Spider Bill
Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Just when we thought we’d seen it all from Adelaide Hills winemaker prodigy Tarrant Hansen, he unveils his plans of expansion for Spider Bill, including a winery, more Chardonnay and Pinot Noir plantings, and even a cellar door, all of which he plans to add to his Verdun home property over the coming years. What about the wines? Well, they’re as fresh and stunning as ever, a picture of crystalline purity and flavour generosity.
As we taste through the new releases, Tarrant’s perfectionist disposition comes as no surprise. These are to the point and take no prisoners in uncovering the truth about what it is that makes the Adelaide Hills a distinguished wine region that offers winemakers like Tarrant boundless creative possibilities. We are fortunate bystanders.
2021 Sparkling Blanc de Blanc
For his inaugural Spider Bill NV Blanc de Blanc, Tarrant opted for a blend of 2020 and 2021 vintage base wines. All the Chardonnay comes from the Uva vineyard in Piccadilly.
Winemaking
The juice was barrel fermented on full solids and kept on lees for six months. The wine was tiraged in mid July 2021 and disgorged the end of 2023/start of this year.
Tasting Note
This pristine sparkling wine has a linear style, much like the Spider Bill Chardonnay, with added complexity from 34 months on lees in bottle before disgorging in May 2024. Dosage 6g/L.
2023 Chardonnay
The quality of Tarrant’s Chardonnay is a testament to his small batch approach. Made with modern Australian every day drinking and eating culture in mind, it is a fuss-free expression of premium Adelaide Hills fruit.
Winemaking
The fruit comes from select parcels in Piccadilly Valley and Lobethal. It was whole bunch pressed and barrel fermented on full solids. The wine then spent 9 months in old and new (15%) French oak barrels. It did not go through malolactic fermentation.
Tasting Note
This Chardonnay has a lovely pale lemon hue and a hint of greenness in its rim. The nose leads you on with seductive aromas of tart nectarine, Meyer lemon and green melon. The palate is linear, with more pronounced citrus and stone fruit flavours that meld with toasted almond oak characters adding intensity to the fine, focused acid line.
2021 Chardonnay ‘Schoenthal’
The quality of Tarrant’s Chardonnay is a testament to his small batch approach. Made with modern Australian every day drinking and eating culture in mind, it is a fuss-free expression of premium Adelaide Hills fruit.
Winemaking
The fruit comes from a vineyard which is located just outside of Lobethal. This wine was crafted similarly to the Uva Chardonnay. The fruit was pressed directly to barrel and left on full solids. The wine did not go through malolactic fermentation and 70% of it was put in new oak barrels for 15 months.
Tasting Note
Pale straw with a faint green edge. The nose is precise and lifted, offering white nectarine, grapefruit pith and lemon curd, with subtle flint and cashew beneath. The palate is taut and linear, driven by citrus and firm stone fruit, wrapped in finely integrated oak. A persistent acid line carries the wine long and clean, finishing with savoury almond and mineral detail.
2024 Pinot Noir ‘Home Block’
Tarrant has long admired Pinot Noir for its elegance and expressive nuance. His Adelaide Hills interpretations capture the grape’s delicate perfume and textural complexity, producing wines that are both approachable and layered, with a subtle power beneath their finesse.
Winemaking
The fruit for the 2024 Home Block Pinot was sourced from select cool‑climate sites in the Adelaide Hills. Gentle handling and careful fermentation were employed to preserve aromatics and texture, with portions left on skins for subtle extraction. Maturation in seasoned oak lends structure without overshadowing the bright, red fruit core.
Tasting Note
This Pinot displays a bright ruby hue with lifted aromas of strawberry, cherry, and delicate florals. The palate is silky and focused, with red berry flavours framed by fine acid and a whisper of oak spice. It is an approachable, expressive Home Block Pinot, highlighting the charm and refinement of the variety in the Adelaide Hills.
2023 Pinot Noir
Since it was first released in 2015, the Spider Bill Pinot Noir stood out for its lithe structure. Clonal selection has also played a major role in the production of this lightly framed yet complex Pinot Noir. As a result, this has a Burgundian feel to it; the lean, sinewy kind that puts the drink in drinkability.
Winemaking
A mix of clones (114, 115, D5V12, MV6 and 777) was picked form Chapel Valley in Piccadilly and the Balhampton Vineyard in Balhannah. Each clone and parcel were fermented separately in small open top ferments (7 different ferments), including varying degrees of whole bunch (from 1 to 100%). Caps were gently plunged by hand twice daily to manage the warm ferment temperatures.
Tasting Note
It is light on its feet, yet it packs a punch. The nose echoes the clear pale ruby colour with beautiful red fruit characters, quintessentially Adelaide Hills. Tart raspberry and sour cherry characters dominate the palate. Hints of sweet spice characters mix with remarkably defined, soft tannins, and a striking acid line leading on a bright, juicy finish.
A match made in heaven with crispy skin duck and shallot tarte tatin.
2022 Pinot Noir ‘Chapel Valley’
It’s the first time releasing a single vineyard wine from this vineyard.
Winemaking
The fruit was hand harvested and whole bunch fermented (30%). 30% new oak gives it a little more char and phenolic structure.
Tasting Note
Red fruits and spice fill the palate, and a more earthy, savoury undertone lingers on the finish.
2021 Dolcetto
The core message in the bottle is an invitation to try different things, which deserves to be answered enthusiastically. In a crowded wine scene, this wine stands out by the fact that the fruit is grown in the Adelaide Hills, which are much cooler than Dolcetto’s Italian home. As its Italian counterpart, this Dolcetto is best enjoyed now with classic tomato-based dishes or favourite mouth-watering antipasto items, like anchovies, olives, and salami.
Winemaking
The fruit was picked from the Yacca Paddock in Kuitpo, where the cool nights and warm days contribute to perfect ripening conditions. The whole berries were fermented in small open top fermenters, with gentle cap management. It was pressed off skins shortly after to manage the firm tannin profile.
Tasting Note
The Spider Bill Dolcetto is playful and plump, with ripe, luscious fruit that feels like silk on the palate – sweet cherry, black plum, raspberry jam, and cherry ripe chocolate mixed with fresh herb characters. The soft, moreish tannins are balanced by a lip-smacking acidity.
2025 Barberba
Tarrant has a deep appreciation for the Barbera grape, understanding its capacity for vibrant fruit and lively acidity. His Adelaide Hills expressions reveal both charm and depth, crafting wines that are approachable yet nuanced, with a balance of energy and generosity.
Winemaking
The fruit for this 2025 Barbera comes from selected vineyards in the cool Adelaide Hills. Portions were handled gently to preserve bright red fruit character, with careful maceration and fermentation to enhance texture and aromatic lift. The wine was matured in seasoned oak to provide subtle structure while keeping the fruit at the forefront.
Tasting Note
This Barbera shows a bright, garnet-red hue and an inviting nose of cherries, raspberries, and a hint of spice. The palate is vibrant and juicy, with lively acid driving a clean, fresh finish. It is an approachable expression of Barbera, demonstrating both charm and drinkability without heavy tannins or overt oak influence.
2021 Nebbiolo
Tarrant is well versed in the art of making approachable Nebbiolo. Having experienced several vintages in its Piedmontese homeland, the variety holds no secrets from him. His Adelaide Hills iterations of Nebbiolo are just has captivating and gifted with a fruit of ethereal beauty and tannic precision.
Winemaking
The fruit came from Longview Vineyards at Macclesfield in the southern part of the Adelaide Hills. 50% was whole bunch fermented to enhance red fruit and floral characters. It was left on skins for 10 days and pressed off to old oak.
Tasting Note
This is a very light expression of Nebbiolo’s character, without the huge phenolic structure often seen out of Nebbiolo from Piedmont.
2019 Riserva Nebbiolo
A poignant tribute to the resilience and tenacity of the Adelaide Hills winemaking community in the aftermath of the December 2019 Cuddlee Creek bushfires. Approximately 1100ha of vineyards were lost or severely damaged during the fires.
Winemaking
This is the bottling from the very last barrel from a Woodside vineyard was lost in the Cuddlee Creek bushfire. Tarrant held back a barrel from for a total of 3 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle prior to release.
Tasting Note
An expressive iteration of the variety, in keeping with the Adelaide Hills propensity for light-bodied styles without the huge phenolic structure of Barolo and Barbaresco.
Tertiary characters from extended ageing give the wine an added layer of complexity and character.
2023 Grenache ‘McLaren Vale Fi’s Block’
Rarely do you get vine age over 30-40 years in the Adelaide Hills. Seeing gnarly old vines (70+ years) growing on what resembles a beach (the whole vineyard is covered in a deep layer of Maslin sand), the fruit was irresistible.
Winemaking
Whole berries were fermented in open top fermenters and hand plunged twice daily. The wine was left on skins for 7-8 days and pressed directly to one old puncheon, where it remained for 9 months prior to bottling.
Tasting Note
The palate is generous with red fruits, amaro spice and a hint of orange peel. Only old oak was used to let the fruit shine. This is an exciting wine.
2022 Syrah
Longview’s Maccelsfield site, with its high-altitude windswept slopes, produces cool climate Syrah with a semi-skeletal frame and unlikely deep flavours. The low-yielding vines have reached the perfect level of maturity (25+ years) to produce fruit with complexity and breathtaking elegance known to the Spider Bill Syrah. Lamb cutlets are the way to go with it.
Winemaking
The fruit was whole bunch pressed (50%) and wild fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperature. The wine went through malolactic fermentation in 100% old French oak barrels, where it finally spent 9 months.
Tasting Note
It has a cheerful purple colour. The bright red cherry, raspberry and sweet star anise, lavender and peppery characters jump out of the glass. The palate is supple with dark and red berry fruit flavours gently flowing across. This is an extremely quaffable Syrah with understated tannins that leave a satisfying feel on the finish.