New organic vineyard showcases best of local produce

One of the biggest agri-tourism developments in the state has been launched in the Tamar Valley with the official opening of Small Wonder Cellar Door and Restaurant.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff cut the ribbon on the stunning transformation of what was once Goaty Hill Vineyard at Kayena and food and travel writers from interstate and Tasmanian wine industry leaders were also in attendance.

Wines showcased at the opening were the award-winning 2021 Small Wonder Blanc de Blancs, the 2025 Landscape Riesling, the 2025 Landscape Chardonnay and the 2024 Auburn Pinot Noir.

No expense has been spared by Singapore-based couple Angus Davidson and Tracy Wong-Davidson, who have invested heavily in similar certified organic winemaking ventures in Margaret River, Western Australian through their company Overstory.

Mr Davidson said that Tasmania’s growing season for grapes between October and April, when the average temperature is 14.4 degrees, makes it a special place to grow grapes for cool climate wine, conditions that drive style and quality. 

“When we bought the farm it was conventionally farmed and we converted it to organic so we can run it regeneratively,” he said.

“We firmly believe that healthy soil leads to healthy plants, healthy plants lead to healthy grapes and healthy grapes lead to better wine.”

The new venue features four distinct spaces: the cellar door; private function room The Wine Library; outdoor area The Garden and a seasonal, hyperlocal restaurant led by Michelin-trained Head Chef Konstantin Putkin. 

The Small Wonder restaurant will offer a shared tasting menu which will evolve alongside the seasons and celebrate the very best of Tasmanian produce. 

Mr Putkin is collaborating with an array of local producers including Summerlea Farm, Springfield Deer Farm, Littlewood Farm, Seven Springs Farm and Wattle Hill Olives for the offering. 

“Our menu at Small Wonder centres around relaxation and generosity, just like dining at your family home. We’re focused on exceptional produce, prepared simply and thoughtfully, with dishes that encourage people to gather around the table, share food and enjoy the experience together,” Mr Putkin said. 

“For me, the greatest pleasure is showcasing Tasmania’s extraordinary produce and the people behind it. We’ve built strong relationships with dedicated local growers, farmers and producers, and their ingredients really shape the way we cook and what we put on the plate for our guests.” 

The debut menu is set to include dishes such as a venison and wallaby sausage with spring peas, fermented chickpeas and sauce charcuterie; a long-line-caught market fish from Kyeema Seafoods with fermented Hillwood strawberry, leche de tigre, compressed spring citrus and wild fennel; and a pork cutlet from the nearby Fork it Farm with larded black gastrique, burnt onion, house mustard, and pickles. 

In the future, the restaurant will host quarterly, seasonal long lunches for up to 56 guests to enjoy a curated dining experience. 

Throughout the venue, the full Small Wonder wine range will be on pour with Mr Putkin and his team working closely with senior winemaker Ockie Myburgh to design a menu that aligns with the portfolio. 

Outside, The Garden will offer a casual, a la carte dining menu which is set to include options such as croquettes with local Pyengana Dairy cheddar, caramelised leek, fermented jalapeno and black garlic mayonnaise; house buttermilk Nichols Poultry fried chicken with last season’s fermented cherry hot sauce and Fork it Farm cured meats, local cheeses and house-fermented pickles. The Garden will also host live acoustic music sets each Saturday and Sunday afternoon. 

At the cellar door, guests will be able to taste six wines from the Small Wonder portfolio for $25pp, with the tasting fee waived upon any two-bottle purchase. Winery Tours will also be available for $50pp, which gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at the Small Wonder winemaking process before wrapping up with a tasting in the cellar door. 

The Wine Library will also host bookable Wine Masterclasses which will run every eight weeks for groups up to 20. The space will also be available for private event bookings. 

The design of the Small Wonder Cellar Door & Restaurant has been led by Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore) and local Tasmanian firm Edwards + Simpson. 

The building is clad in locally sourced and hand-cut bluestone to blend into the natural environment while inside features Quartzine stone bar tops, textured plaster, and dappled glass with satin nickel framing. 

Sustainability is also at the core of the Small Wonder site with 128 solar panels lining the build alongside electric forklifts, on-site water treatment, and lighter-weight glass bottles across all production. 

In the kitchen, Mr Putkin and his team have implemented systems that eliminate around 90 percent of single-use plastics by switching to compostable wraps, bags and other environmentally responsible alternatives. 

Art advisors The Artling have curated a selection of Australian pieces to star in and around the Small Wonder venue, including works by Tamar Valley-based artist Dallas Richardson, and Tasmanian artists Alicia King and Stephen Bond. 

The Small Wonder Cellar Door & Restaurant will open on Friday, September 18th at 530 Auburn Road, Kayena, Tasmania with the cellar door open daily, 11am to 5pm and the restaurant Thursday to Sunday from 11.30am with last seating 2.30pm. The Garden, with sweeping views of the vineyard and Tamar River, is open daily, 11am to 5pm with food available until 3.30pm.