Moores Hill 2024 Pinot Rosé

 

There are surprisingly few pinot rosés made in Tasmania. It simply makes economic sense that most of the fruit either goes towards sparkling wines, or table pinots. The few rosés made from pinot noir offer some delightful summer drinking. This one is from a consistently excellent small producer in the Tamar Valley and returns after not being made in 2023. It turned out that a 0.3 hectare block of pinot noir located in front of the winery proved ideal for making rosé with bright strawberry and red fruit flavours and lively acid on the finish. Aromatic, crisp and best enjoyed chilled. $35. https://www.mooreshill.com.au/

Corryton Burge 2019 Martha Mae Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay

There are several mainland brands now opting to use fruit from Tasmania for their premium sparkling wines, ensuring cool-climate purity and elegance. The Barossa-based Burge family's new label has released this stylish Tasmanian pinot noir/chardonnay blend as a tribute to great grandmother Martha Mae. It has been aged for three years on lees before release and is fresh and vibrant, with citrus and green apple notes, but also elegant with an energetic mousse. Well-priced and very food friendly. $45. https://www.corrytonburge.com/sparkling-collection/ 

Pooley 2024 Gewurztraminer

 

I had a sneak peak at the Pooley 2024 whites and rosé releases earlier this week, and fans are in for a treat. The quality is excellent across the board. There are only a handful of gewurztraminer wines made in Tasmania's and this is up there with the best - and a perfect foil for a lightly-spiced Thai stir fry. This is made from 40-year-old vines located in the north of the state - and exception in a range where most wines are made from Coal River Valley fruit. Fermented in stainless steel with three months on lees, this has 7.5gl of sweetness but finishes crisp and lively with classic rose petal, pear and Turkish Delight/musky elements. Enjoy young and chilled. $42. www.pooleywines.com.au. 

Stoney Rise 2023 Trousseau

Joe Holyman enjoys marching to the beat of a different drum with his minimal intervention winemaking, as is evidenced by this, the only wine made from the trousseau grape in Tasmania. Holyman planted the vines at his Tamar Valley site nine years ago and makes a very appealing lighter red that can be enjoyed chilled over summer. Trousseau originates from the Jura region in eastern France and is also known as bastardo and merenzao. It is a close relative of the white grape savagnin, which Holyman also grows, and produces wines that are cherry red with high-acid, very bright and attention grabbing minerality. Matured in amphorae, this is lively, juicy, gluggable and just 12% alcohol. Such fun. Give it a whirl. $40. https://www.stoneyrise.com/

Giant Steps 2023 Coal River Valley Pinot Noir

 

This is the only wine in Giant Steps'  single vineyard collection that is not made from Yarra Valley fruit. Grapes from two small portions of the Nocton Vineyard in the Coal River Valley are handpicked and loaded onto a refrigerated container parked by the vines. The fruit is then driven to Devonport, put on a ferry and delivered to the winery in Healesville the next morning for Mel Chester and her winemaking team. The clay soil produces pinots that are floral and elegant with minerality and serious poise. A wine with concentrated power, subtle French oak and some benchmark bright acid. Enjoy now, or cellar for up to a decade. $100. www.giantstepswine.com.au   

Bream Creek Vineyard NV Brut Rosé

 

Bream Creek's wines are excellent across the board -and this one found favour with my tasting group for both quality and value. Recently disgorged, this is has plenty of vivacious appeal as the weather starts to get a bit warmer. Pale salmon in colour, it has a fresh berry nose leading to a lively mousse and strawberry notes with hints of dry biscuit on the palate. There is a brisk, dry acid finish, making this a perfect aperitif style and a good match for seafood (think oysters or pan-fried flathead). Enjoy well chilled over spring or summer. $42. https://www.breamcreekvineyard.com.au/  

Glaetzer-Dixon 2021 Mon Pere Shiraz

 

Just a generation ago, the idea of world-class shiraz from Tasmania would have been laughable. Too cold, for starters. Then a new generation of growers and winemakers, aided by global warming, began pushing the boundaries with cool-climate shiraz. At the vanguard was former Barossa boy Nick Glaetzer, who won a Jimmy Watson Trophy for the 2010 vintage of this wine, named in honour of his father, renowned winemaker Colin.Glaetzer.  This is made from fruit grown in the Upper Derwent Valley, north of Hobart, and is very Rhone in style. It has just the right balance between juicy fruit and textural interest. There are spicy elements and the merest hint of funk. The wine has been aged in 30% new oak barrels. Seriously stylish. $70. https://www.gdfwinemakers.com/