Small Island 2024 Chardonnay

 

James Broinowski's Small Island Wines is one of the rising stars of the Tasmanian wine industry. The first wines were produced using crowd sourcing and a decade along the business is producing some excellent drinking at fair prices. This impressively balanced cool-climate chardonnay comes from vines at Saltwater River on the Tasman Peninsula, around an hour east of Hobart, one of Broinowski's regular sources of grapes. This is a young wine, but the quality fruit from the single vineyard shines through - as does short-term potential for cellaring, although it  already has "come hither" accessibility. $49. https://smallislandwines.com/

   

Sailor Seeks Horse 2023 Pinot Noir

 

Those in the know when it comes to cool-climate pinot noir have the name Sailor Seeks Horse in their notebooks. Paul and Gilli Lipscombe have built a formidable reputation for the quality of their estate wines grown at Cradoc in the Huon Valley. This is a pinot with impressive tension; there's a panoply of flavours on the palate, but aligned to a sense of calmness and cohesion. This a classic style with immediate appeal, along with medium-term cellaring potential. The balance between fruit and savoury characters and some grippy tannins make this beguilingly rustic. $70. https://www.sailorseekshorse.com.au/  

Henskens Rankin 2015 D2 Brut Rosé

There are artisan wine producers; and seriously artisan winemakers. Frieda Henskens and David Rankin may be small - but their sparkling wines are very much in demand by aficionados. Only 500 bottles of the second disgorgement of this wine were made; released after spending five years on lees and then five years on cork. The fruit all comes from the fabled Orani vineyard outside Sorell and is made from 100% pinot noir. The pale salmon colour and delicate mousse disguise a palate alive with wild strawberry, freeze-dried raspberry, cranberry and hints of rhubarb along with brioche notes and zingy acid. So many flavours in one coherent package. My wife, very particular about sparkling wines, tasted it blind and said: "Gee, that's a nice wine". $105. https://henskensrankin.com/

Kate Hill 2024 Riesling

 

Kate Hill has been making stellar rieslings for well over a couple of decades now, and this is one of the best I have tasted under her own label; vibrant and crisp but without the excessive acidity that marks many young Tasmanian rieslings. This new release is made from fruit grown in the Derwent Valley - just a short distance as the crow flies from her Huon Valley winery. From a vintage that offered a long, slow ripening period, this would be an excellent match for dishes ranging from a splurge on fresh Tassie oysters to a budget meal of fish fingers, Think lemon/lime and grapefruit notes and a long, soft finish. Disclaimer: I occasionally help out at Kate's cellar door but will definitely be buying a few bottles to pair with Thai and Korean dishes. $39. https://www.katehillwines.com.au 

Westella Vineyard 2021 Sparkling Rosé

 

Westella is a small operation at the northern end of the Tamar Valley where the Adkins family concentrates exclusively on one grape: pinot noir, albeit made in a range of styles. This sample was supplied by Wine Tasmania and pronounced a hit by my tasting group. Pale salmon in colour it is a lively little number with wild strawberry and poached pear characters on the palate, a playful mousse and fresh, lively acidity. This spent 2 1/2 years on lees before emerging with coqeuettish appeal. A fun and versatile aperitif style. $46. https://westellavineyard.com.au/ 

Bream Creek 2023 Late Harvest

Not all sweet wines are sticky. This deliciously decadent late harvest wine also comes with bright, fresh, crisp, refreshing acidity on the palate - like biting into a fresh sweet apple. It is a lighter-style dessert wine made from a blend of the German schönburger grape and riesling from a block planted in 1994 - positively ancient for Tasmania. Think poached fruit aromas and a zingy palate with citrus, shortbread, cumquat and lemon peel with that lively finish. This is a double threat. You could enjoy it with tarts, or fruit crumbles, or match with savoury dishes like pates and terrines. $36 for 375ml. https://www.breamcreekvineyard.com.au/

Pirie Tasmania NV Sparkling

 

Meet one of the traditional method sparkling wines that helped create Tasmania's reputation as the best region in Australia for the style. Founder Andrew Pirie has moved on and now crafts small-batch wines under his own Apogee label, but this is still one of the benchmark sparklers from the island state - and very well priced. Made from grapes grown in the Tamar Valley, this is a blend of 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir with small additions from older vintages. It has some delightful freshness and balance, but two years on lees has added palate interest. A bright aperitif style for enjoying chilled, but not too chilled. $35. https://brownfamilywines.com.au/products/pirie-sparkling-nv