6 Best Wineries in the Tamar Valley Not to Miss

There are a few reasons to visit Tasmania. Stunning landscapes, world-class beaches, fresh produce, first-class restaurants, and of course wine. During our two months in Tasmania, we spent most of our time hiking some of the best multi-day walks in Tasmania, sampling some of the best oysters, and drinking copious amounts of Tasmanian wine.

We tried the wines from Coal Valley near Hobart, along the Great Eastern Drive on the east coast of Tasmania, in the rolling hills of the Pipers River wine region, and along the shores of the Tamar River in the Tamar Valley. And of all of the wine regions in Tasmania that we sampled, the ones we loved the most were those from the Tamar Valley.

Visiting the best wineries in the Tamar Valley below requires your own vehicle or a driver (which we highly recommend if you want to partake in the wine tasting). Many of these wineries, however, can also be visited by a tour group, and there are many tours available from Launceston.

If you would like to book a private tour, we recommend booking a tour with Tamar Valley Food and Wine Boutique Tours. Jan is extremely knowledgeable about the area and can personalize the tour to suit your desires. On the tour, you may also have the opportunity to visit a gin factory and a brewery and taste many local Tasmanian products.

If you would rather join an organized tour, Prestige Tours Tasmania offers tours to five or six wineries and includes lunch. The tour is capped at six people providing an intimate small group, perfect for a day of wine tasting in the Tamar Valley.

The Best Wineries in the Tamar Valley

So which wineries are the best wineries in the Tamar Valley to visit? With over 25 wineries in the Tamar Valley, it is hard to know which ones to visit. Luckily, we did a little bit of the legwork for you. Here are our favorite Tamar Valley wineries to visit.

Loira Vines

Loira Vines is easily one of the best wineries in the Tamar Valley. Run by a charming publican and his wife and little girl, the family at Loira Vines makes you feel welcome immediately upon arrival.

Their wines range from pinot gris and chardonnay to pinot noir and shiraz. We found that we preferred their white varietals over their red varietals, but it was hard to choose!

Not only does Loira Vines offer delectable wines, but they also dabble in apple cider and beer both made with ingredients farmed locally. We couldn’t decide which one we liked better and ended up taking a sample of each with us home!

And while we didn’t enjoy one ourselves, the local produce platters looked AMAZING! We definitely recommend grabbing a light lunch here and dining on one of these before continuing your quest to find the best wineries in the Tamar Valley!

Swinging Gate Vineyard

Our friends who come to Tasmania regularly and love all things Tasmania had told us about Swinging Gate and urged us to visit. A quick check on Google revealed a glowing 5-star review which made us a little hesitant. Is it actually possible for a winery to satisfy everyone’s taste buds?

Well, we decided to check it out for ourselves. And what we found was that Swinging Gate Vineyard is great and does in fact cater to a wide range of pallets hence the glowing reviews! From pet nats to pinots from sparkling apple cider to chardonnay, Swinging Gate Vineyard is one of the best wineries in the Tamar Valley to visit.

Marion’s Vineyard

Marion’s Vineyard offers something unique to Tasmania. In a sea of chardonnay and pinot noirs, Marion’s Vineyard is breaking the mold and producing big, bold reds that are more commonly found in other parts of the world.

While we have been greatly enjoying the chardies and pinots that abound in Tassy, our heart is fully devoted to the full-bodied reds. We love a good shiraz, a spicy tempranillo, daring tannats, and more. So it is no surprise that we fell in love with Marion’s Vineyard and why we think it is one of the best wineries in the Tamar Valley.

With daring reds such as a Cabernet Franc, a Tempranillo, Syrah (Marion’s is owned by an American), and a unique variety called Cascade. But if you are not a red lover like us, you can also find a variety of whites such as pinot gris and other unique blends such as flowerdance, a blend of Muscat, Muller Thürgau and Gewürtz.

Needless to say, if you are looking for a bit of variety and uniqueness in the Tamar Valley, head over to Marion’s Vineyard!

Update: Marion’s Vineyard was recently announced as being one of the best new wineries in Australia in the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion!

Stoney Rise

We were recommended Stoney Rise from the lady running the show at Sinapius in the Pipers River wine region. A local who had worked in a variety of wineries throughout the Tamar Valley and the Pipers River wine region, we were instantly convinced.

Stony Rise is beautifully positioned on a hill overlooking the Tamar River. Historically a chardy and pinot vineyard, the lovely family at Stoney Rise are also looking to shake things up in the Tamar Valley. While their chardonnay and pinots rival any of those in Tasmania, check out their unique varietals such as Gruner Veltliner and Trousseau. It is rare to see even one of these at a vineyard in Tasmania, let alone two!

Beautiful Isle

Beautiful Isle may be the smallest vineyard on the list, but it still deserves a seat at the table as one of the best wineries in the Tamar Valley. Beautiful Isle was even awarded the best small cellar door award in Northern Tasmania in 2019 from Gourmet Traveller Wine.

Owned by the same family that runs Marion’s Vineyard, this small boutique winery in the Tamar Valley is not one to miss. While their varietals may not be as bold and daring as the ones found at Marion’s Vineyard, but they are as delicious.

These ready to drink wines range from sauvignon blanc to chardonnays and pinot noir to cabernet sauvignon.

The Beautiful Isle cellar door is by reservation only.

Wharton Hall Wines

A reservation or event only cellar door, Wharton Hall Wines is easily one of the best wineries in the Tamar Valley. Run by two couples, these guys excel at cool climate wines

While their wine list is short with only four options to choose from, it is clear that these guys know what they are doing when it comes to wine. Choose from their award-winning viognier or one of their lovely shiraz, but you are bound to be wowed!

The best way to taste the wines of Wharton Hall Wines is by booking one of their lovely tours or attending one of their pop-up cellar doors. Groups are also welcome to taste and lunch at Wharton Hall by reservation only.

Where to Stay Near the Tamar Valley

The best place to stay when visiting the Tamar Valley wine region is in Launceston. Launceston offers the best accommodation, great dining options, and plenty of other things to do in the area.

The Dragonfly Inn

The Dragonfly Inn is a beautiful bed and breakfast located just on the outskirts of the city center of Launceston. This small B&B includes spacious rooms that have been beautifully decorated. A self-check-in system makes checking in here a breeze and the self-serve breakfast is a great way to start your morning.

Change Overnight 

Change Overnight offers furnished one, two, and three bedroom apartments in the heart of Launceston each equipped with everything for a comfortable stay. Not only is Change Overnight stylish and comfortable, but they are also committed to sustainable travel. This means no single-use plastics, water-efficient plumbing, renewable energy, and the investment of a percentage of each stay back into the community.

With all of these great sustainable efforts by Change Overnight, staying here is a hard one to pass up.

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That rounds up our list of the best wineries in the Tamar Valley. Whether you prefer the cool climate wines of chardonnay and pinot noir or prefer bold reds such as tempranillo and cabernet francs, the Tamar Valley has something for everyone.

And if you haven’t had enough wine in Tasmania yet, consider visiting the Pipers River wine region east of the Tamar Valley for award-winning sparkling wines!

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