Where is Tumbarumba and what sort of grapes grow there?
A. South Africa; chenin blanc (aka steen)
B. South Island of New Zealand; pinot noir
C. Australia; chardonnay
D. Peru; criolla chica (aka pais) and cabernet sauvignon
C.
Tumbarumba may not be as famous or as large as the Barossa, but it is indeed a wine region in Australia, specifically in the state of New South Wales. The nearby Snowy Mountains rise up 2100 feet. One of the cooler regions in Australia, Tumbarumba is now a source for cool-climate chardonnay grapes. Penfold’s “Bin 311” Chardonnay ($40), for example, is made in part from grapes from Tumbarumba and another cool region, Tasmania. Bin 311—unlike the stereotypical Aussie chardonnay—could easily be confused with French Chablis.
