Micheal and Mary Wilson celebrate their award-winning 2006 vintage sparkling wine. Picture: SCOTT GELSTON
In the lead-up to Festivale, we take a look at Northern Tasmanian vineyards, their cellar doors and the people behind them.
Micheal and Mary Wilson are celebrating a win six years in the making, with the Velo Wines owners taking top honours at the Tasmania Wine Awards last week.
The Legana vineyard won gold for its 2006 Dominique Brut, silver for its 2010 Willo's Reserve Chardonnay and bronze for the 2011 Riesling and 2010 Willo's Reserve Oak Chardonnay.
Kayena's Goaty Hill also did well, winning gold for its 2007 Pinot Noir, 2009 Riesling and 2009 Chardonnay, while Tamar Ridge won top gold for its 2009 Kayena Reserve Pinot Noir.
Bay of Fires Wines won top gold for its 2010 chardonnay and gold for its 2011 pinot noir and its 2011 vintage pinot noir, while House of Arras won best wine of show for its EJ Carr Late Disgorged 2000.
Mrs Wilson said Velo Wines' award meant a great deal to the couple, as it took a big commitment for a small winery such as theirs to make a vintage wine.
``Most small vineyards will make a non-vintage sparkling; it takes a big financial commitment to make a vintage,'' Mrs Wilson said.
``To make this sparkling we had to hold the wine back on the lees for six years, so that's a lot of wine we couldn't access.''
Mrs Wilson said people were quickly coming for the last of the Dominique Brut 2006, which featured chardonnay, pinot and pinot meunier.
``We will release the Dominique Brut 2005 later this year - that's my baby - and if the 2006 is doing well, the 2005 should really knock people's socks off,'' she said.