Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year Finalist 2021
“This can be among Australia’s very finest white wines. Period.” – Ned Goodwin MW, Senior Editor, jamessuckling.com
Stargazer is a boutique, premium producer of some of the most exciting wines coming from Tasmania, predominantly from the Coal River Valley in the southern part of the Island where the range focuses on Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The first vintage under Stargazer was in 2012 and after a long search her dream became a reality in 2016 when she purchased an 11 hectare site in the Coal River Valley, of which 1 hectare was planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Since then she has planted 2 more hectares compromising of Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with another 2 planned for planting in 2021. Just as well as we simply can’t keep up with the demand for these superb wines and look forward to some exciting years ahead with Samantha as the vines mature enough to be included in the overall range.
Further Reading
Stargazer is owned by Samantha Connew, a New Zealander originally from Blenheim in New Zealand. She got inspired with wine whilst studying law at Christchurch's University, working part time at a wine bar which was owned at the time by a qualified winemaker. Realising law wasn’t for her she went back to study viticulture and began working vintages around the world, starting at Elk Cove in 1996, one of Oregon’s most respected Pinot Noir producers. Vintages in Sicily, Western Australia, Oregon for a second time, McLaren Valley, Hunter Valley and then settling in Tasmania specifically to start her own winery. 2012 marked the first vintage of Stargazer. For the next few years she purchased fruit from Huon Valley and Derwent but had a passion for the Coal River Valley. She passionately believes that for her this subregion was the ideal spot to be able to make the kind of Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir she wanted. In 2015 this dream became a reality and she purchased an 11 hectare site, of which 1 hectare was planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Since then, she has planted 4 more hectares compromising of Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. She is still buying some fruit from growers while these new plantings establish themselves. Samantha makes the wines at Pooley currently, just a few miles up the road from her vineyard. The range is both expressive and concise. All wild fermentations, no added acid, gentle use of oak. Palisander has a touch of extended time on skins, some whole bunch of techniques in the Pinot Noir.
