How many different grape varieties have you tried? Join the Great Australian Varietal Challenge.

Southern Tasmanian Wine Region

There are no formal regions in Tasmania, the whole state is a Zone. It is feasible to consider two or three regions, Northern, Southern and perhaps Eastern Tasmania. In the Wine Atlas of Australia James Halliday divides the state into Northern Tasmania Wine Region and Southern Tasmania Wine Region and I follow suit.

Home Hill Winery in the Huon Valley of Southern Tasmania

There are three main clusters of vineyards

• The Freycinet Peninsula northeast of Hobart
• Around Hobart including the Coal Valley and Derwent River
• South of Hobart around the Huon Valley and the d'Entrecasteaux Channel

The climate in this part of the state is of course quite cold and Pinot noir is the only red variety planted to any extent. Mewstone make wine from Dornfelder brought in from the North.

There are plenty of white varieties used including Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer. Of special interest is Every Man and his Dog vineyard (formerly Palmyrain the Coal River valley.  They have two German varieties - Ehrenfesler and Siegerrebe. Both of these varieties are covered in the book Rare Ozzies.

As is the case in the northern half of the state the wineries are mainly of boutique scale.

Detail from De Long's wine Map of Australia showing Tasmania. It shows seven unofficial wine regions. Click for more details of the where you can get the map.

Wineries with Alternative varieties in Southern Tasmania

• Bream Creek Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Schonburger
• Clarence House Pinot Blanc, Tempranillo
• Coal Valley Vineyard Tempranillo
• Craigow Gewurztraminer
• Every Man and His Dog Ehrenfelser, Siegerrebe
• Freycinet Schonburger
• Frogmore Creek Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Ruby Cabernet
• Home Hill Sylvaner
• Meadowbank WInes Gamay
• Mewstone Dornfelder
• Moorilla Estate Gewurztraminer
• Pooley Wines Gewurztraminer
• Rivulet Siegerrebe
• Spring Vale Wines Gewurztraminer
• Stefano Lubiano Gruner Veltliner, Zinfandel
• Two Bud Spur Gamay, Gewurztraminer

Two Bud Spur Gamay - an example of an alternative variety in Southern Tasmania

Visiting the Southern tasmanian Wine Region

Most of the wineries in Southern Tasmania are within easy distance from Hobart where there are many accommodation alternatives. Many wineries have restaurants, cottages to let or act as outlets for some of the excellent gourmet foods of Tasmania.

The best thing about visiting Tasmania is that you are never far from an area of scenic beauty or an opportunity to purchase some artisanal food.

Vinodiversity's Wine County Hotels is a service which will find you the best deal on a wide range of places to stay.

Want to learn About Australian wine regions?

You can learn about the wine regions and the wineries in them in in James Halliday's Wine Atlas of Australia

This comprehensive book includes clear maps, notes on the climate, soils and history of each region as well as notes on the varieties used and wine styles along with a description of the iconic wineries in each region.

Buy this book with free worldwide delivery