Bundaleera Wines
Eilin and John Hume weren't quite ready for retirement – and in May 2020, they jumped ship. Long-time Relbia residents, the couple came out of retirement to take on the 2.0ha Bundaleera Vineyard and farm-stay accommodation venture they'd seen grow and prosper for more than 20 years.
Bundaleera – a First Nations word meaning 'among the trees' – was planted in 1998 by another Relbia couple, David and Jan Jenkinson. They'd bought their 12ha property two years earlier.
Four other vineyards established nearby had had mixed successes. Mike and Philippa Sharman's Glenbothy Vineyard produced trophy-winning Pinot Noir. One vineyard had been forced into receivership. Two other sites looked promising. These were pioneering days for the district just outside Launceston.
Fortune favours the brave. Taking advice from the best possible industry sources, the Jenkinsons added around 7,000 vines to their Relbia site. Half were Pinot Noir (3 clones), the other half evenly split between Chardonnay (Penfolds clone) and Riesling (McWilliams and Wynns selections).
The vineyard sits on the southern escarpment of the North Esk River. Its northerly aspect and sunlight exposure are among the best in a district that consistently produces superb fruit and wines. The Jenkinsons helped lead the way.
Their 2002 Bundaleera Pinot Noir received a glowing review in the December 2003 edition of the esteemed UK Decanter magazine. Renowned Sydney critic Huon Hooke named the wine among his top 10 red wines of 2003. It was not just the only wine from Tasmania. It was the only Pinot Noir from anywhere in the country that found its way onto Hooke's rarefied list.
Good news travels fast. The lavish and fastidious viticultural care given to the site made the vineyard's fruit highly sought after by fellow Tasmanian producers – and by those located on the Big Island as well.
The talented and respected Coonawarra winemaker Sue Bell earmarked Bundaleera as an essential source block for Bellwether Chardonnay when she began the label in 2006. Her 2009 Bellwether Chardonnay earned a place among James Halliday's 'Best of the Best' Chardonnays of the Year in the 2011 edition of his popular Halliday Wine Companion.
Bundaleera's entire Pinot Noir harvest in 2009 was sold to NSW's McWilliams Wines in the Hunter Valley, thanks to some astute vineyard assessments by lauded Pinot Noir specialist winemaker Jim Chatto.
A great vineyard deserves to be celebrated and cherished by those who love good wine. New ownership brought forth a well planned and executed accommodation business to complement the cosy vineyard cellar door first established by the Jenkinsons.
Rob and Janine Bennett and their family spent four years building on the highly successful relationship that had been established with Sue Bell and her Bellwether Wines.
Self-confessed industry newbies, the Bennetts also sought and accepted good advice from their peers. While the vineyard maintained its tiny, artisan profile, the Bennetts added Josef Chromy Wines to its band of followers. Chief winemaker/general manager Jeremy Dineen not only provided sound advice, he ensured the company purchased its share of the vineyard's small-scale production.
November 2019 saw the final piece in the Bundaleera jigsaw being added – the opening of the property's farm-stay accommodation.
Fast forward six years under Hume family ownership and the Relbia business continues to go from strength to strength. New and upgraded facilities provide guests with more creature comforts. Out of doors, there is now greater protection from weather events.
An early morning sauna and cold plunge experience would certainly get the blood pumping. It's all part of the family's plan to offer slow stays where guests can genuinely rest, recover and rejuvenate. Little wonder Bundaleera has established such a loyal clientele – with repeat visitors coming from far-flung locations including Singapore.
Bundaleera farm-stay accommodation enjoys a 9.6 'Exceptional' rating among users of world-leading online travel service, Booking.com. Not to mention an incredible 4.98 guest rating on Airbnb.
'Superhosts' Eilin and John Hume may have been ambitious taking on two cosy farm-stay cottages but they have excelled with every step along the way. Daughter Emily Hume is the first point of customer contact nowadays. The former career public servant is clearly revelling in her role.
Bundaleera's cellar door offers the quintessential down-home hospitality that's typical of the Tamar Valley. The wine range here is extensive and includes NV Sparkling, Chardonnay, Riesling, Rosé and Pinot Noir.
Clearly, retirement in these parts is just a state of mind.
Key details:
- Eilin Hume: owner/operator
- John Hume: owner/operator
Emily Hume: guest manager
Andrew Gaman: contract winemaker, Eastford Creek
Vineyard/cellar door address:
65 Correa Drive, Relbia, TAS 7258
Cellar door open Sundays. See website for details of online sales and events
Telephone:
- Eilin Hume: +61 417 560 592
- John Hume: +61 408 433 128
Emily Hume: +61 400 582 550
Email:
bundaleera@outlook.com
Website:
www.bundaleerawines.com.au
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites in the Tamar Valley highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions here. Consider: Utzinger Wines (MJT 17.5°C; 1021 GDD) and Evenfall (MJT 18.4°C; 1230 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 Correa Drive, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 626mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 303mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 137mm
- Mean January temperature: 18.3°C
- Growing degree-days: 1187 GDD
- Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 0
- Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 27
*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