Created to rival the wines of Champagne, Clover Hill blends the finest traditions of this famous region with its own distinguished Tasmanian style. Using only the traditional varieties of Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – Clover Hill produces its sparkling wines in the traditional Méthode Champenoise. Clover Hill is able to craft wines of pedigree due to its ideal location in North Eastern Tasmania, the superior quality of its cool-climate fruit and the intimate attention to detail given by its dedicated winemakers.
The Three Pillars of Clover Hill
AN ANCHORING MULTI-VINTAGE PHILOSOPHY
A fusion of creativity and innovation — alchemy and science — our multi-vintage approach is an anchoring philosophy. A single-minded dedication to crafting wines of perennial consistency and complexity that truly transcend place, time, and technique.
What others do out of environmental necessity; we do with a sense of true purpose. Our method is inspired by Champagne but enhanced by Australian ingenuity. Not bound by traditions or confines, we approach reserve wine management deliberately.
Our intent is to liberate every stage of the wine’s creation and reveal the perfect balance.
CLIMATE. SOIL. GEOGRAPHY
Our Pipers River vineyard site capitalises on three natural assets – a cool maritime climate, ancient volcanic soils and a sheltered amphitheatre. This 66-hectare property, overlooking Bass Strait, has mild autumn temperatures that range between a maximum of 25 and a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius. This makes for a long ripening season allowing superior flavour development, low sugar levels and high natural acidity: the perfect combination for premium sparkling wine.
The vineyard also has high-density plantings with row orientations following the contours of the site while maximising sunlight interception. Significant emphasis is placed on canopy management with an effort to produce the perfect vine balance and therefore the highest quality of fruit. The vineyard is dry grown, relying on natural rainfall throughout the growing season.
CHARDONNAY. PINOT NOIR. PINOT MEUNIER
Clover Hill is acknowledged as one of Australia’s finest sparkling wine producers. The site is ideally suited to growing the “classic trinity” of traditional sparkling varietals. Our commitment to excellence has been recognised with numerous accolades received from our inaugural vintage to today.
Our first vintage in 1991 consisted solely of Chardonnay from the vineyard’s first plantings. This sophisticated and elegant vintage laid the foundation for the unmistakable flavours and structure that is now at the core of the Clover Hill sparkling house style. With the success of the Blanc de Blancs wine, we diversified the plantings to produce classic sparkling blends comprised of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
What a wine, one of power and finesse, complexity and purity… Brilliant stuff