What began as a lockdown fantasy has become a successful wine and tourism venture in Red Hills. Bron Dance and Jade Nicholls and their children swapped the pressures of Melbourne life for the Meander Valley four years ago, and now run Meander Valley Vineyard, a boutique winery near Deloraine.
“It could have been anything,” Bron says. “My husband just emailed me from one end of the house to the other and said, how about a vineyard in Tasmania?” Within weeks they were on a plane. The vineyard, previously called Three Willows, had a name change and a strategic refresh.
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The appeal was practical as much as romantic. “It was just really cute. It was at a price that we could afford. We could live on site, as well as creating a business, a family business.” Infrastructure was already in place. “All the bits that you can’t really see, the previous owner had spent a lot of money on.” Since then the pair have expanded the cellar door, added a wood-fired pizza oven and built new accommodation.
The brand has played a major role in lifting the vineyard’s profile. “Everyone says they love our branding,” notes Bron. The new name draws on the idea of the Meander Valley as a destination in itself, and they’ve leaned into that identity. “We saw it as meandering and finding your way and like a road less travelled.” The label design features pops of yellow and directional arrows, echoing the trail signage found throughout the region.
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“We came from the Yarra Valley. Meander Valley – it just was a really nice fit,” she says.
There’s now luxury glamping on site, with two canvas tents fitted out with heated flooring, kitchenettes, wood-fired hot tubs and decks facing the vines. “It’s like glamping, but take it up 10 notches.” They’re among only a few of their kind in the state.
Getting approvals for the accommodation wasn’t easy and has taken more time than hoped. Despite that, Bron says the results speak for themselves. “We finally feel like we’ve achieved [the accommodation], which is really nice.” The goal now is to consolidate at the vineyard.
The vineyard itself spans 15 acres, with five acres under vine. Four varieties are grown on site: chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir and baco noir. The last of these is rare in Australia and bottled only by Meander Valley. “Even real wine buffs have never tasted it before.”
The wine list is tight and well considered. “We don’t do a straight chardonnay – it all goes into making sparkling wine.” Their sparkling cuvée, held on lees for three years, has just been released. “It’s got a bit of a lemon meringue pie sort of vibe.” There’s also a sparkling rosé and, more recently, a sparkling red. Made with a nod to family holiday tradition.
Production volumes remain deliberately small for some of their wines. “We’ll only produce about a thousand bottles a year.” Their pinot gris has won awards. There’s also a reserve pinot noir, and a rosé made entirely from pinot noir grapes.
Even the apples produced on site haven’t gone to waste. “There’s only so many apple pies I can make,” Bron says. That surplus led to their cider, made with apples from their trees and a neighbour’s orchard. “It’s called ‘Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree’ and that’s been really popular.”
Weddings are held once a month to avoid disrupting weekend trade, which has grown significantly. Bron still works weekends and handles cleaning for the accommodation herself. “We get really busy on a Saturday, like a hundred plus people.”
Looking back, she said it’s hard to believe how far they’ve come, and they’re both happy they made the leap. “I love Deloraine. I love the river. I just love that I have some really good friends now and get to really enjoy the place.”
