Getting out and about, tasting new styles, discovering emerging varieties and simply mixing it up with wine industries’ most respected personalities – our Tasting Panel are always hard at work. Here is small glimpse of what just three of our talented bunch are getting up to.
Dave Mavor – France
I recently travelled to France to judge at the Citadelles du Vin and International Wine Show based near Bordeaux as well as the International Malbec Challenge, which is a bi-annual run in conjunction with Citadelles. This was my second year at the event and the experience was just as exciting, educating and kind on my palate as it was back in 2010. I have been invited back next year to judge again and to speak on the topic of ‘The Wines of Australia’. It is such an unbelievable experience to be part of such esteemed events and to soak up the unbeatable atmosphere of the French summer. I also managed to sneak in a cheeky 10 days of ‘in-depth research’ on the Wine Bars of Paris in between a week-long language school – both of which were well worth the effort!
Nicole Gow – Hunter Valley
This year I attended the Hunter Valley Wine Show as a Trainee Associate Judge and it is one of the only Regional Wine Shows that have such a Trainee program. The show, as always, was incredibly well organised and attended by key wine industry members from the Hunter, other states as well as International guests. I loved how the Trainee program allows new judges to the show to get their grounding and gain a true understanding of the process. We tasted many terrific wines (over 700!) from varying vintages and varieties so there’s a lot to look forward to out of the Hunter. There’s a wonderful camaraderie in the air and whilst we’re seriously looking for award winning wines from the region, there’s a few good laughs to be had and some incredible wines to share and discuss along the way. Congratulations and a huge thank you to Iain Riggs and his team of experts for such a well organised and worthwhile show!
Trent Mannell – Melbourne
My judging started in 2000 as a Trainee Judge under the late Len Evans at the Hunter Valley Wine Show and this will be my first judging at the prestigious Royal Melbourne Wine Show (RMWS). Over the last 10 years I have judged at the Sydney Wine Show, Hunter Valley, Canberra Regional, Perth and London International Wine Challenge. The RMWS is such an important part of Australian wine history and has been an annual fixture since 1884, so I am really looking forward to getting stuck in and discovering which wines will surprise and please. It is the yardstick for Australian wine and I believe it is really important for us to participate in shows such as these to get a firsthand look at changing trends in winemaking and to see new and emerging varieties coming on to the market. Plus, it’s also pretty important for us to be able to lend some expertise back to the industry.