Laurel Bank
In the 1970s, Kerry and Laurel Carland spent a year travelling through Europe in a VW Kombi. Along the way, they encountered Laurel Bank, part of the iconic Isle of Man motorcycle circuit. The name was committed to memory for more than a decade until the couple began their small hobby vineyard at Granton in 1986.
Laurel Bank – above the River Derwent, 20km north of Hobart – sprang into life with the planting of 1500 vines. It was a mixed bag – Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Subsequently enlarged to 2ha with the addition of Sauvignon Blanc, the quiet achiever made its mark at the 1995 Royal Hobart Wine Show, winning the Trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor.
The Carlands still continue growing and making their tiny volumes of exquisite wine, albeit with the help of daughter Greer. She was previously senior winemaker at Winemaking Tasmania. Nowadays, she's owner of the award-winning Quiet Mutiny wine operation.
Three years after moving on from her key role at Winemaking Tasmania, Carland was selected in the Top 50 finalists for the 2019 Young Gun of Wine Winemaker of the Year awards. In 2020 and 20a1, she was shortlisted again.
Fruit from 25-year-old Laurel Bank Riesling vines has since become a mainstay of Quiet Mutiny's celebrated Charlotte's Elusion.
Recent viticultural fine-tuning brought decades-old Laurel Bank inclusion among Australia's 'Ten Dark Horses' in the 2019 Halliday Wine Companion.
Vineyard soils here above Granton are quite unique. The upper slopes – featuring high pH, black cracking clay – suit Riesling and Pinot Noir. Lower sections transition to sandy loam over sandstone and orange clay, providing a natural bulwark to potential high-vigour Bordeaux varieties.
The Carlands are nowhere near ready to just sit back and admire the river views. Vintage 2026 is set to provide yet another milestone – 40 years of successful family viticulture.
Quite something within the Tasmanian context.
Key details:
Kerry Carland: owner/vineyard manager
Laurel Carland: owner
Greer Carland: winemaker
Vineyard/cellar door address:
130 Black Snake Road, Granton, TAS 7030
Cellar door sales by appointment
Telephone:
+61 3 6263 5977
Email:
info@laurelbankwines.com.au
Website:
www.laurelbankwines.com.au
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites in the Derwent Valley highlight the wide diversity of growing conditions here. e.g. Mount Direction Estate (MJT 16.9°C; 967 GDD) and Invercarron (MJT 16.9°C; 934 GDD) figure among the coolest sites.
Those considered to be the warmest include Government House Tasmania (MJT 17.8°C; 1165 GDD), Lowestoft (MJT 17.8°C; 1148 GDD) and Moorilla (MJT 17.8°C; 1148 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 Black Snake Road, Granton 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 593mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 325mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 122mm
- Mean January temperature: 17.3°C
- Growing degree-days: 1025 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: 26
*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