The Tasmanian Wine Industry

Cheese with my whine…

I was pondering recently, about how easily our Wineglass Bay tour could morph into a “fill your wine glass as we go” type tour, although I’m not sure the walk to the lookout would be quite as manageable by the time we’ve visited the many vineyards that pop up on our route to the Freycinet Peninsula.

In the Coal River Valley district alone there are around a dozen different vineyards. It’s a booming growth area, so much so that one winery is aptly named “Every Man and His Dog” as it seems that almost anyone with a ‘taste for the grape’ is willing to have a go at producing their own wine! But don’t be mistaken, with their enthusiasm comes great quality. Wines from the coal river valley are great wines. Specialising in cool climate grapes including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pooley wines was one of the first wineries in Tasmania established in 1985, that’s less than 40 years ago. Tasmania’s wine industry is so young! And the names are fantastic. Take Puddleduck Winery and their signature 2012, Bubbleduck Sparkling. Plus this place even has its own ducks! But if you want more… Frogmore Creek winery produces 4 labels; Frogmore Creek, Meadowbank, Stormy Bay, and 42degrees South. That’s enough variety to forget where you are!

As you travel up Tasmania’s East Coast from Orford more wineries appear on the landscape. In fact, the East coast wineries account for 20% of the wine produced in Tasmania. One of the most stunning is Devils Corner, home to Tasmania’s largest vineyard, The Hazards Vineyards, aptly named as they roll down the valley to the Moulting Lagoon with the granite mountain range behind. I love the presence of this winery in the landscape. The rows of vines sweep the hills with perfect symmetry. Groves of Olives provide shelter and contrast to the grapes autumn foliage. Were it not for the Eucalyptus backdrop it would be easy to imagine oneself in the Italian countryside. Lost again.

But one thing is for sure. The Tasmanian wine industry is no shrinking violet and I’m sure there will be no shortage of wine tour operators either now or in the future, willing to take wine sippers and spitters on a day trip of wine tasting delight. Just don’t forget the cheese!