Sailor Seeks Horse 2025 Illumine Vineyard Pinot Noir

 

Sailor Seeks Horse vignerons Paul and Gilli Lipscombe have built a formidable reputation for their estate wines grown in Tasmania's very cool Huon Valley, but change is afoot and the SSH range now features some wines made using grower fruit. This one, from a new vineyard next to the Panorama vineyard just a couple of kilometres from home base, was actually planted and is looked after by the Lipscombes. It is a serious star with vibrant fruit from young vines taking centre stage and stealing the show in a wine that is clever, composed and wonderfully supple. Mainly older oak plays a support role. $60. https://www.sailorseekshorse.com.au/ 

  

Pooley 2025 Syrah

 

A few months ago I enthusiastically reviewed the excellent 2024 vintage of this wine. Within a couple of weeks it had snared major show trophies and sold out rapidly. The 2025 vintage has probably been released a little earlier than planned, but it is certainly worth jumping on the bandwagon if you enjoy savoury, spicy and thoroughly delectable cool-climate syrah (which most Australians call shiraz). The fruit comes from the Coal River Valley in the south of Tasmania with winemaking nous from talented Anna Pooley. This is extremely food friendly with a soft, supple mouthfeel. French oak is the support act to quality fruit. $60. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/

Holm Oak 2026 Riesling

Tasmanian rieslings are very under-rated. The best, including this one from Bec and Tim Duffy from Holm Oak at Rowella in the Tamar Valley, are outstanding This hits just the right balance between dry, high-acid structure and lively juicy, citrus characters. There are crunchy apple and zingy grapefruit flavours here, and hints of slatey minerality along with the zingy freshness and a bitey finish. This would match well with Thai. Korean or Vietnamese flavours, or some fresh Tassie oysters. Pure. Intense. $35. https://holmoakvineyards.com.au/

Stoney Rise 2026 Chardonnay

 

This wine's big brother, the seriously excellent 2025 Holyman Chardonnay, was this week named in the Halliday top 100 wines of the year. Gravelly Beach winemaker Joe Holyman is on fire with his new releases, crafting pure but intriguing riffs on the Tasmanian cool-climate theme. This is a serious bargain in Tasmanian terms; all about vibrant pure fruit from overlooking the River Tamar that has been gently aided and abetted by a short period in neutral oak and some lees stirring. There is plenty happening on the palate but this is a wine that has quickly settled into a comfortable bourgeois existence. Grilled prawns anyone? $40. https://www.stoneyrise.com

Broad Arrow 2025 Pinot Gris

 

A very tidy Tassie pinot gris from a top team. The fruit is grown at the Spikey Bridge vineyard in Relbia, just down the road from Josef Chromy, and the vinification is done by experienced Jeremy Dineen at a new winemaking facility. The end result, for both this and its pinot noir sibling, is a well-made, varietally correct wine that offers excellent value. There are bright peach and pear flavours to the fore in a wine best enjoyed well chilled and in its youth. Pair with salt and pepper calamari. $32. https://broadarrowwines.com.au/

Delamere Tasmania Cuvee NV

If you love sparkling wines full of youthful enthusiasm then the recent disgorgement from this Pipers River stalwart will please you. It is a classic from two of Tasmania's most reliable best producers of sparkling wines - Fran Austin and Shane Holloway - and is grown, made and disgorged on site. The varietal blend is 69% chardonnay and 31% pinot noir, with 20% reserve wine blended into the base wine to add complexity to the palate. You can enjoy this an an aperitif but it has enough power and persistence to be paired with food. Shellfish would be a good match. $45. https://www.delamerevineyards.com.au/ 

Pooley 2025 Cooinda Vale Pinot Noir

A new release from one of Tasmania's finest family wine producers is an each-way bet. Enjoy now, or cellar for a decade or more. This is a richly concentrated single-vineyard wine from the Cooinda Vale vineyard in the Coal River Valley - one that will appeal to lovers of bigger pinots in the Central Otago style. This is very much an Alpha wine with some macho attitude thanks to a full-bunch component and a swag of new oak. It’s powerful but well balanced - albeit more UFC than ballet. Pair with a gourmet burger or a venison steak. $90. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/