lifestyle
The
lowdown on low-impact
reat wine begins in the vineyard, and sparkling wine master Andrew Pirie knows how to handle Tasmania’s inclement weather and complex soils. He’s been making wine on this island since the late ’70s (when he earned Australia’s first PhD in viticulture), and wine under the Apogee label on his Lebrina microsite since 2010. Andrew chose the location because it most closely resembled the Champagne region, meaning he can grow grapes with the least amount of environmental impact. “It’s the ability to do that year after year that makes it sustainable,” he says. “I use my scientific background to come up with a soft approach [to winemaking] that doesn’t turn its back on modern technology.” Samantha Connew at Stargazer Wines bought her five-hectare Coal River Valley site in 2016. Only part of the land was under vine, giving her freedom to establish sustainable systems from the outset, including organic production when weather permits. “One of the big attractions for
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JOURNEYS // APR / MAY 2022
THREE TO TRY APOGEE 2017 DELUXE VINTAGE BRUT A very fine vintage: yeasty, lemon, red berries and oyster shell. From $63.
STARGAZER 2021 RIESLING Lime zest and lemon blossom, perfectly balanced by a gentle lick of residual sugar. From $35.
JOSEF CHROMY 2020 PEPIK PINOT NOIR Boisterous red fruit, pine needle and spice, with savoury complexity. From $26.
the property was that it’s on recycled water,” Sam says, which lets her grow juicy, crunchy riesling in a notoriously dry area. Get in quick – production is small so new releases sell out quickly. More widely available is Josef Chromy’s Pepik range. It’s bottled using lightweight glass to reduce the wine’s carbon footprint (the bottles used to be even lighter, but people had a hard time believing that they contained a great wine). Environmental concerns aside, you can’t do much better for $30 in this state. Chief winemaker Ockie Myburgh, who took on the role in January 2021, uses northern Tasmanian fruit for Pepik wines, and every effort is made in the vineyard so that minimal intervention is required in the winery. THIS PAGE
Josef Chromy’s chief winemaker Ockie Myburgh tasting one of his creations; auburn leaves on the vines of Stargazer Wines, which are nourished with recycled water.
Words: Nola James Photos: Stargazer Wines/Rose Hastie
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