International Pinot Noir Day with Stefano Lubiana Wines

Celebrate International Pinot Noir today by cracking your best cellared Pinot Noir tonight!

It is no secret that some sectors of the Australian wine industry are experiencing challenging times. Tastes change. Health and lighter styles are more in focus. People are more educated about what they eat and drink, and perhaps, increasingly, they are consuming less but looking for higher quality, precision and organic/biodynamic purity.

Australian food itself has changed. Our cooking has become lighter, fresher and more adventurous. Worldwide flavours have found their way into our kitchens, while the Sunday lunch of roast meat and rich sauce is appearing less often, making way for BBQ quail, fresh pastas and truffle risotto amongst other delicious options.

Wine seems to be following the same path. More and more consumers are moving towards wines that are more elegant and finely composed.  Listening to those who visit our Cellardoor, the attraction of organic and biodynamic wines is a combination of health, texture and balance. Overall from my observations, our palates become more sophisticated. In this we are learning that power doesn't necessarily have to announce itself. That is Pinot Noir.

Our climate allows the variety to take its time. The fruit develops flavour without needing to become heavy, and the resulting wine can have an intensity that isn't immediately obvious. It reveals itself gradually in texture, fragrance, length and detail.

At Stefano Lubiana, Stefano & Marco put all their energy and passion into the vineyard and maturation process. 

In 2024 we were rewarded when our 2022 La Roccia Pinot Noir was recognised by James Suckling as the best wine in Australia.

Last year our 2023 Il Giardino Pinot Noir was recognised by James Suckling in the Top 100 wines in Australia, as our best scoring Pinot Noir.

This year, the London International Wine Challenge recognised our 2024 Estate Pinot Noir as Australia's best Pinot Noir, by winning the trophy.

Pinot Noir has long been treasured in Burgundy, where the great wines of France can command extraordinary prices,  sometimes $300, $500 or even more than $1,000 a bottle. Village Burgundy from established producers, made from fruit with a little less pedigree, can still attract prices of $100–$150 and more.

Here in Tasmania, we can grow Pinot Noir in a cool climate that allows the variety to express exactly the qualities that make it so sought after around the world. This shows our customers the value of our Pinot Noirs.

Thankful and grateful for your support of Stefano Lubiana Wines, we spend our days tending vines, watching the weather, making small decisions and striving year after year to make genuinely excellent wines. Enjoy a great Pinot Noir for yourself tonight!

18/08/2026 at 8:00 AM Permalink

Six Generations in Every Bottle

There is a saying that great wine is measured not in vintages, but in generations. I was fortunate to be born into a family where wine was simply part of everyday life. Long before I understood fermentation or terroir, I was running around my father's winery in the Riverland, kicking barrels, asking questions and getting under everyone's feet.

Life was wonderfully uncomplicated. My older sisters had already left for boarding school, so my days were spent riding bikes, helping Mum fix whatever needed repairing, hunting rabbits with the family dog, and occasionally finding  mischief with the local kids. My grandparents lived with us, and one of my strongest memories is watching my grandfather blend wine at the kitchen table. Beside him was a weathered chart that fascinated me as a child. Years later, I realised it was a lunar calendar. Looking back now, I suspect that was the first seed of biodynamic thinking quietly taking root in my mind.

Growing up in Moorook, between Loxton and Kingston on the Murray River, wine wasn't a career choice it was our family's language. As fifth-generation winemakers, every season added another chapter to a story already well over a century in the making. Like many children of migrant families, my parents valued education deeply. Boarding school in Adelaide opened the world beyond our small town, followed by a year as an exchange student in Maryland, USA. Returning home, I studied Oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College before heading overseas to learn from some of Europe's great wine regions.

Champagne changed everything. Working for Bauchet Pere et Fils (est 1920), I discovered not only the extraordinary precision required to make traditional method sparkling wine, but also a philosophy of patience and craftsmanship that has stayed with me ever since. Every bottle represented generations of accumulated knowledge. It was impossible not to be inspired. A second internship at Castello di Ama in Chianti reinforced another lesson. The world's most respected wines are inseparable from the places and families that produce them.

When I returned to Australia, I knew I wanted to build something that reflected those values. My father quietly supported that ambition, investing in traditional Champagne equipment that allowed me to begin my journey with sparkling wine while still working in the Riverland. It was a thoughtful gift of confidence from one generation to the next. In 1987 I met Monique. She shared my belief that if we were going to build something meaningful, we needed to do it together. That same year we leased my father's winery, producing wines for Australia's growing export market while continuing to make méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines, many of which were bottled for ‘The Wine Society’. We married in 1988. 

Then came the decision that would shape the rest of our lives, Tasmania. Long before Tasmania became one of Australia's most celebrated cool-climate wine regions, we believed its future was extraordinary. After an exhaustive search, we found our home at Granton: a north-facing hillside with free-draining soils, abundant sunshine, reliable water and virtually no frost risk. Before planting a single vine, we tested every inch of the property for heavy metals and chemical residues. Organic farming was never an afterthought, it was a condition of buying the land. We wanted healthy soils that could sustain not only our generation, but those still to come.

Today, biodynamics sits naturally alongside that philosophy. It isn't about chasing trends; it's about creating living vineyards capable of expressing place with honesty and vitality. 36 years later, we remain convinced that Tasmania was the right decision. The vineyard has matured, and so have we.

One of the great privileges of generational winemaking is that every generation inherits the lessons of those before it. Much like the finest family domaines, experience accumulates. Each generation refines rather than reinvents. Since 2018 our son Marco, and his wife Phoebe, play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of Lubiana wines. Watching the sixth generation step forward is one of the greatest rewards of our journey.

Our wines have evolved with the vineyard. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay remain at the heart of everything we do. At the pinnacle sits Sasso Pinot Noir, followed by our single-block expressions Ruscello, Il Giardino, and La Roccia, each revealing a different interpretation of our site. Estate Pinot Noir has been produced every year since 1996, reflecting the character of every vintage. While Primavera Pinot Noir continues to deliver remarkable generosity and value year after year. Chardonnay plantings have expanded to support both traditional-method sparkling wines and future single-site Chardonnay bottlings. Small parcels of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Malvasia remain largely reserved for our cellar door and restaurant partners, alongside tiny productions of cool-climate Syrah and our Merlot/Malbec blend, Chicane.

Every wine tells part of our family's story. Looking back, there were moments when the road seemed impossibly difficult. Building a vineyard from bare ground always asks more than you imagine. There were sacrifices, disappointments and years when perseverance mattered more than optimism. Would we choose the same path knowing everything we know today? Without hesitation. Because the greatest reward was never simply producing wine. It was creating something that could outlive Monique and I.

This limited Museum Collection captures that journey. Each bottle represents not only a particular vintage, but a chapter in six generations of family winemaking, from the lessons learnt around my grandfather's kitchen table to the biodynamic vineyards we are privileged to steward today. We hope that as you open each bottle, you taste not only the wine, but the generations behind it.

Cheers, Stefano (Steve) Lubiana
 

22/07/2026 at 12:00 PM Permalink

Introducing the 2025 Primavera Pinot Noir

The 2025 vintage is another reminder of why Southern Tasmania continues to produce exceptional Pinot Noir. After 36 years of growing Pinot Noir here in Tasmania we are inspired by what our remarkable sites in Granton and Cradoc can deliver year after year - wines of character, balance and consistency.

Surrounded by the ocean, Tasmania is naturally protected from prolonged extreme heat. Instead, our vineyards enjoy subtle warmth, with afternoon temperatures often reaching the high 20’s before cooling again in the afternoon as the sun dips and the afternoon breeze sweeps through the valleys. These moderate conditions allow the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly compared to other regions.

Pinot Noir reaches its finest expression when ripening is gradual. Here in Tasmania's southern latitudes, our long daylight hours provide extended sunlight without excessive heat. That slower journey to harvest builds flavour, preserves freshness and creates the elegance for which Southern Tasmanian Pinot Noir is renowned.

The 2025 Primavera Pinot Noir captures this season beautifully. The aroma is undeniably Pinot Noir, fragrant stock flowers mingle with amiable musk, spice and vanilla, finishing with a hint of dark citrus chinotto. Compared with the bright summer berry characters of the 2024 vintage, the 2025 offers greater savoury complexity and aromatic depth.

This vintage is especially rewarding displaying more savoury pinot noir. In many ways, the 2025 Primavera leans more towards a village style of French Pinot Noir. The palate is concentrated yet beautifully composed. Brooding black cherry fruit is framed by firm, mineral tannins, all wrapped in a generous, plush texture. Layers of blackberry and raspberry bring energy and drive, carrying the wine through to a long and balanced finish.

This is a wine that reflects not only a memorable Tasmanian summer, but also the confidence that comes from decades of understanding our vineyard sites and Tasmania’s climate. We hope that, enjoy this wine with your next meal, you'll be reminded of those long warm, carefree summer days we are so longing for as we write to you this winter!

10/07/2026 at 12:10 PM Permalink

Behind the Scenes: Harvest at Our Biodynamic Winery

At our biodynamic estate we often see Easter as more than a holiday, it is a part of harvest, often falling when we are picking grapes or fermenting wine. While it is an essential time for work, Easter is also a time for celebration and sharing a meal. 

Harvest starts before sunrise, when the vineyard is still wrapped in dewy air. This is the moment we’ve been working toward all year, and suddenly everything is alive with purpose.

This season, our small but mighty team is made up of four dedicated winemakers, Stefano, Marco, Jordan and Louis. Four eager interns, Jake, Emilie, Simon and Henri. Our experienced vineyard crew of Lorenzo, Liam, Ross and Josh lead the team of 30 pickers.  Each person plays a vital role in bringing this vintage to life, Phoebe & Monique support the entire team.

Harvest days start early. Our vineyard team hand-picks ripe bunches row by row.  We are in tune with the moon and harvest according to taste and ripeness. The perfection and obsession of growing our grapes takes an enormous amount of work, knowledge and foresight.

Once the fruit arrives at the winery, the pace shifts from the vineyard's rhythm. The winemakers take over, guiding each parcel of fruit with care and intuition. Decisions of when to press, how to ferment, and what to leave untouched are made with clarity. Every vintage is different, and that’s part of the excitement.

In the winery, our interns quickly learn that harvest isn’t as romantic as it is portrayed on social media.  It's long hours, but it’s also the most immersive way to understand the many steps in producing high quality wine.

For us, biodynamic winemaking isn’t just a method, it’s a philosophy. It’s about respect for the land, for the people who work it, and for the wine that eventually finds its way into your glass.

When you open one of our bottles, you’re not just tasting grapes in their most pure form. You’re tasting the expression of crisp early summer mornings, beautiful pinky blue early evening skies, and the many untold unique characters of this season.  If you’d like to experience this vintage as it unfolds, our current releases offer a glimpse into that story.  Each bottle is a reflection of the same care, rhythm, and place we have brought to your table for many years.

30/03/2026 at 3:15 PM Permalink

Harvest 2026 Update

Harvest is just around the corner. We traditionally begin picking in late February or early March, depending on the season. As always, we start with our low-yielding sparkling fruit once it reaches 10–11 baumé.

This year has been an unusually cool season. Spring brought very little frost, but it was windy and showery. Summer so far has been cool and somewhat patchy, with a mix of overcast days with the occasional burst of warmth above 25°C.

Thankfully, frost impact across our vineyards has been minimal. As Stefano often says ‘site is everything’ and our Granton vineyard is a naturally safe site because it sits between 50 and 150 metres elevation, with a north facing aspect. In addition rocky, stony soils warm during the day and retain heat overnight. The Derwent River flows from the west and sweeps south, surrounding the vineyard on three sides. This allows cold air to drain away, while the river’s high flow rate, originating from Lake St Clair, helps carry cold air downstream and out the rivermouth to the sea.

Our Cradoc vineyard in the Huon Valley requires more active frost management. The Huon Valley is on average 2°C cooler than Granton and sits closer to sea level. While the vineyard fronts the Huon River at California Bay, it only has around 20% river frontage compared with Granton’s 90%. The gravelly soils act as a natural heat bank, but we also use portable frost fans positioned to push cold air towards the river, where the airflow carries it downstream.

Summer 2026 has been milder than last year, though somewhat inconsistent. One week we see mid-20°C temperatures, the next high teens with overcast skies and scattered showers. Growth has tracked slightly behind average, in other seasons we typically hedge before Christmas, but this season we began around 14th of January.

In early February, the weather has settled into a warmer, drier pattern, which is typical for this time of year. Our warmest days usually arrive through February and into March. Consequently these are some of the best months to visit Tasmania.

We have completed fruit thinning, a standard practice that ensures the crop level matches the season’s ripening capacity. This helps us achieve balanced yields and wines with concentration, flavour, natural acidity and structure.

Netting is underway, and in around four weeks we expect to pick the first grapes of the season. We have an experienced team and with harvest nearly here, we’re ready!

26/02/2026 at 9:00 AM Permalink

Selector Magazine Feature

In August last year, we had Selector Magazine visit us and interview Stefano. Upon reading the article released this week, it has made us reflect on our journey over 35 years. From ambitious and challenging beginnings, through decades of hard work and determination, to now making wines of distinction and every year in pursuit of making the best wine from the vineyard.

There were delightful quotes from industry stalwarts Michael Hill Smith MW, James Halliday and Jancis Robinson MW. To read the full article follow the link to Wine Selector's website below.

23/01/2026 at 11:00 AM Permalink