Conor van de Reest
Moorilla Estate
Berriedale & Tamar Valley, TAS
The word Moorilla means rock by the water in various Aboriginal dialects, in recognition of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Mouheneenner people who lived on the land for thousands of years. The grapevines at Moorilla Estate were some of the first in Tasmania; planted in 1958 by Claudio Alcorso, creator of the textile brand Sheridan. The vineyard starts at one metre above the Derwent River, with a kaleidoscope of soils: from silty clay to shallow stretches of sand sitting atop risen siltstone bedrock. Fast-forward a few decades to 1993 when Moorilla acquired a second vineyard called St Matthias, on the sloped banks of the Tamar River.
The site starts at 10 metres rising up to 115 metres above sea level, it has ancient volcanic and newer clay loam soils with granite outcrops. In 1995 famed Tasmanian gambler, David Walsh purchased the estate on a whim. He says it was his admiration/inspiration for Moorilla’s Roy Grounds-designed modernist houses to home his art collection and perhaps the Pinot Noir that fueled this whim.
David lured Canadian winemaker Conor van de Reest to work on the estate in 2007, telling him he could have free reign if he made ‘stupendous wines’. Together they rebuilt the winery and redefined Moorilla; championing the terroir of the vineyards, beginning an ambitious cellar program. Conor’s wines speak of the vineyards’ unique cool-climate terroir. The ancient soils, icy river breezes and long ripening fruit create structural wines of vitality, complexity and generosity. With three ranges to choose from, there truly is something here for everyone – whether Praxis, Muse or Cloth!
Available in NSW, ACT, and VIC only.