Spring Vale 2024 Rosé

Spring Vale is home to one of the loveliest cellar doors of Tasmania's east coast, and to some of the best-value wines on the island. This one is an ideal choice of serving chilled over summer, with a picnic, or a vegetarian platter, or just because. The grapes are grown on the estate property that has been owned by the same family since 1870. This is pale salmon pink in colour with bright lifted aromatics and a refreshing dry finish with hints of tropical fruits and a crunchy texture, savoury notes and bright minerally acid on the palate. A fun wine that is perfect for quaffing after work. $32. https://www.springvalewines.com/

Broad Arrow 2023 Pinot Gris

 

Broad Arrow wines are made from fruit grown at the Spikey Bridge vineyard, south of Launceston, and the label has a cellar door at the Clarendon Arms Hotel in nearby Evandale. Production is small, but this is an impressive savoury white, midway in style between pinot gris and pinot grigio. The wines are made by the talented Jeremy Dineen, for many years the chief winemaker at Josef Chromy. Think pear and stone fruit flavours with some brisk acidity on the finish. One for drinking sooner rather than later to enjoy the fruit characters. $32. https://broadarrowwines.com.au/ 

Small Wonder 2023 Auburn Pinot Noir

Tasmania is arguably Australia's best source of quality cool-climate pinot noir with Small Wonder, previously known as Goaty Hill, among the most consistent producers. The wines are made by Andrew Trio, and this, and its sibling chardonnay, mark the first new label released by Small Wonder since the opening of its new winery in Kayena on the western ridge of the Tamar Valley in January. A vineyard en route to organic certification has produced a wine that is both stylish and savoury, thanks to some astutely judged use of French oak. An excellent example of quality Tassie pinot. $52. www.smallwonderwines.com.au

Westella 2023 Pinot Noir

 

Westella is the side hustle of well-known Tasmanian wine identity Willy Adkins and his wife Jacq. They grow pinot noir, and only pinot, at their small family vineyard at Rowella at the northern end of the Tamar Valley, producing sparkling wines, rosé and this very impressive table pinot that is singing in its youth. It is beautifully poised, impressively balanced and definitely varietal. So think quality cool-climate pinot at optimum ripeness. Three different clones are co-fermented and given a short time in French oak barriques. This paired impressively with rabbit cacciatore and is great value at around $45. https://westellavineyard.com.au/     

Puddleduck 2024 Fumé Blanc

 

Darren and Jackie Brown started Puddleduck with a focus on sparkling wine (Bubbleduck) back in 2003 but now produce a full suite of table wines, nearly all of which are sold direct from their popular cellar door in the Coal River Valley just outside Hobart. This is a lovely choice for serving chilled on a summer day, a refreshing, nuanced fumé style that saw estate-grown sauvignon blanc grapes matured for six months in older French oak to add texture without detracting from the bright fruit. There is impressive vibrancy on offer here with lashings of tropical fruit flavours. Pair with a picnic, or fish and chips. $45. https://www.puddleduck.com.au/   

Pressing Matters 2024 Pinot Noir Rosé

Here is a delicious wine for spring and summer from a Tasmanian producer with two estate vineyard sites and a total of 12 hectares just outside Richmond in the Coal River Valley. The Melick family has built a formidable reputation for both its rieslings and pinot noirs. This is a rosé with real vibrancy and crunchy lift made from 100% estate pinot noir grapes. Pale and aromatic with wild strawberry/rose petal notes on the nose, the palate has grapefruit, green apple and pomegranate zing. Plenty of length here; plenty of appeal. Serve lightly chilled. $43. https://pressingmatters.com.au/

Stargazer 2023 Palisander Riesling

 

Not only is this one of the most fascinating rieslings in Australia, it is also one of the most delicious. So much palate interest, so much drinkability. Made from grapes grown on winemaker Sam Connew's Palisander estate vineyard north of Hobart, this was fermented in ceramic and concrete eggs and then left on lees for 10 months. The result is delightfully herbal, floral and dry with citrus, sherbet and lightly spicy purity on the palate. It is a wine full of drive and energy with bright acidity and hints of sea spray on the finish. Pair with Vietnamese spring rolls, or a fresh green salad. $50. https://stargazerwine.com.au/