Tasmania wine time has come – I’ll drink to that!

In preparation for our trip to Tasmania and Southern Australia, I’ve pulled out my WSET notes.  All of my study notes from my WSET Level 3 have been pulled to make surt I’m ready and prepared for what I’m going to taste in Tasmania!  This post is to share how I’m preparing for Tasmania wine.

You can see from my image above that much of my information on Australian wines is on the mainland of Australia.  South Western Australian wine regions are well documented in WSET.  Tasmanian wine regions are not, so, I’m teaching myself that information.

Tasmania Wine: Climate

Tasmanian wine regions are classified as having a cool maritime climate. This means they’re cooled by the prevailing winds off the southern ocean. It also means that you get a lot of varied pocket climate areas. 

Other wine regions with maritime climates include Bordeaux (France), Rías Baixas (Spain), and Vancouver Island (Canada). These regions are known for their cool summers, mild winters, and steady precipitation.

Wines in these type of climates tend to have balanced acidity and freshness to them. 

Tasmania Wine: Varietals

You’re going to typically find the following wine varietals in Tasmania: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, in addition to some Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.  

Tasmania Wine: Sparkling

Another big draw in Tasmania is sparkling wine. It’s a perfect location for the production of these wines.  In fact some of Australia’s most recognizable sparkling wine producers have their production facilities on Tasmania.  In addition, French Champagne houses such as Moet et Chandon have also been cultivating Tasmanian vineyards for the production of their own sparkling wine lines in Tasmania. 

Approximately 50% of Australia’s sparkling wines are from the island province of Tasmania.

Wine Regions

The key wine regions of Tasmania are:

• Derwent Valley
• Huon Valley
• Coal River Valley
• North West
• Tamar Valley
• Pipers River
• North East
• East Coast

We have booked visits to cellar doors in each of these wine regions while in Tasmania!

I am particularly keen to visit Tamar Valley and North West wine regions.  We don’t have many samples of these wines available.  Indeed, last time we were in Tasmania, they weren’t easy to find in the Hobart restaurants. Tasmanian wine production quantities are typically low, making significant exports to Canada unlikely.

As we travel through Tasmania we will be posting our updates to this travel blog!

Cheers!