Top 5 Tasmanian wineries worth the drive

So, you've taken your car on the Spirit of Tasmania, or flown down to Tassie and rented a hire car. What to do next?

Well, if you love wine, our southernmost state is famous for its cool climate wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot, and sensational sparklings. Then, of course, there are the whisky distilleries.

Just don't forget to have a designated driver when checking out these superb drinking holes.

Home Hill Winery & Restaurant, Ranelagh

Home Hill is just outside Cygnet, about 30 minutes south of Hobart, making it hugely accessible for top Tassie tasting. Try an award-winning Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or bubbly at the cellar door then settle in to the adjacent restaurant with dreamy views of vines and hills for a chef-hatted lunch. Carefully crafted dishes using the best Tasmanian produce – Huon trout and salmon, Tongola goat curd and Bruny oysters, for instance – tantalize the tastebuds and a perfectly matched bottle completes the feast.

Pooley Wines, Richmond

No Tasmanian driving tour is complete without a visit to historic Richmond but then, you might not make it past Pooley Wines on the outskirts of town. Winemaker Anna Pooley, granddaughter of founder Denis, oversees production of everything from Riesling to Shiraz and you can try them at the cellar door, located in the coach house of the magnificent Belmont homestead that is Pooley’s headquarters. Try a wood-fired pizza and if you want to stay longer the family also owns nearby Prospect Country House with its refined guest rooms and restaurant.

Mewstone Wines, Flowerpot

Facing Bruny Island across the placid D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Mewstone’s cellar door is a magical location (seriously, Flowerpot?) to sit and sip some of the Hughes brothers’ finely crafted wines. The vineyard is just five hectares of a former cherry orchard and the estate Pinot, Riesling and Chardonnay are joined by the Hughes & Hughes label’s varietals brought in from elsewhere. Yes, you could try one of Mewstone’s platters for lunch but Peppermint Bay restaurant is just a stone’s throw away and perfect for continuing your Apple Isle epicurean extravaganza.

Stoney Rise, Gravelly Beach

So you’ve just disgorged from the Spirit of Tasmania in Devonport and need to find a spectacular winery… fast. It’s about an hour to Stoney Rise on the Tamar River and its architecturally angular cellar door building is the perfect stop. The self-guided tasting flight includes the fruit-driven Stoney Rise Pinot and luscious Holyman Chardonnay and there’s an extensive range of other drinks (alcoholic and not) including wines from other makers around the world.

Callington Mill Distillery, Oatlands

There’s no wine here but Callington Mill Distillery makes some of Tasmania’s finest whiskies and the setting could not be more extraordinary. In the middle of the central highlands town of Oatlands, the stone windmill built in 1837 and its surrounding buildings are now the tasting rooms, a beautiful restaurant, and the modern distillery itself. Book a whisky tasting, go further with the Serendipity Experience by making your own single malt, browse the restaurant menu, or just enjoy the historic location.