Small Wonder Wines
Before Small Wonder, there were two small wonders. Vineyard founders Markus Maislinger, Kristine Grant and Tony and Natasha Nieuwhof met for the first time at antenatal classes in the late 1990s. While learning about the impending arrivals of their first-born small wonders, they became close friends who soon learned they shared a love of wine.
Within a decade, there were vines in the ground at Kayena and bottles of fresh and vibrant Tamar Valley Riesling to be shared. The four wine partners dropped the vineyard's original name – Shuruga – and gave their inaugural wine release an entirely different moniker. Goaty Hill.
The steep, sunlit site overlooking the Tamar River had been called Goaty Hill by generations of nearby families. Adding 18ha of Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir back in 1998 hadn't changed a thing. Moving across its grassy slopes was just as challenging as ever for the uninitiated.
The Auburn Road vineyard features a diverse soil profile. Grey sandy soils on its upper slopes are well-suited to white grape varieties. An expansion there in the early 2000s introduced Pinot Gris. Meanwhile, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive in the grey silty loams of the site's mid-slopes. These transition to red silty clayey loam and mudstone near the bottom of the hill.
The shared family business venture hit the ground running. The couples' 2006 Goaty Hill not only won gold at the 2007 Royal Sydney Wine Show, it won gold and Trophy for Best Tasmanian Riesling at the prestigious International Riesling Challenge that same year.
For just on 15 vintages, Goaty Hill continued on in the same vein. The vineyard produced a string of award-winning wines, mostly from its Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir plantings. For much of that period, the property was also a contract grower for Jansz Tasmania.
Small parcels of fruit were also periodically snapped up by South Australian-based wine producers Otherness and Lost Farm.
In May 2020, the Kayena property – including its attractive vineyard cellar door – was purchased by Western Australian wine company Overstory. The vineyard was subsequently renamed Small Wonder.
New owner Paul McArdle signed on veteran Goaty Hill vineyard manager Wayne Nunn and engaged consultant viticulturist Dr Dylan Grigg. They were given the ambitious task of converting the 25ha vineyard from conventional farming to certified organic viticulture. The team achieved their goal within three years.
Group winemaker Andrew Trio brought Small Wonder's first wines to the market in 2022.
In 2024, a different trio of milestone events occurred. The commissioning of a new, on-site, energy-efficient winery saw the re-deployment of Trio to his home base in Margaret River and the arrival of new winemaker Ockie Myburgh. The company also purchased the 24ha Marengo Road vineyard in the Coal River Valley. It had been established in 2017 by NSW Southern Highlands producer, Tertini Wines.
This latter site is now also being managed under a totally organic regime.
The trophy-winning performance of the 2024 Small Wonder Landscape Chardonnay at the 2025 Cathay Global Wine & Spirits Awards seemed a just and well-deserved reward for five years of frenetic Overstory activity.
In early 2026, there was more good news. The 2025 Small Wonder Rosé was named Best Rosé at January's annual Tasmanian Wine Show.
Later in 2026, Small Wonder will open a new, architecturally designed cellar door and vineyard restaurant. It's currently under construction. Hopefully, it will be open in time celebrate another top-of-class performance. Small Wonder was named a finalist in the 2025-2026 Young Gun of Wine Vineyard of the Year. Award winners will be announced in June 2026.
Gonna need another name change, Mr McArdle.
Key details:
Paul McArdle: owner, parent company Overstory
Dr Dylan Grigg: consultant viticulturist
Wayne Nunn: Small Wonder (Tamar Valley) vineyard manager
Matt Connaugton: Small Wonder (Coal River Valley) vineyard manager
Bryn Williams: Small Wonder (Coal River Valley) vineyard manager
Ockie Myburgh: chief winemaker
Sara Dooley: assistant winemaker
Robert Stewart: cellar door manager
Chris Morrison: venue operations manager
Vineyard/cellar door address:
- 530 Auburn Rd, Kayena TAS 7270
- 136 Marengo Road, Richmond TAS 7025
No cellar door tastings or sales at Marengo Road
Telephone:
+61 (3) 6394 7555
Email:
hello@smallwonderwines.com.au
Website:
www.smallwonderwines.com.au
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 Auburn Road, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 812mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 372mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 187mm
- Mean January temperature: 18.2°C
- Growing degree-days: 1239 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: 9
Climate data* for Marengo Road, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 495mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 278mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 106mm
- Mean January temperature: 17.8°C
- Growing degree-days: 1165 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: 12
*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