Why this little Tasmanian wine event is one of our wine writers' top travel picks
Tasmanians are accustomed to being left off the map (quite literally) but their burgeoning food and wine scene makes it one of the most desirable places in Australia to visit. Tourism is booming. It's so hot (or as the case may be, cool) right now.
Locals know how good they've got it. The island has a stellar reputation as a home of premium cool-climate wines. Among them are pinot noir, globally acclaimed sparkling, elegant riesling, chardonnay and pinot gris.
Sounds great, if you can find it. According to Wine Tasmania, a whopping 40 per cent of all Tasmanian wine is sold on the island. As a result, some Tasmanian wines can be challenging to buy.
Some excellent small producers don't have a cellar door, which is why annual event Southern Open Vineyards Weekend (March 3-5) is a must for discerning and adventurous drinkers.
The three-day "choose your own adventure" puts a spotlight on the Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley and the Huon Valley/D'Entrecasteaux Channel regions via one-off experiences with more than 40 vineyards, many on private properties with gobsmacking views.
It is a labour of love. Local winemaker Greer Carland took over management of the event in 2020, when it was struggling, which is no longer the case.
"It has been running since the early '90s, way back when the restaurant scene was an embryonic version of what we have today and championing local wasn't on the tip of everyone's tongue," she says. "For the producers too small for a cellar door, it represents an opportunity to share their wines and story with the public."
Carland has a killer yarn of her own. When she's not curating the festival, she helps out at Laurel Bank (her family's vineyard) and runs her own label Quiet Mutiny, named after Australia's first female pirate.
The full event program recently dropped and includes a five-course degustation and chardonnay verticals (the same wine through different years) with salt of the earth Derwent Estate winemaker John Schuts (you'll struggle to find a better view); a laid-back vineyard tasting with Sailor Seeks Horse winemakers Gilli and Paul Lipscombe (last time I visited, they poured pinot noir and chardonnay off the back of their ute); and a chance to meet the likes of winemaker Frieda Henskens during a pop-up at the jaw-dropping Mewstone Vineyard. Heard of the Müller-Thurgau varietal? You'll find it at Derwent Valley's Cross Rivulet Vineyard.
The website can be a little difficult to navigate (patience, my friends) but there's a downloadable map to peruse. My advice; print it out and hit the road for a genuine chance to connect with some of the most humble and exciting producers in the country. See openvineyards.wine
Three to try
Viridian Wines 2009 Iola Late Disgorged Blanc de Blancs ($56) is a triumph. Viridian Wines owners Lyn and Michael Rochford conduct wholesome by-appointment tastings in a shed in their backyard with a Broadview Vineyard view. 12 per cent ABV, viridianwines.com.au
Glaetzer-Dixon 2019 Uberblanc Riesling ($26.99). Wrap your senses around this new release in the urban Hobart winery surrounds in which it was made. Winemaker Nick Glaetzer is doing exciting things in what was a former ice factory. 12.5 per cent ABV, gdfwinemakers.com
The Hughes and Hughes 2022 Pinot Noir ($40) made by Jonathan Hughes (who established Mewstone vineyard on the banks of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel with his brother Matthew) is best consumed with a view from their Mewstone Cellar door. Stunning on all fronts. 13.2 per cent ABV, mewstonewines.com.au
