Are you a fan of Pinot? Or do you enjoy sparkling wine? Or maybe you like Chardy, Riesling, or Pinot Gris more. Regardless of your preferences, the Tamar Valley is home to several excellent vineyards and cellar doors.
We’ve visited Tasmania numerous times (it’s safe to say we’ve fallen in love with Australia’s southernmost state), and we’ve sampled some absolutely incredible wines there.
The hundreds of Launceston vineyards produce some of Australia’s most renowned and celebrated wines. So how do you decide which to go to? Rest assured that we did all the research for you.
Tamar Valley wineries are only 30 minutes from Launceston!
Some of Tasmania’s top vineyards are located along the Tamar Valley Wine Route, which is a fantastic day trip from Launceston.
Tamar Ridge is a scenic path that offers lovely views of the Tamar River as you go from Launceston to Tamar Valley.
Following this guidance, you can choose to do a private, self-guided winery tour, or you can take the simple path and join an organised tour.
There are several fantastic Tamar Valley wine excursions available; however, we’ll provide you with some advice on which ones to reserve below.
Any visitor to Tasmania should put a visit to the best vineyards close to Launceston at the top of their must-do list, whether they are organising a fast weekend break for two or a weeklong road trip around Tasmania.
ON YOUR NEXT VISIT TO TASMANIA, CHECK OUT THESE 9 BEST TAMAR VALLEY WINERIES & VINEYARDS!
At A Glance –The Best Tamar Valley Wineries
Visit one of the Tamar Valley boasts more than 30 wineries and cellar doors. which range from simple family-run vineyards to elegantly constructed estates and cellar doors. Here, we’ve selected just a few of the best:
- Josef Chromy
- Velo Wines
- Tamar Ridge Cellar Door
- Estate Moores Hill
- Goaty Hill Winery
- Holm Oak
- Bay of Fires Winery
- Delamere Vineyards
- Clover Hill Estate
Also Read: 9 Places to Book a Couples Getaway in Tasmania
The Best Way To Visit Launceston Wineries
Tamar Valley’s Best Time To Visit
The ideal season to visit Tasmania and the Tamar Valley Wine Region in Australia is from December through February.
When it comes to crowds, this time of year will be at its busiest, but the weather is lovely and ideal for outdoor activities. Amazing sunsets can be seen during the summer.
Another fantastic season to visit wineries in the Tamar Valley is in the spring, from September to November, when flowers and orchids in vineyards are in full bloom and at their greenest.
Autumn (March to May) is a terrific season to travel even though the weather is a little cooler. The autumn leaf colours are at their most stunning, and there are less people around. Wine by the firetime is ideal throughout the autumn.
The Best Way To Travel To Tamar Valley From Launceston
It is preferable to take the Tamar Valley Wine Route if you want to explore these stunning Launceston wineries. A self-drive route or a scheduled tour are also options.
There are numerous Tamar Valley wine tours that leave from Launceston and take you to particular wineries.
Self-Drive Option –Tamar Valley Wine Route
West Tamar Highway heading north in the direction of Grindelwald from Launceston. Within 20 minutes, you’ll be on the Wine Trail in the Tamar Valley.
Road signage for the “Tamar Valley Wine Route” can be found in blue and yellow. as they will direct you to all of the wineries along this route. For a Tamar Valley Wine Route map, click here.
Choose a few wineries on the western bank of the Tamar River to visit, cross the bridge at Batman, and then continue to vineyards earlier, on the valley’s eastern side. returning to Launceston.
As you go along this suggested self-drive path, the advice in this guide is organised alphabetically.
Keep in mind that you probably won’t have time to visit all of the Tamar Valley wineries we’ve mentioned in a single day, and some of them are destinations unto themselves with lengthy, exclusive vineyard tours.
I advise choosing 2 to 4 wineries, at most, to visit in a single day. Alternatively, organise a “wine weekend” and go to all of them in a 2- or 3-day vacation!
Insider Tip: A few Tamar Valley wineries demand reservations for wine sampling. When organising your trip, you might want to keep this in mind.
Wine Tours In Tamar Valley
Here are the top Tamar Valley wine excursions that are run locally in our opinion. Some will pick you up from your Launceston accommodation, while others will require you to travel alone to the winery:
- Winery Tour in the Tamar Valley with Lunch and Cheese
- A Wine and whisky tour in private Beyond the Barrel
- Traditional Pipers Brook Trio Private Wine Tour
- Private Wine and Food Tour in Tamar Valley
Tamar Valley’s Top 9 Wineries
#1 | Josef Chromy
One of the most well-known vineyards in Tasmania is Josef Chromy, which is located on a breathtakingly beautiful real estate in the southern Tamar Valley area.
A very individualised experience, the “Behind the Label” tour. As the expert Your tour guide leads you on a tour of Josef Chromy’s incredibleLife story and vineyard’s background, sip on a glass of the winery’s famous sparkling beverage.
You will be treated to a wine-tasting flight and two-course lunch in their lovely restaurant after getting a rare look inside the wine-making facilities and barrel hall, where the magic happens (and which are not typically open to guests). A must-do activity for wine enthusiasts!
Place: Relbia, 370 Relbia Road
The Price: Four wine tastings are included in a $15 flight. Costing $150 per person, the Behind the Label Tour. Bookings for tours are necessary. Reservations for wine tastings are also advised..
Make a Visit Plan: https://josefchromy.com.au/cellar-door
#2 | Legana Estate (Velo Wines)
Velo Wines isone of the first vineyards in the Tamar Valley you’ll see as you travel north from Launceston.
It’s difficult to miss the “Velo Wines” sign on the enormous, black, futuristic building that emerges from the vines.
The boutique winery is a modest family-run business. humming with vitality and has chosen to project a modern image. A superb wine tasting experience is created by the staff’s enjoyment, friendliness, and expertise.
The entire range of Velo wines has received multiple honours and continues to use traditional winemaking techniques.
Lunch at Timbre Kitchen is highly recommended. The outstanding choice of regional producers grilled over an open fire is available on the $55 per person tasting menu.
From taster plates that included one of the finest cheese toasties I’ve ever had, “dirty” potato salad, and smoked goats’ cheese! The Velo Rosè will help you digest it.
Place: Legana, 755 West Tamar Highway
Advised Tour: Lunch and wine tasting are included in this private wine tour of the Tamar Valley at Velo Wines and Timbre Kitchen.
Plan Your Visit: https://velowines.com.au
#3 | The Cellar Door At Tamar Ridge
Tamar Ridge Wines, as the name suggests, is located high atop a ridge on the Tamar Valley’s western side with a stunning view of the River Tamar.
This winery, which has been operational for almost 20 years, is renowned for its award-winning wines, which include Tamar Ridge wines and the PIRIE collection, which is noted for its sparkling.
Since Tamar Ridge Cellar Door is one of the most visited wineries in the Tamar Valley and is approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Launceston, weekends can be hectic there.
Regular activities include Live music on Fridays and weekends, a temporary restaurant lunch with seafood and sparkling wine, and seasonal seminars. Reservations are required.
However, if all you want to do is taste wines, you may relax inside or outside in the sunshine and order one of their famous snacking platters.
Place: Rosevears, 1A Waldhorn Drive
The amount: You can taste up to 4 wines for $15, plus you can get $5 off any bottle purchase.
Advised Tour: Visits to Tamar Ridge Winery are part of this private wine tasting tour from Pipers Brook.
Make a Visit Plan: https://www.tamarridge.com.au/cellardoor/
#4 | Estate Moores Hill
Some of the best wines in the Tamar Valley are made at the small, family-run Moores Hill winery.
Their understanding of their environmental impact, however, is their main selling point and the reason I enjoy backing them..
The first of its kind in Tasmania, Moores Hill is the first entirely off-the-grid winery in the Tamar Valley. They use only solar energy that is directly from the sun to produce all of their wines.
Daily tastings with a breathtaking view of the Tamar Valley are available at Moores Hill. Order one of their gourmet snacking platters and have a sampling by the fire in the winter.
Place: Sidmouth, 3343 West Tamar Highway
The amount: The price for a seated wine flight of any four wines is $10 per person..
Make a Visit Plan: https://www.mooreshill.com.au
#5 | Wines From Goaty Hill
Fantastic wines, funny names. Two neighbourhood families with a strong sense of community own and operate Goaty Hill.
In a rustic, purpose-built “tin hut,” Goaty Hill cellar door provides tastings in an unhurried and casual setting.
The employees will take you on a tour of the history of their tiny corner of Tasmanian wine heaven and are incredibly welcoming and educated.
After sampling, take a tray of locally produced food from Tasmania outside to the grass where you may enjoy a picnic while admiring the grapes.
Goaty Hill provides a more laid-back and warmly welcoming wine tasting setting.
Place: Kayena, 530 Auburn Road
The amount: $5 per individual. Bookings are advised during the busiest season..
Make a Visit Plan: https://goatyhill.com
#6 | The Holm Oak
The sommelier at Stillwater, one of Launceston’s most upscale restaurants, gave us Holm Oak’s recommendation and touted it as one of the top Tamar Valley vineyards (in his opinion)!
I had no intention of challenging him. And after our visit, we managed to escape with two cases of wine?
Holm Oak’s dedicated winemakers reportedly enjoy dabbling in experimental winemaking, and as a result, they provide a far wider range of wines than most Tamar Valley wineries. They obviously cater to all tastes.
Wine Flights come in a variety of varieties at the Cellar Door, from basic wines to premium wines, rare vintages, and experimental drops.
They provide the perfect experience for both novices and seasoned wine drinkers.
Place: Rowella, 11 West Bay Road
The amount: Beginning at $10 per person, wine flights.
Make a Visit Plan: https://www.holmoakvineyards.com.au/cellar-door/
#7 | Winery Bay Of Fires
You’re entering a “sparkling region” as you cross the Batman Bridge and go into the Pipers River section of the Tamar Valley Wine Route.
The majority of the sparkling wines produced in this region use the Traditional Methodriginal winemaking method utilized by the prominent Champagne houses in France for centuries).
(a.k.a. the traditional winemaking technique utilized for centuries by the prominent French champagne houses). The Bay of Fires Winery will be the first basement door you encounter. No other Tasmanian winery offers an experience like this one.
It is required to make reservations at least 24 hours in advance for tours and tastings at their wineries.
You can’t just show up for a taste, regrettably. The Cellar Door Manager himself conducts instructional masterclasses throughout the tours of the Bay of Fires winery.
We got to taste each wine during the session, making the trip one of the most educational and intriguing wine experiences I’ve ever had. It is one of the top wineries in Tasmania, if not all of Australia, in my opinion.
Don’t let the name mislead you. Even though its cellar door is close to Pipers River, Tasmania’s vineyards are all over the state (including the Bay of Fires).
The Bay of Fires Winery produces three distinct wine labels, including Bay of Fires, Eddystone Point, and House of Arras.
Place: In Pipers River, at 40 Baxters Road
The amount: The cost per person for winery tours and master workshops ranges from $15 to $95.
Make a Visit Plan: https://www.bayoffireswines.com.au
#8 | Delamere At Vineyard
Delamere is one of those adorable little Tasmanian vineyards that you only learn about when someone recommends it.
Okay, so here is that advice. This vineyard is a true gem, and it’s close to Launceston in one of the cutest little neighbourhoods.
Delamere, a small family-owned vineyard, cultivates, hand-picks, produces, and bottles all of its wine at its Pipers River Estate.
Fran and Shane, the business’s owners, are from Kalgoorlie and the Adelaide Hills, respectively, and before relocating to Tasmania, they worked in Oregon, Burgundy, and the Yarra Valley.
Come taste some wines while having a casual conversation about Delamere’s history and its family history with the Cellar Door Manager.
Place: In Pipers Brook, at 4238 Bridport Road
The amount: Starting at $15, tasting flights come with 4 pours. Winery tours start at $65. only by appointment.
Advised Tour: Delamere is a stop on this private wine tasting tour from Pipers Brook.
Make a Visit Plan: https://www.delamerevineyards.com.au
#9 | Estate Of Clover Hill
Effervescence Tasmania, one of Tasmania’s premier wine festivals, is held each November at Clover Hill Estate.
One of the very handful luxury dazzling homes in Australia only makes sparkling wines utilising the Méthode Traditionnelle française is Clover Hill, which has won numerous honours and honours.
One of the most recognisable vineyards in Tasmania is Clover Hill Estate, and the Pipers River Cellar Door is a must-see location along the Tamar Valley Wine Route.
A stunning structure with contemporary architecture that looks out over the vineyard. A variety of winery experiences are also available, such as master lectures, individual workshops, and tastings.
At Clover Hill Estate, one of Tasmania’s top wine festivals, Effervescence Tasmania, is held each November.
Place: Lebrina, 60 Clover Hill Road
The amount: Six sparkling wines from Clover Hill are tested for $10. Bookings are required.
Advised Tour: At Clover Hill Winery, this private wine tour includes vineyard visits and tastings.
Make a Visit Plan: https://cloverhillwines.com.au/
Accommodations In Tamar Valley
Why not plan a weekend trip to all the vineyards around Launceston and the Tamar Valley? Here are our top recommendations for lodging in Launceston and the Tamar Valley, from glamping to five-star hotels and chalets.
The Tamar Valley Wine Route is about a 20-minute drive from the following locations:
Additional Activities In The Tamar Valley
Here are some other things to do in the Tamar Valley if visiting vineyards all day long is not your cup of tea. You may go sightseeing in the morning and taste wine in the afternoon.
- Discover the Cataract Gorge’s hiking routes, chairlift, and bridges.
- Visit the Launceston Harvest Farmers Markets (Saturday only)
- At Bridestowe Lavender Farm, have fun among the lavender.
- Go to the Low Head Lighthouse
- eat on the pier at The Cormorant Café for lunch.
- Take a look around the Mining and heritage centre in Beaconsfield.
- Hillwood Berry Farm lets you choose your own berries.
Want to travel farther afield? On this list of Australia’s most well-known landmarks, you can see some of the top places to visit in Tasmania, like the Freycinet National Park and the Bay of Fires.
Wrapping Up: Tamar Valley Wineries
The Tamar Valley is a terrific area to go on a romantic weekend or a Tasmania Road Trip trip with your significant other because it is home to some of the top vineyards in Tasmania.
Do you need a place to stay? Try glamping in the Tamar Valley or get a room at a Launceston design hotel. for a singular experience.
There are more than 30 Launceston wineries to select from, so we really hope that our reference book on the Tamar Valley Wine Region helps you decide which to visit first!
Visit the Discover Tasmania website to see what’s on and to help plan your trip.
See our 6 Day Road Trip Itinerary to Tasmania. if you’re thinking about taking a self-drive vacation there, which is the ideal way to experience this stunning state.
