Obsessionist
Lisa and Marty Smith's Blackwood House is one of three Cranbrook vineyards that form part of an expansive East Coast patchwork covering sites between Orford and St Helens. The Cranbrook township itself was settled in 1821 by the Amos family, who developed large properties nearby.
Direct family descendants own and operate 200-year-old Gala Estate over the road from the Smiths. Meanwhile, Craigie Knowe next door was one of two vineyards responsible for re-introducing viticulture to the East Coast in the late 20th century.
In 2016, this enterprising couple created their own bit of history when they planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Blackwood House. The site is now home to Pinot Noir (3.2ha), Chardonnay (2ha) and Malbec (0.4ha).
Marty Smith needs little introduction. A celebrated and highly respected viticulturist in his own right, he is the son of Clover Hill's foundation vineyard manager, Chris Smith. The young bloke grew up among vines and wines. He was Clover Hill's technical officer from 2002 to 2009 and learned a good many tricks of the trade from his dad. Barely a decade later, he was a fully qualified viticulturist and CASA-licensed drone pilot
The couple's Absolute Viticulture is a busy consultancy and contracting business that brings two decades of practical and technical knowhow to a long list Tasmanian and interstate clients. Management of their own site at Cranbrook is naturally of the highest order.
Vines are set up to produce modest yields of intensely flavoured wine grapes.
The couple's Obsessionist label bears witness to that. The 2024 Malbec was one of only two gold medal wines in its class at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Wine Awards. Two silver medal wines were exhibited by Langhorne Creek's Bleasdale Vineyard, where Smith was first bitten by the Malbec bug during his three-year stint there.
Cranbrook is lean and rocky country, with shallow loams sitting over patchy ironstone and weathered sediments. Its inland location offers a strong diurnal range – warm, sunlit days and very cool summer nights that help retain vital natural acidity as flavour and fine tannin slowly ripen.
The vine Smiths have backed a winner here.
Key details:
- Marty Smith, owner/operator
- Lisa Smith, owner/operator
Vineyard/cellar door address:
110 Glen Gala Rd, Cranbrook TAS 7190
Telephone:
+61 (03) 408 327 914
Email:
hello@obsessionist.com.au
Website:
www.obsessionist.com.au
Tasmanian viticulture takes place within a diverse mix of soil types and microclimates.
Climate data* for sites on the East Coast highlight the wide range of growing conditions here. Consider: Saltwater River Wines (MJT 16.0°C; 859 GDD) and Sterling Heights (MJT 18.3°C; 1267 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 Glen Gala Road, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 623mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 388mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 145mm
- Mean January temperature: 17.5°C
- Growing degree-days: 1090 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: 19
*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