Tasmania currently produces just 1 percent of Australia’s wine. But with concerns of climate change mounting, both larger investors and small producers have their eyes on cool-climate Tasmania as Australia’s next hot spot. There are many wines to love here: racy, traditional-method sparklers; exuberant Rieslings; bright, layered Pinot Noirs; elegant Shirazes. As I discovered, some of the roughly 200 wineries offer exceptional tastings, which are best booked ahead.

Marion’s Vineyard

California garagistes Marion and Mark Semmens established Marion’s Vineyard on a steep, rocky bank of the Tamar River, half an hour from Launceston in 1979, opening Tasmania’s first cellar door (tasting room). Their daughter, Cynthea, is the winemaker now. Mark passed away in 2022, but Marion remains a presence, greeting guests with hospitality influenced by her native Cyprus. We ordered a platter featuring Tasmanian cheeses and charcuterie, including wallaby sausage, and sipped delicious wines beneath a grapevine-draped pergola. Except when mildew threatens — northern Tassie’s climate can be humid — the Semmens farm biodynamically. Their blanc de blancs balances juicy Fuji apple flavor with a bone-dry finish. With its flowery, bright cherry notes, the 2021 Pinot Noir contrasted with the 2020 Solaris, a robust, spicier Pinot produced by Cynthea’s two teenage sons.

Marion’s Vineyard
335 Deviot Road, Deviot. Tel. (61) 4-3754-0422