Taste Tasmania

Tasmania, the smallest state of Australia, is a triangular, mountainous island in the Southern Ocean, about 150 miles south of Victoria. With its mild, sunny, cool, maritime climate, the island is known for its pinot noir, as well as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, and sparkling wines. Tasmania (or “Tazzy,” as it is often called locally) is named for the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who discovered it in 1642. The island’s vast array of plant and animal life includes the Tasmanian devil, a not very devilish, doglike creature, which, like the kangaroo, is a marsupial.