Henskens Rankin of Tasmania
Is sparkling wine really taken seriously? Frieda Henskens often wonders about that. It's frivolous. A drink for the ladies. A party starter. (The serious wine comes later.) When the Henskens Rankin of Tasmania 2010 Vintage Brut was named Champion Wine of Show at the 2019 Tasmanian Wine Show, the news brought barely a ripple of consumer interest.
The wine had been eight years in the making. Entries in the event included some of Australia's biggest names in traditional method winemaking. Clearly, prestige sparkling needs time to evolve, and even longer to gain respect.
More than seven years later, Henskens and husband David Rankin are still working on both.
Dr Henskens is a Kiwi-born plant physiologist. She transitioned to viticulture and then winemaking after moving to Tasmania and marrying botanist David in the early 2000s. Both had made fizzy wine as kids. Specialising in traditional method seemed a logical if somewhat nerdy extension into serious wine.
Shooting for the stars, the couple started with several tonnes of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourced from sustainability-minded growers in the Coal River Valley and on Tasman Peninsula. Their immediate goal was the creation of a no-compromise, distinctively Tasmanian sparkling wine. Luxurious bubbles.
Fifteen years on, they continue to produce wines made via traditional method with very long lees contact. That's typically 6–8 years. There's no short-cut method of building ultra-fine complexity and texture. It's small-scale and artisanal. And the task requires heroic levels of self-confidence and patience.
Henskens Rankin releases comprise just a few thousand bottles. Their enduring focus is ethical and sustainable production, including vegan-friendly status.
Early wines were made using space and equipment at Winemaking Tasmania, not far from Hobart Airport. Nowadays the business has the luxury of its own space and equipment in the heart of the ultra-cool Huon Valley.
Ranelagh's celebrated Home Hill Wines is minutes away by car.
The winemaking process is not just one of continual re-invention. Vintage variations bring something new each year. Knowledge, skill and intuition are tested to the max. A larger net than ever before is being cast to obtain fruit that meets the couple's exacting demands.
Vineyard sources are far-flung, with fruit from White Hills (Tamar Valley) and the Derwent Valley doing much of the heavy-lifting, but with the support of additional sites in and around the North West; the Coal River Valley and Cambridge; Sorell and Tasman Peninsula; along with the Huon Valley.
The Henskens Rankin of Tasmania portfolio comprises classically-inspired Vintage Brut, Blanc de Blancs and Brut Rosé.
Meanwhile, media and wine show acclamation continue to roll on by. The current 2015 Vintage Brut is rated 97 points by the UK's Decanter magazine.
And that all-important consumer interest? You be the judge.
Key details:
- Frieda Henskens: owner/operator
- David Rankin: owner/operator
- Kilian Henskens Rankin: client liaison, Melbourne
Vineyard/cellar door address:
4/14–20 Louisa Street, Ranelagh, TAS 7109
Postal address:
PO Box 67, Sandy Bay, TAS 7006
Telephone:
- Landline: +61 (3) 6288 8508
- Mobile: +61 (0) 428 447 105
Email:
info@henskensrankin.com
Website:
www.henskensrankin.com
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites contributing to Henskens Rankin of Tasmania traditional method highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions in the State. Consider: Kimberley, NW Tasmania (MJT 17.7°C; 1081 GDD) Winkleigh, West Tamar (MJT 15.4°C; 1131 GDD) and Sorell, Coal River Valley (MJT 17.8°C; 1163 GDD).
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 Arthur Highway, Sorell 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 535mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 305mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 124mm
- Mean January temperature: 17.8°C
- Growing degree-days: 1163 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: 8
*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: January 2026