The Pipers River vineyard was presented the Don Martin Fellowship for Sustainable Viticulture that is presented by the Alcorso Foundation in conjunction with Wine Tasmania.

Winemaker and owner Ms Austin said the vineyard produced only pinot noir and chardonnay grape varieties but the focus on sparkling varieties had developed over the nine years they have owned Delamere.

“About 60 per cent of our grapes goes towards our sparkling portfolio of wines,” she said.

Ms Austin said the vineyard had gravitated towards the sparkling range was because of the higher quality.

However, the process of producing sparkling wine is an intensive and capital heavy process, which is why Miss Austin and Mr Holloway will travel to Champagne in 2017.

The home of sparkling wine, Ms Austin and Mr Holloway will use the study tour to examine Champagne’s sparkling wine business model and gain insight into how they continue to produce top quality sparkling wine.

“In the last five to seven years there’s been a lot more champagne produced [in Champagne] by small vineyards so it will be about examining their business model as well as methods,” she said.

Ms Austin said it was a “paradox” that small producers would choose to create champagne because of the expensive process it takes to make it. 

She said she hoped to glean more information about how smaller producers in France are able to create profitable business out of sparkling wine.

Delamere Vineyard has been in Ms Austin and Mr Holloway’s hands for about nine years. The vineyard is densely planted with about 7500 plants per hectare.

The Alcorso Foundation is one of Tasmania’s most highly regarded private foundations contributing to the arts, environment and social justice in Tasmania.

Established in 2001 it has a high constituency across Tasmania as well as growing networks nationally and internationally.

The Don Martin Fellowship for Sustainable Viticulture is a $10,000 grant that allows the recipient to undertake an overseas study tour. The tour will be used to understand and experience other viticulture practices that could be adapted or used to the benefit of the Tasmanian industry.

The fellowship has been in place since 2010 and is handed down by Wine Tasmania each year.