Stargazer is the vision of winemaker Samantha (Sam) Connew, whose journey from law and arts student in Christchurch to internationally experienced winemaker has taken her across Australia, Europe, and the U.S. before finding home in Tasmania. Inspired early by Riesling and Pinot Noir, she honed her craft through vintages abroad and a decade as Senior Winemaker at Wirra Wirra, later taking on leadership roles within the Australian wine industry, including Chair of Judges at the Sydney Royal Wine Show and board positions with Wine Tasmania and the Len Evans Tutorial.
Drawn by Tasmania’s pristine fruit and extraordinary beauty, Sam established Stargazer in the Coal River Valley, where she now crafts Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, and other varieties from her Palisander Vineyard. Originally planted in 2004, the vineyard has expanded under her stewardship to include a diverse mix of clones and varieties, farmed with a strong commitment to sustainability, biodiversity, and regenerative practices. Sheep, chickens, bees, and native plantings contribute to the health of the vineyard, reflecting Sam’s philosophy of working in harmony with the land to produce wines that pay tribute to place, history, and the act of “always looking up.”
'25 Riesling $42
This wine teeters on the brink between ‘dry’ and ‘off dry’, but simply put, it’s just superbly balanced in terms of acid and fruit/RS. The grapes are sourced from all 3 blocks of Samantha's own vineyards in the Tea Tree sub-region of Coal River, planted in 2004, 2017 and 2021 respectively and from another grower in the Campania sub-region, planted in 2001. Soil type is predominantly dark clay on Jurassic dolerite in
her estate vineyard.
Hand-picked, destemmed and left on skins for 8 hours before being pressed off to tank for fermentation. 100% wild ferment. Samantha stops the tank ferment when she feels the sugar to acid balance is right (approx 11 weeks) and then leaves on lees for one further month, stirring fortnightly.
A Riesling with natural acid (2.99 PH) and with 6.7g grams residual it’s an absolute pleasure of a wine that showcases the potential of the Coal River for this variety and how the texture is so very different when you don’t need to acidify this variety.
Pale yellow with green hints in the glass, the nose shows plenty of spice – freshly grated nutmeg and cardamom pods – along with the trademark Tea Tree apple skin character, and a honeysuckle floral note. On the palate there is plenty of wild fennel crunch combined with a and delicate chamomile laciness. The acid on the palate is salivating and zesty with a positive phenolic edge working seamlessly with the residual sugar to provide shape and balance.
'24 ‘Palisander’ Riesling $56
Sourced exclusively from Stargazer’s own vineyards in the sub-region of Tea Tree in the NW side of the Coal River Valley region, planted in 2002. The soil is brown dermosol on Jurassic dolerite (clay loam over ironstone with a high level of calcium), which promotes thick skins, giving extra flavour.
Hand-picked, destemmed and left on skins for 12 hours, then pressed off and wild fermented in a combination of ceramic concrete egg, then 10 months on lees post fermentation.
Pale soft yellow in colour. There is the trademark Coal River Valley green apple aromatics on the nose, along with citrus notes of yuzu and mandarin and hints of fennel pollen. The palate is soft and inviting with sherbetty acid on the finish married with chalk and sea spray from the phenolics. The vibrant acid structure sits in balance with fruit profile.
'25 ‘Tupelo’ Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc/Gewurztraminer' $42
A wine that continues to defy the ‘Other varietal’ black hole on a wine list just by shining too bright to be missed. Stargazer’s Tupelo continues to be loved by trade and consumer alike.
The blend of the 2025 is 39% Pinot Gris, 30% Pinot Blanc, 24% Gewürztraminer 7% Riesling. This unusual blend mirrors the famous Alsatian ‘Gentil’ styles, marrying the body and texture of Pinot Gris, the exuberance of the Pinot Blanc, with the spicy aromatics of Gewürztraminer and finishing with the finesse and acid structure of Riesling. That’s straight from Samantha’s own words.
The name Tupelo was inspired by the Tupelo black gum, of which its honey is highly sought after for its unique characteristic of having the perfect balance of sugars that it doesn’t crystallise. Samantha’s passion for white blends and the drive to find the perfect balance of sugar, acid and texture with her wines makes the naming of this wine perfect
Samantha highlights how delicious Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer taste straight off the vine in Coal River Valley, with so much flavour in the skins.
All the grapes are hand-picked, destemmed. All varietals are left on skins for 8 hours before pressing. Wild fermented mostly seasoned oak, with a tank component of Pinot Gris + the small Riesling component fermented in Egg.
Pale yellow in colour, the nose is delicately fragrant, showing some dried mandarin and musk lolly spiciness with a hint of crystallized ginger and honeysuckle. The palate is glossy and textural, with positive phenolics playing an important role in framing the richness of the mouthfeel.
'25 ‘Rada’ Pinot Noir/Gamay $42
Interestingly Samantha named this wine as a tip of the hat to Rada Penfold Collins, who in the 70’s represented Penfolds PR department and was perhaps Australia’s first female wine columnist, writing for the Sydney Morning Herald. This is the first time that Samantha has veered away from the Pinot Meunier- Pinot Noir blend for Rada. This 2025 vintage of Rada is in fact a Pinot Noir and Gamay blend of the popular Rada wine, modelled on the Burgundian Passe-tout-grains wines – a style that is light, fresh, well-fruited with immediate appeal, very much in the ethos of Rada blend.
The Pinot Noir comes from a small vineyard just outside of Richmond as per previous vintages, while the Gamay is from a small block Sam planted at her Palisander Vineyard in Tea Tree planted in 2021 to two clones, BGY19 and 222. Both vineyards are primarily brown dermosol on Jurassic dolerite. All the Pinot Noir was destemmed while both the Gamay picks underwent carbonic maceration for 10 days prior to being destemmed and fermented out. The Pinot Noir parcels were cold soaked for three days prior to being warmed up for wild ferment (by indigenous yeasts) which lasted for about seven days prior to being pressed to tank. The wine was then racked off gross lees to older Francois Freres and Ermitage French oak puncheons with six months in oak on fine lees before bottling. Final blend: 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Gamay.
'24 ‘Kura’ Shiraz/Pinot Noir $48
The Shiraz for this second release of the Kura Shiraz/Pinot Noir blend is sourced from Marengo Vineyard just outside of Richmond in the Coal River Valley, all PT23 clone planted on a north-facing slope in 2017. The Pinot Noir also comes from a Coal River Valley vineyard, located on the other side of Richmond towards Penna, and
planted in 2004.
The Shiraz was destemmed and left as whole berries, whilst the Pinot Noir 50% was left as whole bunches. The Shiraz and Pinot Noir parcels were fermented separately. Cold-soaked for three days prior to being warmed up for wild ferment (by indigenous yeasts), which lasted for about seven days prior to being pressed to tank.
Racked off gross lees to French oak puncheons the next day. Ten months in oak on fine lees prior to preparing for bottling. 75% Shiraz, 25% Pinot Noir.
Vibrant purple in colour with a fruit profile of black cherries and blackberries, rosemary stem, pepper berry and Dutch liquorice. The palate is juicy and fresh with blue and red fruits continuing to thread through to the finish with just the right amount of grip in the tannins, wrapping up with a nice snappy sapidity.
