Forty-Two Degrees South 2025 Chardonnay

 

Classy cool-climate chardonnay from the south of Tasmania that won't break the bank? It's hard to find better value from the Apple Isle than this lively recent release from Alain Rousseau and the team at Frogmore Creek, at Cambridge in the Coal River Valley, just down the road from Hobart Airport. This is delightfully drinkable with the fruit doing the talking and the winemaking in the background. It ticks all the boxes for lovers of young whites; bright acid, zingy lemon-lime-peach fruit notes and some fresh minerality. Very refreshing on its own but it would be an absolute treat paired with roast pork, crackling and all the trimmings. $30. https://www.frogmorecreek.com.au/

Pooley 2025 Cooinda Vale Riesling

 

I have long subscribed to the view that dry rieslings from Tasmania are best enjoyed several months after being bottled, or at four or more years of age if you like more savoury notes. Very young rieslings from the island state can often be ultra high in acidity. If you subscribe to that viewpoint then you'll find this wine from one of Tasmania's finest family producers to be right in the zone right now. There is serious depth of flavour thanks to whole-bunch pressing, and four months on lees, but the wine retains its bright, lively, citrusy attitude on the finish. Pair this Coal Valley product with pan-fried snapper or blue eye for a Tassie taste treat. $70. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/   

Pooley 2024 Syrah

The wine industry moves at a fast pace. A decade or two ago it would have been absurd to expect quality shirazes from Tasmania. Climate change and deft winemaking now see several leading Tasmanian producers making impressive cool-climate shirazes; and this is one of the best. It's downright delicious. Anna Pooley and her team have crafted a structured and flavoursome wine from the Coal River Valley with dark fruit and savoury/spice notes dancing a seductive tongue tango. Fresh, well balanced and food friendly, we paired this with marinated lamb chops. $60. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/

Pooley 2025 Butcher’s Hill Riesling

The Pooley family were pioneers of high-quality winemaking in the Coal River Valley, just past Hobart Airport, and have earned international acclaim. Their cellar door is a "must visit" for wine lovers venturing to Tasmania. They are better known for pinot noir than riesling, but this delicious new release underlines how good the grape variety can be in Tasmania. This is a single vineyard wine with serious structure and depth of flavour; far removed from its "high-acid, drink now" cousins. The 2024 vintage quickly sold out and this will doubtless do the same. There are classic citrus notes here, but also interesting textural notes on the palate. Pair with scallops or pasta dishes with seafood. $70. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/  

 

Stoney Vineyard 2023 Pinot Noir

 

From the David Walsh stable; Moorilla Estate/Domaine A, this is a very stylish pinot noir from the Stoney Vineyard in the Coal River Valley. Winemaker Conor van der Reest has conjured up a very elegant wine, what we used to call feminine, with classic cool-climate pinot character, well balanced flavour and a very smooth finish. This is one of those wines that just evaporates in your glass. Think cherries, chocolate notes, ginger, Asian spices but with a very sexy, soft finish. Pair with Chinese roast duck. My sample was provided by Wine Tasmania. Exceptional value at $42. https://domaine-a.com.au/

Stargazer 2024 Rada

 

Samantha Connew's Stargazer wines are excellent across the board, but there is a real energy and crunchy drive to this unusual red blend from the Coal River Valley. It combines three aromatic varieties in pinot meunier, pinot noir and gamay, and offers delightful lighter-bodied drinking. Think red fruits (cherries and cranberries), subtle spices and hints of earthiness. There is bright natural acid here with a small portion of whole bunch and older oak adding to the package. Food friendly and ready to enjoy - and very well priced at $38. You could chill this for a few minutes on a warm day. https://stargazerwine.com.au/

Tolpuddle 2024 Chardonnay

 

Over the past decade, the Tolpuddle vineyard in Tasmania's Coal River Valley has emerged as one of Australia's great single vineyard sites. Planted only with chardonnay and pinot noir, the wines it produces have gained global acclaim for their elegance. While the 2024 Tolpuddle Pinot Noir is also very impressive, this is my pick of the duo - just. From an excellent vintage for quality, this is taut; brilliantly poised with grapefruit and lemon sorbet notes to the fore on the palate, which has astutely judged acidity, minerality, concentration and just a hint of oaky nuttiness. A perfect example of the vinous excellence of which which Tasmania is capable. Pair with a rare tuna dish. Be quick. it has probably already sold out. $120.  https://www.tolpuddlevineyard.com/

Stargazer 2025 Tupelo

This is one of the stars of the recent Stargazer new vintage release, although they are all stellar from Sam Connew's boutique Coal River Valley operation. While Connew concentrates largely on chardonnay, riesling and pinot noir, this is an outlier in that it is an Alsace-accented wild-fermented blend of pinot gris, pinot blanc, gewurztraminer and riesling. This was tasted after a trade event so I didn't match it with food, but I suspect it would pair magically with a nasi goreng or Thai Veggie curry - anything with a touch of spice. It's a lovely young wine with honeyed fruit with balancing acidity, and an impressive lightness of being. $40. www.stargazerwine.com.au.

Charles Reuben Estate 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

You don’t find too many cabernet sauvignons from Tasmania. Other than a few specific micro climates it is just too cool for the variety to be consistently successful. Family-owned Charles Reuben Estate in the Coal River Valley is a notable exception - and has the benefit of Nick Glaetzer as consultant winemaker. This has violets on the nose and is definitely on the elegant side of the cabernet ledger. The cabernet vines date back to the 1980s. Forceful violet aromas lead on to classic Bordeaux varietal characters with cassis, herbal and spice notes aided and abetted by 18 months in French oak. Just 12.5% alcohol but plenty of flavour, bright acid and a smooth finish. Pair with a cheese platter or lamb roast. $39. www.charlesreuben.com.au     

Small Island 2024 Coal River Pinot Noir

 

Here's a pinot noir with a real spring in its step. There's plenty of weight here but also some lively savoury notes. James Broinowski started by crowd-finding his first release but is now a decade into his winemaking career. This new release is made from fruit sourced from two different sites in the Coal River Valley just outside Hobart. Made in small batches at the Dr Island facility at Cambridge, this is midway between middleweight and light-heavyweight if you are a boxing fan. There is impressive structure here, just a lick of saltiness, and I suspect this will cellar for a few years. We paired it with steak, onion rings and salad - a very nice combo. $49. www.smallislandwines.com