The Best Guide to Drinking Your Way Through Tasmania’s Derwent Valley
If you follow the Derwent River, you will come across the Derwent Valley, famous for its historic villages. The valley's southern section is home to Tasmania’s first main road built by convict road gangs, the Midland Highway. The route passes by Arthurs Lake, which in the early morning is mirror-like, reflecting the surrounding hills. It’s an easy drive from Hobart, and well worth the trip for its bounty of wineries and small-batch distilleries
Wine
Moorilla Estate
Moorilla Wines credit Adam Gibson
Berriedale
Apart from the 64,000 square feet of artwork that will batter your beliefs, Moorilla creates small-batch cool-climate wines with new-world fruit and old-world complexity. The Moorilla cloth Label 50th Anniversary Riesling 2012 comes highly recommended, although we suggest booking a tasting at the cellar door in Mona, to explore the range. They also make craft beers at the Moo Brew brewery. They’re worth a taste too.
Derwent Estate
Granton
Derwent Estate credit Tourism Tasmania & Peter Morse, Wildfish
Set on the banks of the Derwent River, find cool climate wine produced in a purpose-built onsite straw-bale winery. John Schuts is the winemaker and viticulturist behind the drops. After a stint in France to refine his craft in Burgundy, Schuts fell in love with Tasmania’s climate. Since then, he’s made 18 vintages and continues to produce award-winning wines at Derwent Estate. Enjoy a tasting in the Shed, which was built in the early 1900s and originally used for shearing sheep. The tables you will sit at are built with timber from the Shearing Shed.
Meadowbank credit Adam Gibson
Meadowbank
High in the Derwent Valley, this hidden vineyard can be found at the end of a winding dirt road. They only accept tasting by appointment, but when you manage to secure a spot, expect to be guided by pioneers of the modern Tasmanian wine scene who were told not to plant in the area in the 1970s. Luckily, they didn’t listen. Today, the vineyard is dominated by pinot noir and chardonnay, underlined by strict biosecurity controls and sustainable farming practices. Pay particular attention to the rieslings and chardonnays.
Stefano Lubiana
Granton
Stefano Lubiana Wines
This Italian-style villa has a vegetable garden, bee hives, and vines as far as the valley stretches. It’s the perfect place to set up for lunch, overlooking the countryside and sipping wines that are pure and made in a classic style. You can even ask to see what’s in the back, but be sure to try the pinot noir and chardonnay. There’s also an amaro, grappa, and Nocino, a unique walnut liqueur you might want to add to the list, especially if you’re a fan of highly perfumed digestives.
Hartshorn Distillery credit Tourism Australia
If you only have time to visit one place, make it Hartshorn Distillery, an easy 40-minute drive from Hobart. After realising cheese might not keep this sheep farm alive, they decided to dip their toes in the liquor business and never looked back. They produced the world’s first sheep whey vodka, still one of their best sellers. Although, their range spans gin, vodka, and whisky—all sourced from the family’s organic sheep dairy and cheesery. Drive past the flock of sheep to the homestead on the hill, overlooking Tasmania’s iconic countryside, where you can enjoy a tasting flight paired with cheeses. You can expect to sip sheeps whey gin, cask-strength ‘whey-sky’, and a vanilla whey liqueur. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience and a must for spirits enthusiasts.
Sullivans Cove Distillery
Sullivans Cove is home to the world’s best single malt. In the mid-90s, not long after commercial distilling was legalised in Tasmania for the first time in over 150 years, Sullivans Cove French Oak became the first Australian whisky to win the title at the World Whiskies Awards. Today, the competition is tough in Tasmania, with many of the state’s whisky winning global awards, but Sullivans Cove Distillery remains a pillar in the community. Taste exceptional whiskies and brandy, and tour the distillery to see where grains become liquid gold.
Ouse
Lawrenny Estate
Situated on a 400-acre property in the valley is Lawrenny Estate, considered a new world distillery producing paddock-to-bottle single malt whiskies. The barley and grains are grown on-site, a method only a handful of distilleries from around the world use. It’s only an hour’s drive from Hobart and a great way to explore the Derwent Valley’s diverse landscape. Expect rolling hills, a winding river, and English-style manicured gardens on the estate. Visit the grounds, wander around the gardens, and then head inside to learn how it all comes together while sampling some of the estate’s finest drops.