Food, Wine & Nightlife in Tasmania

At Josef Chromy Wines, a high-tech winery whose modern production facility sits amid a beautiful vineyard landscape near Launceston, enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour to learn how Tasmania's cool-climate grapes are turned into varietals like pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. Stroll through the vineyard with a winery host and see some of the winemaking equipment before a wine-tasting session that includes both mature and young wines. Then enjoy a 2-course lunch with wine pairings in the tasting room, located in a renovated building that dates back to the 1880s. This tour does not include transportation.

Try beer production school lessons rather than a pedestrian tasting. Cascade Brewery - one of Australia's oldest working breweries - offers two drinks of cider or beer to pair with informal lessons in food matching and their own beer and cider production. School is quick, inexpensive, probably fun, and holds lessons daily.

Spend the day at Moorilla Estate for a unique Tasmanian winery experience that includes world-class art. You'll start with a ferry ride and admission to Mona (the Museum of Old and New Art), known as much for its underground labyrinth-like architecture as for its art collection. Then enjoy a seasonal lunch, followed by a tasting and behind-the-scenes tour at Moorilla Estate, which continues to make 'best of' lists since it opened in 2011.

Visit Tasmania's historic Cascade Brewery and learn about the history of this important local institution. Go on a guided tour and learn about the ingredients and craft that go into the beer-making process. Then, head for the brewery's tasting room for fresh beer and cider made on site. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Cascade's beer garden, grab a bite from the caf e, and purchase souvenirs from the brewery store.