The Tamar flows south!

Tassie has this north south rivalry thing. It makes otherwise normal people go a bit .... well stupid. "They've got the cricket so we should have the football" and "they've got a pulp mill so should we". It's ridiculous, unhelpful and makes us all look like country bumpkins to the rest of the world. But like wide ties, flared pants and bad habits we just won't let it go.

Still we are in good company. In Canberra they have a north of the flooded sheep paddock (that's Lake Burley Griffin for the uninitiated - Ed) is better than south of the flooded sheep paddock thing and England, well, they really know how to do rivalry. They have big warning signs saying "THE NORTH" or "THE SOUTH" depending on your location. Rather than just trade insults they've killed each other. Makes our arguments look pretty lame.

All this came to mind recently not because of the threat from at least one northern politician 'to bring down the government' if North Melbourne were allowed to play two football games in Hobart, but because a gaggle of Tamar valley winemaking notables were heading south.

It seems not enough southerners are buying Tamar Valley wine. We don't understand this because wines from the north are nothing short of amazing. If we had to guess, it's happening due to ignorance rather than any deep seated prejudice. A depressing number of people have simply not heard of names like Sharmans, Providence or Three Wishes vineyard. 

Realising this the fine folk from the Tamar Valley Wine route took their very successful 'Taste of the Tamar' on the road and set up shop at the Grand Chancellor on Hobart's waterfront. Since we can smell a wine event from miles away (er the TV, radio and newspaper ads may have helped - Ed) we rocked up to have a look.

Having been to a couple of Taste of the Tamar events in Launceston we had a pretty good idea what to expect and we weren't disappointed. Most, but unfortunately not all, of our favourite Tamar labels were there as well as the music, food and honey.

Being the first time, numbers, at least on the Saturday when we attended, were small but according to event organiser Rita Richter (Grey Sands Vineyard) they "were the right demographic" so sales were good.

Aside from the wine and cider it's always worth going to these types of events, you just never know what you'll learn. We found out, thanks to the Plumm masterclass, that drinking wine from crystal rather than our favourite vegemite jar makes it taste better (who'd of thunk it! - Ed). We also got to meet Taltarni winemaker Karina Dambergs who, it transpires, is responsible for Clover Hill sparkling, which is too much for our budget but is supposed to be truly spectacular.

Don't be too concerned if you missed this event as it looks as though it will return next year. If it is make sure you go, it will be worth it. If you can't wait that long head up to the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston on August 27th and 28th for the Taste of the Tamar 'northern edition'. 

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