The 2010 open winery weekend - 27th to 28th February

It would take dedication and a very fast car to get to all the vineyards and wineries that open their doors for the annual Open Winery Weekend. This event was the brain child of Graeme Phillips and has been embraced by virtually all of the vineyards and wineries in the south and east coast of Tasmania. Held at the end of February each year it is the perfect opportunity to experience a wide range of wines as well as pick them up at reasonable prices. 

Just prior to the event there is a supplement in The Sunday Tasmanian which contains maps and details of the participating vineyards and wineries. To give you an idea of the information available you can look at the map we used to get around.

This year we decided to head down the Huon Valley south of Hobart for a look. Good thing too - we found some fabulous wines and interesting people. It also gave Rachael, the newest arrival at Winepunters HQ, the chance to take a few snaps.

Alison (in red) from Wharncliffe

First off was Wharncliffe at Kingston. While the property is better known as an Alpaca  stud Hank and Alison Brolsma also produce some chardonnay and pinot. Alison took us through the range and along the way we found out how to raise kids who want ponies, how difficult it is to ripen grapes in the shadow of Mt Wellington and what a delight it is to have Alpacas. We thought dogs were the best people but apparently no. We wonder if they're all called James or maybe Kerry.

Our pick was the 05 chardonnay because of it's big rich flavour. For those of you that like a light fruity pinot the 06 will be right up your alley. If you need more back end then try the 07. If you're interested just drop them a line through their website wharncliffe.com.au. "Treat us like your local" Alison declared.

Nandroya cellar door

Next it was off to meet John and Joy Rees at Nandroya. Aside from the current range John gave us a taste of the 04 Sauvignon Blanc, which we regard as the beautiful love child of a riesling and a chardonnay. It smelt amazing, or as Rachael put it "there was no sweaty armpit". We liked it so much we bought some. The cellar door here is new with great views of Mt Wellington through to the coast. While admiring the view you can have a go at the Nandroya 06 and 07 pinot, both of which are pretty tidy.

The good thing about Nandroya was that it proved yet again that the way New Zealand makes sauvignon blanc isn't the only way. It is actually possible to make one that isn't just a good time wine but tastes great and can be aged. We've never understood why James Halliday doesn't like sauvignon blanc and we understand it even less now.

Rod from Oyster Cove

Then it was on to Oyster Cove which is a tiny vineyard owned by Rod and Jeannie Ledingham. The vineyard produces some amazing pinot grapes which Peter Shields puts to good use. This is a classic open winery weekend vineyard and is the reason we like this event so much. You sit in Rod and Jeannie's entertainment area. It is like being one of their friends. We sat around trying the pinots, patting their dog and shooting the breeze.

Not only did we like the wine but Rod let PJ pour, which caused him to break into his happy dance. Rod had an 04, 05 and an 08 pinot on tasting and they were all very good. The 04 was soft and gentle but the later wines exhibited the fruit of the 04 with more of a tannin edge. Rod also dragged out the 07 pinot, a bottle of which is sitting in the winepunters HQ cellar so we were pretty keen to give it a try. It is magnificent and a credit to Rod and Peter both. Well balanced and a sheer joy to drink. This is a no share bottle. Seriously.

Be warned, there isn't a lot of room in the quite steep driveway so please leave the large 'no I don't have an over inflated ego, really I don't' four wheel drive at home if you go for a visit.

After that it was a short drive to the town of Kettering which is where you catch the ferry to Bruny Island. Of late Bruny has become a mecca for tourists and for good reason. It received a bit of a boost recently from the reality TV show "The Gourmet Farmer". This tells the heart warming story of a food critic finally doing something worthwhile with his life. 

While at Kettering we had what can only be described as the best hamburger with the lot in the history of the world. Seriously, why do people persist in eating the slop that gets served up in those fast food places when you can have proper home made hamburgers is beyond us. (er, didn't we just criticise people who are food critics - Ed) 

Van Dell Fluted Cape

Just up behind Kettering is Fluted Cape which is currently run by Jan and Van Dell. In case you are wondering, he is the uncle of Vaughn Dell from Sinapius vineyard. We say currently because the vineyard is for sale. Much to PJ's delight a relative of the Dell family played for the North Melbourne Kangaroos so a lot of time was spent looking at, and discussing, AFL memorabilia.

Van was quite the host and showed us the biggest wine cellar we've ever seen. It is enormous and comes with possum skin wall decoration. There are a lot of Fluted Cape wines here but we forgot to ask if they came with the property. Real estate agent 101 and we blew it, we know. The tasting size was a little light on so we didn't get a real idea of the wines but their 09 unwooded chardonnay was good enough that we bought some.

Back down the hills and on to Birchs Bay to Hoeyfield which is a wonderful old property near the water. If it hasn't already it could be the place to film one of those Jane Austen like period dramas. Hopefully in this one the smug Mr Darcy gets stabbed to death. If you've had to sit through Pride and Prejudice multiple times to stay on the good side of your wife or girlfriend you'll know what me mean.

Hoeyfield vineyard

Richard and Jill Pringle- Jones own Hoeyfield and are what the kids would call 'old school'. You see people like them in the villages on Midsomer Murders. The Pringle-Jones, we hasten to add, wouldn't be the murderers, they'd live in the Manor House.

The tasting was held in a converted apple shed which was full of fantastic old stuff so created quite an atmosphere. Again the tasting sizes were tiny however we were impressed with the 05 Pinot.  It was one of the more expensive wines (at $40) we bought but worth it.

Due to a slight administrative mishap Yellow Point didn't make it to the wine map in the Sunday Tasmanian but it was easy to find and was a real revelation. This area is magnificent to look at and is reputedly home to the odd billionaire. Odd referring to the number not their personality. It wasn't always the case. Martin Bastick the vineyard owner told us that when he purchased the property some twenty years ago you couldn't give the land away. "Nobody wanted to drive all the way down here back then" he explained.

Martin Bastick 

The Yellow Point label is unique. We're not aware of any other Tassie wine labels that show 19th century military men. Martin has been told that his label should be changed because nobody will buy a wine with that type of label. We don't agree. Sure, you could argue it looks like some sort of sauce label but it certainly stands out. The figures are of officers from the 'Bloody' 11th Regiment which was stationed in the area at one time. In fact the idea came from Martin finding a uniform button on the property.

Martin was resplendent in a wine stain T shirt. We don't mean he was wearing a dirty shirt or had had a mishap. No, this was a fashion statement. Each stain was labeled with the name of the wine that caused it and all of the red grapes were represented. Aside from the history, great location and relaxed atmosphere this vineyard produces some of the best wines we tasted all day.

The 08 riesling is intense. Really, really intense. It is an explosion of taste and makes you glad you're alive. There was also an 06 riesling which provoked a range of complimentary but odd reactions. "It tastes interesting" and "It smells like dirty underpants" being a couple. The pinots (07 and 08) were just as intense with the 08 being the standout. This vineyard isn't large and doesn't produce a vintage every year but when it does if you see it buy it.

To finish we went to Two Bud Spur. While we had tried their wine before it was some time ago and we hadn't experienced all of the latest vintages. Craig Mundy was serving when we arrived and brought us up to date with all things two bud.

Being fans of this label we had high expectations and we weren't disappointed. The latest Nouveau tasted fantastic and so did the 08 pinot. We tried the 07 pinot and PJ dubbed it the "Alarm Clock". If you were the least bit sleepy the tannin kick from this wine would definately have you up and about. We have a theory that there is a wine for every occasion and this wine would be the one to have just before heading off to wrestle crocodiles, rob a bank or shoot down enemy planes.

Two Bud Spur

If you get the chance try the Two Bud Spur Gewurtztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. Both wines are not what you expect and for that reason alone they are worth buying. They also happen to be very good wines.

Well another enjoyable day of wine tasting was over and taking stock on the way home we all agreed that the highlight of the day was the consistent quality of the wines, especially in the rieslings and pinots. It was also good to be reminded of the beauty of the Huon and Channel areas. No wonder Mr 'Gourmet Farmer' moved there.

We don't have a lowlight, only a request. Please stop using those little plastic cups for tastings. We understand the economic argument but they are designed for soft drinks or beer - not wine. They squash the highlights, leave an odd taint and end up in landfill. Frankly your wines deserve better.

What do you think? Send us a comment