2022 Common Wine Schönburger/Riesling $36
Simon Nankivell figures among the growing number of small-batch Tasmanian winemakers who joined the industry in recent years after they developed a passion for cool-climate wines and headed south.
Now 10 years on from completing his Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Oenology, the bloke from Balaklava – north of Adelaide – is back out in the country once again. He's full-time winemaker at Home Hill in the Huon Valley. A great gig!
Common Wine is Nankivell's side-hustle, when time and opportunity permit.
The label was brought to life in 2021 and has received strong support on the local events calendar ever since.
Little wonder. He makes good, interesting wines…
Nankivell is a big fan of the aromatic early-ripening white grape Schönburger and I'm an equally big fan of the variety's use in this very smart blend from the Tamar Valley. Riesling is an ideal partner, giving the wine plenty of length on the palate and balancing out the fruit richness with a neat shot of cool-climate natural acidity.
'Fulsome and delicious' sums up this 2022 vintage, which was the product of an excellent year in the Tamar. It was warm and very dry, despite the wet start, and crops were small but high quality.
This is a ripper of a wine to drink and enjoy right now. It was a chance discovery at Oatlands' increasingly popular Kentish Hotel, barely two minutes from the Midland Highway (A1), connecting north and south of the State.
The wine opened the batting there with a Starters platter of freshly-shucked Boomer Bay oysters. It was a superb match for the Prawn Pasta main – a dish cleverly crafted from hand-rolled pasta, fresh cherry tomatoes, lightly-spiced prawns, white wine and Tuscan kale.
Extended skin-contact has given this Common Wine a very distinct and uncommon hue in the glass – an engaging topaz/garnet shade of ochre.
The aromatics, meanwhile, are likewise attractive and prompt further investigation. They're spicy/floral, not quite as expressive as Gewürztraminer but heading in that direction.
Juicy/spicy flavours, also à la Gewürztraminer, are neatly interwoven with lime/citrus notes, all making their presence known but with the kind of restraint needed to avoid sensory overload. Acidity is palate-cleansing rather than bright and refreshing. Food-friendly.
Boaz ('Bo') Haveman is the young Oatlands dude who meets and greets you at what's become known as the Vintish Wine Bar. The venture opened in December 2025 and is owned and operated by Marten Cullity, who is also licensee of the up-and-coming Ross Hotel (formerly the Man O'Ross Hotel).
Haveman is a Dutch national but has become über-passionate about Tasmania and Tasmanian wines since taking up residence here. Vintish Wine Bar's wine list is 'small but perfectly well-formed' as they say.
It's already acquired a bit of celebrity and is among the 17 licensed venues shortlisted for People's Choice Best Wine List in the 2026 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year. The initiative is currently being promoted by industry body Wine Tasmania.
Click HERE to cast your vote.
Common Wine's 2022 Schönburger/Riesling is well-priced at $36 RRP.
Stockists other than Vintish Wine Bar (Oatlands) include Five Leaves Left (Hobart CBD), Bevs Hobart (Hobart CBD), Harvest and Light (Geeveston) and Ogee Restaurant (North Hobart).
Source: Vintish Wine Bar, Oatlands
Last page update: 27 October 2026