Liffey Valley Vineyard

Caryl and Ian Cairns own what may well be the greenest vineyard in the world - greenest in terms of the overall purity of the site. It is situated at an altitude of 300m on the eastern foothills of Tasmania's Cluan Tier, surrounded by native forest and overlooking the beautiful Liffey Valley. Protected by mountains and escarpments to the south and west, and open to the north and east, it escapes most damaging winds and experiences few severe frosts. Warm summer days and cool nights see vintage in late April or early May. The property has been farmed using organic and biodynamic methods since 1991, and the soils have no chemical history. Cape Grim (measured as the world's purest air) is to windward, and the Cairns are the first users of gravity-fed water from a pristine mountain stream. The wines are made with the least amount of sulphur dioxide needed to avoid barrel spoilage. -JAMES HALLIDAY