Peter and Ruth Althaus' 20ha property in the Coal River Valley in Southern Tasmania is truly remarkable in that the Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc that it produces is not just high quality but is truly of world class. Here they are producing not only the 'Stoney Vineyard' but the 'Domaine A' range of wines.
Peter Althaus was formerly a business man with IBM, working in Geneva. Having developed a palate for fine European wine and a curiosity for how he could set about making it, the Althaus' set about finding a vineyard site with potential to make outstanding wines. Virtually all of the European sites had already been identified so the search was extended to the Southern hemisphere. Peter long favoured the Central Otago region of New Zealand but eventually settled on the tiny 1 hectare property that today forms Domaine A.
Since 1989, when they took over the Domaine, planting has increased to 20 hectares and includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc. Vines are densely planted and the sloping North/North East aspect coupled with a temperate maritime climate ensures that the grapes have a long, cool growing season - allowing for maximum fruit development and complexity of flavours.
Attention to detail is the byword for the winery with huge attention being paid to clonal selection, hand pruning, leaf plucking and picking. All aspects of the production are controlled at the property with bottling also taking place to ensure the highest production standards.
Recent accolades for these wines have come from Matthew Jukes:'The most gob smacking range of wines he has tasted'.
A muscular style of Pinot with immensely complex fruit character and superbly integrated oak influence. The bouquet is haunting - a huge swirl of spicy, violet and strawberry fruit with complexity coming from quality French oak and low yielding Pinot clones. Hugely long and supple on the finish with the potential to go on and on.
