We scope out the recently reimagined cellar door from two award-winning Tasmanian wineries.

I didn’t intend to spend four hours drinking wine today. But it’s remarkably easy to lose track of time when you’re sipping vintage sparkling in a sun-drenched setting, where sage-green hills tumble down to the Tamar River and afternoons seem to stretch indefinitely.

The newest cellar door in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley is, strictly speaking, 16 years old. Powerhouse brands Tamar Ridge and PIRIE have been pouring their award-winning cool-climate wines from this scenic plot of land, just 20 minutes north of Launceston, since 2010. What’s new is what happens when you walk through the door.  

Reopened to the public since August, the refurbished Tamar Ridge & PIRIE Cellar Door has been given a thorough rethink – now all handcrafted touches and floor-to-ceiling glass framing the undulating scenery. There are elevated new guest experiences too, designed to go beyond traditional tastings by offering a closer look at the people, place and processes behind the wine, rather than simply what ends up in the glass. Here’s what it’s like to visit.

The background and vision

Tamar Ridge and PIRIE were both acquired by Brown Family Wine Group in 2010, though their stories stretch back to the mid-1990s. 

Best known for its pinot noir, Tamar Ridge is regarded as one of Tasmania’s leading cool-climate wine producers. Its first vines were planted in 1994 under the guidance of renowned viticulturist Dr Richard Smart. After releasing its first vintage several years later, the winery quickly earned a reputation for quality, receiving a five-star rating in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion when it was just three years old. 

PIRIE, meanwhile, has sparkling at its heart. Founded in 1995 by pioneering winemaker Dr Andrew Pirie, the brand has helped establish Tasmania as a serious force in the world of sparkling wine. Made using the traditional method, its drops are renowned for their fine bubbles, creaminess and elegance. 

The reimagined, joint cellar door brings these two distinct Tasmanian wine stories together under one roof – giving visitors the chance to explore exceptional cool-climate still wines and traditional-method sparkling in a single setting. 

Luxury portfolio manager Katherine Brown says the new cellar door reflects the evolution of both brands while remaining true to their Tasmanian roots. 

“We hadn’t given [the cellar door] any love in the time that we purchased it, so probably 15 years plus. We wanted to create a space that really reflects the quality and craftsmanship of our brands, a space where people want to linger."

Part of that vision is to connect visitors to Tasmania’s relationship with its land and its produce, Katherine adds. 

“We consume food and wine all the time, but we don’t really get to sit down and think about where it has been grown, or the influences of the earth and soil. Tasmania has a lot to teach us about getting back to nature, getting back to basics and understanding these small nuances. I think that’s a really important thing to bring to people when they are visiting."  

The setting and design

Walking into the reimagined Tamar Ridge & PIRIE Cellar Door, I’m surprised by how light and bright the space is. The hilltop setting delivers spectacular, far-reaching views over the Tamar Valley’s pastoral hills and winding river. 

Far from sterile, the look is pared-back but considered: a striking double-sided fireplace, bespoke Spiegelau crystal glassware and a locally made 12-seat Tasmanian oak table made for group gatherings. An adjacent room offers plenty more seating, with dusty green walls and teal booths creating a calm place to unwind. 

Expansive floor-to-ceiling glass pulls the Tamar Valley into the room, while simultaneously inviting guests outdoors. On a sunny day, even in winter, you can sprawl yourself outside, enjoy a glass of pinot and watch kangaroos hopping around below. There’s a small lookout platform, armchairs dotting the grass and plentiful outdoor tables on the deck, which call my name immediately. 

It’s contemporary elegance tempered by the relaxed, down-to-earth hospitality Tasmania does so well. 

Testing out the new experiences

There’s far more to the cellar door than just a visual overhaul. While wine tastings are certainly still available, Tamar Ridge and PIRIE have brought out a suite of new experiences that empower guests to delve deeper into the art and science of winemaking. And I’m lucky to be testing out two of them.

Merroir and Terroir Experience

PIRIE’s new sparkling wine and oyster pairing experience is all about letting guests explore the connection between terroir and merroir – respectively the influence of soil on wine and sea conditions on oysters.  

After settling in at a sunny outdoor table, we’re each presented with six plump oysters freshly harvested from the pristine waters of Boomer Bay in Tassie’s south-east. The experience usually features three varieties from different parts of Tasmania, but unfortunately on the day of our visit the delivery truck has broken down – though half a dozen Boomer Bay bivalves on a sunny afternoon is hardly reason to complain. The briny molluscs are paired with five expressions of PIRIE sparkling that passionate cellar door attendant David Cook pours one at a time. 

“When you are pairing food and wine, you either want to match fat for fat, or try to cut fat for acid and sharpness," says David. “It’s the same sort of thing for sparkling and the oysters." 

The wines we taste include the NV, 2021 Vintage, 2023 rose, Blanc de Blanc and 2011 late disgorged traditional method that’s been aged for 10 years. It’s fascinating to compare how they each either complement or cut through the richness of the oysters – whether it be courtesy of the buttery “strawberries and cream" flavour of the rose or the toasty brioche and acidic notes of the 2021 vintage. 

“Where our vineyard is, we’re surrounded on three sides by the river. We’re not that far from the ocean, so we get some nice minerality when that sea spray comes in," David tells us, helping us to understand the tasting notes. 

Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the world of oysters and wine or consider yourself a connoisseur, the experience is a rich and sensory way to understand how much a sense of place can shape what ends up on your plate – and in your glass. 

Pinot Noir Blending Experience

If there’s one way to feel like an alchemist, it’s Tamar Ridge’s Winemaker for the Day: Pinot Noir Blending Experience. The fun, hands-on workshop allows you to mix and match grape clones to create your own custom pinot noir blend and bottle to take home. 

We head inside to find a table lined with six glasses. Three hold finished Tamar Ridge pinot noirs; the other three contain individual pinot noir clones, before they have been blended or aged. All come from different parts of the Kayena Vineyard, and the differences are surprisingly pronounced. 

The first is bright and lifted, with cherry and raspberry aromas. The second has more structure and savoury depth, rich in plum, earth and forest-floor notes. The third, a Dijon clone, proves more aromatic, with a silky texture, fine tannins and hits of ripe cherry and spice. We taste our way through each one before the fun gets slightly more scientific. 

David hands us beakers and measuring guides, giving us rough millilitre ratios to work with. From here, it is part maths experiment, part educated guesswork: more of this clone for structure, a little of that one for perfume, another splash to bring the fruit into focus. I could keep playing for hours, but eventually land on a wine I love the taste of. 

I’m here with my partner and a friend, and the most surprising part is just how different our three wines turn out. We have exactly the same three clones to work with, yet somehow arrive at three distinct (yet all delicious) pinot noirs. The lesson isn’t about finding the ‘right’ blend but discovering what your own palate prefers. Most of all, the experience gives us a new appreciation for the judgement, instinct and fine-tuning that goes into every bottle.  

The details

Bookings: Wine experiences can be booked online via the Tamar Ridge or PIRIE websites.

Prices: $120 per adult for the Merroir and Terroir Experience; $110 for the Pinot Noir Blending Experience; wine tastings from $20 per person.

Opening hours: Daily from 10am to 5pm

Location: 1A Waldhorn Drive, Rosevears