COAL RIVER VALLEY
GLAETZER-DIXON FAMILY WINEMAKERS
Originally from the Barossa, where he cut his teeth in the family’s eponymous Glaetzer Wines, sixth-generation vigneron Nick Glaetzer settled Tasmania in 2006 after stints in Margaret River, the Hunter Valley, the Riverland, and Germany and France. In 2008, Nick set up Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers, initially sharing winemaking facilities with Frogmore Creek before establishing Hobart’s first urban winery. While it was his love of pinot noir that drew him to Australia’s coldest state, it was shiraz that earned him a coveted Jimmy Watson (and made him the first Tasmanian winemaker to win one) after he won the prestigious award for his 2010 Mon Père Shiraz in 2011. As well as powerful pinots and elegant shiraz, Nick makes a range of interesting rieslings. Historically he’s sourced grapes from growers in the Coal and Derwent Valleys, but from 2023 will be making wine from his own 12ha vineyard at Tea Tree.
DREW WINES
As well as growing grapes on his Tea Tree property, Rob Drew farms deer. In fact, he’s almost as well known for his venison burgers as he is his pinot noir and chardonnay. He doesn’t make them as often these days, but his winery is still worth a visit. Most of his wine is sold locally through pubs and restaurants, and while you might be lucky to find it in bottleshops on the mainland, direct is still the best place to buy. His tasting room, which moved from his house to the winery during covid, will be open for drop-ins and wine sales
over Southern Open Vineyards weekend.
PRESSING MATTERS
Despite his many and varied achievements – a major general in the Australian Army Reserve, a top-level barrister, and chief commissioner of the Tasmanian Integrity Commission, among others – Greg Melick would nominate wine as the major focus of his life. In 2002, he and wife Michelle, with the help of Rob Drew, established a vineyard in the Coal River Valley, and, inspired by his favourite wine regions
(the Mosel and Burgundy), planted it to riesling and pinot noir. In 2006, they appointed a full-time vigneron and were able to make wine commercially under their Pressing Matters label. Today, their wines are made by Samantha Connew (of Stargazer), and Mosel-style rieslings and pinot noir are still the focus. Southern Open Vineyards will run from March 3–5, 2023. The full program will be released in mid-December 2022. Visit openvineyards.wine for more information.