Seeking expressions of interest in Southern/Eastern Tasmania wine tour

[QF WP]

I'll look forward to getting a PM from you on whatever Tour you choose for me to attend. Now to find some clients in Tassie...

 

[RooFlyer]

Other than the first 'tester' tour, any future Tas wine tours will be advertised openly on a thread and will be on a first-come-first-served basis. I'll probably advertise a couple of dates at any one time.

 

[QF WP]

*bump*

Any further with this suggestion RooFlyer?

 

[RooFlyer]

We are on this weekend for the 'tester' trip. Weather is looking cold and wet!

Once done, I'll ask opinions from those who went then will start organising the open tour

 

[QF WP]

Quite normal Tassie weather then - perfect for a winery tour, having a drink

 

[RooFlyer]

I was going to post this in the 'view from my office' thread (my flight back to HBA last Saturday), but thought I might scare everyone away ...

We'll have a nice crackling fire on Saturday night!

 

[drron]

I've been through snow in Burnie.That little bit isn't going to scare me!

 

[gwilli1]

i missed this ...Following

 

[RooFlyer]

Just a notice to anyone subscribed to this thread. We've just done the experimental 2 day wine tour with a van load of guinea pigs and it showed a number of things.

First and foremost a two day tour wouldn't be practical. The purpose of thinking about two days was to get up to my favourite wine stamping ground, namely the east coast of Tassie. However it would be just too far, especially in a bus and with a group of 20+ and the cost of putting the driver up and feeding and watering him/her would be a significant additional cost. This is a shame because I think people thought that my favourite winery, Freycinet had some of the best wines from the wineries we visited.

So, I will be running a one day southern Tas tour sometime later this year on a Saturday and it will be centred on the Coal River Valley, just out of Hobart and close to the airport. There are plenty of wineries there in a short distance and we could easily do 3, plus lunch. I'm tossing up whether to start at somewhere like Moorilla (at MONA, in Hobart's outskirts) - its a stunning location but the guinea pigs didn't rate the wines that highly when we visited.

Although our lunch at Frogmore Creek recently was sensational, I'm not sure it that would be practical for a group of 20 or more, so it might have to be one of the more casual places, such as Pooley's.

If people are staying over until Sunday, then a leisurely lunch at Frogmore Creek would be on the cards.

Timing: Unfortunately my client is umming and arring about when they need me back in Canada; probably August, maybe also in September. So October is a likely month. People are welcome to tell me about which weekend(s) would be a bad choice (major event clashes, school hols etc) and any preferred dates.

 

[Bindibuys]

Sept/Oct out for us, but keep us in the loop for other weekends.

 

[QF WP]

I spoke briefly to UpInTheAir yesterday and learnt a little bit about the trip. I'm still interested but I have a 2 week holiday in Cairns in September/October with the family, so that may take me out of any October Do.

 

[TheBOSman]

November 5th or 6th!

 

[TomVexille]

Certainly still interested.

 

[drron]

Interested but depends on any work.Other commitments on last weekend in Tassie.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'd missed this thread. Now I'm subscribed. The wineries were the highlight of our Tassie trip earlier this year. We actually enjoyed the Coal Valley wineries.

 

[Steady]

Did you visit the Tamar Valley? thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Did you visit the Tamar Valley? thoughts?

Yep! Loved the Tamar Valley....in fact we went back for a 2nd go at it! I really enjoyed the wines

(don't tell anyone......especially not Buzz, but I thought the cold climate wines pipped the Claire Valley ones )

 

[Steady]

Did you have a top 3-4 cellar doors from your Tamar visits?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Did you have a top 3-4 cellar doors from your Tamar visits?

Well I'm no wine connoisseur, but I enjoyed nearly every one of the wineries we visited. The wines generally were very nice and it came to sundry quirks that made the difference. We really enjoyed the wineries that allowed us to taste (for free), and then buy a bottle and order some nibbles and sit back and just enjoy life! There was just one winery we disliked so perhaps I should just mention that one. The wine was nice, but they were a rip-off merchant and I'll tell you why. We booked a table in their restaurant for lunch. Pre lunch, we partook in some wine tasting and a nice Pinot Gris we both liked was actually on special for circa $20. The purchase went something like this:

"Great...we'll have a bottle to enjoy over lunch!"
"Yes, sir, that's $40."
"er, no it's $20??"
"Sorry sir, if you wish to consume it in the restaurant, we have to charge full price."
"Really. OK we'll cancel the lunch, and have the fruit and cheese plate in the garden."
"Certainly Sir, that'll be $30 for the wine and $14 for the platter."
"er, no it's $20??"
"Sorry Sir, if you wish to consume it in the garden, we have a surcharge over the special price."
":shock:....you're joking, right?"
"Oh no sir."
"OK, I'll have the special price, the cheese and fruit plate and two glasses of water, thank you!"
"Certainly Sir, that'll be $20 plus $14 for the cheese and fruit plate."
"Excellent"

The water went on the garden and the wine surreptitiously found its way into the glasses! That place was Josef Chromy Wines and I'll never buy another bottle of theirs simply because I dislike blantant rip offs. (Note....the figures mentioned above is from a poor memory, but will give the idea)

I really enjoyed "Bay of Fires" at Pipers River......but that's possibly because I do like the House of Arras range. Unfortunately, the Arras Grand Vintage was not available for tasting that day.....but I did enjoy their Rosé.........

 

[Deleted member 29185]

You'll have to excuse my lack of notes about the winery names, but my wife has most of the photos and she's a few thousand miles away from me just now!

The "nibbles" at Bay of Fires!




A nice little winery in the Coal Valley



Canapes at Hobart



A wonderful little winey toward Freycinet.



.....and the view!! (Pizza was good as well!)