023 Pinots demonstrate a rare delicacy and aromatic complexity. These are wines built on nuance rather than power, with fine tannins and lifted floral notes.
"The Pinot noir at Scary Gully is one of the highest and oldest in the Adelaide Hills... the low yielding, cool and slow ripening season has resulted in wines that have a depth and tension we rarely achieved in the Hills..."
- Gareth Belton
The Scary Gully Pinot Noir is a perfect example, offering ethereal red berry fruit and a savoury, mineral finish that speaks to the coolness of the vintage. The Monomeith Pinot Noir brings a touch more structure and depth, showing off the east-west vineyard’s unique microclimate. And though yields were low at Little Creek, the limited Pinot that emerged is a triumph—aromatic, dainty, and deeply expressive.
Rounding out the release is Gareth’s Onkaparinga Valley Sangiovese. Sourced from the highest and rockiest section of the Turnbull Vineyard in Charleston, these meticulously farmed 26-year-old vines have finally allowed Belton the quality to craft a site-specific Sangiovese. And what a debut it is!
"I love Sangiovese. For me, it’s the wine that I just could drink every day of the year..."
- Gareth Belton
This Sangiovese is powerful, with its natural acidity and fine-boned tannins giving it a tight structure that will only get better with time. The wine is brimming with blue fruits—think juicy blueberries and plums—while the chewy tannins give it a rustic charm and depth that is classic for the variety.
With less than 1500 bottles produced, this wine marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Gentle Folk, and it’s one we can’t wait to see evolve over the next few years.
What sets Gareth apart isn’t just his skill in the vineyard and the winery—it’s his ability to capture the essence of each site and translate it into wines of clarity and precision. The 2023 single vineyard release is a great achievement, one that reflects not just the cool vintage, but the confidence and maturity of a winemaker at the top of his game.
Whether it’s the best Chardonnays we’ve tasted from Gareth, or Pinot Noirs that show uncommon finesse, this release marks a high point for Gentle Folk. These are wines that speak of place, patience, and a rare winemaking talent. There are only very limited stocks of each wine available - literally just a few dozen each. We don't expect them to be available for long, we loved them and cannot recommend them enough.