by Vic Harradine

Tasmania is the smallest state in Australia by area and population, yet arguably produces Australia’s finest sparkling wine. The first vines were planted in 1823 and cuttings from these were used for the initial plantings in the states of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales making Tassy the oldest producing wine region in Australia. However, in less than 75 years the vines were grubbed up and fruit orchards grew in their stead. Not because of phylloxera, the entire state is phylloxera-free, but because of winery hands heading for the gold fields of Victoria and the banning of production of fortified wines.

It wasn’t until the mid-1950s when Jean Miguet from Provence, France planted the vineyard ‘La Provence’ and Pipers Brook winery was opened in the early 1970s was modern-day winemaking established. There are now close to 300 vineyards and 75 wineries all grouped under one Geographical Indication (GI)—Tasmania—with many smaller unofficial wine areas championing their individual wine styles and terroir.

The climate is well suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both for still and sparkling wines, with very little Pinot Meunier in the ground, often just enough to say that it’s part of the blend. There are also plantings of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Arriving in Tasmania just in time to taste the wines entered in the ‘20th Tasmanian Wine Show’ as judged by Australian wine critics James Halliday and Huon Hooke allowed this broad overview. With close to 500 wines entered, it provided a wonderful introduction to the wines of Tassy. The top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir table wines were fabulous, measuring up to other fine wines from around the world with the same easily said for the sparkling wines. The Riesling was good to very good and shows great promise. The Cabernet Sauvignon requires the warmest sites struggling in all but warmer vintages while most of the Sauvignon Blanc was pleasant, with the odd one being very good and the Pinot Gris pretty ordinary, with a couple of outstanding exceptions.

After the wine show, four wineries were visited with time spent touring, tasting (up to a dozen in each), spitting and reviewing wines. Many are now in the Ontario market on LCBO shelves or available via consignment with upcoming releases planned for others. Keep your eyes open for them in future Vintages Releases.

Josef Chromy Wines – this winery is as much about the owner as it is about the wines. Josef landed in Tasmania in the early 1950s, a penniless Czech immigrant having escaped his oppressed homeland. After brilliant business success in consolidating the meat industry, he set his sites on wine by purchasing, among others, Heemskerk and Jansz wineries and planting a vineyard that evolved into present-day Tamar Ridge. Another of his early purchases evolved into Bay of Fires. Having sold all his previous winery holdings, in 2003 he purchased and planted vineyards opening this eponymous winery. A state-of-the-art facility with an extremely talented wine maker, Jeremy Dineen; the wines have garnered numerous trophies and 100+ medals in very short order. The following wines are slated for release through Vintages on April 17, 2010.


Josef Chromy Chardonnay 2007
Tasmania, Australia $26.00 (162982) 13.5% alcohol
Well-developed aromas of vanilla, toasty oak and tree fruit abound in this mouth-filling lip-smacking Chardonnay. Crisp refreshing flavours of Granny Smith apple and ripe lemon mingle with nuances of cashew persisting through the well-balanced finish. It’s full bodied and brimming with flavour and lively verve and zest. Lovely sipped on its own, it pairs well with herbed roast chicken or grilled pork tenderloin. (Vic Harradine)


Josef Chromy Pinot Gris 2008
Tasmania, Australia $23.00 (162974) 13.6% alcohol
This drink-me-now gem offers up an expressive nose of fragrant white peach and citrus aromas. The estate-grown fruit was coddled—de-stemmed without crushing, the juice then gently pressed off directly into stainless steel preserving the varietal character. Medium bodied and highly textured, the bracing flavours of lemon zest and nectarine coat the palate. The finish lingers, crisp and refreshing. Made for antipasto and deli-food platters, it also pours well alongside pan-seared fish. (Vic Harradine)


Josef Chromy ‘Pepik’ Pinot Noir 2009
Tasmania, Australia $21.50 (162990) 12.5% alcohol
Bistro styled and value packed, spice box and red berry fruit aromas waft from this light-on-its-feet Pinot. Racy flavours of ripe pomegranate and cranberry stream throughout carried along on a lovely spine of acidity. It’s nicely textured, well balanced and sports a crisp finish of spice and tangy flavour. Pasta in tomato-based sauce matches up well, try spaghetti Bolognese. (Vic Harradine)


Josef Chromy Pinot Noir 2008
Tasmania, Australia $26.00 (160322) 14.0% alcohol
Expressive and expansive aromas lift from the glass of this beautifully sculpted red—herb and spice, dark berry fruit and oaky notes are predominant. Juicy well-balanced flavours coat the palate with succulent Bing cherry and juicy bramble berry to the fore. This is a stunning wine, offering value and complexity with deftly integrated oak—12 months in French barriques—perfect balance and a lingering luscious aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)


Josef Chromy Riesling 2008
Tasmania, Australia $23.00 (162966) 12.7% alcohol
Floral, citrus and hints of slate on the nose, this dishes up a lovely mouthful of flavour—racy lemon-lime, ripe ruby red grapefruit and spiced yellow plum. It’s mid weight with a gorgeous palate-coating texture and a well-balanced lengthy finish that adds on a layer of complexity with ripe juicy tree fruit flavours. Give it a go alongside crab cakes or your favourite blue-veined cheese. (Vic Harradine)

Jansz Tasmania – producing only wine with bubbles, Jansz helps set and often raises the bar for Australian sparkling wine. They also cleverly coined the term Méthode Tasmanoise—the wines are made in the manner of Champagne. Their estate vineyard was established in 1975 partnering with Louis Roederer Champagne in 1986 and now owned by the Hill Smith family of Australia. The cool maritime climate and advantageous growing season closely approximate Champagne and Burgundy—both home to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir—coalescing to provide optimal vineyard conditions. Champagne and sparkling wines are also heavily wine maker dependent and Jansz’s Natalie Fryar is hailed as one of the best. The wines are marked by the excellent balance of ripe fruit flavour and racy acidity along with a generous texture achieved partially through malolactic fermentation, plus barrel fermentation for the higher end selections. After an extensive tasting here, we nipped over to sister and neighbouring winery, Dalrymple Estate, who also showcased a fine array of wines with two reviewed below; unfortunately, not yet available in Ontario.


Jansz ‘Premium Cuvée’ Non-Vintage
Tasmania, Australia $29.95 (566828) 12.5% alcohol
Pale yellow in the glass, the aromas are redolent of lemon grass and citrus. The blend of 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir dances lightly on the palate delivering delicate and well-defined flavours of racy lemon biscuit, toasted nuts and white grapefruit zest carried along on a lovely stream of fine-bead perlage. A perfect aperitif, it also matches up well to lighter-styled appetizers like cold prawns or mussels steamed in white wine. Available for daily home or office delivery by the case of 6 from B & W Wines. (Vic Harradine)


Jansz ‘Premium Rosé’ Non-Vintage
Tasmania, Australia $29.95 (37499) 12.5% alcohol
Pinot Noir predominant and spending 2 years on the lees, this offers up fresh and lively aromas of red berry fruit and floral notes. Red currant and ruby red grapefruit flavours coat the palate with a generous texture. It’s mid weight with good balance and structure sporting a lingering crisp and dry finish adding nuances of freshly sliced strawberry. It pairs perfectly with pan-seared salmon under a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon and earned its final half star on value. Available for daily home or office delivery by the case of 6 from B & W Wines. (Vic Harradine)


Jansz ‘Premium Vintage Cuvée’ 2004
Tasmania, Australia $42.95 12.5% alcohol
Spending 4 years on the lees, this barrel-fermented blend—40% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir—won Trophy for ‘Best Sparkling Wine of Show’ at the 2009 Sydney International Wine Competition besting 86 others including 18 Champagnes. Leesy, nutty and toasty aromas segue a mouth-filling palate-coating deluge of crisp refreshing flavours with lemon sorbet, red currant and spiced yellow plum to the fore. The lip-smacking aftertaste lingers. This punches well above the price. (Vic Harradine)


Jansz ‘Premium Late Disgorged’ 2002
Tasmania, Australia $42.95 13.0% alcohol
Having won the ‘Australia Day Wine of the Year - Best Australian Sparkling Wine, Apéritif Style’ for an unprecedented 3 times in 2004, 2005 and 2007, it’s still a great golden yellow drop. Nutty notes, honeysuckle and biscuit aromas float easily off the glass of this mid-weight nicely textured bubbly. Well-developed flavours of marmalade, candied citrus and lemon meringue pie abound on the palate while the finish is crisp and refreshing. It’s best sipped with a good friend and a bowl of salty crisps. (Vic Harradine)


Dalrymple Estate Pinot Noir 2008
Tasmania, Australia $30.00 13.5% alcohol
Fragrant aromas of rose petal, spice box and savoury herb spill from the glass of this medium-bodied nicely textured red beauty. It’s deftly balanced and full of fruit flavour—black currant, spiced black plum and dark black cherry—underpinned by good acidity. There’s ripe fine-grained tannin and hints of toasty oak that add structure and interest to the lengthy lip-smacking finish. It’s well sculpted, well priced and a perfect match with chorizo and prawn paella. (Vic Harradine)


Dalrymple Estate Pinot Noir 2007
Tasmania, Australia $44.95 14.0% alcohol
From a single 11ha lot in Pipers River in a great vintage, this delivers expressive aromas of dark juicy berry fruit, earthy tones and cloves mingling with a whiff of oak. Meticulously handled—hand sorted, cold soaked, wild yeast ferment, hand plunged and judicious use of French oak (91% new barrels)—this offers up ripe rich fruit flavours of black raspberry and Bing cherry balanced off nicely with savoury herb characteristics and racy acidity. It’s mid weight and well balanced with good structure and a lengthy finish. (Vic Harradine)

Tamar Ridge Estates – with the first vines planted in 1994 and the wines released five years following that, this winery has catapulted to prominence with a full range of table and sparkling wines under the careful leadership of CEO and Chief Wine maker, Dr. Andrew Pirie. A Member of the Order of Australia, he oversees Tasmania’s largest wine company and over 300 hectares of vineyards. The wines are marketed under the Tamara Ridge Estates label ‘Kayena Vineyard’ or ‘Research Series’ and the ‘Devil’s Corner’ range. The 2008 ‘Devil’s Corner’ Riesling reviewed here is available in Vintages now. The renowned Dr. Richard Smart handles the viticulture and Senior Winemaker, Tom Ravech, is busily fashioning some brilliant wines. His broad smile is partially because of the smart 2009 Pinot Noir he has sitting in barrel; definitely worth seeking out.


Tamar Ridge Estates ‘Devil’s Corner Non-Vintage Cuvée’
Tasmania, Australia $16.00 12.0% alcohol
Friendly on the palate and pocketbook, this easy-styled sparkler delivers a value-packed glass of bubbles and clean refreshing flavour; it earned its final half star on value. The bubbles are persistent and carry the ripe citrus, green apple aromas and flavours through the lingering lip-smacking finish. A great aperitif wine, it’s just the thing to tuck under your arm as a party wine or serve alongside light seafood appetizers. (Vic Harradine)


Tamar Ridge Estates ‘Kayena Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tasmania, Australia $20.00 13.0% alcohol
You’ll find an abundance of ripe tropical fruit aromas mingling with citrus and spice on the lifted nose. There are hints of those tropical fruits on the palate—ripe pineapple and honeydew melon—along with a gusher of gorgeous racy acidity with lemon sorbet and white grapefruit rind. This is well sculpted and beautifully suited to pour over and alongside freshly shucked oysters. (Vic Harradine)


Tamar Ridge Estates ‘Kayena Vineyard’ Chardonnay 2008
Tasmania, Australia $20.00 13.0% alcohol
This is a delicious mouth-filling Chardonnay showing deft balance, excellent structure and a generous buttery mouth feel. Alluring aromas of tropical fruit and vanilla waft from the glass while the palate-coating flavours—ripe juicy citrus and sweet pineapple mingling with spiced yellow peach—are underpinned by a gorgeous spine of acidity and well-integrated hints of toasty oak. Lovely sipped on its own, it’s a willing partner with roast chicken. (Vic Harradine)


Tamar Ridge Estates ‘Devil’s Corner’ Riesling 2008
Tasmania, Australia $18.95 (138289) 12.0% alcohol
The ‘Devil’s Corner’ refers to a seafarers’ refuge from a treacherous bend in the Tamar River south of the vineyards. Aromas of key lime and slate segue a wash of flavour—spice, lemon sorbet, ripe grapefruit and nuances of nectarine—carried along on a bed of soft acidity. It’s medium bodied with a generous mouth feel and a lingering well-balanced finish. Sip on its own or pour with skewers of Greek lamb souvlaki. (Vic Harradine)


Tamar Ridge Estates ‘Kayena Vineyard’ Riesling 2008
Tasmania, Australia $22.00 12.0% alcohol
The citrus and mineral aromas replay on the palate along with lovely flavours of persimmon and lemon meringue pie. This off-dry gem is mid weight and nicely textured sporting a delightful sweet and tang mouth-watering finish. That yin and yang finish makes it perfect when poured alongside spicy Asian dishes. Give this a go with green curry chicken with steamed jasmine rice laced with green peas and pan-fried onions. (Vic Harradine)


Tamar Ridge Estates ‘Kayena Vineyard Reserve Botrytis Riesling’ 2007
Tasmania, Australia $30.00 375 mL 9.0% alcohol
Stunning from the get-go, the dazzling aromas of spiced honeyed tree fruit, butterscotch and truffle segue a palate-coating mouth-filling deluge of flavour. Luscious peel marmalade, apricot and candied citrus flavours persist through the lengthy lip-smacking finish. Amazingly, there’s enough natural acidity to allow this to be well balanced without a hint of cloying sweetness. This is a gorgeous wine with tribute to both the fruit and the winemaker. Bravo! (Vic Harradine)

Bay of Fires – boasting Australia’s most awarded sparkling wine maker, Ed Carr, and the top drop, ‘Arras’, their fruit is sourced from a wide variety of premium vineyards in Tasmania. The name of their top sparkler is taken from Shakespeare who wrote of these lavish tapestries—just as Arras is woven from this tapestry of vineyards across the state. You’ll find their wines under the Bay of Fires and Tigress labels. Wine maker, Fran Austin, has handled the Bay of Fires and Tigress brands since 2002 and in 2005 was named winner of the Qantas Medal, awarded to the country's most exciting emerging young winemaker.


Bay of Fires ‘Arras’ 2002
Tasmania, Australia $70.00 13.2% alcohol
A blend of 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, this Traditional Method sparkler jumps from the glass with leesy, brioche and lemon biscuit aromas. It’s mid weight, mouth filling and generously textured as the well-developed flavours—having spent 5 years on the lees—of persimmon, buckwheat and lemon zest roll over the palate in waves. It finishes refreshing with hints of spice, minerality and white peach. Poured beautifully on its own and paired perfectly with roast pork marinated in soy sauce and Asian spice. (Vic Harradine)


Bay of Fires ‘Tasmanian Cuvée’ Non-vintage
Tasmania, Australia $31.50 12.5% alcohol
Utilizing the classic grape blend, Pinot Noir 48.5%, Chardonnay 43.9% and Pinot Meunier, there are lifted aromas of brioche, green apple and white peach on the nose. The fine-beaded mousse carries an array of crisp and racy flavours with tangy citrus, more green apple and a touch of minerality predominant. It’s light on its feet with good texture and a lingering refreshing finish that showcases some ripe stone fruit. (Vic Harradine)


Bay of Fires Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Tasmania, Australia $31.50 12.2% alcohol
This is simply gorgeous. Expressive and expansive aromas—gooseberry, spice and rosewater—segue a gusher of fruit-filled, palate-coating flavour with ripe lemon, pineapple, savoury spice and kiwi fruit to the fore. It’s perfectly balanced, well structured and sports a crisp zesty finish that’s lengthy and lip-smacking good. Pair with a heaping bowl of lightly breaded, salt and pepper calamari rings. (Vic Harradine)


Bay of Fires Pinot Noir 2008
Tasmania, Australia $38.00 13.5% alcohol
Red berry fruit, cherry and earthy tones on the nose; this reveals well-defined fruit flavours on the palate with red cherry, pomegranate and red currant to the fore. It’s mid weight, nicely textured and delivers a lingering well-balanced and mouth-watering aftertaste that layers on savoury spice and leaves you wanting more. The multi-clone, multi-vineyard sourced fruit provides complexity and structure. This is poured well alongside smoked duck breasts. (Vic Harradine)