Tamar Valley wine route: a Launceston day trip plan

The Tamar Valley wine route is a signed driving trail of more than thirty cellar doors around Launceston in northern Tasmania. You can drive a good part of it in one day if you pick one stretch and do not try to see it all. This guide gives a simple day plan from Launceston, what to expect at the cellar doors, and the facts to check before you go.

Sources for this section: Tamar Valley Wine Route, home page; Wine Tasmania, Tamar Valley Wine Trail.

How the route works

The route follows yellow and blue signs to more than thirty cellar doors spread over 170 km around the Tamar Valley. That is too far for one day, so treat it as a menu. Wine Tasmania says the vineyards run from the Tamar Valley and Pipers River in the north to Launceston and Relbia in the south. They are all within easy driving distance of each other.

Launceston sits at the head of the Tamar River. The river runs 65 km inland and is called Australia's longest tidal navigable river. Wine Tasmania notes that the valley is very close to Launceston, which gives you good places to stay and eat, and makes half day or full day trips easy.

Not every cellar door keeps regular hours. Wine Tasmania asks visitors to check each vineyard's listing or social pages first, because some open by appointment only.

Sources for this section: Tamar Valley Wine Route, home page and Our Region; Wine Tasmania, Tamar Valley Wine Trail.

What you will taste

The valley is cool and sits at about 42 degrees south. The route's own site compares its climate to that of the Cote d'Or in Burgundy, France. It says the whites include chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and gewurztraminer, and that pinot noir leads the reds. Sparkling wine is another strength, and the route's site says the valley is famous for its chardonnays and sparklings.

The wine story here is old by Australian standards. The route's Our Region page says Jean Miguet planted the La Provence vineyard, now Providence, at Lalla in 1956. The Heemskerk vineyard at Legana, now Velo, was established in 1966 and was the original home of the Jansz sparkling brand. Pipers Brook followed in the early 1970s. The same page says the valley makes about 40 per cent of Tasmania's premium wine.

Sources for this section: Tamar Valley Wine Route, Our Region.

A day plan from Launceston

This plan keeps to the southern end, close to the city, so you spend more time tasting and less time driving. It uses vineyards from Wine Tasmania's Tamar Valley listing. Check hours before you leave.

1. Morning, Relbia. Start at Josef Chromy Wines at 370 Relbia Road. Wine Tasmania lists it as open 10am to 5pm daily, closed on Christmas Day, with a restaurant serving lunch. It also says the cellar door is 10 minutes from the airport. Groups of five or more should book.
2. Late morning, Legana. Head to the west bank of the river. Velo Wines is at 755 West Tamar Highway, and Beautiful Isle Wines is at 2 Upper McEwans Road, Loch Lea. Beautiful Isle takes its labels from old Tasmanian apple crate art.
3. Midday, Grindelwald. Tamar Ridge is at 1A Waldhorn Drive. Wine Tasmania says its cellar door has views of the Tamar Valley and the mountains.
4. Afternoon, down the river. Drive along the west bank to Rowella and Gravelly Beach. Holm Oak is at 11 West Bay Road, Rowella. Stoney Rise is at 96 Hendersons Lane, Gravelly Beach, and Wine Tasmania notes its new cellar door.
5. Late afternoon, Sidmouth. Swinging Gate Vineyard is at 103 Glendale Road. Moores Hill is on the West Tamar Highway at Sidmouth, and Wine Tasmania calls it Tasmania's first fully off grid winery.

Eight cellar doors are named here, so pick four or five. Pick lunch at one of the valley's restaurants and give each cellar door a proper half hour.

Sources for this section: Wine Tasmania, Tamar Valley Wine Trail; Wine Tasmania, Josef Chromy Wines.

A second day in the north

If you have more time, give Pipers River its own day. The listed vineyards there include Pipers Brook Vineyard and the Jansz Tasmania Wine Room at 1216 and 1216B Pipers Brook Road, Delamere and Sinapius on Bridport Road, Bay of Fires on Baxters Road, Dalrymple, Goaty Hill at Kayena and Clover Hill at Lebrina. Wine Tasmania says Jansz offers tastings and a walk around its grounds, and that Pipers Brook has ocean views and some of the oldest vines in the region.

The northern stretch is farther from the city, so plan the drive before you commit. Start early and keep the list short.

Sources for this section: Wine Tasmania, Tamar Valley Wine Trail.

When to go and how to get your wine home

The route's site says any time of the year is a good time to visit. Harvest is in March and April, pruning runs over winter, and budburst in September starts the next growing season. Each season has its own look, so pick the one that suits you.

If you buy wine as you go, ask about the Tamar Valley Wine Route Dozen. You buy bottles from different vineyards, and the last winery you visit packs them all and sends them home for the cost of the freight. That keeps your luggage light.

Plan who will drive before you set out. Tastings add up across a day, so bring a designated driver or book a tour.

Sources for this section: Tamar Valley Wine Route, Our Region and home page.

Sources

1. Tamar Valley Wine Route, home page (archived 6 July 2021): tamarvalleywineroute.com.au
2. Tamar Valley Wine Route, Our Region (archived 17 June 2021): tamarvalleywineroute.com.au
3. Wine Tasmania, Tamar Valley Wine Trail (archived 29 July 2021): winetasmania.com.au
4. Wine Tasmania, Josef Chromy Wines (archived 24 June 2021): winetasmania.com.au