Jansz Tasmania opens new winery Pontos Hills Vineyard in Coal River Valley

It’s one of the state’s top drops and now the team behind the Pipers Brook-based Jansz has revealed their latest project, located just a stone’s throw from Hobart. SEE INSIDE >>

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ONE of Tasmania’s leading sparkling wine houses has set up shop in the south of the state, with a brand new state-of-the-art winery now operating.

World-renowned Jansz Tasmania, based at Pipers Brook, has this week opened their new winery at the family-owned site Pontos Hills Vineyard estate in the Coal River Valley.

Named after the nearby hills, the location was the original site of the Frogmore Creek Vineyard.

World-renowned Tasmanian sparkling wine house Jansz Tasmania has opened a state-of-the-art winery at the family-owned Pontos Hills Vineyard estate in the Coal River Valley. Picture: SUPPLIED

There are 50ha of pinot noir and chardonnay vines while the winery has been designed and engineered to put innovation and sustainability at the forefront, says Jansz Tasmania owner Robert Hill-Smith.

Mr Hill-Smith said the construction of the Pontos Hills Winery had been planned for many years.

“The Pontos Hills Winery has come a long way since the first concept,” he said.

“For us, it is about wine quality first and being true to our origins. Our initial design was a means to improve the quality of our wines and reduce our impact on the environment.

“With the help of local architects 6ty°, we were able to accomplish this and so much more.

“At the moment, the winery is not open to the public, but we have no doubt it will continue to evolve, just as it has over the past 12-24 months.”

Jansz Tasmania winemaker Jen Doyle and owner Robert Hill-Smith inside the new winery.

To mark the pressing of the first grapes at the new site, a limited number of Jansz Tasmania Pontos Hills Vintage Cuvee 2017 were released to commemorate the milestone while the Pontos Hills Winery is also set to release its first vintage.

Tasmania’s wine industry continues to go from strength to strength despite the uncertain times, with half a dozen new cellar doors and continuing strong interstate investment.

Nine local drops were included in expert James Halliday’s Top 100 wines of 2020 list, including the Jansz Tasmania Late Disgorged 2012.

Jen Doyle and Robert Hill-Smith at Pontos Hill. Picture: SUPPLIED

Tolpuddle Vineyard’s 2018 chardonnay took out the award for the best white wine in the world at the International Wine Challenge in London late last year while the House of Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged 2004 was named Top Sparkling Wine in the prestigious Decanter Magazine Wine of the Year 2020.