Stoney Rise 2024 Trousseau

 
I was going to write about the excellent Stoney Rise 2025 Chardonnay before being captivated by this unusual offering from the ever-eclectic Joe Holyman, a winemaker who is always happy to push the boundaries. I believe this is the only Tasmanian take on the trousseau grape, also known as trousseau noir, bastardo and merenzao. The grape variety originates in eastern France and is also used to make port in Portugal. If you enjoy wines made from gamay, or cabernet franc, then this crunchy number will be right up your drinking alley. It is a delightfully brisk, no-nonsense red from 10-year-old estate vines in the Tamar Valley. It has what Holyman describes as cranberry and red cherry fruit flavours. He recommends pairing with tuna ceviche and kimchi pancakes. Who am I to disagree? $42. https://www.stoneyrise.com/

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.

Tamar Ridge 2024 Single Block Pinot Noir Rosevears

 

An impressive single block pinot from Tamar Ridge's Rosevears vineyard on the eastern side of the Tamar Valley - great work by winemaker Tom Wallace and his team. It was sent to me to celebrate a new deal that sees Oatley Fine Wine Merchants named the exclusive distributors of the Tasmanian wines from Tamar Ridge and Pirie, but the sheer quality will be of more interest to most drinkers. It has the style and poise common to cool-climate pinots from Tasmania, along with power and structure more often associated with Central Otago, as the 2024 vintage was a warmer one. Think plummy flavours, hints of spice and fine tannins. Can be enjoyed now with game dishes, or cellared for up to a decade. $110. https://www.tamarridge.com.au

Leo Buring 2024 Leopold Tasmania Riesling

Leo Buring is a wine brand usually associated with fine and potentially long-lived rieslings from the Clare and Eden valleys in South Australia. But winemaker Marie Clay also has access to some top-notch riesling fruit grown at White Hills in northern Tasmania. A very good growing season saw the fruit allowed to reach maximum flavour intensity before being full-bunch pressed. The juice was matured for six months on lees in stainless steel; and a small portion in a ceramic tulip. The end result is a generously favoured riesling with impressive texture. Floral, spicy, long. soft and clean with just a smidgen of residual sugar. Very food friendly. $40.      

Callington Mill El Sol

 

OK. This is a Tasmanian whisky, not a wine, but it does have a serious fortified wine link. This limited release from Oatlands-based Callington Mill distillery was finished in wine barrels that were previously used to mature sherry in Jerez, Spain. That gives this very smooth single malt a different character. The casks were used for maturing styles including Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Fino, and Moscatel, giving the spirit a luscious sweet/savoury element. El Sol means the sun, and reflects the sun-baked Spanish climate. Think raisin/sultana/brioche and cocoa elements. An ideal Father's Day gift. $149. https://callingtonmilldistillery.com/
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Two Bud Spur 2020 Pinot Noir

Here’s a mature Tasmanian pinot noir from the deep south that delivers some delicious cool-climate characters. There is depth of flavour here, but also a silky smooth finish. It is not often you find a five-year-old current release pinot, and this one is drinking particularly well. The Two Bud Spur vineyard is located at Gardners Bay, outside Cygnet, in the ultra-cool Huon Valley. It is operated by Craig Mundy and Karen Miller, a pair of marine biologists who bought the vineyard in 2006 and have since built their own winery and cellar door (open seasonally). The fruit was open vat fermented in small batches and spent 12 months in French oak barrels (50% new) and 12 months in stainless steel, Impressive - and made in tiny quantities. $45. https://twobudspur.com.au/