Tyson Stelzer is like a kid in the proverbial lolly shop.
You mightn’t see it in his movements as he carefully negotiates his way around a room full of dinner guests or as he meticulously stage manages every minute of his legendary sparkling wine tastings. But you can tell by the tone of his voice and by the thoughtful way he goes about choosing his words that he’s totally absorbed by what’s going on at the moment in Tasmania’s cool climate wine industry.
“Tasmania has again shone as Australia’s hero sparkling state in my tastings, topping the charts by every measure,” wrote the internationally acclaimed wine communicator in August 2020.
Nowadays a regular visitor to our vineyards, Stelzer was back in the state this week to repeat that message.
Last night, the Queenslander was spruiking the superior qualities of Tasmania’s food and wines as host of a degustation sparkling wine dinner, held at Josef Chromy Wines, outside Launceston. The highly respected author of an annual Australian sparkling wine report, Stelzer used his considerable wine tasting acuity and in-depth knowledge of the state to select the 15 Tasmanian sparkling wines poured for the evening’s 90-plus dinner guests.
Josef Chromy Wines, Relbia, outside Launceston. Image supplied.
He also had a hand in choosing the dinner menu, lovingly prepared and skilfully cooked by Josef Chromy Head Chef, Nick Raitt.
Winegrowers, winemakers, wine luminaries and industry connections – whatever their walks in life – they each paid $325 for the privilege of attending the sell-out dinner.
What’s that you murmured – extravagant? Think again. Later on this month, a distinctly similar tasting has been organised with lunch at Lumière, Brisbane’s premier event destination. Tickets costing $315 on the host’s home turf sold out within 24 hours of release back in early November.
Of course, last night’s sparkling wine list read like a who’s who of the Tasmanian wine industry. More importantly, the 15 personally invited makers provided plenty of proof of Stelzer’s willingness to back his own judgements on the state of our world-class sparkling wines.
Featured alongside the great and the good from our most recognisable sparkling wine brands – Clover Hill, House of Arras and Jansz Tasmania – was a significant number of relative small fry, like Bellebonne, Delamere Vineyards and Ghost Rock.
Bellebonne is the brainchild of former Jansz Tasmania winemaker and brand ambassador, Natalie Fryar. The talented South Australian has a passion for many things Tasmanian. She left the Hill-Smith family company to establish her own niche brand here in 2015. Bellebonne has just released its first non-vintage sparkling wine; all 2100 bottles of it.
Stelzer frequently refers to Fryar as Australia’s sparkling rosé queen.
Tyson Stelzer with his ‘queen of sparkling rosé’ Natalie Fryar. Image supplied.
Producers honoured with mention in Stelzer’s Australian Sparkling Wine Report are classified into discrete groups, according to wine quality. Those at the top of this illustrious Australian totem pole are awarded his seven-star rating. Fryar’s Bellebonne wines are accorded the same stellar ranking as those of the House of Arras. They are Stelzer’s best of the best.
House of Arras is acknowledged internationally as a flagship of the Australian sparkling wine industry. Since the company’s establishment in 1998, it has won more than 96 trophies and 246 gold medals in wine shows and competitions.
As recently as December 2020, House of Arras was named Sparkling Wine of the Year at the 2020 Decanter Magazine Awards. These are held annually in London and include sparkling wines sourced from all parts of the globe. The winning wine last year was the 2004 House of Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged. It was made by renowned fizz wiz Ed Carr, using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown exclusively in Tasmania.
To see Stelzer in action is to see him doing one of the things he loves best – telling the world just how good we are at making such fabulous fizz.
Formerly an International Wine & Spirit Communicator of the Year (2015), Stelzer was a frequent guest of Champagne’s hallowed sparkling wine houses in the pre-coronavirus era. As dinner host, he plays to his strengths during themed events like last night’s.
Champagne vines. Image supplied.
Stelzer uses his inside knowledge to set the scene, by comparing some of his most incisive French data with that collected locally.
“Sparkling wine made up a record 40 percent of Tasmania’s crush in the 2020 vintage,” he observed.
“That’s still very much boutique in scale at just 4923 tonnes, the equivalent to some 4.3 million bottles. To put this in perspective, Tasmania would fit into the annual production of Veuve Clicquot five times and into that of the Champagne region itself some 70 times!”
Guests were welcomed on arrival at Josef Chromy Wines with a compelling pair of Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines from Kreglinger and Barringwood Estate – that is, wines crafted entirely from Chardonnay. With formal proceedings then completed, the dinner progressed through four courses of food, each prepared from local produce.
A ceviche of Huon salmon was accompanied by an additional trio of Blanc de Blancs, from Jansz Tasmania, Clover Hill and House of Arras.
Two trios of sparkling Rosé were poured with the evening’s second and third courses. Frogmore Creek, Bellebonne and Apogee Tasmania led the way with a pan roasted fish course. Next came wines from Pirie Tasmania, Ghost Rock and Stefano Lubiana Wines that partnered a free-range chicken course.
Bruny Island Cheese brought closure to the dinner with a selection of tasty Tasmanian products to highlight the mature facets of wines now in peak drinking condition.
“Tasmania has set itself apart as Australia’s premium sparkling wine region,” Stelzer concluded – and who could dare argue with him?
Stelzer, meanwhile, has set himself apart as Tasmania’s premium sparkling wine ambassador. Long may he reign.
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Australians love getting fizzical
It seems Australians just can’t drink enough sparkling wine at the moment.
Despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, carbonated sparkling wine and better quality sparkling wines both experienced growth in sales volumes during 2020, according to Wine Australia.
More importantly for Tasmania’s premium market segment, Champagne sales in Australia rose by some 14 percent last year as well.
According to Comité Champagne, the trade association that represents the interests of independent Champagne producers and more traditional Champagne Houses, consumption of its premium and prestige wines here reversed the declines experienced in Australia in 2018 and 2019.
That wouldn’t surprise Champagne and sparkling wine expert, Tyson Stelzer. Back in mid-December, he announced details of what he described as ‘the Champagne tasting of the century.’ The eight-course, long lunch at Montrachet Brisbane is scheduled for later this year, on October 16.
Fifteen top-flight Champagnes from 1996 have been selected for the event. The ticket price? An eye-watering $2490 per person. The tickets sold out by January 4.
Meanwhile, Comité Champagne reported Champagne sales globally fell some 18 percent in 2020. Clearly, Stelzer has a good job in front of him.
Hobart’s Mark Smith wrote his first weekly wine column back in 1994. Now more than 1700 features and 25 years later, he continues to chart the successes of Tasmania’s small scale, cool climate wine industry with regular contributions to some of Australia’s leading industry publications.
PICK OF THE CROP
Mark gives you his honest opinions about the best wines available right now from Tasmania’s wine makers.
NV 42ºS Premier Cuvée Sparkling Rosé $32
Frogmore Creek sparklings – including the entry level 42ºS – are based around a tried and proven blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. This Coal River Valley release shows it’s a recipe that works especially well for them at this price point. From the wine’s burnished deep salmon colour to the light strawberry and red apple influences, it’s immediately evident in the glass. That immediacy also makes it a good party starter, albeit one that’s a cut above average. All it needs now is more appealing packaging. www.frogmorecreek.com.au
2020 Bay of Fires Riesling $47
The team at Bay of Fires came away with a barrow load of medals at the 2020 Tasmanian Wine Show. This smart young Riesling looked very sharp indeed at the awards dinner – sharp as in precise and clear cut. It’s fresh and zesty in typical lime/citrus Tasmanian character, one of the best in a long line of Rieslings under this Accolade label. Enjoy it now with freshly shucked local oysters. It will probably keep forever in a cool cellar. Well, almost. Simply fabulous. www.bayoffireswines.com.au
2018 Sailor Seeks Horse Chardonnay $55
Pipers Brook is home to some of Australia’s best Chardonnay, with the Huon Valley apparently in rapid, catch-up mode if you consider some of the district’s recent releases. There’s no need to turn these grapes into world-class sparkling wine. Winemakers Gilli and Paul Lipscombe have shown wonderfully elegant, sensitively oaked, barrel-fermented Chardonnay should become the flagship whites of the valley. There’s a neat mix of youth and restraint evident here, suggesting the wine has a long life ahead of it. Delicious now with pan-fried white fish. www.sailorseekshorse.com.au
2018 Quiet Mutiny Venus Rising Pinot Noir $48
With the Southern Open Vineyards Weekend only a fortnight away, be sure to save your pennies and head straight to Laurel Bank Vineyard when the green flag is waved. Quiet Mutiny winemaker Greer Carland has created a crackerjack Pinot Noir from her Coal River Valley resources. The wine offers plenty of colour and aroma and is simply getting better and better with age. Its dark cherry and plum elements are supported by fine ripe tannins, making it eminently age-worthy if you can keep your hands off it. www.quietmutiny.wine
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