Stargazer shines

For a wine-growing region that accounts for just 1.5 percent of Australia's total wine grape production, Tasmania has more than its fair share of talented industry professionals. The good news is that growers and winemakers around the country are becoming increasingly aware of it.

November 13th provided yet another opportunity for the Tasmanian wine industry to spruik its wares. This time, it was Coal River Valley grower and winemaker Samantha Connew being named Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Winemaker of the Year 2025.

Connew's award recognised 'her commitment to excellence and willingness to volunteer her time and expertise back to the industry.'

Formed in 1980, the ASVO is dedicated to furthering technical research within the grape and wine industry. Fellow award nominees in 2025 included André Bondar (Bondar Wines, McLaren Vale), Jacinta Jenkins (Balnaves of Coonawarra), and Liam McElhinney (Fogarty Wine Group, Tasmania).

Connew says her award recognition is particularly significant because it comes from her industry peers: "the winemakers, viticulturists, and scientists who dedicate their lives to this incredible, challenging industry. To be acknowledged by them, not just for the wine in the bottle, but for my broader contribution to the culture and innovation of Australian wine, is recognition I will be forever grateful for."

Writing in the Weekend Australian (November 15-16, 2025) wine columnist Nick Ryan added: "Sam Connew is one of Australian wine's sharpest and most analytical minds. But great wine is not made on intellect alone, and her artistic gift, the ability to find ethereal beauty, makes her especially formidable."

The ASVO announcement was perfectly timed. Just days before, Connew opened her brand new tasting room at Tea Tree, just outside Hobart. 

Her award was a matter of third time lucky for the self-effacing and highly-respected Connew. She was previously nominated for the ASVO's top award in 2020 and 2021.

Indeed, six winemakers with Tasmanian connections have made nominee shortlists since the annual awards program began 13 years ago. In addition to Connew and McElhinney this year, the roll-call of previous nominees reads like a who's-who of the Tasmanian wine industry.

Julian Alcorso (Winemaking Tasmania) and Sue Bell (Bellwether Wines) were the first of the local heroes to be nominated, in 2014. Ed Carr (House of Arras) followed in 2015, while 2016 brought forth the first of two nominations for Jeremy Dineen (Josef Chromy Wines). Dineen repeated the feat in the following year, along with Julian Allport (Moores Hill Estate).

Award winners are decided by an independent committee, comprising leading wine industry members. Full details of all award winners this year can be accessed via the ASVO website.

Born and raised in Blenheim on New Zealand's South Island, Connew's journey to her southern outpost on this island has been something of an odyssey. She spent four years attaining a double degree in Arts and Law before suddenly deciding on a career change and subsequently gaining a Diploma of Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University.

On graduating, Connew left her homeland and travelled to Oregon in the United States to experience her first career vintage at Elk Cove Vineyard, in the Willamette Valley.

"I've never actually worked a vintage in New Zealand, despite being born in Marlborough and seeing it become the epicentre of an internationally renowned wine industry," Connew notes with a wry smile.

"I became totally captivated by Pinot Noir during my time at Elk Cove. I did another Oregon vintage in 2000."

Connew's career on Australian soil includes a decade-long stint in McLaren Vale as Senior Winemaker at Wirra Wirra. In 2007, she was named Red Winemaker of the Year at London's esteemed International Wine Challenge. The following year, Connew was a South Australian finalist in the Telstra Business Women's Awards.

In 2010, Connew moved to New South Wales to take up the position of winemaker/manager at Tower Estate in the Hunter Valley. That brought Pinot Noir back into her warm embrace.

"Tower Estate began buying fruit from Tasmania, so I started travelling backwards and forwards to the State, spending a lot of time in vineyards," Connew recalls.

"Before long, I was mulling over possibilities of actually living the Pinot dream."

Connew quit her job at Tower Estate and worked Tasmania's 2012 vintage at Bay of Fires winery, alongside fellow Pinot-phile, Peter Dredge.

Known today for his Dr Edge wines – and his steady hand on the winemaking tiller at Meadowbank Wines – Dredge suggested Connew buy some Pinot Noir and make a little bit of wine for herself.

She took his advice. Connew maxed out her credit card to buy 1.6 tonnes of Pinot Noir from the Huon Valley, and in doing so launched her embryonic Stargazer project.

Connew maintained her Tasmanian venture when she moved on to her next mainland job – working in applied research, development and extension – as Manager of the Hunter Valley Node of the Australian Wine Research Institute.

In February 2016, purchase of the Gangell family's 1ha Palisander Vineyard finally brought Connew to Tasmanian for good. To the tiny hamlet of Tea Tree, 20km north of Hobart.

"To know you were solely responsible for the entire wine production process - from beginning to end - was really exciting, but it was also pretty terrifying," Connew admits.

"My whole career up until then had been just about making wine. Twenty years' experience had taught me the basics about how grapes grow. But when you're suddenly out there in the vineyard, working day-to-day, there is so much to get your head around.

"Pruning, vineyard nutrition and spray programs, wire-lifting, canopy management… there are so many grower inputs. And timing them is critical. When you've got such long growing seasons like we have in Tasmania, there is absolutely no margin for error."

Nevertheless, Connew soon set about expanding her 12-year-old Coal River Valley site. Stage 1 took the vineyard to 3.0ha of Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay. Along the way, she also made it an industry showpiece. In 2017, Palisander won the Royal Agricultural Show Society's Vineyard of the Year award.

Stage 2 – completed recently – has taken total plantings at Palisander Vineyard to 5ha. Additional clonal selections of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have been joined by new plantings of Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gamay.

Wines released under the Stargazer Palisander brand are 100% estate-grown. Connew also buys small volumes of fruit each vintage to meet the demands of her expanding portfolio and customer base.

Smart blends like Tupelo (Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer) and Rada (Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Gamay) have become extremely popular in almost no time at all, but not enough to distract Connew from the main game.

"I'm really passionate about producing great Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling," she muses.

"Tasmania is the only place in Australia that can do really well with all three varieties. It's become the perfect home."

J&M Construction and architects Maguire & Devine added more than a few stars to Sam Connew's eyes in bringing her striking cellar door project to fruition. It may seem a somewhat refined shed on a hill at a distance but there's a simplistic beauty to it as well.

Connew's brief was for a well-crafted and intimate space, large enough to comfortably seat 12 guests around a single bespoke dining table. The one subsequently installed showcases the talent of Hobart's Lachy Taylor.

But of course it's the panoramic view across the vines – and then to the valley beyond – that really steals the show. The building's elevation adds to the spectacle.

Tastings are conducted in person by Connew, Friday through Monday. An habitual over-achiever, she's also a great storyteller who immediately puts her guests at ease.

The superb wines on offer speak for themselves.

Sessions last for around an hour and bookings via the Stargazer website are essential. Walk-ins are not accepted.

Tastings are complimentary for Constellation Club, Palisander Club, and Explorer Club members. Check out stargazerwine.com.au for charges and other details.

The tasting room is located at 37 Rosewood Lane, Tea Tree, just 30km from the Hobart CBD.