Spikey Bridge Vineyard
It's always a good idea to make sure you get things right the first time. When Ros and Martin Rees bought their 21ha property on Relbia Road in July 2010, their purchase of a stylish family home included a 6ha vineyard, located right in the heart of an established and rapidly expanding wine region.
The Relbia district has a rich and colourful history, dating back to the 19th-century. Convict settlement, marauding bushrangers and early colonial land grants offered the couple great prospects for developing authentic and distinctly Tasmanian wine tourism experiences.
Previous owners – Markus Maislinger and Kristine Grant – established their vineyard on Relbia Road in 2006. Some eight years earlier, they had co-founded Goaty Hill Vineyard at Kayena with the Nieuwhof family.
Maislinger and Grant planted their own home block with grafted vines. These were sourced from Yalumba Nursery in South Australia. Vines specially selected for their likely suitability to the district's ancient soils and cool-climate growing conditions.
The Reeses' subsequent purchase came with 2.5ha of Chardonnay, 2.5ha Pinot Gris and 1.0ha Pinot Noir, along with plans for further expansion to 10ha. Fully-automated drip irrigation was already in place, with underground mains connected to a 20ML dam and nearby Jinglers Creek.
Taking on the Relbia Road property saw the Reeses prepared to make the most of their vineyard's potential. They continued to make sound investments in quality viticulture and site improvement. The couple hit the ground running with the first commercial vintage from their 10ha Spikey Bridge Vineyard.
The wines were made by Jeremy Dineen at Josef Chromy Wines, just 1500m further down Relbia Road.
In 2017, the Reeses were joined by Kate and Jeremy Dineen in the formation of Broad Arrow Wines. It was planned as a quality-driven, no-compromise family operation. Industry and business savvy.
Martin Rees is a prominent Tasmanian business leader. He is a director of St Lukes Health Ltd, a former KPMG Managing Partner, and the current Chair of Wine Tasmania, the industry's peak body.
Spikey Bridge Vineyard takes its name from the Kerry Lodge Bridge, also colloquially known as Strathroy Bridge. It forms part of the Reeses' property's boundary at the edge of the Midlands Highway. A local landmark, the structure is one of Australia's oldest surviving convict bridges. Built in 1835, it's still used by road traffic.
In April 2012, Spikey Bridge was added to the Tasmanian Heritage Register.
Working together in partnership, the Rees and Dineen families produce distinctive, estate-grown wines from the Relbia site. Broad Arrow NV Tamar Cuvée and Broad Arrow wines – labelled as single varietals and packaged appropriately to highlight their convict heritage – are made as early drinking styles.
Spikey Bridge Pinot Noir is the company's small batch, super premium wine brand. It's Pinot Noir created with medium-to-long-term cellaring potential in mind.
In February 2026, Broad Arrow Wines opened their state-of-the-art Tasmanian Wineworks. It's located at St Leonards, an outer suburb of Launceston. The contract winemaking operation is equipped to process up to 1000 tonnes of wine grapes from contracted clients. The facility will also provide a home and an attractive cellar door outlet for Broad Arrow Wines.
Exactly the right move at exactly the right time.
Key details:
- Martin Rees: co-owner/operator
- Ros Rees: co-owner/operator
- Jeremy Dineen: co-owner and winemaker, Tasmanian Wineworks
Vineyard/cellar door address:
Vineyard location 194 Relbia Road, Relbia, TAS 7258
Tastings and sales at Tasmanian Wineworks coming soon
Telephone:
+ 61 (0) 412 478 841
Email:
sales@spikeybridge.com.au
Website:
www.broadarrowwines.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 Relbia Road, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 626mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 303mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 137mm
- Mean January temperature: 18.3°C
- Growing degree-days: 1187 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: 27
*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: February 2026