Discovering Unique Varietals
Whilst the Tamar Valley may be best known for Sparkling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir there are a range of alternative white varietals being grown in the region which offer a more diverse range of flavours and notes. Ranging from international varietals such as Gewurztraminer through to more modern adaptations such as Pet Nat these alternative varietals give travellers a chance to experience some of the more adventurous options in the Tamar Valley.
Starting off with a varietal that is grown in several regions across Australia, Gewurztraminer is an aromatic grape originally sourced from Germany with similar weight to Viognier or Verdelho. Typical flavours associated with this varietal include pineapple, lychee and grapefruit flavours. The first option to sample Gewurztraminer in the valley is at the beautifully scenic Iron Pot Bay Vineyard, who describe the wine as having “a beautiful floral nose, with a hint of Turkish Delight on the palate. It is delightfully drier than expected, with a little pepper on the finish.”. Our next stop on our Gewurztraminer varietal journey is at Pipers Brook Vineyard who highlight an aroma consisting of Turkish delight, lychee and kaffir lime, whilst the palate reveals flavours of melon, lychee through a subtle texture.
For our next varietal we move onto Holm Oak Vineyard who are home to the only Arneis in Tasmania. This varietal is sourced from Piedmont in Northern Italy with characters of lychee, stonefruit and honeysuckle. This Arneis has increased texture and complexity thanks to partial fermentation and maturation a specialised concrete egg, along with wild barrel fermentation.
The savoury and textural characters of this Arneis make it a great match for an antipasto platter.
Holm Oak Vineyard
For a drop of exceptional quality, we move to the Stoney Rise Tradition (Savagnin). Originally from the Jura region of France the Savagnin varietal has characteristics of citrus and a strong floral character. There are only a handful of vineyards growing Savagnin in Australia, so make sure to sample this vintage which has been matured in old oak for 18 months. The 2021 Tradition version is described by Stoney Rise as having “oxidative sherry like aromas, but they are balanced by some roasted almond and a hint of honey. The palate is long and quite powerful”.
For our final stop on our diverse white varietal journey, we hop over to Swinging Gate to sample two separate unique white varietals; Frontignac and Riesling Pet Nat. Frontignac is made from a red grape which produces a wine with notes of melon, pear, floral and citrus. Also, a stable at Swinging Gate, along with other natural varietals, is their Riesling Pet Nat with notes of lemonade and fresh green apple. Pet Nat (petillant nature) is a natural lightly sparkling wine which involves as little intervention as possible, with natural fermentation occurring once the wine is taken from the tank with a small portion of carbon dioxide trapped in the bottle when it is sealed leading to a unique taste paired with light bubbles.
With such a wide range of white varietals on offer throughout the Tamar Valley we highly encourage you to hop in the car, or a local tour provider, to experience the best alternatives that the Valley has to offer. If you want experience some other absolutely fantastic wineries head over to the Gourmakers website or download the Gourmakers app.
Discover more about the Tamar Valley at https://www.tamarvalleywine.com.au.