When English navigator John Hayes arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1793, he sailed into the uncharted tidal estuary of what he would later name the River Derwent. It took just three more weeks of exploration to conclude the valley's fertile soils, gentle slopes and cool temperate climate appeared 'better suited to the cultivation of vines than of hops.'
They were prophetic words. More than 160 years too soon.
The founding of Hobart in 1804 saw early European settlers growing grain, hops, fruit, and vegetables instead. Almost two decades would pass before former convict Bartholomew Broughton established his renowned Prospect Farm and began growing 'black cluster' (Pinot Noir).
His vineyard's first vintage was highly acclaimed when offered for sale in 1827, but Broughton's success was short-lived. Quite possibly a thief and scoundrel, the gentleman farmer died in 1828, requiring Hobart citizens to wait another 130 years for the next commercial vineyard to be planted in the south of the State.
Claudio Alcorso's Moorilla Estate broke the local wine drought. In 1962, he produced a few dozen bottles of Riesling. Today, world-class Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines thrive in precisely the same conditions that Hayes admired more than two centuries ago.
Permian sandstones and mudstones – overlain by Tertiary basalt and alluvial loams – provide fertile, well-drained soils that are near perfect for aromatic, finely structured European wine varieties. Add in a temperate climate – with long, cool growing seasons moderated by river influences – and it's no wonder vineyard operators feel privileged working in this picturesque wine valley.
In 2025, they produced just 6 percent of Tasmania's total wine grape harvest.
Hobart is one of only 10 places on the planet listed among Expedia's 2026 Destinations of the Year.
Dawson James Wines is a critically acclaimed partnership between Peter Dawson and Tim James, two respected Australian winemakers whose friendship began in 1976 during their early careers at Hardys Wines. Between them, they have over 80 vintages of combined experience.
When Trevor and Pat Hanigan first planted vines at Derwent Estate in 1992, it marked a fresh start for the historic (1820s) Mount Nassau property. Until then, five generations of Pat's family – the Rathbones – had derived income from sheep and cattle farming, seed and vegetable growing, quarrying and lime production.
Six generations of the Downie family have managed Glenelg Estate in the upper Derwent Valley. The property dates back to 1828 when Governor William Sorell granted 1000 acres to Scottish immigrant Andrew Downie. Today, his original sandstone homestead is the centrepiece of a mixed farming enterprise that blends tradition with innovation.
The vineyard at Government House Tasmania is a unique feature of this historic estate. It's the only one located within a vice-regal residence anywhere in Australia. The 0.5ha project was first proposed by former Governor Peter Underwood (dec.) during his six-year term of office (2008-2014).
In the 1970s, Kerry and Laurel Carland spent a year travelling through Europe in a VW Kombi. Along the way, they encountered Laurel Bank, part of the iconic Isle of Man motorcycle circuit. The name was committed to memory for more than a decade until the couple began their small hobby vineyard at Granton in 1986.
Marco Lubiana is a sixth-generation winemaker from a family that has deep roots in Italian and Australian viticulture. His parents – Steve and Monique Lubiana – established their cherished family vineyard in the Derwent Valley in the early 1990s, focusing on cool-climate varieties Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir.
When Gerald and Sue Ellis purchased their 2500ha grazing property from the Winspear family in 1976, a small trial plot of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon came as part of the deal. Defying the advice of naysayers, the Ellises then set sail on a half-century voyage of discovery.
Most kids grow up in Tasmania with a swing and a slide and a sandpit in the back garden. Not Greer Carland. She had four rows of Pinot Noir and 10 rows of Cabernet Sauvignon. Mum was a teacher and Dad was an industrial chemist, but that didn't stop them from being bitten by the wine bug.
In the late 1980s, Steve and Monique Lubiana travelled almost 10,000km in search of an ideal place to grow grapes and make cool climate wine. Western Australia, South Australia, southern Victoria – you name it, they considered it.