Royal wedding bash needed fizz from Tasmania

I feel a little disappointed, having hoped Harry and Meghan would go for a wine a little more … exciting?

At the risk of losing my citizenship in the Commonwealth, I have to admit I didn’t watch The Wedding last weekend. I’m sure someone filmed it, though; I’ll watch the tape later. My interest did perk up, however, when I learned what the newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex drank at their reception: Pol Roger Brut NV.

Delicious. Yet I can’t help but feel a little disappointed, having hoped they would go for something a little more … exciting?

The reason I feel this way is that I recently sat down with vigneron Jennifer Doyle to taste through the current releases of Jansz Tasmania’s wines. In the rugged wilds of what was once known as Van Diemen’s Land, some truly world-class sparkling is being made.

Back in the 1980s, a little champagne house (Louis Roederer, you may of heard of it) came Down Under to have a gander at vineyard sites in Tasmania, the theory being that the region, climactically similar to Champagne, would produce sparkling wine of similar distinction.

The famous house set up shop in 1985, partnering with Heemskerk Vineyards, and Jansz was born smack-bang in the north’s Pipers River region, nestled in the Tamar Valley. Was the theory proven? Oh yes.

The name of the label is a nod to Tassie’s past. I taught Australian history for a spell but found out only this week that Abel Tasman’s middle name was Janszoon. Tasman, those who didn’t have me for a teacher in school will remember, was the Dutch explorer famous for being the first European to land on the island.

Thirty-odd years later the estate is owned by the Hill-Smith family (proprietors of Yalumba and Pewsey Vale, among others) and produces only sparkling wine.

In 2012, a second vineyard in Coal River was acquired. Here Doyle and her agricultural team nurture the health and vitality of the site with sustainable and holistic practices, ensuring a pure and earnest expression of cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay.

The six wines Jansz produces all possess an enchanting delicacy, like a princess’s gown, but have great attention paid to their structure: there are nuanced layers of detail and texture in every sip. Fruit definition is also readily apparent. There’s a casual concentration that strikes the palate, the perfume intense enough that you can smell it while it’s in your mouth.

With so many accomplished producers crafting exciting wines that blend the assurance of old-world technique with the fascination of the new, do you take Tasmania to be the future of Australian sparkling? I do.

Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvee
A harmonious melding of fruit from the Tamar River and Coal River sites, this staple in the Jansz range is made from 44 per cent pinot noir, 53 per cent chardonnay and a 3 per cent drop of meunier. The wine is floral with lemon blossom and hints of toasted nuts. On the palate a delicate blanket of bubble and red fruits flow, then reluctantly dissipate
for a creamy finish.

Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvee.

Jansz Tasmania Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2011
You’re looking at 100 per cent chardonnay from a single plot snug in the Jansz Estate Vineyards. Five years on yeast lees have given the wine a dignified development, resulting in notes of brioche, grated coconut and art-house cinema popcorn while apricot compote and preserved citrus add a zing. The bead is dainty and a soft stone fruit creaminess lingers on the palate for persistent length.

Jansz Tasmania Vintage Rose 2013
All pinot noir, all class. The nose is delicate but seriously complex. Cherry blossom and white rose petals waft from the glass with a splash of watermelon juice and Japanese plum. There are sweet red berries and a little of that pinot earthiness for good measure. The palate is savoury and lush with some firm, but not aggressive, tongue-gripping texture. Like all the wines in the range, the cool-climate acidity is tantalisingly fresh.