The Stargazer Pinot Noir is a light-to-medium-bodied, highly fragrant, and elegantly framed cool-climate red wine from the Coal River Valley, Tasmania. Produced by highly respected winemaker Samantha Connew from her prized Palisander Vineyard, this boutique release sits in a beautiful sweet spot between structural finesse and juicy fruit generosity.
- Aromas: Lifted and exceptionally pretty, bursting with red cherry, pomegranate, and violets, layered with distinctive hints of sarsaparilla, thyme, and a flint-struck reduction.
- Palate: Supple and flowing, delivering a concentrated punch of juicy red berries, cherry pip, and amaro-like spice, balanced by a vibrant line of natural acidity.
- Style: Sophisticated and multi-dimensional, prioritizing pure aromatic transparency, fine mineral tension, and a velvety structural poise over heavy fruit weight.
- Winemaking: Crafted using a thoughtful portion of whole bunches during wild fermentation, the wine is matured in fine French oak puncheons to layer in complex, silty tannins without overwhelming the fruit.
- Cellaring:wonderfully expressive and captivating in its youth, its impeccable balance and bright Tasmanian acid spine mean it will cellar beautifully over 5 to 10-plus years.
- Food Pairing: Sensational with high-end Asian dishes like Peking duck pancakes, Cantonese roast goose, five-spice braised quail, or a rich wild mushroom stir-fry with XO sauce.
This bottle is a masterclass in tension, taking the Coal River's naturally boisterous, sun-soaked dark cherry fruit and pulling it into a perfectly straight line of wild thyme complexity. It sets up an incredible contrast where you get all the seductive, velvet weight of a premium Pinot right up front, only for a burst of cool mineral energy to snap the finish bone-dry. It is a brilliant, highly intellectual red that rewards slow contemplation, making it an epic bottle to break out for a special occasion.
Stargazer Wines
"Stargazer is one of Tasmania's most compelling new wine voices, owned and run by Samantha Connew. The label pays tribute to Abel Tasman — the first European to sight Tasmania — whose navigation of uncharted southern waters inspired the name.
Samantha's winemaking journey began in Oregon, where she fell under the spell of Pinot Noir before finding her way to an island that produces some of the world's most elegant expressions of the variety. Working with Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay from Tasmania's pristine cool-climate fruit, her focus on purity and balance is already earning Stargazer widespread critical recognition.
