3rd Child
Aged just 15, George Drew represented Tasmania in the 2015 Australian Clay Target Shooting Championships. He was runner-up in his event. Turns out he's also a top gun when it comes to making wines. Lucky for us. Drew might have taken to bushranging or bank-robbing.
Drew is a second-generation Coal River Valley wine producer. He grew up on the family's 6ha vineyard at Tea Tree, where vines were first planted by his father Robert Drew before George was even born.
The young bloke started his winemaking career at Drew Wines when he was just 17. Later on came vintage experiences at Moorilla and Frogmore Creek Wines.
Drew now has a wine business of his own. Its flagship label is 3rd Child, a small-batch, hands-on project, mainly focused on unfiltered cool-climate reds.
It takes its name from the vineyard planted in 2001 by next door neighbours, John and Marcia Skinner. The couple initially struggled to find a name for their 3ha of Riesling and Pinot Noir. They settled on 3rd Child when they reflected on the lavished care the venture received during its early years.
Drew senior planted his vines at Tea Tree in 1992. With the benefit of eight years' experience, he guided the Skinners through their vineyard establishment and subsequent first vintage in 2004.
When the Skinners sold to Mark McNamara and Kirralea Hatch in 2016, the 3rd Child vineyard became Merriworth Estate under its new ownership.
The re-born 3rd Child label is now part of the Drew family – a celebration of small-scale, handcrafted wines from Tea Tree.
George Drew is passionate about the Coal River Valley sub-district he's called home for all of his life.
Tea Tree sits among low, sheltered hills that enjoy a cool, dry maritime climate. Long sunlight hours and relatively low rainfall are typical over summer and early autumn. Just about ideal for slow, even ripening of cool climate wine varieties. The soils are typically free-draining, sandstone-derived loams, with clay and occasional dolerite influences. That's great for encouraging deep root systems.
The resulting fruit shows intense concentration with fine natural acidity.
Wines bearing the 3rd Child label span a range of styles and grape varieties. The usual Coal River Valley suspects Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir are complemented by single varietal Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.
Dry vintage Rosé and vintage Iced Riesling (375mL) complete the lineup.
Ten wines. Virtually one for each year of Drew's winemaking career.
The mind boggles at what the next decade might bring.
Key details:
George Drew: owner/operator
Vineyard/cellar door address:
23 Merriworth Road, Tea Tree TAS 7017
No cellar door tastings. Refer to website for sales and events
Telephone:
+61 (0) 448 913 117
Email:
george@thirdchildwines.com.au
Website:
www.thirdchildwines.com.au
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites in the Coal River Valley highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions here. Six Friends (MJT 15.9°C; 786 GDD); Pooley Cooinda Vale (MJT 16.8°C; 929 GDD); SISU (MJT 16.8°C; 929 GDD) figure among the coolest sites.
Richmond Park Estate and Strelley Farm Estate (both MJT 18.0°C; 1189 GDD) are considered to be among the warmest, along with Coal Valley Vineyard and Cross Rivulet Winery (both MJT 17.9°C; 1185 GDD).
Vineyard sites on the Australian mainland are far warmer than those in Tasmania.
South Australia's Piccadilly Valley* (MJT 20.4°C; 1730 GDD) and Macedon Ranges* (MJT 19.9°C; 1365 GDD) in Victoria are regarded as the coolest GIs in their respective states.
Climate data* for Merriworth Road, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 491mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 278mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 106mm
- Mean January temperature: 17.8°C
- Growing degree-days: 1131 GDD
- Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 1
- Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 16
*Source: My Climate View, utilising past data from the Bureau of Meteorology and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Funded by the Australian Government.
Last page update: January 2026