Trial Bay Estate 2023 Pinot Noir

 

One of the great joys of the wine industry in Tasmania is the number of tiny producers - some with only a hectare or two of vines - that are making outstanding cool-climate wines. A case in point is Trial Bay Estate, based at Kettering in the far south of the state, on the d'Entrecasteaux Channel, just 30 minutes from Hobart. This is just the fourth release from this pinot-only producer and the vines - dating back to 1997 and 2007 are producing high-quality fruit that is vinified by Kate Hill. There is a lovely balance between fruit and savoury characters here; a classic cool-climate pinot of which only 1021 bottles were made. Impressively intense. $55. www.trialbayestate.com.au    

Glaetzer-Dixon 2024 Avancé Pinot Noir

 

Here is a Tasmanian pinot noir designed for enjoyment in its youth - made in an urban winery in Hobart using fruit from vineyards in the Derwent and Coal River valleys. Given its provenance, made by sixth-generation vigneron and former Jimmy Watson Trophy winner Nick Glaetzer, this seems seriously under-priced given the wave of demand for Tassie pinots. It is full of adolescent swagger and would pair with anything from a pork pie to a Thai duck curry. Lip-smackingly good for $38. https://www.gdfwinemakers.com/ 

Pooley 2024 Butcher's Hill Cane Cut Riesling

Tasmania is a much-underrated producer of rieslings, and there are only a handful of dessert styles made on the island, This is an outstanding example from Pooley, a family winery in the Coal River Valley that is this year celebrating its 40th anniversary. Made from grapes grown on the estate vineyard outside Richmond, this is an aromatic, pure and intensely luscious wine with citrus and apricot notes to the fore. Disturbingly drinkable, but fortunately it carries only 8.% alcohol as a second glass would seem mandatory. There is 137 grams per litre of sugar here but the lively acid and pithy crispness on the finish acts as a counterweight. Great with anything from an apple crumble to a cheese platter. $45 for 375mls. https://www.pooleywines.com.au/  

Two Bud Spur 2022 Gamay

 

Gamay is the grape used in the lighter-bodied red wines of Beaujolais in France. It is a style well suited to the outdoor lifestyle in Australia, vibrant and best enjoyed in the first five years of its life. There are still relatively few local producers making gamay, however, but Two Bud Spur, a small family producer in the Huon Valley, makes two: a lighter nouveau style and this earthier version. Made f rom 100% estate fruit, this undergoes small-batch fermentation and then sees 12 months in oak, making it more substantial than some of its lighter brethren. Pair with anything from quiche lorraine to croquettes and chill just a little on a warm day. $45. https://twobudspur.com.au/ 

Josef Chromy 2023 Pinot Noir

 

The price for the top Tasmanian pinots has gone through the roof: with the big names now easily fetching three-figure sums for their latest releases. Cool-climate pinot noirs are all the rage; from wine bars to back decks. This wine from Relbia, just south of Launceston, is not stratospherically priced; instead it offers some delightful drinking at a reasonable price point. There is no need to cellar this one; it is immediately approachable with some juicy red fruit characters to the fore, restrained oak and some lovely balance. A great entry to the wonderful world of Tassie pinot. Supple, soft and smooth. $45. josefchromy.com.au  

Haddow & Dineen 2023 Grain of Truth Pinot Gris

 

Haddow & Dineen is the impressive collaboration between Tasmanian cheese guru and wine lover Nick Haddow and former Joseph Chromy winemaker Jeremy Dineen. The pair has a project underway to deliver a super-premium benchmark pinot gris down the track, but their current textural release from their Yorktown Vineyard delivers a lot of drinking pleasure. This is not a simple wine - as so many pinots gris are. Think hand-picking, whole bunch pressing, wild yeast and barrel fermentation. The end result is just a little funky, unfined, unfiltered and full of palate weight and density. Its richness and complexity make it very food friendly. $60.  https://www.haddowanddineen.com.au  

Sailor Seeks Horse 2023 Chardonnay

Wife and husband team Gilli and Paul Lipscombe have been making some of Tasmania's finest artisan chardonnays and pinots for several years now, but is exciting to see them continue to make tweaks to their vineyard at Cradoc in the Huon Valley that produce small incremental improvements as they learn more about their vines. This is an outstanding estate chardonnay that is notable for its clarity of style. There is plenty of length, some cool-climate varietal swagger and briny hints, with quality French oak providing texture. Pork belly would make a stellar food/wine match. A brand new release, this, but given the history of the brand it probably won't last long. A regional exemplar. $70. https://www.sailorseekshorse.com.au/