Description

What happens when a 5th generation winemaker arrives in Tasmania in 1990? He sees the potential that this little island holds for creating great wine. Located at Granton, in the Derwent Valley 20km’s north of Hobart, overlooking the spectacular tidal estuary of the Derwent River. The winery is devoted to cool climate aromatic varieties and does this with a lot of success. Full conversion to biodynamics shows the passion and rigour that is put into the vineyards here.

A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir given 20 months on lees before disgorgement. This is classic Sparkling wine. Crisp and clean with a great depth of flavour. Seriously, why would you drink cheap Champagne when you can a wine of this quality? Great with most starters and celebrations and well, just because you want a glass of good fizz. Will probably look a hint more developed and broader if you care to leave it until 2020 or thereabouts, but it’s not necessary.

Chardonnay – The grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to and it will still taste like an OK wine. When people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking, Chardonnay becomes a magical wine that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. Chardonnays can range from cool climate lean and citrusy to warmer climate tropical and overt. Oak and lees can add flavouring as can malolactic fermentation.

Pinot Noir – This is the most elusive grape. It is relatively early ripening and extremely sensitive to terroir. Its perfect place on earth is the Cote d’Or in Burgundy. So haunting are great red Burgundy’s charms that growers everywhere try to emulate them. Pinot Noir is not just a one trick pony, it can make great reds, rosé, sparkling and even sweet wines, whites on occasion and I’ve tasted a decent fortified Pinot Noir too.