Berry baron and winemaker's new vineyard venture opens on Tamar

The once-home of Elmslie Vineyard in Legana has reopened as Evenfall Wines in a major transformation backed by Berried in Tas owner Richard Winspear in collaboration with Natalie Fryar's award-winning Bellebonne Winery.

The Evenfall restaurant and cellar door opened in mid-December with a completely revitalised look to the 7.2 hectare vineyard along the Tamar River and a completely new stock of wines.

Selling Ms Fryar's and its own range of estate-grown wine - including chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon from winemaker Liam McElhinney - the vineyard is hoping to make a name for itself in the region with its elegant restaurant and vintages.

Ms Fryar has been dubbed "Australia's Sparkling Queen", and has been internationally recognised for her exquisite sparkling wine, often cited as making the country's best sparkling Rosé.

The restaurant also stocks wines from Evenfall's surrounding vineyards like Utzinger, Wellington & Wolfe and Ossa Wines.

"The opening of our cellar door and restaurant marks a significant milestone," the site's restaurant manager Joel Murdoch said.

"We're excited to be able to provide a place like this for Legana more than anything."

Evenfall's restaurant and cellar door - a white, weatherboard, federation-style building at the crest of one of the vineyard's sloping hills - overlooks the Tamar River from Upper McEwans Road.

Willow trees hang their heads alongside the building's sundecks, while the interior is an elegantly wood-floored and windowed space of dark furniture and grey drapery.

"This is really a completely different space to 2021 when it was purchased," the site's restaurant manager Joel Murdoch said.

"Over the last four months, it's been completely changed into this place of light where there are almost 360 degrees courtesy of the windows, which showcase the scenery."

The location was renovated starting in June, with a roughly four month redevelopment period, with further upgrades planned including the renovation of an old church building to become a permanent cellar door.

The restaurant is being run by Mr Murdoch and experienced local chef Tom Kirby, who has curated a locally sourced, seasonal menu, while the space's cellar door is managed by Leeroy Gorman.

Mr Gorman said the restaurant was hoping to run several community events in the New Year, including live music, to entice locals to the new-look vineyard.

"As things move forward and people discover us more, it can only get better," he said.

Evenfall's cellar door is open Monday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm, with the restaurant open Thursday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11am to late.