Derwent & Coal Valley wineries

The Easter visit to Hobart allows a quick round of the nearby must-visit wineries, plus one "surprise" visit after a 7-year absence.

MONA - the Museum of Old and New Art - is Tasmania's newest (and privately-owned) attraction, built on the site of the old Moorilla facility.
It's full of things intended to shock, surprise, stun, it's really unmissable - and it's free. The old Moorilla labels are gone, replaced by the slick avant-garde Praxis and rudey-nudey Muse packaging.
The on-site restaurant has mixed reviews. Prices are a bit aspirational...

• 2006 Moorilla Muse Brut

  Australia, Tasmania, Tamar Valley

  (4/20/2011)

  {cork, A$49} A youthful but leesy, strawberry/pinot dominated nose. Fresh palate (has 4 years on lees) with an explanatorily tart mouthfeel, with wonderfully fine bubbles in a crisp, yet beguiling, bone-dry aperitif style. You'd buy a load of this until you saw the price...

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• 2004 Moorilla Muse Brut Rosé

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/20/2011)

  {cork, A$49} Strawberry and currant nose, all finely etched. Flavours are vaguley in the blush/musk spectrum, with gentle strawberry overtones. Same fine bubbles as the 06 brut version, with a long, bone-dry, crispy medium-long finish. Fine effort, but at a price.

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• 2008 Moorilla Riesling Muse

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.7%, A$25} Aromas of lime and chalk. A high-acid, full-bodied palate of citrus-related flavours, with a dense texture and a longish, dry, but rather warm finish. A big bruiser of a riesling, not something you encounter too often. Probably a drink-earlier-rather-than-later proposition on that score, but a pleasing wine at this age.

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• 2008 Moorilla Gewürztraminer Muse

  Australia, Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 14.1%, A$35} Low intensity nose of roses, pink flowers, musk and pear. The flavours follow the nose, forming a dense and warm textured wine on the palate, but with barely low-medium acid on offer, it turns out to be a rather flabby (although dry) experience, with a short-medium finish of no great excitement. And they want HOW much money?

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• 2010 Moorilla Chardonnay Musqué Praxis

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, A$28} Modern, clean & youthful grapefruit and nuts/oak aromas. Dry, with medium acidity and a light-medium body, this has clean nut and melon flavours, with subtle oak, although there's not much presence once it reaches the mid-palate. A tidy effort and a better buy than premium wine under the Moorilla 'muse' label, at least in the immediate term.

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• 2008 Moorilla Chardonnay Muse

  Australia, Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.6%, A$45} Similar profile to its more modestly priced 'praxis' sibling, but here the aromas of grapefruit, oak, nuts, cedar with a briney touch are more generally intense and powerful. With medium acid and medium-weight, it has a more buttery texture overall, despite near-total lack of malolactic influence. There's a bit more presence here on the mid-palate too, but with rather mellow flavours (per the aromas) it doesn't really feel like a dimension beyond the cheaper (& younger) wine, just more volume. A nice wine for the next few years, but you're paying for what you get, not potential here.

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• 2010 Moorilla Pinot Noir Praxis

  Australia, Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, A$28} A youthful and bright all-fruit nose of cherry & strawberry. Clean palate, medium acidity, a very light touch with oak; indeed there are only faint grapey tannins on offer here making up a light-bodied wine with a cherry-fruit focus and a short finish. Fair wine, marginal value.

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• 2009 Moorilla Pinot Noir Muse

  Australia, Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 14%, A$49} Unlike the 'praxis' wines, sourced from all across Tasmania, the 'muse' label is all estate fruit (from the banks of the Derwent). This has a youthful nose of dark chocolate, black cherries and a generally red perfume sort of quality to it. The palate offers some density of flavour, with a touch of smoked meat and dark red fruits. It's medium-full bodied, with fairly subtle oak but quite finely persistent tannins, and a good even balance of presence along the tongue. The absolute finish only comes in at about medium length; this would be an easy recommend at two-thirds the price, but fifty bucks is getting serious. Probably at peak within five years.

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The aristocrat of the Derwent. Always worth a visit to taste. If you want to try the A$85 'Sasso' pinot, get there on Sunday, when it's open.
I'm left a bit unmoved by the Estate pinot post-2005; which is disappointing as it's the wine I really want to love. Riesling is generally under-rated here, and their sauvignon isn't bad either

• 2010 Stefano Lubiana Riesling

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 12%, A$27} Youthful aromas; musk, chalk, floral notes. Generally pretty low key nose however. The palate is crisp, fresh and more appley than I expected. There's a presistent spritzy quality to the medium-length finish, despite the wine being only light-medium bodied. Perhaps a touch of talcum-powdery dustiness also serves to give weight to the palate, which carries its acid well, and offers a pretty even presence along the tongue. Always a good wine; this vintage is no exception.

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• 2010 Stefano Lubiana Chardonnay Primavera

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.5%, A$27} Barely 8 weeks in bottle, and every bit as closed on the nose as you'd expect. Reticent, vague coolish climate chard aromas. There's some melon and honeydew on the light-medium weight palate, minimal oak influence, a rather soft and gentle texture and a lightly short finish. Needs a little time to pull itself together. Should be decent for the money in another 12 months.

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• 2008 Stefano Lubiana Chardonnay

  Australia, Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 14.5%, A$45} Youthful nose; nuts, oak, lees. A sweaty note too. An assertive rather linear palate of grippy grapefruit flavours all packed tightly together with french oak. Medium-bodied, still somewhat restrained at this age, with medium acid and medium-length of finish, but good even presence along the tongue. Very good overall; certainly doesn't need any more oak than it has; think it's proabaly at best within 5 years. The price doesn't exactly make you want to rush out and buy some, though...

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• 2010 Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Primavera

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 14%, A$27} Authentic garnet colour. A youthful and immediately appealing nose of strawberry-driven fruit, with just the tiniest touch of stalky character about it. A light but grippy palate follows; fresh, with light tannins, and medium intensity of flavour. There's a refreshing tartness to the cherry/strawberry fruit and a savoury quality generally. Minimal oak, with a short-medium but tidy finish. I bought a bottle of this & drank it 3 days later with family; it's a pretty appealing wine in a straightforward way, and holds the interest to the end. Recommended.

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• 2008 Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Estate

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 14%} Garnet. Youthful, with a lovely depth of velvety, spicy red fruit on the nose, and these carry on the palate and reach right to the back of the tongue. There's a touch of game to the flavours; medium chalky tannins boost structure and it counts at about medium-bodied. A medium-length dry finish completes the picture; this is a good but not outstanding pinot that should develop a little over five years. I wanted to like this more, but I just couldn't for the price. (Perhaps the flagship 'Sasso' pinot steals the best fruit which once went into this?) Not available from the cellar door any longer; this was opened by mistake (lucky me!).

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• 2009 Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Estate

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  (4/20/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.5%, A$45} Youthful, but a more earthy series of aromas than the 08 wine, with tobacco and game more overt here among cherry/strawberry fruit. The palate is very low key, almost slippery in texture, with soft tannins barely noticeable. There's a medim-length finish of these vague earthy flavours but it seems to lack depth somehow. Maybe it's just too young, but somehow I could find a place to meet this wine at all, and much preferred the 08.

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The usual bizarre collection of wines at Domain A. Some sold out, some not yet available; this is what happens when a winery releases things for sale when they're considered ready and not before.
The wines I really wanted to try; both pinots and the 2005 Cab, are September releases.
Stoney Vineyard is the second label of Domaina A.

• 2010 Domaine A Sauvignon Blanc Stoney Vineyard

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {diam, 13%, A$35} Pungent, youthful, gooseberry/lychee nose, oak free. A dry palate follows, with vaguely confected greenish flavours, but medium acidity and body, and with an even presence along the tongue. It's a pretty seamless wine all up, but probably could use another year or two in bottle just to settle. And just because it's the second wine doesn't mean it's cheap...

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• 2008 Domaine A Lady A

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {cork, $60} To be released Sept-11. Still recovering from bottling, I think, as this smells quite alarming, with resiny oak characters dominating on the nose. There's some resin/glue on the palate too, with strong oaky flavours which build considerably. It's dry, very high in acid despite the oak, verges on medium-full-bodied and almost has a tannic quality to it. Long finish, but hardly pleasant. As it is, this is barely fit to drink, yet Lady A with a few years on it is normally hugely impressive. On that basis I'd regard this almost as a barrel sample, reserve judgement totally, and look forward to tasting this in another 8 months time when it may just have turned into wine...

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• 2005 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon Stoney Vineyard

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {diam, 13.5%, A$28} Developing nose of tree branch, currants and herbs in a somewhat lean style. The struture is 'medium' across the board; weight, acid, grainy tannins, length. It's a touch raw and greenish on the palate, but it's balanced along the tongue. Not quite the step up from the 2004 I was hoping for, but it's consistent with Domaine A's rather herbal style of cabernet, which is not for everyone...

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• 1999 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {cork, 13.5%, A$105} There's a price listed because this is available from the winery as a museum release. It presents a developing nose of liquid olives and currants. The palate is showing some definite age now, still with a trademark touch of green tree, but largely consisting of herbal cabernet fruit formed into a seamless and balanced whole. There's medium acid and soft french oak, low-medium tannins, and a medium-long finish. Overall it's interesting but probably far better with food.

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• 2004 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {cork, 13%, A$70} Twelve months on, and there's little to shout about here. It's still distinctly green, with a strong asparagus note. There's a touch of dirty tobacco on the palate, with blackcurrant and ropey greenish tannins. The palate is quite evenly structured (good presence along the tongue) but it's still far from generous. Gosh, I wonder whetherthey hesitated about releasing this as Domaine A; it must have come awfully close to being declassified back to the Stoney Vineyard label. This is a pass for me; I advise waiting to taste the 05 vintage due in September.

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Really coming on in leaps and bounds as their vineyard resources mature and global warming takes hold.
Regular pinots are quite good value, especially in a Tasmanian context.
Disclosure: the Pooley family are acquaintences/neighbours of my in-laws. I did buy a six-pack of wines here; at list price, but with freight to Sydney ($16) waived.

• 2010 Pooley Riesling Margaret Pooley Tribute

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 12.5%, A$35} Sweet green apple aromas. A floral, apple & citrus palate; dry, although surprisingly so since the fruit is so rich. It’s surprisingly light-bodied, helped by the bright acid, and has a stylishly clean, medium length finish. Good wine, but I don’t understand the significant ($10) price premium over the ‘normal’ wine.

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• 2009 Pooley Riesling

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 11.5%, A$26} Floral, chalky nose. This is barely off-dry (8-9g/l of RS) yet is loaded with acid to carry the sweetness. Between the chalk, musk and the acid, it weights in at medium-bodied at least, is quite assertive and almost extractive on the palate, but finishes even and long on the tongue. Pretty appealing wine all round; I haven’t got personal experience of this wine beyond about 6 years of age however; given its generosity now I’d be included to think it best before it turns ten.

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• 2009 Pooley Pinot Noir Coal River

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 136.%, A$35} A youthful plummy, fruity nose still gives a hint of sap; it’s not just a fruit drink. Light on the oak, but with a decent acid spine, the tight palate offers bright cherry fruit; ripe, but with a touch of stalk. Medium tannins, medium-weight and with a medium length finish, it’s a decent pinot that should blossom with a bit of age.

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• 2010 Pooley Pinot Noir Butcher's Hill

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.8%, A$40} Ripe strawberry fruits, and a darker, earthier spectrum of aromas than the regular Cooinda vineyard release. This is a bigger, more tannic style of pinot, with black fruits, leaves, dark earth. Medium-full bodied, with medium but fine tannins, oak and acid are balanced nicely; this finishes quite long and with evenness of presence on the palate. Fine effort that should reward 8-10 years in the cellar.

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• 2008 Pooley Pinot Noir Family Reserve Coal River Valley

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, A$80} With just the one barrel bottled of this (25 cases), it might be the rarest wine I’ve ever tasted. A true ‘family reserve’; I guess the Pooley’s will drink most of it themselves. From the Cooinda vineyard, rather than the Butcher’s Hill, this has quite youthful aromas rich rich crimson & strawberry fruit. In scale it’s similar to the regular release; medium weight, acid, oak subtley handled. The difference comes in the silky texture of the tannins, and the extra depth and dimension to the plummy, spicy fruit. Evenness of texture is paramount, and the finish is long and lingering. A really beautiful pinot. Price reflects rarity I guess; it’s not ‘twice’ the humbler offerings; makes them look very good value, in fact…

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• 2007 Pooley Family Reserve

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.8%, A$40} Bright pepper/spice nose, with cherry/plum fruits and a ripe sort of leafiness. Really seems more merlot than cabernet. There’s a fairly light touch with the oak; the palate is quite loose-knit, with soft powdery tannins and sweet merlot flavours carrying the wine along. Pretty much medium-sized as far as structural aspects go, it has a medium length finish that doesn’t really make it right to the back palate, but it’s a fairly decent wine despite that; and a huge step forward over the previous 2004 vintage of this similar blend (had some shiraz in it - which didn't help).

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Quite the surprise. I 'ducked' in here against my better judgement - Craigow was closed and I wasn't intereted in Meadowbank - because of a grim visit here back in 2004.
Everything then was brand spanking new (only just opened), including the vineyard, and the result was a truly disappointing collection of overpriced and (in the case of the reds) under-ripe wines.
The pinot was so bad I vowed never to go back, but increasingly complimentary write-ups in Halliday's guide, and the fact Puddleduck was obviously still in business 7 years later was enough to prompt the visit.

• 2008 Puddleduck Bubbleduck

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  A 60/40 blend of pinot noir & chardonnay. Refined, fresh but still leesy nose (26 months on lees – could have done with a lot more). Dry palate, with high levels of acid; medium-bodied, with strawberry-spectrum flavours and fairly creamy-textured bubbles. Nice wine, but at the A$49 that seems to be the going rate for boutique Tasmanian sparklers these days, it’s a tough ask. You can buy Lanson nv for less than that.

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• 2010 Puddleduck Riesling

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.2%, A$28} Apricot & citrus notes. Youthful, dry-fruited palate of musk and chalk, evenly textured, crisply lighter-bodied, but with a lingering acidic finish. Tight and impressive.

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• 2010 Puddleduck Chardonnay

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.5, A$32} All of 777 bottles made. A vaguely cheesy nose spotlights creamy oak aromas; the palate is quite leesy – at this age is all rather arms & legs. Dry, with plenty of acid and soft dusty oak tannins, it’s medium weight, sits mostly on the mid-palate, and has a medium-length finish. Pretty good effort for short-medium term drinking.

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• 2010 Puddleduck Pinot Noir

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.5%, A$28} Ambitiously priced, but strives to justify it. Lifted strawberry aromas (pinot noir based) precede the same flavours on the palate, but with a smoky, dusty accent to them. It’s not especially acidic, but is pretty much bone-dry, which contributes to the crisp freshness. Light-bodied; although the almost translucent texture leads to a predictably short finish, it’s quite refreshing and does rather lead you on to a second glass. Nearly justifies its price, then.

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• 2009 Puddleduck Pinot Noir

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.7%, A$42} Youthful, liqourice/strawberry aromas, but with a touch of serious earth underneath. The palate combines these flavours with a touch of tobacco-like smoky oak, not unpleasant, and wraps them in medium acid and quite strong dusty tannins. Medium-full bodied, it’s an interesting pinot with a medium-long finish. Suspect it’ll be best within 3 years.

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• 2009 Puddleduck Merlot Muddleduck

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {13.5%, A$42} Slight plummy and rather gamey aromas. Fairly light-bodied wine, with decently fine bubbles, softly juicy palate, and again a totally dry, but erather short, finish. For what it is, this is very costly.

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• 2007 Puddleduck Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Tasmania, Coal River

  (4/21/2011)

  {screwcap, 13.5%, A$38} Mint and currant nose with a touch of herb. Plenty of loose, somewhat gritty tannins on the palate; the flavours are a bit lean and branch-like but are at least fairly soft; it’s not got a hard, bitter or unripe twist, which is excellent. That said, you’d want to like your cabernet a bit on the boney side. About medium-bodied, with a short-medium length finish.

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Generally, wines are getting better all the time, even if prices still reflect the boutique approach of the Tasmanian makers. The average mixed case of 'decent wine' seesm to run around $400 from a cellar door, a good 30% higher than typical in NSW/SA/Vic wineries.