Mick and I were very much looking forward to our first tour of wineries in Tasmania. It got even better when we found out we were part of a very small group, comprising just two other (very nice) couples. Plus, the weather was stunning – with just enough clouds to make the scenery look even better.

This wine tour had some things we have become used to, but also a few surprises – lunch being one.

Our first stop was to one of the few wineries I had put on our list of places to go while we were in the area – Josef Chromy Wines.

Here we were to taste four wines, but when the woman leading our tasting mentioned they also made a Riesling she noticed Mick’s eyes light up, so she added a fifth tasting for us all.

His wines are very special, and each of us liked one or more. we left with a bottle of the Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Our tour did not commence until 11.00am and I was a little worried we would not fit all the tastings we had been told were to be included. As it turned out, we had plenty of time at each of the wineries. We were safely returned to our accommodation after 6.00pm.

Our second stop was for lunch at “The Ducks”, situated on the Ninth Island Vineyard. And this was the surprise, there was no wine tasting to be had here, nor was there any wine on the list for us to choose with our lunch that was made by Ninth Island.

Lunch was very nice – with quite an extensive choice, which again was unusual for a tour. Mick chose calamari and I had a prawn salad. The wines we could choose were all local wines. No surprises, Mick chose a Riesling.

I did not count that stop as a wine tasting. But the views were wonderful.

Our second wine tasting was at a smaller, boutique vineyard, with a recently finished cellar door – built in an energy efficient way so that there is no heating or cooling used.

Our third stop was to a vineyard called Moores Hill. (I had selected one of their wines to accompany my lunch).

We enjoyed a very nice tasting experience here, sitting on an outside verandah. We left with a bottle of cabernet sauvignon – a rare variety for this part of the world that specialises in chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot noir.

Mick was able to get up close to a row of grapes covered in netting. We were told that is to protect the late-ripening grapes from the birds. This vineyard will harvest its pinto gris on Tuesday. But there were still quite a few more grapes waiting for the last few days to finish ripening, as we’d seen lots of these on our travels.

Our fourth winery was a very small boutique winery called Loira Wines. We were served by the owner, we also met his wife and their new puppy, and learnt lots about them in the 3/4 hour we were there. The owners bought this winery while they were taking part in a wine tour like we were on. I had warned Mick not to even consider such an idea once I heard their story.

We were pleasantly surprised here to be treated to a very nice cheese platter, which made the tasting of the local ciders and wines even more pleasant.

We bought a bottle of their rose, which was made from 90% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay. It was very nice. We enjoyed some of their other wines as well, but because we do not have a car yet, we were not over-shopping.

Once we collect our hire car, we are off to stay on a winery near Rosevears for three days. That should allow us to explore a few more wineries, although we have been told we must book for tastings. I’m putting Mick in charge of that.