2024 Primavera Pinot Noir - 31st Vintage

We often hear that consistency is what our customers love about this premium Tasmanian Pinot Noir.  If Primavera Pinot Noir wine had a motto it would be ‘numquam confundit’, never disappoint! Made annually since 1993, a showcase of vibrant berry fruits balanced with velvet tannins and supportive oak.  Strawberries, cherries and raspberries dominate the nose. They are the sort of berries that are grown in Tasmania and sold on the side of roads in little tubs.  Ripe plump fruit that is lovingly picked daily by its growers. Berries with an intoxicating aroma, full & mouth watering flavour and racy juicy acid.  

Knowing one day we would ultimately move to Tasmania from South Australia in pursuit of our winemaking dream, to find the perfect vineyard site. It was our experience that we noticed how everything tasted more delicious in Tasmania, an experience that many Island holiday-goers and locals would resonate with. The fresh cows milk, bread, meat, vegetables, fruits and nuts all taste next level.  This we believe is mainly due to the number of small dedicated master growers and the very long growing season that Tasmania offers more than any other Australian State. Autumn and winter can arrive early, and quickly in Tasmania.  Seasoned growers know their limits as to how much they can ripen successfully without being caught out with unripe produce by being in-tune with their crops accordingly.

Primavera Pinot is and always was about capturing fruit whilst not forsaking structure and length.  Pinot noir not only requires a true cool climate, but discipline and careful attention in the vineyard as well.  We are very conscious of crop levels and how they impact wine quality if they do not reach their intended sugar and phenolic ripeness.  We make sure we manage the yield to avoid diluted flavour and thin body while preferencing and illuminating the luscious fruit component.

Primavera Pinot is your go to wine to have on hand for any occasion.  A shared bottle or gift that is sure to please.  Enjoy with all cuisines and on any occasion.  A wine that might tempt the ‘white wine only drinkers’ and is almost certain to be appreciated by a ‘burgundy hound’ for its purity and clarity.

22/07/2025 at 10:00 AM Permalink

2013 the 1st year of Biodynamic Certification

This generous and elegantly presented méthode traditionnelle wine was made 12 years ago.  In my memory, the 2013 vintage, it was a well above average year for both quantity and quality.

In 2013 Stefano already had 21 years of experience of making sparkling wine from our Granton Estate. The first ever Grande Vintage was released in 1995. More intuition, confidence and vast experience is exhibited in this unique current release Grande Vintage. Earlier in 2013 we became certified biodynamic after 3 years of conversion, making this 2013 release of Grande Vintage certified biodynamic. 

I remember the feeling of being very proud and pleased with ourselves, being certified biodynamic/organic is no easy feat. It was an ambitious and important goal we set out to accomplish in 1992, soon after buying the property.  Biodynamics is the solution to making synthetic free wine.  It brings life force from the cosmos to the soil and vines, this is then gently guided by hand with minimal input into luxury wines. 

The general consensus and our experience is - farming certified biodynamically on a commercial scale is a difficult choice, but well worth the dedication.  The adventure, inspiration and growth that comes with this farming model brings so much goodness.  Intellectually, biodynamics can be easily understood.  It is the physical implementation and the practical problem solving aspects that demands constant attention from the vigneron and vineyard team.

The light and essence in the cosmos, through the instrument of biodynamics, has been captured in the 2013 Grande Vintage, producing a graceful expression of sparkling wine that can be enjoyed now. We celebrate success with biodynamic farming and we hope our 2013 Grande Vintage is a wine that you can celebrate with your successes.

The nose of the 2013 Grande Vintage is reminiscent of lemon, mineral and a hint of fresh honeycomb. There is a fine bead and delectable mousse. The palate is lithe with bright lemon, jazz apple and winter nelis pear with balanced acid. Hazelnut meal, honey nougat and marzipan back up the fresh first impression carrying into a long finish. Drinking beautifully now this wine can also benefit from further bottle ageing.

27/06/2025 at 12:00 PM Permalink

The many facets that make a great Chardonnay

An analogy that you may have heard us refer to in the Cellardoor is that Collina Chardonnay is like a diamond with its many facets.  The diamond’s technical term for brilliance is ‘super ideal’ with ‘D Clarity’, ‘flawless’ and a higher weight or ‘carates’ all highly desired.  If there was a wine scale like the diamond scale then the Collina is a brilliant diamond.  The Estate Chardonnay is on the next class down with the Primavera Chardonnay following closely behind. Many of our customers will understand this analogy - in each Chardonnay we craft, our goal is to integrate as many of these 'facets' as possible while maintaining clarity and ensuring no single element overshadows the others. We aim to make wines of balance that shine with many facets.

This meticulous process begins in the vineyard, where different chardonnay clones are grown and it is the viticulturist's job to cultivate each to maximise their strengths.  For example one plot might be shoot thinned to control vigour, while another is not. Similarly we pluck the vine’s leaves nearing harvest on the eastern side of a row to optimise sunlight exposure - whereas in a less vigorous row, no leaf plucking is done to prevent sunburn on the delicate berries. Each plot of chardonnay, and sometimes rows within a plot, might be harvested on different days. We are not only looking for sugar ripeness but phenolic ripeness as well.

The grapes for chardonnay at our winery are always whole bunch pressed.  All juice is fermented on full solids.  We use a number of different French oak coopers for our chardonnay, we use barriques for the more premium wines and a mixture of barriques and puncheons for our Primavera Chardonnay. This allows the winemaking to build a facet with more or less oak depending on what the wine requires, we are always in harmony with what the vintage requires having crafted chardonnay from our site for over 3 decades.

Malotic fermentation is another tool we use to create a textural facet.  There is a more creamy texture in our more premium chardonnays compared to our Primavera Chardonnay.  This is deliberate - our Collina Chardonnay and Estate Chardonnay yielded at 3 and 5 tonnes/ha, respectively, compared to the Pirmavera Chardonnay that yielded 7 tonnes/ha.  Lower yields add more tannin and body, allowing for more creaminess to be included without forsaking balance. For the Primavera, where we aim for a fruitier profile, we only allow 80% malolactic fermentation to suit this wine’s profile.

Biodynamics offers another facet in so much that wine is free of pesticides, fungicides and artificial fertilisers.  In addition biodynamics, according to Rudolf Steiner, draws to the vineyard a spiritual connection to the cosmos creating harmony within the vineyard.
 

27/05/2025 at 11:00 AM Permalink

Recent Pinot Noir Reviews

2022 La Roccia Single Block Pinot Noir

1. James Suckling Top 100 #1 Wine in Australia - 99 points
2. The World of Fine Wine, Sarah Ahmed (UK) - 96+ points
3. The Wine Front, Campbell Mattison - 94+ points
4. Halliday Wine Companion, Dave Brookes - 95 points

"[La Roccia]'s a structured wine with complex spice, twig and undergrowth characters on display but the boldness of the fruit pushes through and keeps the focus where it should be. Glorious Pinot Noir fruit, rich and fresh at once. There’s a slightly forestry aspect to the aromatics and noteworthy finesse to the tannin. Lubiana’s pinots often walk a confident line between fruit-forward and fruit-backward and this wine is the perfect example of that, in the best of ways."  Campell Mattison - The Wine Front

2022 Ruscello Single Block Pinot Noir

1. James Suckling, Ryan Montgomery - 96 points
2. The World of Fine Wine, Sarah Ahmed (UK) - 95 points
3. The Wine Front, Campbell Mattison - 94 points
4. Halliday Wine Companion, Dave Brookes - 96 points

"[Ruscello] Perfumed and lifted aromas of dark cherries, Damson plums, cocoa, dried herbs and amaro liqueur. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of wild raspberries, pine resin, strawberries and lavender. Well balanced and vibrant, with a savory undertone coming from 100% whole cluster. Excellent."  Ryan Montgomery - James Suckling

2022 Il Giardino Single Block Pinot Noir

1. James Suckling, Ryan Montgomery - 95 points
2. The World of Fine Wine, Sarah Ahmed (UK) - 96+ points
3. The Wine Front, Campbell Mattison - 95 points
4. Halliday Wine Companion, Dave Brookes - 96 points

2022 Sasso Pinot Noir

1. Halliday Wine Companion, Dave Brookes - 96 points
2. The Wine Front, Mike Bennie - 94+ points
3. Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin - 95 points

"The 2022 Sasso is perfumed and gently dusty with raspberry, bramble, licorice, forest-floor complexity, pomegranate molasses and even a suggestion of game. In the mouth, the wine is smoky and ashy, which feels the product of green stems rather than fire, and within this context makes for engaging green peppercorn inflected drinking. It's a wine of individulaity and expression - distrinction. I believe this wine will age exceptionally well."   Erin Larkin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

03/03/2025 at 12:15 PM Permalink

James Suckling Review - Ryan Montgomery

Recently, Ryan Montgomery of James Suckling visited us to explore our range of biodynamic cool-climate wines. The trip would take him all over Tasmania visiting vineyards and meeting with vignerons to taste and review wines. Our vineyard manager, Marco Lubiana, showed Ryan through our Granton vineyard, it was a glorious Spring day in the Derwent Valley, before they tasted the wines featured below in the cellar. Ryan described us in his article below:-

'Stefano Lubiana Wines, established in 1990 by fifth-generation winemaker Stefano Lubiana and his wife, Monique, is one of Tasmania’s pioneering family-owned wineries. Located in the Derwent Valley, just outside Hobart, the vineyard was founded with a vision to produce premium cool-climate wines while committing itself to biodynamic practices, achieving full certification in 2013.  This dedication comes through clearly in the Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Tasmania La Roccia 2022, which offers pure and lifted aromas of dark cherry, forest floor, and wild raspberries, complemented by tightly wound acidity and finely integrated tannins, culminating in a nearly perfect Australian pinot noir with an Old World charm.'

During Ryan's visit he reviewed a range of our current wines with our La Roccia 2022 being scored the highest out of all wines tasted on the day with 99 points. Marco also treated him with a sneak preview of the next release of our top wines; our 2013 Grande Vintage, 2023 Collina Chardonnay and 2023 Sasso Pinot Noir, all of which were bottled earlier this year and will benefit from further maturation on cork before their respective releases in 2025.

La Roccia 2022, Single Block Pinot Noir - 99 Points, limited
'Sophisticated and pure, with lifted aromas of dark cherries, forest floor, wild raspberries, dried herbs and orange peel. The palate is medium-bodied with tightly wound acidity and finely integrated tannins, giving notes of blackberries, potpourri, violets and chalk. Exceptionally well constructed, with a savory edge from 100% whole-cluster fermentation. A nearly perfect and complete Australian pinot noir. Brilliant. Drink or hold.'

Ruscello 2022, Single Block Pinot Noir - 96 Points, limited
'Perfumed and lifted aromas of dark cherries, Damson plums, cocoa, dried herbs and amaro liqueur. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of wild raspberries, pine resin, strawberries and lavender. Well balanced and vibrant, with a savory undertone coming from 100% whole cluster. Excellent. Drink or hold.'

Il Giardino 2022, Single Block Pinot Noir - 95 Points, limited
'Vibrant aromas of crushed strawberries, amaro liqueur, wet bark and dark cherries. The palate is medium-bodied with finely integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of cocoa beans, orange peel, ferric earth and plums. Grown on clay soils and fermented with 100% whole cluster. Excellent. Drink or hold.'

Estate Chardonnay 2023 - 95 Points
'Flashy and flinty aromas of orange blossoms, grapefruit peel, lime curd and hazelnuts on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with focused acidity, giving notes of lemons, sea salt, graphite and pastry. A tightly wound wine that will age nicely in bottle for many years to come. Excellent. Drink or hold.'

Estate Pinot Noir 2023 - 94 Points
'A refined nose, mute but shimmering with intent as it is clearly marked by depth and precision, with just the faintest allusions of fruit. This is a mid-weighted wine of structural torque, hinting pomegranate, persimmon, kirsch, forestry scents and rose hip after a workout in the glass. Perhaps the most enticing of the single site cuvees in its youth. A wonderful, incisive drive through the mouth, directed by beautifully managed tannins, taut but svelte at the same time. The tannins, the signature of the estate. A long life ahead. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.'

Brut Reserve NV(2022) - 93 Points, new release
'Complex aromas of red apple skin, Asian pears and hazelnuts. The palate is textural with fresh acidity, giving notes of shortbread, lemon confit and mandarin rind. Nicely constructed, with a nutty edge coming from blended reserve vintages that then spent two years on the lees in bottle before disgorgement. 4 g/L dosage. Drink or hold.'

Pinot Gris 2023 - 93 Points, limited 
'Light orange in appearance. The nose gives perfumed aromas of orange pith, fresh ginger, rose petals and chalk. The palate is textural with finely integrated acidity and a slight phenolic grip, giving notes of lemon peel, mandarins and red apples. Nicely rounded mouthfeel with an underlying freshness. Two days of skin contact followed by fermentation in barrel. Drink or hold. Screw cap.'

Grande Vintage 2013 - 96 Points, not released yet
'Complex and focused aromas of lemon peel, white nectarines, honeysuckle and shortbread. The palate is focused with vivid acidity, a finely beaded mousse and a textural mouthfeel, giving notes of grapefruit pith, puff pastry, hazelnuts and chalk. Incredibly balanced and fresh for sitting in bottle on the lees for 10 years. Made from a 50-50 blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. Disgorged July 2024. Excellent. Drink or hold.'

Collina Chardonnay 2023 - 96 Points, mid-2025 release
'Tightly wound aromas of lemon peel, lime curd, orange blossoms and flint. The palate is medium-bodied with laser-like acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of mandarin rind, white nectarines and red apple skin. Made from select hillside parcels and treated with a light hand in the winery. Pure class. Drink or hold.'

Sasso Pinot Noir 2023 - 96 Points, mid-2025 release
'Deeply perfumed and lifted, with aromas of dark cherries, wild blackberries, rhubarb and orange peel. The palate is medium-bodied with finely integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of cranberries, dried herbs, graphite and blueberry bush. Quite austere and focused, coming from 50% whole cluster in a cool vintage. Delicious. Drink or hold.'

19/11/2024 at 2:50 PM Permalink

Champagne & Sparkling

Today is International Champagne Day - a day to not only celebrate the fantastic Champagnes of France, but also, a day to celebrate sparkling wines from around the world that offer tremendous value. Once qualified as an Onenologist Steve undertook an internship in Reims, France. It was this experience that inspired him to grow and craft sparkling wines in Tasmania with his first vintage released in 1993.

So what is it that sets Champagne apart from other sparkling? Can you compare Champagne to our sparkling wine? Champagne is only produced in Champagne,  France under specific rules of appellation. The area of Champagne is known for soil types rich in minerals that also hold various deposits of limestone and chalk. Similarly, in Tasmania, the soils and the cool mild weather conditions allow grapes to develop a slow accumulation of sugar with higher acid. A prerequisite for sparkling wines & Champagnes. Some of the Champagnes we enjoy on occasion include Krug and Roederer as far as Champagne houses - we also like to taste grower Champagnes from Egly Oriet, Agrapart and Vouette & Sorbee.

Steve and I moved to Tasmania in 1990 to grow and craft sparkling wines. We selected our site in Granton because of the climatic conditions and unique terroir, which we knew would grow wines of distinction. Over the years we have honed our méthode traditionnelle style and we now have several wonderful expressions including a Prestige, Grande Vintage, Blanc de Blanc, Brut Rosé and Reserve Brut NV.

Having two sparklings from the exceptional 2011 vintage currently in our range is outstanding, as 2011 was the perfect season for sparkling in Tasmania. We welcome back, for the third time, the supreme Prestige 2011 which is 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir and has rich tertiary characters. We are almost sold out of the 2011 Grande Vintage which is 50% of each chardonnay and pinot noir. The 2016 Blanc de Blancs newly included to our sparkling range, with the first vintage being 2014, the 2016 is a complex chardonnay expression brimming with dessert characteristics. The 2017 Brut Rosé is a perfect accompaniment to hors d'oeuvres as it has supple acidity and freshness. We are proud to introduce the next vintage of Reserve Brut NV, which is predominately from the 2022 vintage, and has reserve wine (approximately 10%) dating back to 2012. Reserve Brut NV with the iconic and dashing red label is a sparkling wine we have been crafting for 30 years now!

25/10/2024 at 1:45 PM Permalink

Francing Around

Our most recent travels took Steve and I to Paris.  We were excited as we picked up a hire car and headed straight for Champagne.  Here, we met our family friends Calum Peace and his wife Marion.  Marion is the daughter of Christian and Sylvie Peligri who are Champagne producers in Colombey les-deux-Eglises.  They produce excellent wines, available for purchase in Australia. We toured the Peligri winery, which was formerly a cheese factory, and family vineyards totalling 12 hectares. Calum and Christian explained to Steve their production facility and we compared champagne production equipment to ours.  Calum also gave us a tour of their vineyards and explained comprehensively the various soil types, vine clones and inputs.  Their vineyards are steep, compared to most Australian vineyards, reminiscent of our 1.2 ha close-planted block at our estate vineyard in Granton.

In France it is very common for a vineyard to be owned by separate people/entities.  For example, a plot of 40 continuous rows of grapevines may be owned by 6 different people. And another plot 500 metres down the road could be owned by the same group of people, or others.  These varied ownership rules have come about mostly due to inheritance.  Vineyard rows are divided amongst family and, if not farmed by that person, they are sold off to other family members, vignerons or lay investors.  A stark contrast and a completely different system to how vineyards are owned in Australia. Their vineyards, like many others in the region, are managed by contractors who are instructed to cultivate, spray, and canopy-manage. The Peligri family do their own viticulture planning, pruning and harvesting.

During our time in France we also visited many wineries where we tasted 2023 wines from new and seasoned barrels.  The first reason was to gauge our wines against like-minded French producers and, the second reason, was to taste wines matured in Millard barrels. Minier and Millard are two separate barrel manufacturers based in Chagny, Burgundy.  We already purchased barrels from Minier and have done so for about 10 years.  Minier is a consistent cooper who supplies us with barriques which we use to mature our very exquisite Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.  Millard on the other hand is a newcomer to our barrel sale business.  We came across his barrels during our 2022 ‘American Odyssey’ trip, where we tasted wines from Ceritas, CA.  Steve could see the synergy between our wines and theirs, and how well the oak enhanced the finished wine.  Last year we were lucky enough to get hold of a couple of Millard barrels.  A trial took place over the past year and both Steve & Marco found the Millard oak, together with the Minier oak, contributed more shine to our extra special Estate and Collina Chardonnays.  We are now distributors for both coopers.  If you are in the market for barriques drop us an email steve@slw.com.au

Once the barrel research was completed we headed to Lyon.  On the way we stopped for lunch in Chablis and tasted some wines from various Caverns. Caverns are cellar doors located in and around the main streets.  After Chablis we arrived at Beaujolais where we had a tasting at Château Chénas where Noel and Corrine Minier’s daughter, Manon, manages the cellar door.  We were very impressed by these wines and may import them to sell in our Hobart boutique wine shop, Molto.  At our last stop in France, we arrived in Lyon and stayed the night so that we could visit Antic Wines; a wine shop in the old town that specialises in exclusive wines.  We met George dos Santos when he visited our stand at an organic/biodynamic wine fair 'Milo Bio' in Montpellier some years ago. We always hoped that we would get time one day to visit his very famous wine shop. We made an appointment and luckily George was on site on the day and immediately remembered Steve.  George happened to have a bottle of DRC ‘The Saint Vivant’ open, Steve casually tasted this very special wine whilst they chatted.  Maybe one day you will be able to visit Lyon and purchase a bottle of Stefano Lubiana Wines at George’s landmark establishment! 

30/09/2024 at 9:00 AM Permalink

2023 Estate Chardonnay & Pinot Noir Release

The 2023 growing season was cool with a drier than average winter and spring. This was followed by a summer which at the beginning was marred by ferocious winds resulting in poor flowering. The following months were cool and the vintage was delayed until late March 2023. Although yields were down, our diligent and tireless work in the vineyard resulted in grapes that were excellent quality with a high concentration of flavour and intensity.  

Our 2023 Estate Chardonnay has a nose of meyer lemon, nectarine and orange blossom. On first impression there are rich notes of honey nougat and crème brûlée, followed by a core of lemon, peach and white nectarine. This wine has a fine line of acid and a mellifluous texture, a full rounded chardonnay which will age extremely well.

Our 2023 Estate Pinot Noir has an attractive nose with notes of dark cherry, mulberry and blackberry. There is a hint of spice and dried rose petals. The palate marries the nose with more red fruit - cranberry, plum and rhubarb. The wine is very approachable on release, the finish is silky whilst possessing taut tannins and buoyant acid. 

19/08/2024 at 11:28 AM Permalink

2022 Collina Chardonnay - Winner at the International Wine Challenge

Our 2022 Collina Chardonnay recently won three trophies at the 2024 International Wine Challenge (IWC). The IWC is judged by an extensive panel of wine professionals. Our 2022 Collina was awarded 96 points and was the winner of three categories - Best Tasmanian Chardonnay, Best Australian Chardonnay and Best Australian White.

We only make our Collina Chardonnay in exceptional years and the 2022 vintage is the first vintage of this wine since 2020. We grow our Collina to be low yielding and comes froms a variety of soil types from our Granton Estate. The predominate soil type is grey chalky gravel over white gravelly clay. Chardonnay from this terroir generally have pronounced acid and fine aromatics. The 2022 Collina is captures both power and elegance, with a generous palate and a long line of acid. This in turn offers long cellaring potential.

The comments from the 2024 IWC Chair of Judges - "Light golden colour with extremely attractive notes of spice - nutmeg and cinnamon - on the nose, along with stone fruit flavours. The palate is beautifully balanced and poised with a tremendous finish."

01/07/2024 at 12:34 PM Permalink

2022 Single Block Pinot Noirs - The World of Fine Wine Review

The soil type of each of the Single Block Pinot Noirs underpins their unique profiles. Our Ruscello block’s terroir is silty grey loam over white gravelly clay. The Il Giardino block sits over a cracking black and red clay base over patches of gravelly chalky limestone deposits. While the terroir of La Roccia is mostly terra rossa soil, with a crumbly red topsoil and deep red clay over marl clay with limestone chalk and mudstone bedrock. 

Reduced yields allow the vines to focus its energy to their root system, delving deeper and wider into the soil to absorb more minerals and nutrients. All three Single Block Pinot Noirs are vinified the same way, highlighting each individual terroir.

UK wine writer Sarah Ahmed from The World of Fine Wine recently reviewed these terroir focused wines in an feature on Tasmanian wines. To read the full article follow this link. Our 2022 Il Giardino and La Roccia recieved equal top points with the 2022 Tolpuddle Pinot Noir. Continue to read on for the reviews of our 2022 Single Block Pinot Noirs:-

2022 Ruscello Single Block Pinot Noir  -  95 Points 
'From a parcel near a small creek on silt over porous gravelly clay, anise and cinnamon soar alongside the deep-scented, sweet, ripe fruit. The palate is lithe, with supple acidity, black, red, and blue berry, cherry, currant, plum fruit, and subtle radicchio and mulch hints. Layered and expansive, warm terra-cotta tannins support. Sensual, with the balance and stature to age well'

2022 La Roccia Single Block Pinot Noir  -  96+ Points 
'A shower of fine, mouth-coating, millefeuille tannins, which cloak and enmesh the fruit, lending gravitas. With time and air, it reveals glimpses of a seam of red cherry/cherrystone, blackcurrant, and blueberry fruit, yet to be mined. Chalky, mineral acidity maintains the flow. Classy oak polishes to a fine sheen. Impressive structure from a hillside block on deep red clay marl over clay, with limestone bedrock. Embryonic.'

2022 Il Giardino Single Block Pinot Noir  -  96+ Points 
'Located adjacent to La Roccia, with a more northerly aspect and heavier silty black clay with gravel topsoil over clay and limestone. Emphatically red-fruited, with pomegranate, cranberry, cherry flesh, skin, and stone. Sappy green and inky floral riffs emerge. Sculpting bright acidity defines and animates the fruit. Graphite and chalk spray tannins cleave close, tapering the youthfully inscrutable finish. Great potential.'

04/06/2024 at 11:00 AM Permalink