Combine wine tasting with wildlife spotting

Tasmanian sparkling wine producer House of Arras has added a new experience to its cellar door offerings.

Visitors can now sample a sustainable new way to experience its Wildlife & Vineyard Safari on board a quiet, zero-emissions electric passenger golf cart.

The eco-friendly addition is promoted as allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of the northern Tasmanian landscape along the banks of the Pipers River while accessing more of the estate with minimal environmental impact.

Following a guided tasting of some of Australia's most awarded sparkling wines, guests can embark on a two-hour journey through the vineyard, learning about sustainable viticulture and spotting native wildlife including resident platypus, wedge-tailed eagles and bandicoots.

Combining world-class sparkling wine with conservation, wildlife and scenery, the experience aims to offers a deeper connection to the landscape and terroir that define House of Arras.

The offering is part of House of Arras' membership of Ultimate Winery Experiences and costs from $175.

See https://houseofarras.com.au/

Meet some luxe hotels offering special Valentine's Day experiences

Are you leaving it late to book for Valentine's Day?

You might want to check out the romance packages being offered by Sofitel and MGallery Collection Hotels across Australia.

On offer: "Candlelit dining, indulgent spa rituals and dreamy overnight stays designed for two".

Here are some of the deals:

At Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, No35 Restaurant is offering a French-inspired menu that aims to replicate Paris above Melbourne. Choose from a three-course set lunch ($139 per person, including French sparkling on arrival), an early three-course dinner ($199 per person, including Champagne and amuse bouche), or a four-course dinner ($349 per person, including Champagne on arrival and free-flowing beverages). There will be live music in the evening and guaranteed window seats are available for an additional $50 per person. https://www.sofitel-melbourne.com.au/offers/valentines-day-celebrations/

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour's Atelier restaurant offers a "romantic" five-course menu ($160 per person) designed to be savoured slowly, together, finishing with a strawberry rose parfait. Add matching wines for $85 per person. https://www.sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com.au/offers/valentines-day/

At Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, romance takes on a Asian accent with a four-course Vietnamese–French set menu ($119 per person) starring fresh seafood and signature noodles to the table. For something more classic, Tilda offers a five-course Valentine's Day menu ($139 per person). After dinner, perhaps, a Romantic Escape package that includes an overnight stay, a bottle of Champagne, a romantic in-room gift and a room service breakfast, from $774 per room. https://www.sofitelsydney.com.au/special-offers/valentines-dining-offer

Out of town, Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains by MGallery has three-course dining experience that begins with a glass of sparkling cuvée on arrival, followed by "a thoughtfully crafted menu designed for a memorable night in the mountains". https://www.fairmontresort.com.au/offers/valentines-day-dinner/

Hotel Chadstone Melbourne – MGallery Collection is offering a special three-course Valentine's Day dinner at Pastore Restaurant, which begins with house-baked bread and olive oil, followed by a selection of cicchetti, seafood or slow-roasted lamb for main. Priced at $109 per person food only or $164 with each course paired with a selection of Italian and local Victorian wines. Extend the romance with an overnight stay including in-room breakfast for two, a 2pm late check-out and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine and a box of Koko Black chocolates in your room. Priced from $390 per room. https://www.hotelchadstone.com.au/offer/valentines-day-dinner/

Seafood stars at The Brighton Hotel Sydney – MGallery Collection  restaurant Ammos with a Valentine's set menu featuring the restaurant's most-loved dishes, elevated with highlights like Sydney rock oysters; Thessauri Ossetra caviar with blini; wood-fire cooked king prawns; and Kinross Station lamb rump, followed by a chocolate karidopita, and hand-made Ammos truffles to take home. It is priced at $169 per person, including a glass of sparkling on arrival. https://thebrightonsydney.com.au/special-offer/ammos-valentines/

In South Australia, The Playford Adelaide MGallery Collection hotel has a  four-course dinner at the two chef-hatted Luma, which includes a cocktail on arrival. The sharing menu includes a selection of canapes, house-made mini loaf, Atlantic salmon ballontine with sea herbs, cucumber and roe for entrée, a choice of baked snapper or beef fillet for main, and chocolate delice dessert with Adelaide Hills strawberries and coconut sorbet, for $185 per person.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valentines-day-dinner-at-luma-restaurant-on-14th-february-2026-tickets-1977107839771?aff=oddtdtcreator

Derwent Estate confirms purchase of Tasmanian wine tourism favourite Puddleduck

Puddleduck, one of the most popular wine producers and cellar doors in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, has been purchased by one of the state's leading brands, Derwent Estate. .

Owners Darren and Jackie Brown announced this week that the business would officially be sold; and Derwent Estate's Andrew Hanigan today confirmed the deal has been completed.

Puddleduck will continue to operate as a stand-alone business.

"We are incredibly excited to be taking over the ownership of Puddleduck Vineyard," Hanigan said in a statement to GoTR.

"The brand that Darren and Jackie have built over the last three decades is amazing and unique, and we are humbled to be able to continue this on.

"The synergy between our family business and theirs seemed like a great fit and we are thrilled to be able to work in the world renowned Coal River Valley."

Derwent Estate, based at Granton, is a fifth-generation family farming business operated by the Hanigan family.

“It's a tough thing to do to let you know that after 27 years of growing, making, and sharing wine at Puddleduck Vineyard, that the time has come for some of our family to step away from the business,” Puddleduck said on its Facebook page.

“As of Friday the 9th of May, ownership of Puddleduck Vineyard will transition to new owners.

“The familiar faces of the family namely - Darren, Jackie, Nick and Sue - will be changing to new family faces and they will introduce themselves in the very near future.

“This change marks a significant moment for us personally and professionally, and while it’s not without emotion, it feels like the right time for both Puddleduck and our family.

“Over nearly three decades, we’ve had the privilege of building Puddleduck into what it is today – a family-run vineyard and cellar door in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, where every bottle is grown, made, and sold on-site.

“We’ve always taken pride in offering a warm welcome, quality wines, and (quite) a few duck-related quirks along the way!

“Throughout the years, we’ve been fortunate to work with wonderful suppliers, partners, and supporters like you, and we want to express our sincere thanks for being part of our journey.”

Puddleduck is best known for its Bubbleduck sparkling wines and popular cellar door.

  

Mumm delivers a new world of flavours

You need to make sure you are buying the right Mumm when you step into your local bottle shop.

G. H. Mumm & Cie is a Champagne House that was founded in 1827 in Reims.

Famous for its Cordon Rouge label, Mumm is one of the largest Champagne houses and is owned by Pernod Ricard.

 
The Mumm brand has expanded over the years, however, with iterations from California, Tasmania in Australia and New Zealand - with wines from both Marlborough and Central Otago.

Australian wine drinkers can now sample sparkling wines from all four countries with the arrival of Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée under Mumm Terroirs collection label.

Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée is crafted from a blend of 49% pinot noir, 46% chardonnay, and small amounts of pinot gris and pinot meunier by head winemaker Tami Lotz.

All the fruit comes from the Napa Valley, about 80km north of San Francisco: a region renowned for its diverse soils and microclimates.

Kristy Rutherford, marketing director for Pernod Ricard Australia, said: “We’ve seen the remarkable growth of super premium sparklings from the new world in the last few years.

"Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige reached shelves in 2020, followed by the popular launch of Mumm Tasmania in 2022, and more recently the expansion into Central Otago with the Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noirs and Mumm Central Otago Pinot Noir."

I thought the Napa Valley sparkling was well made with definite brioche-like intensity on the palate. It is very food friendly.

“The US has been in love with Mumm Napa sparklings for 40 years now, and we are thrilled to welcome Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée to the Terroirs collection in time for the Australian summer season,” Rutherford said.

It would be a great choice for a wine options game but at $45 I think a lot of Australians will prefer the more elegant Tasmanian option.

Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée is available now at Vintage Cellars, Liquorland, First Choice and independent liquor stores nationally.

How and where to pair two Tasmanian treats

 

There are few treats more quintessentially Tasmanian than oysters and sparkling wine.

Hobart's Belvedere Restaurant will be shucking, serving and chatting oysters on Saturday, July 27, in partnership with Tasmanian Oyster Company, who have 40 years of expertience producing premium Pacific oysters.

The event is called “The Oyster Affair”, and oyster lovers can join farmers from the Tasmanian Oyster Company for an afternoon of tastings (including the rare Angasi Oyster) while enjoying matching sparkling wines from local stars Josef Chromy and Freycinet Vineyard as well as interloper Skillogalee Estate from the Clare Valley.

Guests are promised they will "learn how to shuck like an expert" as well as sampling varieties including Smithton Tarkine from the nutrient-rich waters of Tasmania's wild north-west as well as rare indigenous Angasi Oyster – Australia’s last remaining native Angasi oyster reef is located in Tasmania.

The three sparkling wines will be matched to the half dozen oysters that will be served naturally, fresh topped or baked.

Oyster lovers are invited to stick around after the demonstration and tasting for Belvedere’s popular Oyster Happy Hour, where oysters are available to purchase for just $2 between 4-6pm, along with $8 house beers, wines and spirits and $14 cocktails.

The oyster tasting, shucking class and wines cost $79 per person.

The Belvedere is on the ground level of Vibe Hobart at 36 Argyle St.

Bookings are available here  

Tasmania sparkles on international wine stage

What a moment for the Australian wine industry. 

For the first time ever, an Australian winemaker has been named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London. 

The award was presented to House of Arras chief winemaker Ed Carr, who attended a special ceremony held overnight at The Oval.

Regular readers will be aware GoTR does  not cover wine show results but this is a major win for Arras and Tasmania so we are making a rare exception. 

The win for House of Arras marks only the second time in the competition's 40-year history that a winemaker outside of Champagne has received the award

“I’m incredibly honoured to be named this year’s Sparkling Winemaker of the Year. It’s a challenge to describe the feeling, but I’m proud to be recognised amongst my peers for such a significant international award,” Carr said.

“Everything we do at House of Arras is based on our single-minded approach to crafting exceptional sparkling wine that speaks to Tasmania's cool climate and ancient soils and is equal to the world’s best. 

“This endorsement from one of the world’s most respected wine competitions is a testament to this mission, and I’m thrilled to share this award with the team.” 

The IWC is recognised as one of the world’s most rigorous, impartial, and influential wine competitions. Judged by more than 500 experts from more than 38 different countries, the IWC is an opportunity for winemakers worldwide to benchmark their wines against the very best.

The judging process sees an IWC medal-winning wine tasted by a minimum of eight judges before being awarded. This strict process ensures the results are widely respected by international wine retailers and buyers globally. 

In addition to Carr's win, House of Arras collected the Australian Sparkling Trophy for its 2014 House of Arras Blanc de Blancs, along with two gold and six silver medals at the IWC. 

House of Arras wines are available at fine wine retailers, the House of Arras Pipers River cellar door, and online from www.houseofarras.com.au.

Effervescence is a sparkling success story

Look. There is Ed Carr, Australia's most-awarded sparkling winemaker from House of Arras. He's talking about the importance of aging cool-climate bubbles until they are ready to be released. 

Over there is Nat Fryar from boutique producer Bellebonne. She's chatting about the key role that chardonnay plays in her wines.

And here is Claudio Radenti from Freycinet Estate talking in his own understated way about his winery's recent show successes.

Oh, and over there is industry pioneer Andrew Pirie revealing the philosophy behind his Apogee label.   
Tasmania's leading sparkling wine producers get together each year for the Effervescence festival that celebrates the state's ongoing success. 

It is a chance for wine lovers to get one-on-one with producers and ask them questions you've always wanted to ask. 

But this is not just an event for wine nerds.

Hosted by Josef Chromy Wines, Paragon Wine Estates and Pinnacle Drinks, in conjunction with Events Tasmania, the three-day event is held each November.

In addition to masterclasses for the aficionados, there is also the chance to chill out on the lawn with a glass of Delamere, Holm Oak or Josef Chromy bubbles, or to boogie the night away at Bubbles and Beats. Or even do some yoga in the vines. 

The grand tasting, the centrepiece of festivities, features a diverse selection of wines made by producers spanning the entire state.

If the technology of winemaking is your thing, then masterclasses hosted by panels of experts (above) look at topics including dosage levels and differences between local styles and the wines of Champagne.

For those who want to enjoy wine and food matches, Timbre Restaurant and Josef Chromy both offer that opportunity.

There is, however, some bad news.

Effervescence Tasmania has become so popular that many of its events sell out well in advance.

So while the next event is still 11 months away, it is probably worth your while getting on the mailing list, or keeping an eye on the website for the 2024 line-up.

Check out https://effervescencetasmania.com/ for updates.  

Mumm takes a step into the unknown with Central Otago sparkling

You need to keep your wits about you when you visit a wine retailer nowadays.

When you see a bottle with a G.H. Mumm label, you may expect you are getting a bottle of sparkling wine from one of the world's most high profile Champagne Houses.

But the House of Mumm is a wide- ranging beast.

The Pernod Ricard-owned brand, which dates back to 1827, also has a range of Mumm Terroirs sparkling wines that extends from Marlborough in New Zealand to Tasmania

The Mumm Terroirs series celebrates wine regions known for producing pinot noir, building on Maison Mumm’s almost 200-year history of crafting pinot noir-forward wines

Now G.H.Mumm has announced the release of Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noirs; the latest addition to the Mumm Terroirs collection.

It is the first time a Champagne house has worked in the Central Otago region to produce a sparkling wine.

As you'd expect, the wines is a bold, flavoursome release that has an RRP of $60. It is not just an aperitif, it can be enjoyed with full flavoured dishes.

Winemaker Jamie Marfell, who is based in Marlborough, has been creating still and sparkling wines for two decades, including from theCentral Otago region.

“Central Otago is the crown jewel when it comes to premium pinot noir in New Zealand, so I was pretty excited to liaise with the best growers in the region when we decided to look at the region for the launch of our third New Zealand sparkling,” he said.

Each of the sparkling wines in the Mumm Terroirs collection celebrates a region’s unique terroir.

The collection includes last year’s excellent Mumm Tasmania Brut Prestige release and, from New Zealand’s Marlborough region, Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige and Mumm Marlborough Brut Rosé.

New Croser bubbles with a serious point of difference

Premium Australian sparkling wine brand Croser has launched a new range that is infused with bespoke botanicals.

The new range launches with Croser NV X 78˚ and Croser NV Rosé X 78˚ - two sparkling wines infused with signature botanicals from 78 Degrees Distillery.

Croser - which no longer has any links with founder Brian Croser - uses fruit from the coolish Adelaide Hills region.

“Croser X 78˚ is unlike anything else that’s on the market and we are really excited to introduce this innovation to the current generation of sparkling enthusiasts and Croser fans," says Jack Glover, marketing director for Accolade Wines.

"The vibrant range is perfect for those who want to experiment with their palate and experience a new type of premium sparkling - whatever the occasion may be."

The Croser X 78˚ range is made using the "traditional method" like Croser NV, but botanicals are added during the winemaking process.

The new Croser NV X 78˚ and Croser NV Rosé X 78˚ are now available at Dan Murphy’s stores nationally, the Petaluma/Croser cellar door and online at www.croser.com.au at RRP $32, with the Croser NV X 78˚ also available at selected BWS stores.

New sparkling range pays tribute to wine industry pioneer

Seppelt, whose Salinger is one of Australia's finest sparkling wines, has just released a new range of bubbles: Pierlot by Seppelt, which pays tribute to the brand's winemaking heritage. 

The new releases honour the legacy of Charles Pierlot, a Champenoise winemaker who pioneered Australian méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine production at Seppelt’s Great Western winery in 1890. 

The range features a Brut Cuvée and a Brut Rosé crafted by the Seppelt winemaking team, which is now led by Clare Dry (below). 

“We’re proud to release Pierlot by Seppelt, a series of wines which honour our past and help celebrate the future,” says Dry. 

“These wines are an elegant tribute to our sparkling roots and pair perfectly with food, friends and celebration.”

The wines are made using the three classic sparkling varietals; pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier sourced from Victoria’s cool-climate Henty region.

“The majority of grapes for this range are sourced from our Drumborg Vineyard – a special site first planted in 1964, with the primary aim to produce world-class sparkling wines,” says Dry. 

“It’s pleasing to craft two leading wine styles emblazoned with Charles Pierlot’s name - a gentleman who was instrumental in establishing Seppelt’s reputation for crafting quality méthode traditionnelle wines.”

Racegoers at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival (yuck!) will be among the first to enjoy the wines, with Pierlot by Seppelt available at all Victoria Racing Club bars and restaurants.

The Pierlot by Seppelt wines (RRP $30), are now available from Dan Murphy’s and at select BWS stores nationwide. 

# Founded in 1851, Seppelt is one of Australia’s most historic wine producers. See www.seppelt.com.au

Tasmanian sparkling wines on an upward trajectory

Wine lovers can expect to pay more for premium Tasmanian sparkling wine in future.

The premium wines from Australia's island state are still undervalued in world markets, particularly aged wines. 

That was the takeaway from last night's Tasmanian Sparkling Dinner hosted by leading sparkling expert Tyson Stelzer at Josef Chromy Wines in the Tamar Valley.

Attended  by many of Australia's leading sparkling wine makers, the dinner was part of the annual Effervesence festival, which showcases Tasmania's finest sparkling wines. 

The event featured five different styles of cool-climate bubbles from producers including Chromy, Pirie, Delamere, Bellebonne, Bream Creek, Jansz, Apogee, Kreglinger, Clover Hill, Stefano Lubiana, Moorilla and House of Arras. 

The festival continues until Sunday. 

"Tasmanian producers need to be more ambitious price wise," said Stelzer. "They are making exceptional wines and the prices need to reflect that."

Natalie Fryar from Bellbonne described Tasmania as "one of the most exciting places on earth to make sparkling wine", while Fred Peacock from Bream Creek said the island's sparkling wines are on a "strong trajectory" and being noticed around the world. 

Sparkling wine pioneer Andrew Pirie from Apogee said the key for Tasmania's future growth is finding "a way to differentiate our brand."

The writer was a guest of Ultimate Winery Experiences and Josef Chromy Wines