Handpicked Wines

Let's face it, buying land and planting vines is fraught with danger. What if the site or the region isn't suited to your selections? When William Dong began Handpicked Wines back in 2003, it traded as a virtual winery. What the French call a négociant.

Dong worked with established growers and winemakers to create special parcels of wine to sell under his own label. There's not a lot of risk attached to selling good Barossa Shiraz or Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. 

In 2013, Dong started buying his own vineyards. The first of them – Capella in Mornington – also provided Handpicked Wines with its own winery.

Chief Winemaker Peter Dillon has since equipped the facility with a variety of fermentation vessels, from open stainless steel vats to oak puncheons, along with ceramic, terracotta, and concrete eggs.

Handpicked Wines now has six vineyards scattered across the country. Each specialises in wines that celebrate the regionality and distinctive terroir of their sites. Each is farmed organically and sustainably managed in order to heighten their sense of place.

Two are located in northern Tasmania. After years of sourcing fruit from the State, Dong purchased an established vineyard on Auburn Road in the West Tamar. The 33ha property at Kayena – purchased in 2018 – was joined the following year by another vineyard. On the opposite bank of the river.

Native Point is at Swan Bay. The 35ha property sits on a wide river bend. Vineyard founders Tim and Sheena High first planted the site in 1999. By 2019, it held a 5ha mix of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.

Dong has since added Chardonnay, Gamay and more Pinot Noir. The sunlit, gently sloping site is characterised by its lightish loamy sands over sandy clays. A significant portion of the property has been set aside for pasture for beef cattle production. Wetland habitat and nearby stands of native trees make this one of the most biodiverse vineyard locations in Tasmania.

The 10ha Auburn Road vineyard specialises in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Some of the site's older vines date back to the mid-70s. Its basaltic clay loams sit on medium to heavy clay, with a smattering of ironstone adding further weight and structure to the fruit grown there.

Fruit from both vineyards is augmented by small volumes purchased from other Tasmanian growers.

Handpicked Wines' current Tasmanian portfolio is a three-tier arrangement, comprising Collection, Trial Batch and Single Vineyard products. 

Collection wines might sound like basement dwellers but that is far from reality. In 2019, for example, the 2018 Collection Tasmania Pinot Noir picked up three trophies at the Royal Hobart Wine Show – Best Pinot Noir, Best Tasmanian Red Wine and Best Red Wine in Show.

In 2024, the 2022 Collection Tasmania Chardonnay was named Best Chardonnay at the Tasmanian Wine Show.

Handpicked Wines pulled off a remarkable trifecta at the 2024 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay Challenge. One that had never been achieved before (or since). Among the 13 wines announced as regional winners, three were from the Handpicked Wines Collection range – 2022 Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay, 2022 Tasmania Chardonnay and 2022 Yarra Valley Chardonnay.

Judges worked their way through 622 entries from 37 Australian wine regions before making their final deliberations.

Be your own judge. Handpicked Wines shares cellar door space with its illustrious traditional method sibling at The House of Arras, situated at Pipers River in Tasmania's North East. The facility is open seven days a week for a range of guided tastings and masterclasses.

Ready access to native bushland and the pristine Pipers River makes this a spectacular location for immersive experiences, both indoor and outdoor.

Key principals:

• William Dong: founder/operator, DMG Fine Wine

• Peter Dillon: chief winemaker, Handpicked Wines 

• Ben Bussell: group viticulturist, Handpicked Wines

Vineyard/cellar door address:

House of Arras: 40 Baxters Road, Pipers River TAS 7252

Head Office address:

Level 33, 31 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Telephone:

• House of Arras cellar door: +61 (3) 6362 7622
• Head office: +61 (2) 9475 7888

Email:

• Bookings:: cellardoor@houseofarras.com.au
• Enquiries/online orders: cellardoor@handpickedwines.com.au 
• Head office: info@dmgfinewine.com.au

Website:

• www.handpickedwines.com.au
• www.dmgfinewine.com.au
• www.houseofarras.com.au

Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.

Climate data* for vineyards in the Coal River Valley and on the East Coast suggest the Tamar Valley is among the warmest wine-growing areas of the State. Consider Pooley Butchers Hill (MJT 17.9°C; 1178 GDD) and Freycinet Vineyard (MJT 17.6°C; 1127 GDD) and compare with both Handpicked Vineyards below.

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 Victoria's Macedon Ranges* (MJT 19.9°C; 1365 GDD) are regarded as the coolest GIs in their respective states.

Climate data* for Auburn Road, 1995-2024:

• Total annual average rainfall: 812mm
• Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 372mm
• Average autumn rainfall: 187mm
• Mean January temperature: 18.2°C
• Growing degree-days: 1239 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: 9

Climate data* for Windermere Road, 1995-2024:

• Total annual average rainfall: 790mm
• Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 365mm
• Average autumn rainfall: 176mm
• Mean January temperature: 18.0°C
• Growing degree-days: 1159 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: 18

*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: October 2025