Sailor Seeks Horse (NSW & Victoria)

This tiny vineyard is one of Australia’s most southerly located in the Huon valley in southern Tasmania. Paul and Gilli Lipscombe own the vineyard and make the wines and both have considerable vineyard and winemaking experience behind them including winning the Jimmy Watson trophy for Home Hill where they have been the winemakers in recent years. From working together in the Languedoc to New Zealand, Oregon and Margaret River they spent a lot of time researching and considering the best possible vineyard site with the aim  to produce Australia’s best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay finally settling on this ideal north facing vineyard which is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly winds. Best described as a warm site within a cool climate, the soil is free-draining quartz inflected mudstone soil over clay. The vineyard is planted to a large variety of Dijon clones as well as numerous other clones planted by the previous owners and all vineyard work is done as organically as possible. In 2019 a new planting including some Trousseau has been made on the steep north-west facing slope beside the main vineyard block.

So to the name, where does that come from? There was a handwritten sign on the wall at the Red Velvet Lounge in Cygnet, our local coffee and cake respite from the Tasmanian weather. It said, “Sailor Seeks Horse” and went on to explain that the author had sailed solo around the world and ridden across the US from coast to coast and back again…on a mule. He’d then decided he wanted to travel around Tasmania by horse but didn’t have one. So, was there anyone who would lend him one? If they didn’t have a horse then a pony would do. It was an idea that resonated with us. Here we were, trying to do something a little bit crazy, without much money and requiring a little bit of help to get to where we wanted to be.

Vintage 2023
‘If you’ve tasted wines from 2023 in Tasmania we think you’ll have been impressed. It really was an outstanding year – a lovely growing season with moderate yields for most. As with most years for us this was a low-yielding season coming in between 2.5-3t/ha depending on the variety and clone. We’d decided to graft over our MV6 to 115 and Abel in 2021 but some of the grafts didn’t take so we retrained some of the MV6 back to the cordon wire which has meant there is an interesting mix of clones in those rows now. There were also a few bunches from the new west-facing block in the estate Pinot and Chardonnay!

New vineyard
In other news we have been helping some friends plant out a new 4ha Pinot Noir vineyard for them in Cradoc which will hopefully crop this year for the 2025 vintage and will go to a new single vineyard wine to be released in 2027.’ Gilli and Paul Lipscombe.

2023 Sailor Seeks Horse Chardonnay - VERY limited
From four Dijon clones (95, 96, 76 & 277) in two sections of the vineyard over 2 hectares in 2010.

‘In warmer regions you often get either breadth or precision but rarely both. We like to think our wines combine the two and never more so than in this Chardonnay. It has length, persistence and generosity combined with that saline character we see each year, all supported with some delicious new French oak.’ Gilli Lipscombe.

2023 Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir
‘Picked at the end of April and into May with 5% whole bunch and our more traditional Tasmanian clones of 8048 and 2051, this is a classically savoury Pinot, lots of layers with a touch more tannin and weight than in cooler years.’ Gilli Lipscombe.

2023 Pinot Noir Dijon Clones
‘114 and 777 clones – rose perfume combined with more subtle savoury notes, intensity, length, filigree and high-toned.’ Gilli Lipscombe.

2023 Pinot Noir Huldufolk - VERY limited
The name means ‘hidden people’ in Icelandic and has its origins in 19th century folklore. This certainly is a hidden gem - if you are one of the lucky people to get one of just 800 bottles. The Huldufolk label is reserved for exceptional parcels of Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir.

‘115 clone. Roses and star anise. Our notes say – textural, plush, so much calmness, effortless, just sits. Slightly odd notes but winemakers eh?’ Gilli Lipscombe.

The following wines from the Tamar Valley vineyard SMALL WONDER (formerly Goaty Hill) - certified organic

Small Wonder, Tamar Valley – 2024 release

With a return to more typical yields after the low-yielding 2023 vintage, a warm, dry summer meant the fruit ripened easily and in great condition. Harvesting was somewhat contracted with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir picked only 6 days apart. Short and sharp so to speak.

Once the fruit arrived at the winery fermentations kicked off quite quickly and were gently handled before elevage of 12 months in older oak followed by 4 months in stainless steel prior to bottling for both varieties. Gilli Lipscombe.

2024 Small Wonder by Sailor Seeks Horse Chardonnay
‘Certified organic grapes, I10V1 clone, no malolactic, unfined. A warmer vintage with a touch more alcohol weight in 2024 means this iteration has a riper spectrum of fruit and flowers but with that combination of slatey and creamy textures’ Gilli Lipscombe.

2024 Small Wonder by Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir
‘Certified organic grapes, D4V2 clone, unfined. Riper than previous vintages with red and blue fruits combined with hints of gamey complexity from the extended ageing in barrel. Super supple and fleshy on the palate’ Gilli Lipscombe.