Tasmania Archives - Young Gun of Wine

Torch Bearer – ‘Ese Vineyard, Coal River Valley, Tasmania

Planted in 1994 in the Tea Tree Valley of Tasmania’s Coal River Valley and purchased in 2017 by Anh Nguyen – a chemical and environmental engineer turned vigneron – ‘ese Vineyard is a 3-hectare site growing pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and riesling on one of the most marginal, frost-prone positions in the region. Abandoned between 2013 and 2017, the vineyard has been rebuilt by Nguyen under a regenerative farming philosophy, combining rotational grazing, self-built AI-driven vineyard management technology, and minimal-intervention winemaking. The Torch Bearer range – pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and fumé blanc, priced from $40 to $70 – is made entirely from this one difficult, rewarding place.

Caledon Estate, Coal River Valley

Caledon Estate is a young vineyard on an uncompromising site. Planted in 2019 by owners James and Karen Stewart on a steep, exposed property in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley and today managed by viticulturist Justin Folloso, the 11.27-hectare vineyard climbs from 30 metres above sea level at its lowest point to 140 metres at its highest, battling prevailing north-westerly winds, shallow rocky soils and a harshness that the site makes no attempt to conceal. Six-year-old vines of pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, riesling and a small planting of cabernet sauvignon grow on their own roots, sourced mainly from cuttings from Spring Vale on Tasmania’s east coast. The fruit is made into the Caledon Estate range by winemaker Matt Wood of Spring Vale, with small parcels sold to select producers – including a pinot noir to Cave Wines – as the label builds its range of single-vineyard bottlings. It is early days, but the wines are already drawing attention, and the site itself is unlike anything else attempted in the state.

Sailor Seeks Horse Vineyard, Huon Valley, Tasmania

Tucked into into a steep, sandy slope at Cradoc in Tasmania’s cool Huon Valley, Sailor Seeks Horse spans eight hectares planted in 2005–2018 on sandstone-derived Permian mudstone. This steep, nutrient-lean site – just warm enough to ripen pinot noir, chardonnay, trousseau, and chenin blanc – relies on dry farming for deep roots and expressive fruit, though arid summers prompt undervine mulching. Wines include three cuvees of pinot noir as well as chardonnay, with trousseau and chenin blanc still maturing. The wines have lightness of touch with an underlying power, with a salinity born of sandy quartz-like soils and and layered complexity thanks to the varied terrain. Cared for by Paul and Gilli Lipscombe, Sailor Seeks Horse is a testament to patience and place.

Utzinger Vineyard, Tamar Valley, Tasmania

Nestled in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley, the Utzinger Vineyard spans 5 hectares under the care of Matthias Utzinger, planted in 2018 on virgin brown dermosols rich with ironstone gravel. This north-easterly slope, cooled by winds off kanamaluka/the Tamar River, offers a prolonged ripening season that shapes its pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and syrah. Certified organic since its inception, the vineyard employs high-density planting at 6,500 vines per hectare, with 20% of the land dedicated to revegetation for biodiversity. Matthias crafts the wines from this site himself. This young vineyard, blending Utzinger’s Swiss heritage with Tasmanian terroir, shows how small-scale, intentional viticulture can make an immediate impact.

Pressing Matters Vineyard, Tasmania

Tucked into Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, the Pressing Matters Vineyard spans 20.6 hectares of volcanic limestone and black clay, with its vines – planted from 1980 to 2024 – now under Mark Hoey’s steady hand. Pinot noir (44 years deep), riesling, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and newbies such as shiraz and gamay grow on a mix of own-roots and rootstocks, yielding five separate riesling bottlings, three pinot noirs, a chardonnay, a cabernet sauvignon, and a sparkling pinot – all estate-grown. It’s a quiet innovator, protecting its legacy as a Tasmanian pioneer against the threat of a warming future.

Stargazer – Palisander Vineyard, Tasmania

Palisander vineyard, in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, was originally planted with 1-hectare of pinot noir and riesling vines in 2004, and later purchased by Samantha Connew – the talented winemaker behind the Stargazer label. Since then, Connew expanded the plantings to 5-hectares with the addition of chardonnay, gamay, pinot blanc, pinot gris, and gewurztraminer. The viticulture is managed by Bryn Williams with a holistic approach rather than simply a grape monoculture – providing economic sustainability as well as biodiversity. Palisander stands out for its depth of pinot noir and chardonnay clones, and unique focus on producing Alsatian blends.

Stefano Lubiana Vineyard, Granton

It is over 30 years since Steve Lubiana set up shop in the Derwent Valley, only a short drive from Hobart, with the Stefano Lubiana Vineyard now occupying just over 28 hectares. Certified biodynamic for nearly a decade, it was Tasmania’s first to achieve accreditation, and was the island state’s only one until very recently. Pinot noir and chardonnay take centre stage, but there are also aromatic whites, syrah and small plots of malvasia and blaufränkisch planted. The wines veer from those classically styled, including several single block bottlings, to ones of a natural bent raised in amphora, while the original motivation for the move south – sparkling wine – sees six individual expressions, including a vintage that slumbers for a decade on lees.

Small Wonder Vineyard, Tamar Valley

Small Wonder is a relatively new brand on a mature property in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley, specialising in pinot noir, chardonnay and aromatic whites. In 2020, the site – formerly Goaty Hill – was sold to the Overstory group by the founders after two decades on the property. Vineyard manager Wayne Nunn has since converted the site from 20 years of conventional management to ACO-certified organic viticulture, working with winemaker Andrew Trio to map and understand the micro-terroirs of a site with significant natural variation across its 19.74 hectares of varied aspects and soils. The first Small Wonder wines were released in 2022. Today the range spans from the Landscape series (riesling, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, chardonnay, rosé and pinot noir, $32–$40) to the Auburn tier (chardonnay and pinot noir, $52 each) through to Block 3 Pinot Noir ($56) and traditional-method sparkling wines – a Vintage Blanc de Blancs and Vintage Blanc de Noirs (both $52).

Torch Bearer – ‘Ese Vineyard, Coal River Valley, Tasmania Anh Nguyen