Ahhh, summer. There’s something about the longer days with sunlight stretching into the early evenings and a tinge of warmth in the air that just makes you want to get out and explore. It’s the time to pack away your puffer (or maybe keep it just in case – it is Tassie after all), throw open the windows, restock your SPF 50+ and then, make plans!
Whether you’re craving Belgian waffles for breakfast, a nip or two of the finest single malt whisky or perhaps a homemade pepper berry cheese, there’s something for every palette.
To make your planning that little bit easier, we’ve wrapped up our top recommendations of food and drink experiences to add to your summer bucket list. So sit back and let us take you and your taste buds on a Tasting Trail adventure around our little pocket of Tassie.
1.Cheers to the summer at our incredible vineyards
Is it just us, or does a crisp cool climate wine taste just that little bit more exquisite as you sip away while perched on a picnic rug at Meander Valley Vineyard breathing in the fresh Tassie air? Add a cheese board filled with local artisan produce including delicious local cheeses, hot smoked salmon, cured meats and pickled onions, if they take your fancy – and the scene is set for a perfect afternoon at Eastford Creek or House of Hargrave. Thanks to the diversity of our region, you can choose to enjoy your tipple and accompaniments with a variety of backdrops including glimpses of the glistening Bass Strait at Ghost Rock Wines, Tuscan inspired La Villa Wines, a rustic 120-year-old barn called Prickly Mo or amongst the rolling hills of the Tasmanian countryside including Leven Valley Vineyard. Get your taste and sip on!
2. Treat yourself
Don’t worry about picking up any sweets or snacks at the service station when you fill up before your trip, because when you’re in the North West your road trip snacks are anything but mainstream. Whether you choose to stop in for a quick world famous chocolate coated raspberry at Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm or ice cream on your way past, or settle in to explore the menu – consider your cravings sorted. If you can’t go past something sweet, you’ll be treated to delights like raspberries plucked straight from the Berry Patch farm, handmade Anvers chocolates or the freshest VDL ice cream you’ll ever try (really, sometimes the milk goes from the dairy to your ice cream cone in less than 24 hours). If savoury is more your thing, never fear. Cows love the lush pastures and fresh air of our region, you’ve landed in cheese heaven – check out La Cantara Cheese and meet the cows at the robotic dairy! Sweet/savoury we have you covered!
3. A hop, skip and a jump from the paddock (or the sea) to your plate.
All along the trail, you’ll find that agritourism is very much alive and well. After all, where else can you wave at the cow who produced the quality milk used to make your delicious cheese? Fo this, Ashgrove Dairy Door is the place! There’s even a possibility (and a good one at that) that you’ll meet just the person who has meticulously grown and produced the very morsels on your plate, so make sure you say hi to Guy at Mount Gnomon Farm. If you’re visiting in the summer, be sure to call into Plump Berries and pick your own soil grown berries (or taste the liquor). Go behind the scenes for an authentic taste of farming life at the Truffledore and get a true sense of the term ‘paddock to plate’ from truffle hunts with furry friends to gourmet truffle pizzas.
The same can be said for seafood. Just take the creamy oysters at Tarkine Fresh Oysters for example. With sweet, white flesh they’re plucked from Duck Bay in Smithton before being transported directly to the cafe. Or take Hursey Seafoods in Stanley, where the menu is made up of prized Stripey Trumpeter and Southern Rock Lobster (plus much more!) which has been caught by their own fleet of vessels.
4. Tipple time
If you are partial to a tipple or two, then take note: Tasmanian whisky is the stuff of legends. From boutique small batch (and cask your own) at Alchymia Distillery to the worlds best Cream Liqueur at Hellyers Road. The same goes for all manner and variety of gins, often featuring botanicals sourced locally from around the region like Southern Wild Distillery. Each distillery has its own unique flair, inspired by the natural surroundings and made using our pure Tasmanian water as a base, just ask Western Tiers Distillery.
Here’s a tip: even if you happen to lose your way, you’re more than likely to stumble upon a local gem – whether that be a sparkling view, a tasty tipple or a sugary treat. So not only will you be winding along the Tasting Trail, you’ll be wine-ing, whisky-ing and snacking your way round the north west. Is there any better way? We think not. However, if you prefer to have a clearer idea of how you’ll be spending your time journeying north west, our interactive map will be your new best friend.
Be sure to share your bucket list adventures with us: @tastingtrailtasmania or #tastingtrailtas
