Glaetzer-Dixon 2024 Uberblanc Riesling

A different take on Tasmanian riesling from Nick Glaetzer, who spent vintages working in the Pfalz region of Germany during has younger years and was beguiled by the nuanced styles. This is blend of grapes from three different regions of Tasmania: Pipers River, the Tamar and the Coal River Valley, vinified at Glaetzer's urban winery in Hobart. It  is floral with citrus/peach/pear flavours, fennel hints, minerality and bright acid, alongside a textural element on the palate. The mid-palate structure of GDF riesling is created by ageing sur lie, which involves keeping the finished wine on ferment lees. Pair with fresh Tasmanian scallops. $36. https://www.gdfwinemakers.com/

Holm Oak 2021 Hotshot Pinot Noir

 

A rather bland label disguises the flagship pinot noir from family-owned Tamar Valley winery Holm Oak. At four years of age, this has developed in to a lovely wine that combines power and poise in the style of Central Otago. Made from small batches of estate fruit and produced only in outstanding vintages, this has impressive structure thanks to the use of whole bunch material. The fruit was basket pressed and matured in French oak (50% new) for 14 months. The end result: complexity and style and a balance between dark red fruits, deli and undergrowth notes, allied to that intense concentration. $130. https://www.holmoakvineyards.com.au/ 

Small Island 2024 Chardonnay

 

James Broinowski's Small Island Wines is one of the rising stars of the Tasmanian wine industry. The first wines were produced using crowd sourcing and a decade along the business is producing some excellent drinking at fair prices. This impressively balanced cool-climate chardonnay comes from vines at Saltwater River on the Tasman Peninsula, around an hour east of Hobart, one of Broinowski's regular sources of grapes. This is a young wine, but the quality fruit from the single vineyard shines through - as does short-term potential for cellaring, although it  already has "come hither" accessibility. $49. https://smallislandwines.com/

   

Sailor Seeks Horse 2023 Pinot Noir

 

Those in the know when it comes to cool-climate pinot noir have the name Sailor Seeks Horse in their notebooks. Paul and Gilli Lipscombe have built a formidable reputation for the quality of their estate wines grown at Cradoc in the Huon Valley. This is a pinot with impressive tension; there's a panoply of flavours on the palate, but aligned to a sense of calmness and cohesion. This a classic style with immediate appeal, along with medium-term cellaring potential. The balance between fruit and savoury characters and some grippy tannins make this beguilingly rustic. $70. https://www.sailorseekshorse.com.au/  

Henskens Rankin 2015 D2 Brut Rosé

There are artisan wine producers; and seriously artisan winemakers. Frieda Henskens and David Rankin may be small - but their sparkling wines are very much in demand by aficionados. Only 500 bottles of the second disgorgement of this wine were made; released after spending five years on lees and then five years on cork. The fruit all comes from the fabled Orani vineyard outside Sorell and is made from 100% pinot noir. The pale salmon colour and delicate mousse disguise a palate alive with wild strawberry, freeze-dried raspberry, cranberry and hints of rhubarb along with brioche notes and zingy acid. So many flavours in one coherent package. My wife, very particular about sparkling wines, tasted it blind and said: "Gee, that's a nice wine". $105. https://henskensrankin.com/

Kate Hill 2024 Riesling

 

Kate Hill has been making stellar rieslings for well over a couple of decades now, and this is one of the best I have tasted under her own label; vibrant and crisp but without the excessive acidity that marks many young Tasmanian rieslings. This new release is made from fruit grown in the Derwent Valley - just a short distance as the crow flies from her Huon Valley winery. From a vintage that offered a long, slow ripening period, this would be an excellent match for dishes ranging from a splurge on fresh Tassie oysters to a budget meal of fish fingers, Think lemon/lime and grapefruit notes and a long, soft finish. Disclaimer: I occasionally help out at Kate's cellar door but will definitely be buying a few bottles to pair with Thai and Korean dishes. $39. https://www.katehillwines.com.au 

Westella Vineyard 2021 Sparkling Rosé

 

Westella is a small operation at the northern end of the Tamar Valley where the Adkins family concentrates exclusively on one grape: pinot noir, albeit made in a range of styles. This sample was supplied by Wine Tasmania and pronounced a hit by my tasting group. Pale salmon in colour it is a lively little number with wild strawberry and poached pear characters on the palate, a playful mousse and fresh, lively acidity. This spent 2 1/2 years on lees before emerging with coqeuettish appeal. A fun and versatile aperitif style. $46. https://westellavineyard.com.au/ 

Bream Creek 2023 Late Harvest

Not all sweet wines are sticky. This deliciously decadent late harvest wine also comes with bright, fresh, crisp, refreshing acidity on the palate - like biting into a fresh sweet apple. It is a lighter-style dessert wine made from a blend of the German schönburger grape and riesling from a block planted in 1994 - positively ancient for Tasmania. Think poached fruit aromas and a zingy palate with citrus, shortbread, cumquat and lemon peel with that lively finish. This is a double threat. You could enjoy it with tarts, or fruit crumbles, or match with savoury dishes like pates and terrines. $36 for 375ml. https://www.breamcreekvineyard.com.au/

Pirie Tasmania NV Sparkling

 

Meet one of the traditional method sparkling wines that helped create Tasmania's reputation as the best region in Australia for the style. Founder Andrew Pirie has moved on and now crafts small-batch wines under his own Apogee label, but this is still one of the benchmark sparklers from the island state - and very well priced. Made from grapes grown in the Tamar Valley, this is a blend of 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir with small additions from older vintages. It has some delightful freshness and balance, but two years on lees has added palate interest. A bright aperitif style for enjoying chilled, but not too chilled. $35. https://brownfamilywines.com.au/products/pirie-sparkling-nv  

Trial Bay Estate 2023 Pinot Noir

 

One of the great joys of the wine industry in Tasmania is the number of tiny producers - some with only a hectare or two of vines - that are making outstanding cool-climate wines. A case in point is Trial Bay Estate, based at Kettering in the far south of the state, on the d'Entrecasteaux Channel, just 30 minutes from Hobart. This is just the fourth release from this pinot-only producer and the vines - dating back to 1997 and 2007 are producing high-quality fruit that is vinified by Kate Hill. There is a lovely balance between fruit and savoury characters here; a classic cool-climate pinot of which only 1021 bottles were made. Impressively intense. $55. www.trialbayestate.com.au    

Glaetzer-Dixon 2024 Avancé Pinot Noir

 

Here is a Tasmanian pinot noir designed for enjoyment in its youth - made in an urban winery in Hobart using fruit from vineyards in the Derwent and Coal River valleys. Given its provenance, made by sixth-generation vigneron and former Jimmy Watson Trophy winner Nick Glaetzer, this seems seriously under-priced given the wave of demand for Tassie pinots. It is full of adolescent swagger and would pair with anything from a pork pie to a Thai duck curry. Lip-smackingly good for $38. https://www.gdfwinemakers.com/ 

Pooley 2024 Butcher's Hill Cane Cut Riesling

Tasmania is a much-underrated producer of rieslings, and there are only a handful of dessert styles made on the island, This is an outstanding example from Pooley, a family winery in the Coal River Valley that is this year celebrating its 40th anniversary. Made from grapes grown on the estate vineyard outside Richmond, this is an aromatic, pure and intensely luscious wine with citrus and apricot notes to the fore. Disturbingly drinkable, but fortunately it carries only 8.% alcohol as a second glass would seem mandatory. There is 137 grams per litre of sugar here but the lively acid and pithy crispness on the finish acts as a counterweight. Great with anything from an apple crumble to a cheese platter. $45 for 375mls. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/  

Two Bud Spur 2022 Gamay

 

Gamay is the grape used in the lighter-bodied red wines of Beaujolais in France. It is a style well suited to the outdoor lifestyle in Australia, vibrant and best enjoyed in the first five years of its life. There are still relatively few local producers making gamay, however, but Two Bud Spur, a small family producer in the Huon Valley, makes two: a lighter nouveau style and this earthier version. Made f rom 100% estate fruit, this undergoes small-batch fermentation and then sees 12 months in oak, making it more substantial than some of its lighter brethren. Pair with anything from quiche lorraine to croquettes and chill just a little on a warm day. $45. https://twobudspur.com.au/ 

Josef Chromy 2023 Pinot Noir

 

The price for the top Tasmanian pinots has gone through the roof: with the big names now easily fetching three-figure sums for their latest releases. Cool-climate pinot noirs are all the rage; from wine bars to back decks. This wine from Relbia, just south of Launceston, is not stratospherically priced; instead it offers some delightful drinking at a reasonable price point. There is no need to cellar this one; it is immediately approachable with some juicy red fruit characters to the fore, restrained oak and some lovely balance. A great entry to the wonderful world of Tassie pinot. Supple, soft and smooth. $45. josefchromy.com.au  

Haddow & Dineen 2023 Grain of Truth Pinot Gris

 

Haddow & Dineen is the impressive collaboration between Tasmanian cheese guru and wine lover Nick Haddow and former Joseph Chromy winemaker Jeremy Dineen. The pair has a project underway to deliver a super-premium benchmark pinot gris down the track, but their current textural release from their Yorktown Vineyard delivers a lot of drinking pleasure. This is not a simple wine - as so many pinots gris are. Think hand-picking, whole bunch pressing, wild yeast and barrel fermentation. The end result is just a little funky, unfined, unfiltered and full of palate weight and density. Its richness and complexity make it very food friendly. $60.  https://www.haddowanddineen.com.au  

Sailor Seeks Horse 2023 Chardonnay

Wife and husband team Gilli and Paul Lipscombe have been making some of Tasmania's finest artisan chardonnays and pinots for several years now, but is exciting to see them continue to make tweaks to their vineyard at Cradoc in the Huon Valley that produce small incremental improvements as they learn more about their vines. This is an outstanding estate chardonnay that is notable for its clarity of style. There is plenty of length, some cool-climate varietal swagger and briny hints, with quality French oak providing texture. Pork belly would make a stellar food/wine match. A brand new release, this, but given the history of the brand it probably won't last long. A regional exemplar. $70. https://www.sailorseekshorse.com.au/

Resolution Vineyard 2024 Pinot Noir

 

There is a capital P for potential and a capital V for value for this brand-new release from one of Tasmania's prettiest vineyards. I tasted this just three weeks after it had been bottled and it was a little disjointed, but it opened up impressively over 24 hours. Resolution Vineyard is a tiny, one variety vineyard that has been producing excellent quality pinots for several years, vinified by Alain Rousseau at Frogmore Creek. There is plenty of flavour here, and unmistakeable pinosity, and we know that Resolution pinots age impressively. All good then. Hard to find, but worth the effort. And the price is a winner. Oh, and if you do want a bottle to drink immediately, the 2023 is looking very good. $40. resultionvineyard.com.au     

Pressing Matters 2023 Texture Riesling

Not your average riesling! From Coal River Valley riesling specialists Pressing Matters, this is a funky and textural take that immediately grabs your attention. Wild fermented in older oak puncheons and left to mature on its lees, this has plenty of palate interest along with edgy minerality and structure. Some time spent in bottle has helped tame the wild acidity that characterises many young Tasmanian rieslings. I like the length and breadth here; this is no shrinking violet. Fun and different with its yeasty lees influence. $65. https://pressingmatters.com.au/ 

Kate Hill NV Noir Rosé Sparkling

 

Kate Hill crafts some terrific-value, small-batch, cool-climate wines from her base in the Huon Valley, one of the southernmost wineries in Australia. I help out at cellar door occasionally. This is a fun Methode Champenoise bubbly made from pinot noir grapes: such a lively, easy drinking style for enjoying over the final days of summer. The pretty pink colour indicates exactly what is in store: lively strawberry fruit notes and a crisp, dry finish make this ideal for pairing with sausage rolls, party pies, vegetable quiche or smoked salmon sandwiches. $45. https://www.katehillwines.com.au/

Freycinet Vineyard 2024 Riesling

 

What a joy this wine is to enjoy on a warm day - and it is a bargain, too, given how riesling somehow remains an under-rated variety in Tasmania, where it can produce stellar dry wines. This comes from an East Coast vineyard closing in on 50 years of age, and is made by talented team Claudio Radenti and Keira O'Brien. I tried a glass at a friend's place, then quickly went back for a second. Hand-pruned and hand-harvested from 25+ year old vines, this undergoes a slow, cool fermenation to ensure maximum flavour. This is ripe, it is dry, it is juicy, it is crisp and it is hard to say no to a third glass. Pair with anything from a vegetable pizza to Vietnamese glass noodles. Stunningly good. $36. https://freycinetvineyard.com.au/

Holm Oak 2023 Fearless Pinot Noir

 

This excellent small-batch pinot noir is the latest pinot to join a formidable list made by Holm Oak duo Bec and Tim Duffy. It found almost unanimous acclaim from my tasting group this week, but the bad news is that it is made in such small quantities that it is only available at their Tamar Valley cellar door, or to wine club members. Made from two barrels that were outstandingly aromatic and intense it is named after one of the old wooden Alexander tennis racquets with which they have a family history. This is fruit driven with no new oak and no whole bunch. Think poise and precision. It is smooth and delicious. $65. www.holmoakvineyards.com.au     

Spring Vale 2024 Melrose Pinot Noir

 

Looking for a gloriously gluggable, vibrant and no-nonsense Tassie pinot noir that you can put in the fridge for an hour or two on a warm day?  This lighter-style pinot delivers fun drinking without breaking the bank: a classic "vin soif" designed to be enjoyed in its youth; fresh, zesty and refreshing. Think red fruits plucked fresh from a hedgerow, a soft, supple palate driven by fruit not oak, and lively acidity on the finish. Pair with anything from a charcuterie plate to Lebanese mezze. $32. https://www.springvalewines.com/

Bream Creek Vineyard 2019 Reserve Old Vine Riesling

 

Bream Creek on the Tasman Peninsula has some of the oldest riesling vines in Tasmania, planted in 1974. They produce intense, lively young wines on release, or more savoury offerings if held back for a few years. This will not be to everyone's taste but if you enjoy mellow, aged whites the you will be in luck. This is from a dry vintage that produced intense flavours that merited a reserve bottling. There is a lot of restrained power here with classic citrus flavours along with some straw and sea spray notes on the palate. A wine for sipping and savouring. Pair with a vegetable quiche. $50. https://www.breamcreekvineyard.com.au/

Jansz 2019 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

 

From one of the pioneers of Tasmania's buoyant sparkling wine industry - Jansz was founded in 1986 - comes a single vineyard, single variety bubbly with a confident strut. Made exclusively from estate vineyard blocks at Pipers River - close to the cellar door. This is very taut and pure - think shortbread/brioche notes - with a swag of acid on the finish. This is a wine designed to be enjoyed with food; perhaps matched with canapes or hors d'oeuvres, but with enough palate oomph to pair with main courses. Only 3563 bottles were made, and this is produced only in stellar vintages. Sold in attractive gift box. $68. https://www.jansz.com.au/    

Sonnen 2024 Blanc

 

If you enjoy your white wines with a bit of swagger and attitude then this brand new release will be right up your street. Sonnen is a personal gig for winemaker Luke Andree, who works with Samantha Connew and makes wines for Pressing Matters in the Coal River Valley. This is made from fruit sourced from the Tamar Valley in the north of Tasmania and joins impressive 2024 chardonnay and pinot noir releases in the Sonnen range. This is made from pinot gris with a small portion seeing 10 days of skin contact, the remainder being direct pressed. Fermented in old oak for texture and palate interest, this is savoury, grippy and very food friendly. $35. https://www.sonnenwine.com.au/

Haddow + Dineen 2024 Sehnsucht Riesling

 

Haddow + Dineen is a joint venture between Bruny Island cheesemaker/brewer Nick Haddow and former Josef Chromy winemaker Jeremy Dineen. You can sense they having a lot of fun with their idiosyncratic small-batch releases. This is a tribute to some of Germany's finest wines; a riesling made from grown at Sorrel in the Coal River Valley. Think indigenous ferment, some skin contact and a wine that is unfined and unfiltered. There is a lot of flavour here, and a lot of texture, too. Vibrant and delicious; this one sings in your mouth. Sehnsucht is a German word that can be translated as "yearning", or "craving". $45. https://www.haddowanddineen.com.au/