VISIT

Image: Mark Smith
Image: Mark Smith

Wine discovery

Imagine an island with the world's cleanest air, Europe's finest wine varieties, and a 'can do' approach to growing and making things.

Welcome to Tasmania, home to around 300 individual vineyards, more than 185 licensed wine producers, and 2888 hectares of wine dirt producing stylish sparkling, pristine Pinots, and the coolest cool climate Chardonnays.

Tasmania's first vines were planted by Lieutenant William Bligh on a voyage of discovery, back in 1788.

Today, you can launch your own voyage of wine discovery by navigating a course around our island's seven recognised wine-growing areas:

  • North West Tasmania
  • Tamar Valley
  • North East Tasmania
  • East Coast
  • Coal River Valley
  • Derwent Valley
  • Huon/Channel

A small number of producers have chosen to conduct their wine explorations beyond those seven areas. They're at the interface of emerging vineyard terroir.

Wine in Tasmania groups them collectively into Other Places.

It doesn't do them justice. 'Boundary Riders' would be a far more appropriate term.

They're grape-growers and winemakers working on the edge of the unknown.

Wine pioneers creating their own little bit of Tasmanian history.

Image: Wine Tasmania
Image: Wine Tasmania

Travelling around Tasmania

Tasmania has four established wine trails: North West Wine Trail; Tamar Valley Wine Trail; East Coast Wine Trail; Southern Wine Trail. Download your Tasmanian wine trails booklet here.

Cellar door visits need very careful planning.

Tasmania's wine industry is one of the most diverse and most de-centralised of any of the 65 GIs distributed across Australia. A road trip from, say, Lanigan's Vineyard (North West Tasmania) to Altaness Winery (Huon Valley) requires a drive of some 440km and a minimum travel time of 5 hours 15 minutes.

Finding your way to Tassie is easy. Getting back to reality is the challenging part. The State's relative isolation, small population, and vast tracts of World Heritage-listed wilderness make it a unique destination for visitors seeking quality of life in a busy world.

Staying a week... or staying forever?

Whatever your choices, there are plenty of wine adventures to be enjoyed on our tiny island in the Southern Ocean. 

Most vineyards are small, hand-tended operations. Almost everyone has a top-notch Chardonnay or Pinot Noir to share. The best sites have a darker side - workers with tannin-stained arms and legs - sure signs of a resident winemaker crafting single vineyard Pinot Noir.


Last page update: 20 June 2026