The Auswine Forum

Hi All

I've got a few days free in sunny Northern Tassie next week and I know very little about Tasmanian wine.

Any suggestions regarding cellar doors in Northern Tas or any great Tassie wines that are worth searching out while I'm down there would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Nick

head to the Tamar River Area, plenty of wineries to visit. All the cellar doors are very well sign posted and easy to find.

Tamar Ridge (Devils Lair - their 2nd tier brand) is well worth the visit.

Pipers Brook and Janz are the other highlights.

there are plenty of decent white wines and pinots to taste, the reds like cabernet , shiraz are hit and miss.

I really liked the area and look forward to going back there.

Domaine A make a fabulous cab sav and pinot. Not sure if they have cellar door though.

Dalrymple - is a must for their pinot
Tamar Ridge - big but good
Moore's Hill - appear to have very good vineyard managent, which is coming through in quality fruit.
Providence - good pinot, also sell other wineries stuff so have a good range
Bundaleera - their pinot can have some magic
Holm Oak - bit hit and miss but worth a look.
Bay of Fires - Hardy's Tas setup, good wines
Janz - very good sparkling

The first five are a must. The 05 vintage was supposed to be pretty good so there could be some nice wines around.

Providence is an easy choice. Dalrymple appears to be in form with their pinots also. I avoid Tamar Ridge because they're owned by a big, nasty logging company.

While you're in Launceston be sure to eat at Still Water. Brilliant, especially at dinner.

Kieran

Kieran wrote:Providence is an easy choice. Dalrymple appears to be in form with their pinots also. I avoid Tamar Ridge because they're owned by a big, nasty logging company.

While you're in Launceston be sure to eat at Still Water. Brilliant, especially at dinner.

Kieran

Other than my unfamiliarity with Dalrymple precluding comments, I agree with all this. I reckon Holm Oak are worth a visit - and they have an exquisite botrytis riesling too.

After a bit of a slump, I believe Iron Pot Bay (prettiest labels in the country) may have picked their act up if you like aromatic whites.

Also, search here for 'Tamar' and you'll find a very long post of mine from two years ago with lots of info.

There's good food at Rosevears (20 minutes up the west side of the Tamar) as well, but Stillwater is the choice, unquestionably.

cheers,
Graeme

I visited Tassie recently - first to Hobart / Coal Valley and Launceston / Tamar / Pipers etc

My picks?

Coal Valley
Domaine A - best winery in that area for mine, sensational 2000 Cabernet and quite a good cellar door
Hood/Wellington etc weren't open the day we were there but they are also rated evidently

Tamar Valley / Pipers River?

Beautiful setting and landscapes, probably a more consistent wine region for quality and 'names'.

Dalrymple was excellent - their Reserve Pinot which I believe is quite hard to source anywhere apart from the CD or mail order is very interesting - complex and deep. I bought a bottle but now wish I'd picked up a couple more. Their straight PN was also good as was their Chardonnay which was an older release than most and had some good character.

Jansz worth a visit although only the basics on tasting

Clover Hill worth a taste also

Tamar Ridge, corporate affiliations aside had quite a lot of good wine, their Chardonnay stood out for me.

There are a lot of wineries there but I recall these as the main highlights.

I didn't find much to eat in Launceston but I think we were there at a crappy time of the week...

Good tasting!

Is Marion's Vineyard still operating? I used to like their Pinot.

Also try Fee & Me in Launceston for dinner.

Gianna wrote:Domaine A make a fabulous cab sav and pinot. Not sure if they have cellar door though.

Gianna,
Domaine A is in the South, near Hobart.
Adair