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

Catch a new-release movie in the vineyards

It sounds like a lovely summer treat: watching a new-release movie in a lovely vineyard setting.

Tokar Estate Winery in the Yarra Valley will host a movie program every Friday and Saturday night throughout December.

It is being billed as a fun, family-friendly event under the stars.

Think Frosty's Kitchen a gourmet food truck, drinks including estate-grown wines, watermelon Frosé, cocktails and local beers, and even a candy bar selling classic choc tops and other cinema snacks. There will be lawn games for the kids, and sunset vineyard views for the adults.

I had a glass or two (well, three or four really) of the excellent Tokar Estate 2023 Shiraz Rosé the other evening - and it would be a delightful sundowner.

The screenings are a joint venture between Tokar Estate and local business Offshore Cinema.

The program includes action films like The Flash, and Top Gun: Maverick, movies for a girls night out including Barbie and No Hard Feelings, and comedies including Home Alone 2, and Tropic Thunder.

Gates will open at 6:30pm with movies screening from 9pm. BYO picnic rug, bean bag or camping chair.

For more info or to book tickets visit https://www.tokarestate.com.au/pages/cinema-in-the-vines