Stargazer opens bijou vineyard tasting room

One of the most exciting wine brands in Tasmania has just opened a new mini tasting room.

Sam Connew's Stargazer Wines has unveiled a dedicated tasting room on its estate vineyard in the Coal River Valley.

The opening marks a significant milestone for winemaker and owner Connew, who founded the label in 2013 after being drawn to the region for its cool-climate conditions that reminded her of her native New Zealand.

Coinciding with the opening is the release of the 2025 vintage estate-grown Palisander wines - a single-vineyard pinot noir and riesling sourced from the now five-hectare vineyard that the tasting room overlooks. Tasting notes soon.

The small, architecturally designed space (above) reflects Connew’s bespoke, small-batch approach to winemaking.

Seating just 12 guests, it has been designed to host one-hour guided tasting experiences around a handcrafted communal table. Three guided tastings will be held per day, and the tasting room will also host special events, including collaborative dinners.

Before founding Stargazer, Connew had already built an impressive reputation across Australia and abroad.

She was senior winemaker at Wirra Wirra Vineyards in McLaren Vale, later managed Tower Estate in the Hunter Valley, and served as manager of the Hunter Valley node for the Australian Wine Research Institute.

 
A formative vintage in Oregon ignited her enduring passion for cool-climate viticulture.

“Opening this tasting room is a very personal achievement for me,” Connew said.

“Much of my earlier career centred on achieving consistency, but Stargazer has been about embracing the nuances of site, season and variety.

"This space is an opportunity to bring those stories to life and share them first-hand with the people who enjoy our wines.”

Bookings are essential for the intimate tastings, held Friday through Monday at 10am., 12:30pm and 3pm. 

Guests can reserve via the Stargazer website, with tastings priced at $35 per guest. Stargazer wine club members enjoy complimentary visits.

Bookings: stargazerwine.com.au

Image: Adam Gibson

Stillwater Tasmanian wine list runs deep

Visiting Tasmania? Keen to seek out the best wine lists in the state that showcase local drops? 

You might want to take a look at the results of the 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards.

The winners were announced this week with the Judges' Choice Award for the Best Tasmanian Wine List going to Launceston dining institution Stillwater (above).

Category winners were also announced, with Stillwater collecting another award (Best Tasmanian Wine List - Hobart or Launceston), Stanley Wine Bar being recognised by both the judges and the public (Best Tasmanian Small Bar Wine List and People's Choice Tasmanian Wine List) and The Branch Swansea (Best Tasmanian Wine List - Regional).

Black Cow Bistro, which hosted the awards, was highly commended by the judges for its Tasmanian wine list.

"The record number of 16 finalists reflects the high quality of wine lists featuring local wines from around the island," said Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies.

"We are delighted to see the significant efforts our hospitality venues are making to highlight, promote and support Tasmanian wines.

"We know that people are travelling to Tasmania specifically to experience our exceptional wines and that our wine tourists are staying longer, spending more and travelling into our regional areas to visit cellar doors.

"Being able to enjoy a glass of Tassie wine over a meal is great for both our visitors and supportive locals."

Wine Tasmania also released the new 2026 edition of its Tasmanian Wine Trails publication.

This brochure, concierge map and accompanying online directory serves as the go-to guide for visiting Tasmania’s cellar doors along the North-West, Tamar Valley, East Coast and Southern Wine Trails.

The online Wine Trails can be accessed at https://winetasmania.com.au/wine-trails.

Where to find star Tasmanian wines when visiting

Planning to visit Tasmania and wanting to know where to find interesting local wines on restaurant lists?

The judges for the 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of The Year award have done some work for you - this week naming the finalists in the state wide competition.

A record 16 venues from around the island have been selected as finalists in the 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards.

The program recognises local venues going the extra mile to champion the island’s home-grown wine.

Finalists have been chosen from an exceptional field of nominated venues based on the diversity and representation of Tasmanian wine on offer as well as the quality of wine service and local knowledge.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies congratulated the 2025 finalist venues:

“The quality of this year's award entrants has been incredibly high and it's great to see a number of new venues being deservedly recognised as finalists this year," she said.

"The ever-increasing efforts our hospitality venues are making to highlight, promote and support Tasmanian wines is very valuable for both our local wine producers and visitors to these venues."

"The Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards were instigated to encourage and recognise venues of all locations, styles and sizes who are our local wine champions, and the award categories allow for diverse offerings to be individually and equitably assessed.

"This year's finalists represent a wide range of some of Tassie's most well-known fine dining institutions alongside casual and specialised experiences, not just in our major cities but all the way from the Huon Valley to the East Coast, Cradle Mountain and Stanley in the North West."

The announcement also marks the commencement of the People’s Choice voting campaign, which invites Tasmanian wine lovers to visit and vote for their favourite finalist venue.

Among the awards under consideration by the judging panel include Best Hobart / Launceston Wine List, Best Regional Wine List and Best Small Wine Bar List, as well as the overall champion Tasmanian Wine List of the Year.

Public voting in the People’s Choice Wine List of the Year closes on Sunday, November 2, and votes can be submitted at winetasmania.com.au/vote. The winners of each 2025 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Award category will be announced on November 5.

The following eateries (listed in alphabetical order) have been selected as finalists:

# Black Cow Bistro, 70 George Street, Launceston TAS 7250, blackcowbistro.com.au
# Driftwood Restaurant, 13 North Terrace, Lauderdale TAS 7021, driftwoodrestaurant.com.au
# Grain of the Silos, 89 Lindsay Street, Invermay TAS 7248, grainofthesilos.com.au
# Harvest and Light, 6 Church St, Geeveston TAS 7116, harvestandlight.com.au
# Hellyers Restaurant at Discovery Resorts Cradle Mountain, 3816 Cradle Mountain Road, Cradle Mountain TAS 7306, discoveryholidayparks.com.au/resorts/cradle-mountain/dining
# Lost Captain Restaurant & Taphouse, 2-4 Short St, Huonville TAS 7109, lostcaptain.com.au
# Mures Upper Deck, Victoria Dock, Davey Street, Hobart TAS 7000, mures.com.au/upper-deck
# Peppina, 2b Salamanca Place, Hobart TAS 7000, peppinarestaurant.com
# Piermont, 12990 Tasman Hwy, Swansea TAS 7190, piermont.com.au/restaurant/
# Stanley Wine Bar, 2 Church Street, Stanley TAS 7331, stanleywinebar.com.au
# Stillwater, 2 Bridge Rd, Launceston TAS 7250, stillwater.net.au
# The Branch Swansea, 7 Maria St, Swansea TAS 7190, thebranchswansea.com.au
# The Old Bank of Geeveston, 13 Church Street, Geeveston TAS 7116, theoldbankofgeeveston.com.au
# The Whaler, Salamanca Pl, Battery Point TAS 7004, thewhaler.com.au
# Urban Greek, 103 Murray St, Hobart TAS 7000, urbangreek.com.au
# WunderBar & Restaurant, 45 Goulburn St, Hobart TAS 7000, www.wunderbar.au

# Disclosure: The writer was a judge for these awards until standing down this year.

Tolpuddle's low-profile new release

Here's a semi-secret wine that you won't find on restaurant wine lists or in your local bottle shop. 

Tolpuddle, the hugely successful Tasmanian vineyard that produces world-class chardonnays and pinots, has a new release. 

Co-owner Martin Shaw snuck me a bottle of the new 2024 Loveless Pinot Noir to try. And while it is not under the Tolpuddle label, it is a very impressive Tassie pinot. 

The Tolpuddle team explains: "Since taking over Tolpuddle Vineyard in 2011, we have made a number of improvements, including new plantings. 

"The young vines, of great potential but not yet ready to make it into the Tolpuddle Vineyard Pinot Noir, were blended with fruit from an excellent site in the Derwent Valley. The result is a bright, fresh, delicious Tasmanian pinot noir.

"The wine is named for George Loveless, leader of the Tolpuddle Martyrs; English convicts transported to Tasmania for forming an agricultural union. 

"Loveless served some of his sentence working on a property near Richmond, part of which is now Tolpuddle Vineyard.

So now you know.. The wine is only available in six packs for $300 from the Tolpuddle cellar door in the Coal River Valley, or online.

It's a dark wine, not quite as nuanced as Tolpuddle, but with an interesting flavour palette, well integrated oaks and soft tannins. It finishes long and smooth. 

https://www.tolpuddlevineyard.com/store/loveless-pinot-noir-6-pack

Why Tasmanian wine producers are celebrating

Tasmanian wine producers are celebrating a combination of exceptional quality, strong value and record-breaking yields in 2025.

Tasmania’s wine grape growers managed variable seasonal conditions to harvest an impressive 23,002 tonnes of grapes - equating to about 20 million bottles of wine. This represents a 37% increase on 2024 and is almost double the disappointing 2023 vintage.

Sheralee Davies, CEO of Wine Tasmania, welcomed the 2025 vintage results and recognised the efforts of the island’s grape growers and winemakers, many of whom are small family businesses.

“Tasmania may only be a small wine region, producing 1.2% of the country’s total wine, but it represents 6.5% of the national value and is ranked fifth most valuable wine region based on its farmgate value,” Davies said.

The 2024/25 growing season was slightly warmer than average, but the island’s maritime and southerly-influenced climate helped moderate temperatures, while timely rainfall was received.

Harvesting began earlier than usual in 2025, with this earlier, condensed and larger vintage applying some pressure to winery capacity. Despite some challenges including localised frost and hail, Tasmania’s viticulturists reported good quality cool-climate fruit.

“This record vintage comes at a time when Tasmania is building on strong demand for its wine, including undertaking a new export market program," Davies said.."While global wine consumption is decreasing, people are prioritising and preferrencing higher quality wines, such as those Tasmania produces.”

The full 2025 Tasmanian wine grape vintage report can be accessed at winetasmania.com.au/vintage2025.

Image: Dalrymple vineyards

Action stations in Tasmanian vineyards

Just a few days away from the Tasmanian Open Vineyards weekend, the 2025 wine grape harvest has officially commenced on the island state.

The first grapes - to be used for making sparkling wines - are being harvested over the coming weeks, with grape picking continuing through March and April as different grape varieties and different vineyards around the island reach optimal ripening.

Some shiraz will not be picked until May as the Apple Isle vintage stretches over four months.

Wine Tasmania Viticulture and Winemaking Officer Paul Smart said the 2024-25 seasonal conditions, while varying, have generally been good.

“Temperatures have been slightly above average across the season however Tasmania’s temperature has been moderated due to our maritime and southerly-influenced climate, and rainfall has come when needed,” he said.

“As a result of a slightly warmer season, harvesting has commenced just a little earlier in 2025, with preliminary reports from wine producers indicating that quality is very high and yields are looking to be above average.

"There have been some challenges throughout the season, including localised frost and hail events, and our hard-working viticulturists have been tirelessly and constantly managing their vineyards to achieve the best possible quality.”

With grape harvesting to continue for many weeks to come, Wine Tasmania has issued another reminder of the risk that smoke poses to vineyards.

“Vineyards are particularly susceptible to smoke exposure, which can be devastating for wine producers, particularly at this crucial harvest time. Wine Tasmania encourages anyone planning to light a fire on their property in the weeks ahead to consider and consult with nearby wine producers before igniting their burn to ensure they don't inadvertently cause any damage. A short postponement may be all that is needed to prevent irreparable damage.

"While some smoke from the bushfires on the west coast has travelled across the state, there is not currently believed to have been any direct impact on vineyards. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the many people who are battling these bushfires. The Tasmanian wine sector also values its ongoing engagement with the Tasmania Fire Service, Sustainable Timber Tasmania and Parks & Wildlife Service, to prioritise community safety while managing risks posed to vineyards.”

Further information on wine grapes and smoke is available at winetasmania.com.au/smokeandvineyards.

Meanwhile, 15th anniversary celebrations at boutique sparkling wine producer Henskens Rankin of Tasmania will be among the highlights of the the Southern Open Vineyards Weekend.

The event runs from Friday, February 28 to Sunday, March 2 from 11am to 4pm daily.

The Henskens Rankin winery is at unit 4/ 14-20 Louisa St, Ranelagh and will be offering a Sparkling Wine and Oyster Bar with the Tasmanian Oyster Company, free tastings of current and pre-release vintages and cheese platters on sale by Bruny Island Cheese Company. 

Full details of the weekend's events: https://www.gourmetontheroad.com/2024/12/tasmanian-vineyards-to-throw-open-their.html

So you’d like to drink Tassie wine. In Tasmania

So you are in Tasmania? You want to eat out and enhance your meal with some Tassie wine.

There are wines from big-name wineries that appear on lists throughout the state.

But you’d like to sample fairly priced wines from some smaller producers, many of whose wines do not make it to the mainland.

The Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards, announced last night, offer a good guide to where wine lovers might find some rewarding choices

Tasmanian Wine List of the Year award recipients:
Hobart/Launceston + Overall Tasmanian Wine List of the Year: Black Cow Bistro
Best Small Bar Wine List: Stanley Wine Bar
Best Regional Wine List: The Old Bank of Geeveston
Peoples' Choice Tasmanian Wine List of the Year: Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
Highly Commended: The Agrarian Kitchen, T42 Hobart, Grain of the Silos.

I was one of the judges for these awards, although a swag of biometrics and algorithms also hold sway.

I thought the list submitted by Aloft, in Hobart, was a very strong contender, but somehow it did not even merit a highly commended. I also liked the Peppina list, particularly, and Mudbar, much more than my bot mates.

That said, the winning list from Black Cow Bistro in Launceston is excellent and a worthy recipient.

Wine Tasmania also released the new 2025 edition of its Tasmanian Wine Trails publication at the Tassie Wine Stars event. 

This brochure, concierge map and accompanying online directory serves as the go-to guide for visiting Tasmania’s cellar doors across four parts of the state - the North-West, Tamar Valley, East Coast and Southern Wine Trails respectively.

With Tourism Tasmania this week launching a new campaign encouraging locals to get out and explore closer to home this summer, Wine Tasmania is encouraging locals and visitors alike to put the Tasmanian Wine List of the Year venues and experiences showcased in the 2025 Tasmanian Wine Trails publication on the bucket list.

"We Tasmanians are spoiled for choice when it comes to extraordinary local wine and food experiences. The word is definitely out, with 23% of all visitors to Tassie in the year to June 2024 calling into a cellar door during their stay, staying longer in our regional areas and spending more than other visitor segments,” Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said.

See winetasmania.com.au

Tasmanian winemakers celebrate a cracking vintage

Tasmanian wine producers are welcoming a trifecta of excellent quality, record wine grape values and an overdue return to strong yields for vintage 2024.

Tasmanians grape growers managed variable and unsettled seasonal conditions to harvest the equivalent of approximately 14.5 million bottles of wine from 16,805 tonnes; up a massive 36% on the 2023 vintage.

Reflecting the island state's focus on value over volume, Tasmanian wine grapes harvested in 2024 set new records, averaging $3,674 per tonne across all varieties and styles (compared with $613 per tonne nationally), with the value of Tasmanian sparkling wine grapes up to $3,797/tonne.

Paul Smart, Wine Tasmania’s viticulture and winemaking officer, welcomed the positive vintage results, saying: "Based on wine grapes harvested across the country's 65 wine regions, Tasmania is the 13th largest by volume but the 5th most valuable, up from 10th most valuable in 2023. 

"After four low-yielding seasons in Tasmania, a return to solid volumes has been very welcome alongside excellent quality and will help Tasmania satisfy the ever-increasing global demand for its wines."

Seasonal conditions varied across the island. 

The north of the state received above average temperatures, while parts of the island’s south experienced cooler than average temperatures. 

It was also very dry in the south-east and drier than normal across the rest of Tasmania. But the seasonal conditions supported good yields and resulted in an earlier and condensed vintage in 2024.

A total of 1,214,000 cases (dozen) of 2024 wine were produced across the board. 

Throughout the season, 46% of Tasmania's vineyard area was managed under Tasmania’s VinØ (vin zero) program, a best practice viticulture and winemaking framework led by Wine Tasmania. 

The full 2024 Tasmanian wine grape vintage report can be accessed at www.winetasmania.com.au/vintage2024.

Tasmanian wine producers shine brightly

Tasmania produces just under 1% of all the wine made in Australia.

But the little island that could has just scored an 8.1% share of inclusions on a major list of Australian wine standouts.

The Real Review, headed by veteran critic Huon Hooke, today announced its Top Wineries of Australia rankings, with Yarra Valley producer Yarra Yering named Winery of the Year Australia for 2024.

Despite having a comparatively small total number of wineries compared to other regions, cool-climate Tasmania merited 32 entrants on the list.

Shining stars of the region include Tolpuddle (#10, top image), Pooley (#23), Stargazer (#47), and Chatto Wines (#52). Pressing Matters, House of Arras, OSSA and Clemens Hill also hit the top 100.

Stargazer moved up the ranking to #47 from its position of #114 last year, with winemaker Sam Connew's Palisander Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 proving a star. For those interested in the top five: Henschke, Wine by Farr, Penfolds and Oakridge complete the list.

This year, 394 producers received a Top Wineries Certificate, representing approximately 16% of all Australia's wineries. Look through the list and you'll find plenty to disagree with. I certainly did.

 
The full list of The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia 2024 can be found at www.therealreview.com with information and tickets for tasting events in Sydney and Melbourne at therealreview.com/events.

And then there were two: Arras enters Langtons classification

Leading Tasmanian sparkling wine producer House of Arras has earned a spot on the latest edition of the Langtons Classification - Australia's most respected market guide for fine wines.

The House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged Methode Traditionelle was this week recognised alongside 99 other wines in the newly released eighth edition of the Classificaton.

The only sparkling wine in the previous classification was niche favourite Rockford Sparkling Black Shiraz, which retained its spot. The Arras wine is the only traditional sparkling wine to make the list.

In fact, the E.J. Carr Late Disgorged is the first Tasmanian sparkling wine to appear in the Langtons Classification since it launched in 1991.

“Every winemaker knows a spot on the Langtons Classification is no small feat," said House of Arras chief wnemaker Ed Carr.

"We are incredibly proud that the E.J. Carr is recognised amongst such a distinguished list of producers and wines.

“The E.J. Carr represents the very best of what we do, and this new accolade emboldens us on our mission to prove that the finest sparkling wine in the world can be made right here in Tasmania.”

The LangtonsClassification is the most respected secondary market guide to fine and luxury Australian wines. The Classification comprises the most sought-after Australian fine wines based on their strong track record at auction.

The new edition has evolved to only two classification titles - ‘Classified’ and ‘1st Classified’ - with House of Arras joining 18 other new wines that have joined the ranks.

The new recognition caps off another successful year for House of Arras following the acquisition of the sparkling brand by independent Australian winery Handpicked Wines.

The House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2007 release is now available from select fine wine retailers, the House of Arras Cellar Door in Tasmania and online from www.houseofarras.com.au for an RRP of $266.

For more information about the eighth edition of the Langtons Classification, visit www.langtons.com.au.

Tasmania's wine industry now an economic powerhouse

Tasmania's booming wine industry is now one of the state's major economic drivers, new research reveals.

Research commissioned by Wine Tasmania shows the wine sector produces approximately $420 million in wine annually, which is projected to grow to $2 billion by 2040 as the wine sector continues to experience strong growth.

This would make the Tasmanian wine sector the most significant contributor to the Tasmanian economy, outperforming all other sectors, including the controversial forestry and fish farming sectors.

With 3,600 full-time equivalent jobs in the wine sector, Tasmania is the only state where the grape growing workforce grew over the past decade, up by 74%, compared with a 29% reduction nationally.

During the same period, Tasmania was also the only state where females in grape-growing roles increased, up by 115%.

Sheralee Davies, Wine Tasmania CEO, said the report revealed the impressive scale and growth of the Tasmanian wine sector.

“The Tasmanian wine sector is founded in agriculture, but its value grows exponentially through winemaking and wine tourism," Davies said.

"Nearly every community in Tasmania is directly or indirectly linked to the wine sector, including through employment, investment and tourism in our regional areas.

“A quarter of visitors to Tasmania call into our regional cellar doors, with these visitors staying longer and spending more than others.

“From humble beginnings in the 1950s, so many people have worked tirelessly for a long time to make this sector the impressive success it is today. This is despite many challenges along the way and official advice that the island was too cold and unpredictable to ever be a regional wine champion.

“Tasmania is now leading the country, through its global profile, the value of wine grapes and wine, visitation to its cellar doors and market-led growth as well as regional employment and investment. This reputation, coupled with a changing climate and wine preferences, will see even further growth over the coming years.

“While growth reflects confidence in the Tasmanian wine sector, it also comes with quite a lot of risk. There is an opportunity for future growth to be carefully considered and managed to ensure Tasmania builds on its strong platform of today.”

Image: Small Wonder vineyard, Tamar Valley 

Sparkling star Clover Hill takes a different direction

Leading Tasmanian sparkling wine producer Clover Hill has unveiled a major change in direction. 

Clover Hill, which has been at the vanguard of Australia's cool-climate winemaking wave for three decades, is to cease making vintage wines in commercial quantities and focus on crafting multiple vintage, or MV, sparkling wines. 

Winemakers Robert Heywood and Ben Howell, along with general manager Ian White, announced the changes, which are aimed at producing stellar sparkling wines with "freshness and consistency".

The move is in direct contrast to rival producers big and small - from House of Arras to Henskens-Rankin - where making vintage wines that age gracefully is very much the focus. 

The Pipers Brook-based producer will still make some small-batch vintage wines for cellar door and wine club members, but not for public sale. 

And Heywood says that while a vintage wine from an exceptional vintage down the track may occur, attention will now be focused firmly on MV wines. 

The flagbearer is the Clover Hill MV Exceptionelle - a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier that certainly offers excellent value for an RRP of $45-50. The current release is a very fresh, chardonnay-driven aperitif style.  

Owned by Goelet Wine Estates family (Taltarni and Clos du Val in California), Clover Hill's first vintage was in 1991, well before Tasmania became an industry darling for its precise cool-climate wines.

Ian White and Robert Heywood 

Heywood says the aim is to produce wines that consistently reflect the terroir of Tasmania, regardless of who the winemaker is - and there have been several over 30+ years.

Wines will be strongly chardonnay-dominant with 10 hectares of extra vines being planted to keep up with demand. 

The Clover Hill team says it wants to demystify wine and that reserve wines held on lees in tanks under pressure, blended with the base wine from a specific vintage will ensure freshness and character and help deliver a house style consistently, year in, year out. 

The baseline blend will be around 65% of the current vintage and 35% from the two previous vintages. 

The multi-vintage concept will transition across the entire portfolio over the next 3-4 years - so if you have a favourite vintage style that you want to cellar, it may pay to pick some bottles up sooner rather than later. 

"This is a new philosophical approach and a sharpening of winemaking focus to improve quality and consistency," says White. "We can help change the narrative from winemaker to defining the house style."

Heywood points out that 95% of wines from Champagne are non-vintage wines that reduce fluctuations in style. 

"We have some of the best sparkling wine fruit in the world," he says. "And we will be able to release them at the optimum date. It's an exciting time for us with a lot of upside."

Still in the planning stage are ideas to ensure correct stock rotation and labelling, that reflects the date a particular wine was disgorged. 

 See https://cloverhillwines.com.au/     

   

   

 

   

Grain of truth: Best Tasmanian wine list unveiled

 

Are you visiting Tasmania and keen to check out wine lists that offer a compelling range of wines from the island state?

The 2023 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards were announced today, with the highest accolade, the Judges' Choice award, going to Launceston’s Grain of the Silos in the Peppers Silos Hotel.

Peppina in Hobart, which has arguably the best overall list in the state, and Mures Upper Deck were highly commended.

The best regional wine list was awarded to Kermandie Hotel, while Stanley Wine Bar received awards for both best small wine bar list and the people’s choice wine list.

Other highly commended lists included Launceston’s Little V and regional entrant The Imbibers, located at Oatlands.

Unlike other award programs, the Tasmanian Wine List of the Year has a hyper-local focus and seeks to identify those venues that go the extra mile in championing the island’s wines and produce.

Previous winner Stillwater in Launceston, with another outstanding list, did not enter this year.

“The depth and quality of the local wine offering from all finalist venues was a step up this year, reflecting the growing sophistication of the island as a wine and food destination," said Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies.

"Not only did we see an increase in new and geographically-dispersed entrants, their wine lists featured a much greater range of wine producers, locations, varieties and vintages than previously seen. We commend and thank all of our finalist venues for the excellent role they play in promoting the island's wines to locals and visitors alike."

2023 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year award winners:

# Judges’ Choice Best Wine List – Grain of the Silos (highly commended: Mures Upper Deck & Peppina)
# Judges’ Choice Best Small Wine Bar List – Stanley Wine Bar (highly commended: Little V)
# Judges’ Choice Best Regional Wine List – Kermandie Hotel (highly commended: The Imbibers)
# People’s Choice Best Wine List – Stanley Wine Bar

# The writer was a member of the judging panel

Tasmanian wines sparkle in Melbourne

Tasmania produces just 1% of all the wine made in Australia, but punches well above its weight when it comes to quality.

While GoTR has a policy of not reporting on wine show awards, yesterday's results from the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2023 merit an exception.

Not only did the Lowestoft 2022 La Maison Pinot Noir win one of the most coveted wine award in Australia - the Jimmy Watson Trophy for Best Young Red - it was the second Tasmanian winner over the past eight years, and the third in 13 years.

That's over a 25% strike rate.

And in another Tassie triumph family-owned East Coast producer Freycinet Vineyard was awarded the Dr Tony Jordan Trophy for Best Sparkling for its Radenti Grand Vintage Sparkling 2016.

The 2022 La Maison was also awarded the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir. A third straight triumph.

The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy is presented in recognition of services rendered to the advancement of the Australian wine industry by the late Jimmy Watson. The award is for the best one- or two-year-old dry red wine.

“It is a great honour for me and our winemaking and viticulture teams to be able to produce such amazing wines from the Lowestoft vineyard," said Lowestoft’s chief winemaker and general manager Liam McElhinney (above) from the Fogarty Group. 

"This is a small three-hectare site [on the banks of the River Derwent north of Hobart], densely planted in 1986 and the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy and the ‘three-peat’ James Halliday Trophy win shows the immense quality this vineyard produces year after year."

The first Tasmanian pinot noir to win a Jimmy Watson was the 2014 Home Hill Kelly's Reserve Pinot Noir in 2015. Before that Nick Glaetzer won with a Tasmanian shiraz, the 2010 Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Père Shiraz, in 2011.



Meanwhile. Freycinet Vineyard's win came with a single vineyard sparkling wine grown and
made on their estate.

Already renowned for its pinot noir, Freycinet Vineyard commenced sparkling wine production in 1993.

Founders Geoff and Susan Bull were both lovers of Champagne and foresaw Tasmania’s exceptional potential for producing sparkling wines, encouraging their winemaker daughter Lindy and her partner Claudio Radenti to try their hand.

Now in its 30th year of production, Radenti is one of a select few grower-producer sparkling wines produced in Australia.

Winemaker Claudio Radenti, pictured above with fellow winemaker Keira O'Brien, said: “We are humbled to receive this trophy and it reinforces what an extraordinary place Tasmania is for premium sparkling wine and is also a wonderful honour for my family who have supported the vision of creating world class sparkling wine from our vineyard in Tasmania.

"The 2016 vintage was relatively warm but our focussed approach to growing fruit dedicated to sparkling wine has paid dividends. The win is the result of consistent effort from our team, who work tirelessly to ensure the quality of our wines from vineyard to bottle.”

Freycinet Vineyard founder Geoff Bull fondly recalls Dr Tony Jordan as an early mentor, saying “Tony educated me on how to produce the best wines possible with his motto ‘no compromise’. It was Tony who influenced me and the rest of my family to start producing sparkling wine. It is an honour to receive this trophy bearing his name.”

The Melbourne Royal Wine Awards is one of Australia’s oldest and most respected wine shows, recognising and rewarding excellence in Australian winemaking.

Established in 1884 with just thirteen entries, the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards have evolved and grown into a premier celebration for the Australian wine industry, attracting over 2,425 entries from more than 420 wineries across the nation.

Visitors to Tasmania flock to cellar doors

Cool-climate Tasmanian wine is very much in vogue right now - as are visits to Tasmanian cellar doors.

The latest Tasmanian Tourism visitor statistics report show that over 300,000 interstate and international visitors dropped into one of the island state's cellar doors during the year to June 2023.

It is the first time that reported cellar door visitation has exceeded 300,000 people, with this segment of visitors spending 40% more than other visitors to Tasmania and representing 24% of all visitors.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies revealed the new data in releasing the new 2024 Tasmanian Wine Trails publication.

The new guide coincides with two major wine festival weekends coming up with the Open Vineyards weekend in Southern Tasmania running from November 3-5, and the Effervesence sparkling wine festival in the north of the state from November 10-12. See https://www.winesouth.com.au/ and https://effervescencetasmania.com/

“Tasmanian cellar doors continue to attract more interstate and international wine lovers every year," Davies says. "This is the highest number of recorded visitors, reflecting the ever-increasing global demand and interest in our exceptional wines.

“When these high-value visitors travel to Tasmania, they spend time in our regional areas, enjoying our broader hospitality and tourism offerings and everything this amazing island has to offer.

“With exceptional quality but reduced wine availability in 2023 [courtesy of Mother Nature], visiting Tasmania and its cellar doors is the best way for people to experience the depth and diversity of our wines, with some wine producers reserving their most sought-after wines exclusively for cellar door visitors.”

The Tasmanian Wine Trails publication is a free guide to the island’s best wine experiences and complementary activities. It is released as a printed A5 publication, an interactive online version and a condensed A3 map.

The Tasmanian Wine Trails booklet profiles four geographic areas – the North West, Tamar Valley, East Coast and Southern wine trails, with information on key cellar doors and complementary experiences along each trail.

The online version can be accessed at www.winetasmania.com.au/wine-trails, while free copies of the print publication are available at visitor information centres and at cellar doors.

Image: Craigie Knowe Vineyard: Wine Tasmania 

Calling hospitality businesses in Tasmania

Hospitality venues in Tasmania are being encouraged to support the local wine industry and enter the 2023 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Program.

Now in its sixth year, the Wine List of the Year program was initiated to recognise the contribution by the island’s restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs and wine retailers in promoting local wines and their producers.

"While our island’s wine is overwhelmingly supported by locals, wine is deeply intertwined with the visitor experience too," said Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies.

"During the 12 months to March 2023, 24% of all visitors to Tasmania called into a cellar door during their stay, reflecting the importance of our wine to the overall visitor offering."

Submissions for the 2023 awards program are now open, with the key requirement being that venues stock and promote local Tasmanian wine as a part of their overall offering.

Four key award categories recognise venues in Launceston, Hobart and regional areas, in addition to a category focused on small but high-quality wine lists.

The overall Judges’ Choice award is then chosen from these four winners, while the People’s Choice award will invite the public to vote for their favourite venue from a list of finalists.

"Through the Wine List of the Year program, Wine Tasmania seeks to celebrate those venues that go the extra mile to share what it is that makes Tassie and its wine so awesome," said Davies.

"Our many small Tasmanian wine producers value the support of their friends in local hospitality and retail businesses and we look forward to promoting the finalists and award winners in 2023."

The overall winner will also gain direct free entry into the Australia-wide Wine List of the Year awards.

Tasmanian on-premise and off-premise licensed venues - regardless of size - are encouraged to nominate at winetasmania.com.au/wloty2023 by October 2, 2023.

Finalists will be announced and the People’s Choice voting campaign will commence from October 9, with the winners scheduled to be announced on November 13.

# The writer is a member of the judging panel for these awards.

Tasmania calling to wine guns

 
Are you a sommelier, wine buyer, restaurateur or retail sales gun? 

Wine Tasmania wants you. 

The umbrella body for wine on the island state is once again inviting wine buyers from across the country to experience the island's very fashionable wines this October.

 

Ten key people will be selected to participate in an immersive two-day visit exploring the south of the island, tasting wines and interacting with wine producers from around the state.

 

With the increasing popularity of Tasmanian wine seeing demand often exceeding production, the program presents an opportunity for wine buyers to experience and learn about many of Tasmania’s wines, which can  often be difficult to access.

 

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said that visiting the island was the best way to experience the Tasmanian lifestyle and its outstanding produce.

 

“Tasmanian wines have been attracting the attention of a growing global audience in recent years," she says. 

"Visiting the island is the best way to understand the depth and diversity of our outstanding wines and the talented people who grow and craft them.

 

“Many of the island’s wine producers only sell their wines in Tasmania, while others send their wine off-island in small and hard-to-find quantities. 

@We live in one of the best places on earth and this annual visit allows us to share a little of the lifestyle we’re privileged to call our own.”

 

The visitation program is open to anyone currently employed in senior roles within the wine trade including sommeliers, restaurateurs and retail representatives. 

Applicants must be responsible for wine purchasing decisions within their business and be available to travel to Tasmania on October 16-17. 

The link to apply can be found at winetasmania.com.au/trade-visit and submissions close on August 18. 

The visitation program is presented with support from the Tasmanian Government.

Tasmania's tiny wine industry continues to boom

 

Cool-climate Tasmania continues to punch above its weight in the wine industry with new figures showing the island state produces just 0.9% of Australia's total wine grape production but accounts for 4% of total value. 

The 2023 Tasmanian Wine Grape Vintage Report shows Tasmanian wine producers rose to the many challenges across the 2023 season to harvest modest volumes of excellent quality.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said a challenging season resulted in low yields in many parts of the island but that there was also plenty of positive news.

"The overall 2023 vintage production is very similar to 2022, with many wine growing areas experiencing significantly lower yields," Davies said. 

"The decrease in yields has been partially offset by newer vineyards starting to come into production, with the island's total vineyard area continuing to expand.

“Due to the vigilance and tireless management of our producers, quality of the wine grapes harvested this year is reported to be excellent. With volumes down and increasing global demand, this means Tassie wine lovers may need to get in early to secure wine from their favourite vineyards.”

The 2023 season’s challenges came primarily from wet, cool growing conditions, causing delays to the ripening of wine grapes across much of the island. 

In 2023, Tasmania collectively harvested 12,390 tonnes of wine grapes, anticipated to produce 895,000 cases of wine with 32% sparkling wine. 

The season also delivered another record for the value of Tasmanian wine grapes, up to $3,377/tonne (up 4%)  compared with the national average of $642/tonne. 

Details at www.winetasmania.com.au/vintage2023

Image: Kate Hill Vineyard, Huon Valley. Winsor Dobbin

Smoke a major threat to wine vintage in Tasmania

The 2023 vintage is well under way in Tasmania - but this is an anxious time for grape growers and winemakers.

Not only is there the risk of early season frosts, but this is also the season when the forestry industry - which gets millions of dollars of state government support can threaten another of Tasmania's primary industries. Farm burn offs also pose a threat.

Wine Tasmania has issued an urgent reminder of the potential devastating impact smoke can have on vineyards.

Vineyards are particularly susceptible to smoke exposure, which can cause irreparable damage and destroy the livelihood of the island’s wine producers.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said that wine grape growers have worked tirelessly over the past year to manage their vineyards up to harvest time. Consequently, the remaining harvest period through to approximately the end of May is crucial.

“It has been another challenging and varied season, including some cooler and wetter weather which has contributed to a delayed harvest," Davies said.

"Pleasingly, early reports of wine quality are very positive, with overall wine volumes likely to be slightly below the long-term average.

“One of the greatest concerns for wine producers at this time of the year is the potential impact of smoke from nearby fires. We encourage anyone planning to light a fire on their property in the weeks ahead to consult with nearby vineyards before igniting their burn to ensure they don't inadvertently cause major damage.

“Smoke can travel some distance from a fire and still cause damage to vineyards, and a short postponement of a fire may be all that is needed to prevent irreparable damage to this year's vintage.”

Wine Tasmania is encouraging land holders to get in touch directly with nearby vineyards to discuss proposed timing of burn offs, the vineyard’s progress on harvesting and potential risks.

They can also contact Wine Tasmania on (03) 6223 3770 for further information and details of nearby vineyards.

See https://winetasmania.com.au/tasvine

Tasmania gets a new wine producer using only one grape variety

Tasmania is about to get a new cellar door - but one of the couple behind it has along wine industry history.

Westella Vineyard is Will and Jacquie Adkins' family vineyard located in the cool-climate location of Rowella in the Tamar Valley.

Adkins is well known as the general manager of leading Tasmanian wine brand Tamar Ridge, owned by Brown Brothers.

He and his wife are also "wine-growers dedicated to crafting a full range of wines grown only from pinot noir grapes".

"Our region excels at pinot noir so that is all that we grow," the couple say.  

Using four different pinot clones they will produce a selection of wines including a classic traditional method sparkling blanc de noir and a sparkling vintage rosé, as well as table wines the Westella and the Tippogoree.

"From September 2022, we will host visitors to our small vineyard in our Westella Vineyard cellar," the couple says.

"Visitors will be able to sample and purchase our pinot noir and enjoy a small menu of Tasmanian food to accompany tastings. We invite you to visit and enjoy the scenic trip along kanamaluka (the Tamar) to our peaceful and picturesque garden of vines".

See https://westellavineyard.com.au/