Notes from a small island

This was not my first visit to Tasmania but in my defence my previous visit 15 years ago was a rain-sodden day trip from Melbourne. This time I spent several days exploring and then attended the Cool Climate Symposium in Hobart, so I really feel that I have got to know this off-shoot of Australia.

For a start, although I was wrong about the size of it, compared with Australia it really is small. Also, it really does justify being host to the Cool Climate Symposium. In the midst of their supposed summer I wore my jacket on four out of five days, battling against the chilly winds and the occasional blustery shower.

But it is a lovely place, rather English in style around Launceston, while Hobart is a small, delightful city with an international touch.

In terms of volume of wine produced, compared with the rather larger island to the north, it is totally insignificant. Australia accidently spills more wine that Tasmania produces each year. But in terms of quality it is hugely significant. Those cool breezes keep flavours fresh and lively and Tasmania often provides the top-notes in some important Australian wines. If you are buying grapes, Tasmania’s carry a significant price premium.

There are just 1,500 hectares of vineyards, only a little more than England, but as the Tasmanian premier Lara Giddings declared, “wine is a critical part of Tasmania’s future”.

The vineyards are in four main areas of which the Tamar Valley in the north and the Southern region around Hobart are the most significant, although there is considerable interest in the warm eastern region along the coast.

The Tamar Valley is well-named. Place names such as Launceston, Exeter and Sidmouth are confusingly familiar while the steep valleys and green rolling countryside, overlooking the wide Tamar estuary could easily double up as Devon. Tamar Ridge is home to over a quarter of Tasmania’s vineyards. Recently bought by Brown Brothers from the mainland and now part of Tasmanian Wine Estates it brings together brands such as Tamar Ridge, Devil’s Corner, Pirie and South, as well as the named vineyards of Coombend and Rosevears.

Will Adkins, brand manager at Tamar Ridge took me around the Kayena Estate which extends patchwork style rather than in long straight rows. Here, less successful varieties are being grafted over to the new hope for Tasmania – Pinot Noir which is grown for both sparkling wine and as a red. “We have introduced new clones to get complexity in the wines and we do a lot of canopy management, such as plucking the leaves away from the fruit so it can ripen in the sunshine,” said Will. Possums, which like to nibble on young vines, can do significant damage, but the Tamar Ridge vines are now well-established and producing good grapes.

I particularly liked the instant light cherry fruit and soft tannins of Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir 2010 (2009 vintage available at £11.15 from Mainly Wine and Whisky, 01302 714700). This makes a great early evening Pinot, to be enjoyed on its own or with light canapés. Much more serious, with layers of dark fruit and hints of earthy complexity, the Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir 2009 is enjoyable not only for its flavours but for the fact that it has just 13 per cent alcohol and a fresh, light touch. This wine won the Gold medal in the Tasmanian Wine Show for the best three-year-old Pinot and is available at Halifax Wine Co. (01422 256333) at £16.95. Other grape varieties such as the rose petal-scented Gewürztraminer and the ripe and racy Riesling are also recommended. Try Penistone Wines and Calder Wine Appreciation for a selection.

Head east across the stunning Batman Bridge and you come to Jansz, Tasmania’s leading sparkling wine producer, owned by yet another large Australian wine company, Yalumba. Natalie Fryar has spent 12 years here perfecting this range of fizz made using traditional in-bottle fermentation methods.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the two key grape varieties and Natalie follows some of France’s best Champagne houses by fermenting a small proportion in old oak barrels. Jansz NV (around £14.99 at Nidderdale Fine Wine and Harrogate Fine Wine) is soft and rounded with good citrus acidity but it has shades of honeysuckle on the nose and a slightly creamy texture that appeals across a great many palates. The vintage wine, currently 2006 is a definite step up in quality but is difficult to find in this region.

Two (and a bit) hour’s drive south is the Coal River valley area and Domaine A where I tasted wines that challenged all my previous ideas. Instead of fresh-tasting whites and clear, fruity Pinots, the collection of deep-flavoured Pinots, Cabernets and Merlots was extraordinary.

Made by Peter and Ruth Althaus, a Swiss couple, these set the pace for newer vineyards. Harrogate Fine Wine has the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon at £31.99 while Corking Wines (www.corkingwines.com) based in York has Domaine A Stoney Vineyards Pinot 2009 at £260.40 a case.

During my time in Tasmania it became clear that there are many small vineyards just reaching the point where they need to export and it would be good to see a few more on our shelves. My votes go to Josef Chromy, Frogmore Creek and Velo.

Native Point is also on my favourites list, not only for the quality of the wine but for the fact that it is owned by Yorkshire-born Tim High and his Scots-born wife Sheena. Together they make some excellent Pinots.