Tasmania’s vineyards have gathered to celebrate their growing stature across the world
TASMANIA’S white wine is sparkling on the world scene, industry leaders say.
Food and Wine
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TASMANIA’S white wine is sparkling on the world scene, industry leaders say.
“The top Australian sparklings are coming out of Tasmania and they’re world-class,” Wine South president Fred Peacock said.
Famed wine critic James Halliday agrees.
“The best sparkling wines are now predominantly sourced from Tasmania,” he said.
A range of the state’s best will be on show at the second annual Tasmanian White Wine Weekend at PW1 in Hobart next weekend.
The Pipers Brook region in Tasmania’s North-East has become known as “Australia’s little Champagne” because of the amount of award-winning bubbles being made in the area.
Last year Tasmanian winery House of Arras won the Australian white sparkling trophy at London’s International Wine Challenge.
More than 25 per cent of Tasmania’s grapes were made into sparkling wine last year, a 10 per cent increase from the previous year.
“We’re winning trophies and high accolades all the time,” Mr Peacock said.
“The age and the maturity of our vines is a big factor.
“We’re an industry that was heavily planted in the last 20 to 25 years so those vines are now gaining some age. We have also gained a lot of experience, not only in the vineyards but also in the winery.
“But climate is one of the big keys. It’s why we’re able to make some of the best sparklings and also the chardonnays and rieslings.”
Mr Peacock said chardonnay was making a resurgence.
“Forget about the chardonnays from 15 years ago, they’ve gone. The chardonnays we’re making these days are really bright, they’ve got beautiful depth, flavour and texture and they go with food particularly well.”
The White Wine Weekend combines wine, workshops, food and live music.
“As interest in Tasmanian wine continues to grow, our cellar door-styled events become increasingly popular,” Mr Peacock said.
Visitors can sample about 80 Tasmanian wines from 20 producers, including sparkling, riesling, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and grigio, rose and dessert wines. They will be presented in varietal and style categories.
Jeni Port, wine author, judge and columnist, heads this year’s workshops, along with Mary McNeill, owner of the award-winning food tour Gourmania and Tasmania’s “bubbles queen” Natalie Fryar.
“Whether you are a connoisseur looking to develop your palate, or after some handy wine and food matching hints, there really is something for everyone,” said workshop co-ordinator Tim Goddard from retailer Cool Wine.
“This year’s Red Wine Weekend almost doubled in visitor numbers, so we’re hoping for a similar growth for the white wine event and have therefore redesigned the layout to allow visitors much easier access to the sampling tables,” Mr Peacock said.
Nicky Quon from Frogmore Creek said it was a chance for wine makers to showcase their product. “It’s great to bring all the vineyards together from north and south, and to have a cellar door in the city is fantastic,” she said.
Paul Stranan will travel from his Darlington Vineyard in Orford.
“We want to get our name out – we’re the biggest secret in Orford. We’re tucked away behind the golf course and a lot of people don’t know we’re there,” he said.
The Tasmanian White Wine Weekend runs from 12-6pm on Saturday and 12-5pm on Sunday at PW1.
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