Tasmanian wine

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Tasmania
Wine region
CountryAustralia
Climate regionMaritime
Precipitation (annual average)27 inches (680 mm) average; varies widely according to terrain
Soil conditionsClay
Size of planted vineyards1,289 acres (5.22 km2)
No. of vineyards112+
Grapes producedPinot noir, Chardonnay, Riesling
No. of wineriesnearly 200
Wine producedStill, dessert wine, sparkling wine

Tasmanian wine is

Global warming has had positive effects on the Tasmanian wine industry, allowing most of the grapes in the past few vintages (as of 2005) to ripen fully and produce more vibrant wine.[1]

History

Tasmania was one of the earliest regions in Australia to be planted with vines and was even the source of

Victoria and South Australia. It was also home to some of the earliest wines to gain attention outside of the county with a fortified dessert wine by Bartholomew Broughton being praised by one English writer as Australia's equivalent to Port.[2]

Climate and geography

The Freycinet Peninsula has shown itself to be one of the more promising areas for Tasmanian red wine production.

Being an

Shiraz.[3]

Wine regions

The majority of Tasmania's vineyards are located near the cities of

dry, aromatic white wines but the warmer Coal River Valley and Freycinet Peninsula are starting to distinguish themselves with red wines.[4]

Wines

A vineyard outside of Hobart

The region's cool climate has made Tasmania a good location for the production of

Mosel Riesling than that which is typically produced in Australia.[1]

Tasmania enjoys a global reputation as a leading producer of premium cool climate wines, winning high praise and accolades from wine judges and critics alike.

Terroir

The Tasmanian landscape is dominated by dolerite-capped mountains that shelter the state’s wine regions from high winds and rainfall. On the lower slopes, the vineyard soils are formed from ancient sandstones and mudstones and also from more recent river sediments and igneous rocks of volcanic origin.

Cool climate advantage

Tasmania has a moderate maritime climate, cooled by prevailing westerly winds off the Southern Ocean, providing conditions free of extremes in temperature. Mild spring and summer temperatures, with warm autumn days and cool nights allow the grapes to ripen slowly on the vine, resulting in maximum varietal flavour development. This is achieved without losing that essential natural acidity that gives wine both freshness and balance.

Vintage

The Tasmanian vintage usually begins from mid-March, at the peak of the dry autumn when ripening occurs, to late May before the risk of frost and rain.

Vintage variations are greater in Tasmania than any other Australian region. This vintage variation is reflected in each unique wine and makes for an insightful tasting of multiple vintages from the same producer.

Tasmanian wine statistics

The following provides an overview of the Tasmanian wine sector. In Tasmania there are approximately:

  • 160 licensed wine producers
  • 230 individual vineyards
  • 90 cellar door outlets
  • 1500 hectares under vine.
  • More than 11,000 tonnes of wine grapes were processed in the 2013 vintage. This represents around 0.5% of Australia’s total winegrape production.

The majority of Tasmania’s grapes are grown in:

  • the Tamar Valley wine growing area, which produces approximately 40%
  • the East Coast wine growing area, which produces approximately 20%
  • the North East (Pipers River) wine growing area, which produces approximately 19%
  • the Coal River Valley wine growing area, which produces approximately 13%
  • The remaining wine growing areas, including the Derwent Valley, North West and the Huon/Channel, contributed approximately 9% to the total harvest in 2013.

Cool climate grape varieties most common in the state are:

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-84000-332-4
  2. ISBN 0-671-68702-6
  3. ISBN 0-19-860990-6
  4. ISBN 0-7892-0883-0
  5. ^ "About Our Wine | Wine Tasmania | Welcome to the world of Tasmanian wine".

Bibliography

External links
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