Tasmania
Tasmanian wine production showed great promise in its early stages but there was a period in the region's history when it all but vanished. If not for a few visionaries who saw the potential the island's cool climate and soil varieties had to offer, Tasmania might never have been reborn as the wine-producing region it is today.
While Tasmania's seven distinct regions are making a number of wines worth recognizing, it remains relatively unknown throughout the world. Located just off the eastern coast of Australia, it is roughly the size of West Virginia, but with a much smaller population -- there are only about 500,000 inhabitants. Its location plays a large role in its anonymity. First, it is not easy to get to. Second, it's able to sell most of its wine supply either straight from the wineries where it is made or in restaurants across the island. It is rare that Australian Wines being produced in Tasmania find their way to the United States and Europe. Why pay the high cost of taxes and shipping associated with exporting wine when you can sell everything you make right out of your back door?
However, in recent years, the world has begun to take notice of Tasmania's cool-climate grape varieties and more and more people are beginning to invest in the future of the island. Those who have had a chance to experience Tasmanian wine know that their Pinot Noir and Riesling's are quite impressive. They also produce sparkling wines that some claim could one day be as good as those made in Champagne.
Tasmanian Wine History and Culture
There has been some debate over the years as to which wine region in Australia can claim to be the first. Let's look at the facts. Victoria and South Australia didn't have vineyards until 1834 and 1837, respectively, and they used vine cuttings from Tasmania to start them. There is no evidence of vines showing up in Hunter until 1832 and Bartholomew Broughton founded the first vineyard in Tasmania in 1823, almost a decade earlier. On top of that, the country's oldest-known bottles of wine were recently found in an abandoned cellar there [source: Wine Tasmania]. Some of them were even still sealed. As a result, Tasmania has laid claim to the title of Australia's oldest wine-producing region and there are few who would argue.
Although the early 1800s were good for wine production in Tasmania, the second half of the century would see the industry all but disappear. In 1852, workers fled the land with visions of gold nuggets in their heads. There was a gold rush in Victoria and everyone was hoping to cash in on the discovery. Without enough men to work the land, the vineyards of Tasmania slowly died. Many were replaced with apple orchards. Around the same time, in hopes of creating a more sober country, laws were passed that forbid the production of fortified spirits, Tasmania's specialty. The region fell to the way side as other wine producing regions began to thrive. It looked as though Tasmania's winemaking days were over, and that didn't change for almost a century.
Tasmania's wine industry rose from the ashes in 1956 with the help of Jean Miguet. His vineyard, known today as Providence, was successful and other wine makers followed his example. The 1960s and 1970s saw some of Tasmania's most popular wineries come to life, no doubt a result of the growing popularity of table wines throughout Australia. Today, Tasmania is also known for its sparkling wines thanks primarily to Heemskerk and Roederer.
Things are looking up in Tasmania. At least as far as wine production is concerned. Today, they produce a huge variety of wines and in the past 30 years, they have increased their yield of grapes from a meager 340,000 pounds (154 metric tons) to almost 17.5 million pounds (7,937 metric tons). That's pretty impressive.
Tasmania offers Australian winemakers something they're hard pressed to find in other regions of the country -- cool climates. Of course, by most standards, Tasmania is still hot in the summer. However, when comparing the average temperatures on the island with those on the mainland, they are definitely cooler. Tasmania winemakers have even gone so far as to prove that their climate is incredibly similar to that of northern France, where some of the best wines in the world are made.
The farther north you go on the island of Tasmania, the milder the climate gets. It's coldest around Hobart, with winds that present a challenge to grape cultivation. Vineyards have to be protected so they can grow to maturity. The uniquely cool climate of the region provides grapes with an extended growing season and a rather dry ripening period as well. As you might expect, grape varieties known for doing well in cool climates, like Riesling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir, thrive in Tasmania. In fact, people have taken a lot of interest in Tasmania's cool climate grapes recently. Wineries on mainland Australia pay high prices for them and the rest of the world has begun to invest as well. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties coming out of the region fetch especially high prices.
Aside from the ideal climate, Tasmania also offers wine makers a variety of different soil types from which to choose. Whether characterized as stony, sandy or full of clay, they all have one thing in common -- they drain very well. Grapes don't like to get too wet. Ideally, their roots are able to grow deep into the ground without getting soaked. That's why soils that drain well are perfect for the cultivation of grapes. Aside from that, stony soil has an ability to absorb heat during the day and release it slowly during the night. This is advantageous in cooler climates because it shelters grape vines from extreme temperature changes that take place from day to night.
Tasmania provides wine makers with a climate that is unique in Australia and a variety of soils that lend themselves to a number of different grape varieties. The result is a wide range of wines that come out of the region.