FOR THE LONGEST TIME, celebration meant raising a glass of Champagne. And not just any old fizz: real Champagne from the time-honoured French region. But things are changing. Australia’s sparkling wine scene has evolved and matured and at its heart is Tasmania, producing premium sparkling wines on a par with Champagne. In December 2020, Decanter named the House of Arras 2004 Arras Late Disgorged ‘the best sparkling wine in the world’ and the industry has many other trophies under its belt to boot.
With its huge landmass, Australia has many cool-climate regions that are the result of altitude, latitude or both. So how has Tasmania become the star of the sparkling show? In terms of climate, says winemaker Ed Carr, who founded House of Arras in 1995, today Australia’s most awarded sparkling wine brand, Tasmania exhibits similar heat input (HDD = heat-degree days) to Champagne and the
