Cathedral Rock
Andrea Kitto and Jamie Cowen had a deep and abiding love of their small bush block and former dairy farm at Sandfly – south of Hobart – so when they planted Pinot Noir and found the wine made their hearts race they just had to plant more. That was back in 2004.
The couple's winemaking hobby has evolved organically over the years. Now it features a relaxed and homely cellar door and neat-as-a-pin viticulture. That noted, they've never lost sight of what it was that drew them into wine. A love of land and nature.
Kitto and Cowen both have significant farming backgrounds. Indeed, their Sandfly property is a small mixed farming operation that includes production of a diverse array of crops – from the hay that feeds their horses to tiny, purple-flowered saffron and tasty small fruits, including blueberries.
Beehives play host to busy little pollinators that create honey for family and visitors alike.
The couple's interest in geology provided the 1.2ha vineyard with its interesting name. Cathedral Rock is a distinctive nearby landform, characterised by dolerite and fossil‑rich Permian sandstone that also underlies parts of the property.
Shallow, free-draining soils impose natural limits on vine vigour. That encourages the deep root systems that help drive fruit expression and what the couple say is a special quality that reflects their vineyard terroir.
Long, even ripening over summer comes with the added benefits of cool night-time temperatures and good air drainage down the valley.
The vineyard was established with Pinot Noir grown from locally-sourced cuttings. Subsequent expansions (2010, 2015 and 2017) have seen the addition of newer, certified clonal selections. The introduction of Pinot Gris (2014 and 2018) and Riesling (2018) now provide a neat 50:50 mix of whites and reds on the site, with Pinot Gris accounting for 40 percent of the vineyard area.
Viognier and Shiraz – grown by Cowen on a managed site in the Coal River Valley – contribute to an attractive, aromatic small-batch Shiraz Viognier blend. The same varieties also play a role in periodic production of Cathedral Rock's popular vintage Rosé.
Rapier-like young Riesling is made when seasonal conditions at Cathedral Rock favour a classic, cool-climate Tasmanian style. Re-releases of back vintages are planned.
Harvest is late in these parts. Picking usually commences in late April/early May, with the occasional warm year bringing schedules forward a week or two.
Fruit is carefully hand-sorted in the vineyard before being transported to Frogmore Creek Wines at Cambridge, where industry veteran Alain Rousseau works his magic.
Cellar door stocks are minuscule in volume and make vineyard visits well worth the effort.
The nearby Longley International Hotel is great supporter of local businesses, with wines like the 2024 Pinot Gris being made available to its patrons.
Cathedral Rock is an active participant in Wine South's Spring in the Vines and the Southern Open Vineyards Weekend. The latter usually takes place prior to vintage and provides an excellent opportunity for small producers like Kitto and Cowen to lift the veil on their year in the vineyard.
Both events are especially important for Cathedral Rock. Its owners have no time for managing a website. They're too busy getting on with life.
You reap what you sow.
Key details:
- Andrea Kitto: owner/operator
- Jamie Cowen: owner/operator
- Alain Rousseau: contract winemaker, Frogmore Creek Wines
Vineyard/cellar door address:
675 Sandfly Rd, Margate TAS 7054
Telephone:
+61 (0) 438 396 769
Email:
andrea.kitto@bigpond.com
Website:
No website. Refer to Facebook and Instagram for cellar door operation
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites in the Huon Valley/D'Entrecasteaux Channel highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions here. Nandroya, Two Bud Spur (both MJT 14.8°C; 622 GDD) and Bruny Island Premium Wines (MJT 15.4°C; 747 GDD) appear to be the coolest sites south of Hobart.
Tinderbox Vineyard (MJT 17.3°C; 1088 GDD) and Trial Bay Estate (MJT 17.1°C; 1044 GDD) are the warmest.
Vineyard sites on the Australian mainland are far warmer than those in Tasmania.
South Australia's Piccadilly Valley* (MJT 20.4°C; 1730 GDD) and Macedon Ranges* (MJT 19.9°C; 1365 GDD) in Victoria are regarded as the coolest GIs in their respective States.
Climate data* for Sandfly Road 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 899mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 464mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 198mm
- Mean January temperature: 16.5°C
- Growing degree-days: 905 GDD
- Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 1
- Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 21
*Source: My Climate View, utilising past data from the Bureau of Meteorology and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Funded by the Australian Government.
Last page update: March 2026