The Royal Hobart Wine Show results are in and we're excited to share our achievements with you. We have won 3 trophies for our 2018 Collection Pinot Noir, including Best Tasmanian Red and the coveted Best Pinot Noir.

Our Tasmania Pinot Noir Took The Win

Tasmania has been an important part of the Handpicked Wines family for many years. We have long worked with loyal growers in Pipers River and the Tamar and Coal River valleys, but it is only in the past year that we have realised our dream of owning our own patch of dirt in the island state. Two in fact – Auburn Road Vineyard at Kayena on the left bank of the Tamar River and Native Point Vineyard on the right bank. Here’s just a few reasons why we were so keen to invest in Tasmania:

Tasmania produces just 1% of Australia’s total wine grape harvest, but 4.2% of its wine grape value, meaning its grapes and wine are of high quality and average higher prices. Tasmania is, quite literally, punching above its weight.  

A region perfectly suited to Pinot Noir

A true cool-climate region moderated by ocean breezes on all sides, Tasmania is perfectly suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both passions of ours. The climate is said to most closely resemble that of Champagne, France’s coolest wine region, so it’s no accident that Australia’s greatest sparkling wines are grown and made in Tasmania. Handpicked will add to that worthy list later this year, when our 2018 Tasmania sparkling is ready for release - just in the nick of time for Christmas!

Tasmania is a wine, food and nature-lover’s paradise and rightly guards its reputation as a clean and green producer of the finest quality food and wine. Our two Tamar Valley sites will be among the first Handpicked vineyards to undergo organic certification.

A message from our winemaker

We were thrilled to receive a vote of confidence last week from the judges at the Royal Hobart Wine Show, where our 2018 Collection Tasmania Pinot won three trophies – Best Tasmanian Red Wine, Best Red Wine and Best Pinot Noir. Most chuffed of all was Pete Dillon, Handpicked director of winemaking:

“We are particularly proud that of the wines we entered, including Pinots from various regions, it was our Tasmanian Pinot Noir that was chosen as the pick of the bunch -in its home state. In the past year, Handpicked Wines has gone from buying fruit from Tasmanian growers to investing in the purchase of two vineyards in the Tamar Valley. It’s a lovely connection that half of the winning wine was sourced from Native Point, a site we recently purchased from our long-term growers Tim and Sheena High.

We are extremely excited to continue to evolve our presence in Tasmania. Joining our Tasmanian Collection wine in the next 12 to 18 months is a new range of Tasmanian wines currently maturing in the cellar.”

- Pete Dillon, Handpicked Wines Director of Winemaking.

Find out more about the trophy-winning wine

We have just released the 2018 vintage online and at the cellar door. This Tasmania gem is a wine part sourced from the Native Point vineyard in Tamar and part from Nocton Vineyard in the Coal River Valley.  Impress your guests at your next dinner party with the cool climate Pinot. 

2018 PINOT NOIR COLLECTION
Tasmania
$59.99

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