Wickhams Road 2025 Tasmania Pinot Noir

 

A Tasmanian pinot noir for under $20? Surely you jest? This is a really good buy: a vibrant young pinot “from a vineyard outside Launceston” that is the result of Hoddles Creek winemaker Franco d’Anna snapping up some excess fruit at a bargain price - something we may see more of with increased plantings coming online in the island state. This bright, vivacious and immediately appealing pinot has aromas of ripe strawberries and some spicy notes, while the palate has berry compote fruit notes and some impressive structure. Fruit driven with some old oak influence; spent some time on skins and is unfined and unfiltered. One for enjoying over the short term, but a seriously good buy for $20. https://www.hoddlescreekestate.com.au/collections/all/products/wickhams-rd-tasmania-pinot-noir

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/

Spring Vale 2025 Melrose Pinot Noir

 

If you enjoy your pinot noir on the fresh, bright and breezy side of the spectrum then this new release from family-owned Spring Vale on the east coast of Tasmania will be right up your laneway. It is aromatic, lively, juicy and gloriously drinkable with red fruit flavours the driving force behind a “drink now” style with minimal, if any, oak influence. We paired this with thinly-sliced steak and onions for a no fuss midweek treat. Great value, too, with an RRP of $32. https://www.springvalewines.com/ 

Holm Oak 2023 Shiraz

Shiraz from Tasmania? Yes. And a very good one, too. It certainly found favour with the members of one of my tasting groups last week. You won't confuse this with any of its blockbuster cousins from McLaren Vale or the Barossa: it is a very different beast with red fruit flavours to the fore, along with attractive pepper/spice elements that shine in well composed cooler-climate shirazes. This is from a family winery in the Tamar Valley and reminds me of an old armchair, soft, plush and comfortable. It is medium-bodied, ready to enjoy in its youth paired with anything from beef sausages to a Sunday roast. $50. https://holmoakvineyards.com.au/

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.