28/09/2022
Yesterday, I had the pleasure and privilege to attend the NSW Wine 2022 Regional Tasting Series, with a spotlight on the Tumbarumba wine region. As I approached the Dixson Room at the State Library of NSW, where the tasting was taking place, there was a definitive and lively (read: noisy) buzz, made all the more conspicuous by the fact that we were, indeed, in a library.
Tasting the wines and meeting the producers, however, the buzz around Tumbarumba is well-deserved and contagious. The region is home to only 300 hectares of vines, but the fruit of these vines results in special wines of exceptional flavour, structure, and texture. The region’s climate suits the production of the classic sparkling wine grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier – and these wines were bright and delicious. Tumbarumba also produces other international varieties such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gamay, Shiraz, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Sangiovese.
The afternoon included casual tastings with the producers, as well as a more structured, tutored tasting of four signature wines moderated by Wine Selector’s Adam Walls.
Featured producers included Allegiance Wines, Collector Wines, Coppabella, Corang Estate, Courabyra Wines, Cowpunk, Eden Road Wines, Hungerford Hill, Johansen Wines, Kosciuszko Wines, McWilliams, Obsession Wines, and Wondalma. In addition to the beautiful bubblies, I’m most excited about some of the emerging varietals, such as the Grüner Veltliners from Courabyra and Collector and the Albariño from Obsession.
Tumbarumba is definitely a region on the rise. Though there’s a lot in the news these days about the – yes, delicious – Tasmanian sparkling wines and how they stand up to Champagnes, keep a glass ready for the bubbles from Tumbarumba, too.
Keen to learn more? Visit www.tumbarumbawine.com.au.
