Cellar door expansion in Pipers River

•  Christine and Logan Suitor, Alex Russell, and Audrey, Lara and John Suitor. Photo by Luca Photography.

By Daisy Baker
August 31, 2022

A cellar door is on the cards for a Pipers River winery, marking a significant expansion for the business and another stop on the region’s wine route.

After finding success winemaking in the South Australian Riverland region, Alex Russell and his wife Lara Suitor bought a property in Pipers River six years ago.

Here under the label of Russell and Suitor Wines, he’s turned his attention to creating premium cold climate wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

What started out as a two-hectare operation has grown to 15 hectares, all the while continuing their mainland wine business.

Mr Russell said they felt it was time to expand to include a cellar door.

“We don’t expect the Tasmanian wine industry to grow forever,” he said.

“The rest of the industry is having a really tough time at the moment, so it’s good to have diversification.” 

Wine producers have been impacted by China’s import tariffs of around 220 per cent on bottled Australian wine imports.

Mr Russell said with not many cellar doors in their immediate area, they thought it was a good move to give tourists some variety.

He said they would welcome other wineries nearby to also establish cellar doors.

“It would be good for their business, our business and the region,” he said.

They are currently doing groundwork in preparation for the cellar door.

Construction is expected to begin in May next year.

Russell and Suitor Wines currently employ seven staff and will hire another two or three to run the cellar door once its operational. 

The vineyard’s annual output is around 300 tonnes, with a total yield of 250-400 tonne, some of which is on sold.

Come winter time they graze the vineyards with their own sheep.

Mr Russell said his passion for winemaking began at the age of 13 at his home in Melbourne 

He went on to study viticulture and wine science and hasn’t looked back.

“I’ve been doing it professionally for 21 years and as a hobby for 10 years before that as a teenager.

“I’m living the dream. I turned a hobby and a passion into a career.

“You take something pretty raw and turn it into something refined and accomplished.”

Mr Russell said initially they plan to showcase their wines and those from their South Australian operation at the cellar door, with the potential to integrate food down the track, and a distilled product is also in the pipeline. 

The proposal is currently before Council.