Wine regions - Tasmania Zone

Tasmania

The wineries of Tasmania are gaining an excellent reputation for the production of premium quality wine. Its extremely cool climate allows for the production of high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both for table and sparkling wine.

The whole island of Tasmania is an official wine zone. There are no wine regions. However, there is a broad division between Northern Tasmania and Southern Tasmania and within this division there are distinct viticultural areas which include Pipers Brook, Tamar Valley, the North West and Eastern Tasmania, and in the south, the Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley, Huon Valley and D' Entrecasteaux Channel. The island has a range of microclimates and soil types which gives Tasmanian wines their diversity of character.

Northern Tasmania

Central to the exploration of the northern vineyard areas of Tasmania the is the city of Launceston located on the banks of the Tamar River. North west of the city is the Tamar Valley and to the north east is Pipers Brook and Pipers River. These areas combined are commonly referred to as the Tamar Valley Wine Route.

The Northern Tasmanian wine industry was pioneered by Dr Andrew Pirie who established Pipers Brook Vineyard in 1974. By producing excellent wines and marketing them effectively, Pipers Brook Vineyard (PVB) brought Tasmanian wine to prominence in the minds of wine drinkers in Australia and internationally. Pirie is no longer with PVB and the wine industry has matured with growth in the numbers of wineries, cellar doors and tourist facilities and the production of high quality wines. The industry has a mix of players from large companies such as BRL Hardy's Bay of Fires, Yalumba's Jansz Wine Company, to smaller wineries producing much sought after premium wines such as Tamar Ridge Winery and the boutique Holm Oak Vineyards and Silk Hill Vineyard in the west Tamar area.

Grape varieties of note are Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Standout wine styles are sparkling wine, Chardonnay and Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

South East of Launceston is the vineyard area referred to as Eastern Tasmania or Freycinet as the vineyards are located between the towns of Bicheno, Cranbrook and Swansea adjacent to the Freycinet Peninsula. Wineries in this area tend to be small in size and big on reputation such as Aspley Gorge Vineyard renowed for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The north experiences more rain, higher temperatures and more sunshine hours than the south. This has a slight impact on harvest times with the north harvesting on average a few weeks later than the south. Site selection is critical to protect vines from frost and cold winds.

Southern Tasmania

Southern Tasmania incorporates wine areas within easy reach of Hobart. Vineyards grace the Derwent Valley which follows the flow of the Derwent River down its west bank to Hobart and the sea. On a bend of the river near Granton is Stefano Lubiana Wines one of the finest producers of sparkling wine and Pinot Noir in Australia. The much acclaimed Moorilla Estate pioneered by Italian immigrant Claudio Alcorso in the 1950's produces award winning wines and is a major supporter of the arts, hosting concerts, exhibitions and an antiquities museum.

North east of Hobart is the Coal River Valley taking in the towns of Cambridge, Richmond, Campania and Tea Tree. The vineyards are situated on the north east slopes of the valley to capture the sun. The valley has a number of cellar doors including Meadowbank Estate one of the pioneers of wine tourism in Tasmania having established a fine restaurant and events programs. Other well known producers are the award winning Coal Valley Vineyard and Domaine A - Stoney Vineyard to the north.

Travelling east along the road to Port Arthur is Bream Creek Vineyard which overlooks Marion Bay and Maria Island.

South of Hobart is the beautiful Huon Valley which runs the course of the Huon River as it flows into the D' Entrecasteaux Channel hence this area is sometimes referred to as the Huon Channel. Well known estates include Panorama Vineyard at Cradoc a producer of award winning white table wines, Elsewhere Vineyard renowed for its Pinot Noir, Hartzview Vineyard which produces a range of berry liqueurs and a mead and Home Hill Wines awarded for its Pinot Noir and restaurant.

The vineyards of Southern Tasmania are carefully located for maxiumum exposure to the sun and protection from the cold southerly winds. They reside around rivers and bays therefore experiencing the tempering effects of large bodies of water. Harvest in the south is between April and late May, around two weeks eariler than the north with, however, some varieties such as Riesling ripening as late as June.

The key grape varieties in the south are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. Table wine and sparkling wine are the predominant styles.

From Agricultural Excellence to Regional Cuisine

Tasmania is a wine lover's and foodie's paradise sponsored by a farming culture which values clean, green and genetically unmodified produce. The island produces orchard fruits and berries which are sold fresh and also made into ciders and fruit wines. A wide variety of vegetables and herbs are grown and in recent times a black truffle industry has spawned with truffières near Launceston and Hobart. Many species of fish, and seafood platters of abalone, scallops, oysters, mussels and crayfish are harvested from the Southern Ocean. Fish farms produce top class Atlantic Salmon and the rivers are bountiful in trout for those who enjoy the quiet repose of fly fishing. The island produces wonderful cheeses, milk and cream and also has fine meats including farmed venison and game.

The Tasmanian wine industry which formed in earnest in the 1970s and grew rapidly in the 1980s is very much a boutique industry with the focus on handcrafted wines. In the 1990s many in the industry began to embrace wine tourism with a number of wineries providing accommodation and sponsoring cultural events as well as establishing fine restaurants along with their cellar doors further enhancing the island's reputation for great cuisine.

Events

To celebrate the wine and food culture of Tasmania the island hosts many great events throughout the year, including the Royal Hobart Wine Show held at the Royal Showgrounds in Hobart. It is a 7 day event with public tastings.

As the Sydney to Hobart yachts cross the finish line on 28 December, Taste of Tasmania kicks off a 7 day festival of wine and food held down on the Hobart harbour front.

March is very much the food and wine festive season in Tasmania with Festivale in City Park, Launceston, Taste of the Huon, Southern Vineyards Open Weekend and Northern Vineyards Open Weekend.

Harvest times: early April to late May.

Sites with more information:

• Wines, Vineyards & Wineries of Tasmania, Australia
• Wine Tasmania
• Discover Tasmania
• Leatherwood Online
• North East Tasmania

Images of Tasmania on this page are courtesy Tourism Tasmania.