Supply River Mill Vineyard
Supply River Mill Vineyard at Deviot was established in 2004 by food microbiologist and researcher Dr John Sumner. The 0.55ha plantings on Hayley Court are the source of perhaps the Tamar Valley's smallest volumes of single vineyard Pinot Noir wine.
In any given year, only the best two tonnes of hand-picked fruit from the property make their way into the winery and emerge as fully-formed, medium-bodied wines.
Sumner's clonal selections (114, 115, 777 and 8048) reflect industry best practice at the beginning of the 21st century. So too the planting density: 4,444 vines/ha.
Two decades later, the vineyard is now owned and operated by Sumner's daughter Cate and son-in-law Konrad Muller.
Vine rows run northwest rather than north, following the natural contours of the ridge line. Indeed, the site is barely 250m from the banks of the kanamaluka/River Tamar.
The sandy loams and ancient sediments found here are typical of this part of the West Tamar. These combine with outcrops of volcanic rock and gravelly ironstone clays to create a patchwork vineyard quilt that's well-suited to aromatic, well-structured Pinot Noir.
Some of the valley's best reds have historically come from Deviot sites.
Marion's Vineyard lies just 2.3km south of the property.
Gavin Scott's renowned Silk Hill was just 1.5km south when vines were first planted at Supply River Mill Vineyard. His son James Scott also produced Shiny Wines from the old Silk Hill vineyard.
Long growing and ripening seasons are characterised by cool nights, reliable rainfall, and north-westerly airflows that help reduce potential disease pressures.
Timing is everything. Strong winds during late spring can adversely affect vine flowering and fruit-set, while the high humidity that's highly-prized by Pinot Noir growers comes with ever-present risks of powdery mildew.
Winemaking takes place at Legana under the watchful eyes of talented winemaker Matthias Utzinger.
The UK's Essential Travel Magazine named the Tamar Valley Wine Trail 'one of the top 10 wine routes in the world' earlier this decade. By coincidence, around the same time, the Sumner family added stylish, architect-designed vineyard accommodation to the Deviot property in the form of a 'Picker's Shed.'
The tiny 9m x 4m structure with its sundeck and separate bathhouse hover above the vines and take in breathtaking views of the river beyond. Award-winning design practice Lymesmith – based in the ACT – have done a superb job. They've successfully re-imagined a traditional picker's hut from the heydays of the Tamar Valley's world-renowned apple industry.
You'd hardly be surprised to find Supply River Mill Vineyard takes its name from another piece of significant valley history. Back in 1825, the entrepreneurial Andrew Charlton built the first water-driven flour mill in Tasmania on the Supply River. It operated there until 1889 and brought prosperity to its various and operators over the period.
The mill's historic ruins – along with several well-appointed walking trails – can be accessed via a public car park located just 3.5km south of the Supply River Mill Vineyard.
What better setting for a casual picnic with good glass of valley Pinot Noir?
Key details:
- Dr John Sumner: co-owner
- Cate Sumner: co-owner
- Konrad Muller: co-owner
Vineyard/cellar door address:
6 Hayley Court, Deviot TAS 7275
No vineyard visits or cellar door
Accommodation available via the vineyard website
Telephone:
TBA
Email:
srmvcellar@ozemail.com.au
Website:
www.supplyrivermillvineyard.com
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 Hayley Court, 1995-2024:
- Total annual average rainfall: 802mm
- Growing season average rainfall (Oct 1-Apr 30): 366mm
- Average autumn rainfall: 182mm
- Mean January temperature: 18.3°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: 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