Moorilla

It's been 70 years since the first vines of the modern Tasmanian wine industry were planted. While French immigrant Jean Miguet waited patiently to harvest the first crop from his tiny La Provence vineyard in the north of the State, Hobart's Claudio Alcorso was making preparations to plant his 90 Riesling cuttings. 

They were being brought from South Australia. 

It was 1958. Those in the know asserted Tasmania was too cool for viticulture.

"Apples and pears, Mr Alcorso," said one Ag Department official. "Apples and pears."

But Alcorso had deep pockets – and an even deeper passion to keep faith with his Italian heritage and make a little wine for his family and friends.

Adelaide Hills wine pioneer David Wynn was so impressed by the juice he tasted from Alcorso's first harvest in 1962 he sent his friend 90 Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings. Wynn later stepped up to the plate and helped design and partly equip a small winery for his Tasmanian brother in arms.

The Berriedale site offered plenty of challenges to cool-climate viticulture. More than four metres of deep, silty clay lay below the surface in some locations. Other parts sat on risen siltstone bedrock and offered vines just a few centimetres of sand in which to grow vines.

Alcorso not only persisted with his passion project, the 3ha site above the River Derwent became the first commercial vineyard in Australia to adopt the innovative 'modified lyre' trellis system developed in France.

In 1975, Moorilla Estate won the Trophy for Best Tasmanian Wine at the Royal Hobart Wine Show. 

It won the same trophy again in the following year. In 1977, Alcorso won three Royal Hobart Wine Show trophies. Three more in 1978. Two in 1980.

For the next 15 years, Moorilla Estate continued to be lauded as a Tasmanian wine industry icon. Then came personal and financial turmoil and – in 1995 – new ownership.

Born and raised in the neighbouring suburb of Glenorchy, David Walsh has since transformed the small, family-owned pioneering vineyard into a rich and vibrant cultural hub of world-renown.

In the 12 months ending 30 September 2025, some 318,000 visitors experienced events and exhibitions centred around his Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). It's a tourism tour-de-force Walsh launched in 2011.

More people now visit MONA than the Port Arthur Historic Site (301,000 people last year), Cradle Mountain (284,000) or Freycinet National Park (229,000).

Walsh added accommodation to his visitor offerings (four hilltop chalets in 2000, four pavilions in 2009). He also created Moo Brew micro-brewery (2004); rebuilt and modernised (2010) the Moorilla winery; acquired (2018) and revamped Campania's illustrious Domaine A vineyard, winery and cellar door. A busy 30 years.

Winemaker Conor van der Reest – who joined Walsh in 2007 – has redefined the Moorilla brand, setting in place three distinct tiers: Praxis, Muse, and the ultra-premium, small-batch Cloth Label. There's always something interesting here.

"The combination of winery, underground museum, above-ground sculpture park, cellar door, wine bar and 2 restaurants (The Source and Faro) makes for one seriously fun cultural precinct."

2026 Halliday Wine Companion

Key details:

• David Walsh: owner/operator MONA

• Kirsha Kaechele: artist, curator 'and the other half of MONA'

• Peter Mueller: vineyard manager

• Conor van der Reest: winemaker

Vineyard/cellar door address:

655 Main Road, Berriedale TAS 7011

Telephone:

General enquiries and bookings: +61 (3) 6277 9978

Email:

cellardoor@moorilla.com.au

Websites:

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 Main Road, Berriedale 1995-2024:

• Total annual average rainfall: 576mm
• Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 314mm
• Average autumn rainfall: 118mm
• Mean January temperature: 17.8°C
• Growing degree-days: 1137 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: 14

*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