Puddleduck Wines — Attraction in Hobart

Rude and disappointing.

My dear friend visiting from Amsterdam, and I, visited for a celebratory glass of sparking wine yesterday before her departure. A very hot day and the delightful deck and ducks and ambience was exactly what we were looking for to enjoy our moment.

Our first server, the owners’ son was wonderful introducing the traditional method sparkling and we happily began to enjoy. The first shock was $36 for two glasses of sparkling but, ok, it was good.

The next was that it went flat before either of us got half way through. We had been chatting and drinking but I really began to not want to drink the rest and realised it was flat. She agreed.

I took our 1/3 full glasses back to ask for at least the same amount replaced as it was rather disappointing.

BEGRUDGINGLY our second server made quite the spectacle of checking the wine, the glass, inspecting the bottle, confirming there was still Bubble and that the bottle was opened that day.

I said, either way, never in all my sparkling wine drinking days, have I ever had to return a glass because it was flat. I felt he was perhaps thinking we were trying to get a free glass out of them or something suspicious, because I was quite surprised.

His two colleagues also were pretty abrasive and concluded it was the heat (and that we were clearly high maintenance).

I’ve sipped sparkling in more locations and temperatures than I can count over the world in my 52 years on the planet. Never seen one go flat like that. He gave us 1/2 of a refresh in our original, warm, glasses.

It happened again.

Flat within about 5 minutes. This time I didn’t bother to finish it or say anything.

We left, and decided we needed to find somewhere else to have a second glass that would leave us feeling infinitely better about our parting celebration.

We went over to Riversdale winery, along the road, and had an exquisite experience. The wine maker was incredible and we enjoyed a complimentary tasting and purchased a glass of their best.

We sat in the sweltering heat on their covered porch and enjoyed the view. The bubbles were abundant until the end and we were very happy with our visit.

I’m pretty underwhelmed with the poor service and the terrible response to my request for a replacement. Never doubt!!! It’s not an easy thing to return and say anything, and your response was quite uncomfortable. The right thing to do was just give us a fresh glass no questions asked and apologise. Give us the benefit of the doubt and move on. When our replaced 1/2 glass went flat maybe you need to not serve your signature bubbles on a hot day of that’s the way they are meant to behave, and suggest something else.

You lost a local and all her future...

Puddleduck Winery is a fantastic destination for the whole family! From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beautiful scenery—rolling vineyards and a picturesque lake made for a serene and relaxing backdrop. What made the experience even better was how kid-friendly the winery is. Our kids had an absolute blast feeding the ducks, which kept them entertained while we enjoyed some fantastic wine.

The wine selection was superb, offering a range of options to suit every palate, and the tasting experience was delightful. It’s clear that this is a family-run business, and the love and care they put into everything really shines through. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, making us feel right at home from the get-go. They went out of their way to ensure we had a great experience, explaining the different wines with enthusiasm and knowledge.

What we loved most was the relaxed and inclusive atmosphere—whether you’re there for a tasting, to relax with a picnic by the water, or just to enjoy the stunning views, Puddleduck has something for everyone. It’s a perfect spot for families, couples, or anyone looking to unwind and enjoy great wine in a beautiful setting. We’ll definitely be back and highly recommend it to anyone...

I've had the pleasure of going to puddle duck vineyard twice and enjoyed their personalized, friendly service both times. Their glassware is stunning and staff knowledge during tastings was wonderful for the expert and weekend wine lover alike (I'm very much the latter!). I'd also recommend the tasting platters available to share while enjoying the view over the duck pond.

Of special note, we purchased a bottle of the limited edition muddle duck 18 months ago and opened it recently for a special occasion to find it corked. I contacted the winery, just to let them know there may be an issue with that batch and received a very welcome and unexpected reply.

They were sincerely apologetic and immediately requested our address to send a replacement bottle of sparkling. Their customer service was exceptional, daily emails to update me on packing and shipping and to apologize again. It was far beyond my expectations of an apology and we received our unexpected replacement within 3 days, from Tasmania to Victoria. There was a handwritten apology in the package wishing us well for our next...