Holm Oak Vineyards

06/27/2025

Holm Oak at Rowella – north of Launceston – blends 19th century heritage with 21st century winemaking flair. The Tamar Valley property was first settled in the late 1800s by architect and botanist Alexander North, who named it after the holm oak trees he established there.

North's unsuccessful foray into producing timber for tennis racquets in the 1930s saw the site turn to apple-growing before Justice Edward Butler and his son Nicholas planted vines there in 1983. Expansion in 1991 saw Riesling appear alongside the site's Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Bec Duffy entered the scene in 2004 when her parents Ian and Robyn Wilson purchased the property. 

Born and raised on King Island, Duffy had enjoyed a very successful but brief career as a cheesemaker before heading to Adelaide and obtaining her Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Oenology) in 1998.  Her three years with WA producer Capel Vale Wines was marked by a period of very rapid expansion in wine production. Duffy took it all in her stride, making award-winning wines along the way.

She and her viticulturist husband Tim have developed their initial 6ha of vines to Holm Oak's present-day 18ha. Property ownership transferred to the couple in 2013, marking a significant milestone in their journey. Duffy's Tasmanian Rural Women's Award – in 2016 – marked another.

Tim Duffy has never been one to let the grass grow under his feet. Born and raised near Swan Hill in Victoria, he comes from a long line of viticulturists. His two dozen or so vintages on the family vineyard at Nyah was punctuated by brief stints as a tax accountant and agronomist.

Duffy's prime focus at Holm Oak has been to develop and support vineyard specialisation in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. That's complemented by varietal Pinot Gris, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Shiraz. Bec Duffy's smart Pinot Noir Rosé and Cabernet Merlot blend are popular choices at the cellar door. 

The range of traditional method and sweet wines includes NV Sparkling and NV Sparkling Rosé, together with a Moscato pair, made from purchased fruit grown on the Duffy family's Nyah vineyard.

Grape varieties at Holm Oak are matched to vineyard blocks that best suit them. The geography and geology here are both complex. Sandy loams and ancient sediments form a patchwork dotted with outcrops of volcanic rock and gravelly ironstone clays.

Less complex is the couple's no-nonsense approach to grape-growing and winemaking. Viticultural rigour and winemaking innovation have placed Holm Oak at the cutting edge of Tasmania's cool-climate wine industry. Its cellar door experiences are among the best you'll find anywhere in the country. 

It was a gold award winner in the 2025 Tasmanian Tourism Awards (Wineries category):

'Since 2006 they have followed their dream of crafting delicious expressions of cool-climate Tasmanian wines. They are creative winemakers, pushing boundaries and trying new techniques, crafting world-class small-parcel wines. Their complementary skills drive their vision to produce wines that reflect their Tamar Valley home, and which remain true to their own personalities – honest, down-to-earth, genuine and authentic. Their welcoming cellar door is a destination worthy of any itinerary, providing engaging and interactive experiences unique to Tasmania.'

Key details:

  • Bec Duffy: owner/winemaker

  • Tim Duffy: owner/viticulturist

Vineyard/cellar door address:

11 West Bay Road, Rowella, TAS 7270

Telephone:

  • General enquiries:  +61 (0) 3 6394 7577
  • General enquiries: +61 (0) 439 408 933
  • Cellar door enquiries: +61 (0) 455 027 899

Email:

  • General enquiries: admin@holmoakvineyards.com.au
  • Cellar door enquiries: cellardoor@holmoakvineyards.com.au

Website:

www.holmoakvineyards.com.au

Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied

Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.

Growing conditions in the Tamar Valley fall under the moderating influence of the river itself. Consider: Eversley Vines (MJT 17.7°C; 1065 GDD) and Evenfall (MJT 18.4°C; 1230 GDD). Coolest vs warmest sites.

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 Rowella, 1995-2024:

  • Total annual average rainfall: 785mm
  • Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 363mm
  • Average autumn rainfall: 184mm
  • Mean January temperature: 18.1°C
  • Growing degree-days: 1234 GDD
  • Average no of hot days (35°C or more) per year: 0
  • Average no of cold days (minimum 4°C or less) Sept 1-April 30: 7

*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