Stargazer

Tasmania is one of the key emerging regions of the Australian wine landscape. A relatively recent addition to this landscape is Stargazer, owned and run by Samantha Connew. Stargazer pays tribute to Abel Tasman. The first European explorer and navigator to sight Tasmania, he must have spent a fair amount of time gazing towards the heavens.

Samantha’s first vintage was in Oregon, where she became captivated by Pinot Noir. So it seems only fitting that after an intervening period of over fifteen years, much spent as Chief winemaker at Wirra Wirra from McLaren Vale, that Samantha has ended up in Tasmania making Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay. In Samantha’s words “The opportunity to work with pristine fruit to craft the wines that I am passionate about in an environment of extraordinary beauty is really all I have ever wanted to do as a winemaker”.

Located in the Tea Tree subregion at the northern end of the Coal River Valley. The original vineyard was planted with half and half Riesling and Pinot Noir. Samantha took over the property in 2016 and in late 2017. She expanded the vineyard (now called Palisander) to include an additional two hectares of vines. The key varieties of  Pinot Noir and Riesling along with some Chardonnay were planted. Samantha has been able to harness all her years of experience to craft wines of purity and balance. Wines that are already receiving amazing reviews. The Stargazer Chardonnay shows all the characteristics that are associated with this pristine cool climate region.

Accolades & Awards

96 Points – James Halliday’s Wine Companion.

A distinguished Tasmanian chardonnay, at once pure, yet complex, long, intense, and open for business. The interplay between fruit and barrel-ferment oak derivatives is masterful. Tasmanian chardonnay is not by any means a foregone conclusion.