{"id":23566,"date":"2015-06-10T09:32:10","date_gmt":"2015-06-10T13:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/?p=23566"},"modified":"2015-06-16T15:27:37","modified_gmt":"2015-06-16T19:27:37","slug":"australia-wine-tasting-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nataliemaclean.com\/blog\/australia-wine-tasting-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian First Families of Wine: Seduction Speed Tasting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMG_2165<\/a><\/strong>Photo Credit: Kristy Gardner<\/p>\n

By Kristy Gardner, Wine Writer, Photographer, Designer<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve never been to Australia. But hot damn, after the Australian First Families of Wine (AFFW) Unlock Tour de Force event in Vancouver this week, I want to go.<\/p>\n

The setting: 22 wines, 60 minutes, and some pretty epic “coming-of-age” stories later, Robert Hill-Smith of Yalumba Family Vignerons c. 1849 – and the 11 other family owned wineries belonging to the AFF – welcomed us with a generous sampling of some of best wines Australia has fermented.<\/p>\n

Presenting hand selected, flagship wines ranging in varietals from the lesser known Tempranillo or Marsanne to Australia’s classic and well known Shiraz, or Chardonnay, spanning in date from 1996 – 2014, the winemakers highlighted the character and personality of each vintage and the narrative behind it.<\/p>\n

\"Jim<\/a><\/p>\n

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Jim Barry Wines The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2012\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nClare Valley, South Australia<\/p>\n

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Taking some time after the speed tasting to chat with Peter Barry of Jim Barry Wines (located in the Clare Valley), Barry told me his wines aren’t after mass appeal; they’re about creating something that has history, is complex and maintains a certain value that’s reflective of the kind of experience he likes to create.<\/p>\n

They’re about family, artisan practices (such as open barrel fermentation and free-run juice), and community, both at home in South Australia and around the globe.<\/p>\n

Barry and the other members of AFFW highlighted the craft of Australian wine making through multi-generational stories of history and place, emphasizing the connections we have with each other through our experiences, our creativity, and our glass.<\/p>\n

I can toast to that.<\/p>\n

Kristy Gardner
\nsheeats.ca<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Kristy<\/a>Freelance writer and photographer Kristy Gardner has a penchant for locally grown organic food, seasonal cocktails, carbs bad 80\u2019s films, bourbon and pigs.<\/p>\n

She can be found on her food blog SheEats.ca<\/a> or her Vancouver based design and social media company, peppercorncreative.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"IMG_2175<\/a>Photo Credit: Kristy Gardner<\/p>\n

By Mymi Myriam, The Singing Sommelier<\/strong><\/p>\n

We all want to be seduced\u2026 So when I heard about a \u201cspeed-dating\u201d inspired wine-tasting, I was intrigued. When I heard that the wines for this fascinating event were going to be from none other than Australia\u2019s First Families of Wine in Toronto, suddenly May 26th became a highly anticipated day on my calendar.<\/p>\n

The countdown was on.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s First Families of Wine (AFFW) was founded in 2009 and came together to raise the profile of quality Australian wine at home and around the world. Twelve family-owned wineries belong to this prestigious group:\u00a0 McWilliam\u2019s, Tahbilk, Tyrrell\u2019s Wines, Wakefield, Yalumba, Brown Brothers, Campbells, d\u2019Arenberg, De Bortoli Wines, Howard Park, Henschke and Jim Barry Wines.<\/p>\n

\"Henschke<\/a><\/p>\n

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Henschke Tilly’s Vineyard 2013<\/strong><\/a>
\nAdelaide Hills, Eden Valley, South Australia<\/p>\n

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I arrived at the Art Gallery of Ontario at 1:30pm sharp and was warmly greeted, given a table number, an empty glass and a booklet describing what was to be served.\u00a0 The Chairman welcomed us and candidly informed us that the aim of this afternoon\u2019s event was to seduce us.<\/p>\n

And then it began.\"Mcwilliam's<\/a><\/p>\n

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Mcwilliam’s Appellation Series Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2013<\/strong><\/a>
\nTumbarumba, New South Wales, Australia<\/p>\n

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The first bell moved the thirsty crowd to their assigned tables and the first two wines.\u00a0 A second bell sounded six minutes later, indicating a move to the next table and another two wines.\u00a0 Eleven of the twelve families were represented, so there were 11 tables to visit and 22 wines to taste in just over an hour.<\/p>\n

We were romanced by the most exquisite selection of wine, from the driest, most unusual whites, to the fullest bodied reds – even a sweet botrytised nectar.<\/p>\n

The wines were alluring, stunning, and at times jaw-dropping, but do you want to know what \u201cseduced\u201d me the most?<\/p>\n

\"Howard<\/a><\/p>\n

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Howard Park Flint Rock Chardonnay 2012\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>
\nGreat Southern, Western Australia<\/p>\n

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The intense passion of each speaker (and the Australian accents).\u00a0 At every table, a member of the family, or even the winemaker himself, welcomed every one of us and lovingly shared as much as they could in the allotted 6 minutes about their land, their family history, and of course, their wines.<\/p>\n

Their enthusiasm is transformed into an obsession to craft wines that represent the bond they feel to their vineyards and their family.<\/p>\n

The diverse panoply of wine styles represented by these 11 families was of the highest quality. Australia may be a powerhouse in new-world style wine production, but AFFW is a reminder of the country\u2019s ability to craft unique, artisanal, yet world-class wines as diverse as its soils, climate and wine regions.<\/p>\n

So was I seduced?\u00a0 Too right mate!<\/p>\n

Mymi Myriam<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sommelier, Musician, Blogger<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mymi\"<\/a> Mymi is a sommelier, singer-songwriter, musician and voice-over artist with a serious and contagious passion for wine, food and music.<\/p>\n

When asked why she is so enthusiastic about wine, she replies; \u201cWine connects so many elements of life that I absolutely love! From growing herbs and vegetables to cooking, eating, travelling, entertaining, studying\u2026 There is always something new to learn in the world of wine. Sharing my knowledge with people, no matter their level of expertise, is something I sincerely enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her qualifications include certifications from The Court of Master Sommeliers, The International Sommelier Guild, The Society of Wine Educators, The Ontario Wine Council and most recently, The French Wine Society.\u00a0 Being a performer, it is with ease that she shares her knowledge in a down-to-earth, exciting, comprehensible and unpretentious way.<\/p>\n

She is completing the French Wine Society\u2019s Master-Level program studying the region of Provence, is in the early stages of creating a food\/wine\/music show, is a regular contributor to Natalie.MacLean.com and is currently recording her first all-French album.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_2162<\/a>Photo Credit: Kristy Gardner<\/p>\n

\u00a0By Allison & Chris Wallace<\/strong><\/p>\n

What made this tasting extra special were the people pouring the wines: it was the owners themselves, not some local distributer, but the founders or direct descendants of the founders themselves.<\/p>\n

We doubt there are many Canadians who have met the owner of an iconic Australian winery, but there we were with twelve of the most important, tasting their wines and hearing their story directly from the people responsible for those wines.<\/p>\n

The format for the tasting was along the lines of a speed dating event. We were split into 12 groups of 8 and sent to one of the 12 marked stations lining the perimeter of the Grand Ballroom at the Vancouver Club. At each station was one of the family members of the winery\u2019s founder and a few assistants to help pour.<\/p>\n

.\"Tahbilk<\/a><\/p>\n

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Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz 2009<\/strong><\/a>
\nVictoria, Australia<\/p>\n

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The group then went to their assigned first station and the event began. We spent 5 minutes at each station, where we were treated to a background about the winery and presented with two of their wines to taste, along with additional background about that specific wine.<\/p>\n

After 5 minutes you were informed time was up and we moved clock-wise to the next station. You would be surprised at how brief 5 minutes is to catch the story and taste two wines!<\/p>\n

\"Henschke<\/a><\/p>\n

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Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz 2005<\/strong><\/a>
\nEden Valley, Australia<\/p>\n

The speed-dating format works from a winery and from a trade perspective. It allows both sides to communicate a lot of information about, as well as tasting 24 different wines in a two hour time space. It is just enough time to make a preliminary assessment of the wines and get a tiny bit of winery background.<\/p>\n

But it is also loud, often difficult to hear the speaker, and almost impossible to take notes. While I can see how it accomplishes an objective for the trade, it is far less successful for wine-writers who want to communicate something about the wine\u2019s attributes and about the history of the winery and its people for context.<\/p>\n

\"D'arenberg<\/a><\/p>\n

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D’arenberg The Love Grass Shiraz 2011<\/strong><\/a>
\nMclaren Vale, South Australia<\/p>\n

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At Advinetures, as our various articles have shown, we are very much about bringing that context to our readers, and about describing the wines with tasting notes and giving a thoughtful evaluation of the wine\u2019s quality and its sensory attributes. Most of our articles are the result of one to two hour individual tastings with the winemaker or owner, which allows us to offer our readers that perspective.<\/p>\n

The rush, the noise and the distractions clearly was not going to permit that here. That is not a complaint about the event, but merely an observation about how the format worked for us.<\/p>\n

We were able to come away from the event with several firm conclusions:<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Australia is producing some excellent wines, wines that are complex and offer a diversity of styles. Forget that old stereotype that Australia is all about hot-climate, alcoholic, port-like Shiraz. If anything, we were struck by the balance of the wines and how far off point that old stereo-type has become.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Australia has a terrific diversity of wines. Yes, there was plenty of Shiraz to be tasted. But there was a wide range of styles offered, from big and bold, to elegant and peppery and plenty in-between. But lots of other varietals are being produced: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon were also showcased.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Australia continues to produce outstanding quality at a wide range of prices. The $700 Henschke Hill of Grace and the $175 Jim Barry Armagh were stunners, but at $25 the Brown Borthers Pinot Noir and the Wakefield Estate Shiraz were remarkable bargains.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Australia is as much about white wines as it is reds. Riesling and Semillon were particularly successful.<\/p>\n

\"Wakefield<\/a><\/p>\n

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Wakefield Merlot 2013\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong> <\/a>
\nClare Valley, South Australia<\/p>\n

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Overall, a fun and informative tasting that showed the quality and diversification of Australia\u2019s First Families of Wine as well as confirming their continuing ability to be a leader in providing some great values at many different price points.<\/p>\n

Sidebar Note:<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s First Families of Wine (AFFW) is a collection of twelve premium wineries with vineyards in 16 different Australian regions that have banded together to promote as a group their individual wines.<\/p>\n

The initiative came together in 2009 with a purpose to engage consumers, distributors, retailers and restaurants about the character of Australia\u2019s finest wines.<\/p>\n

Qualification for joining the group rests in satisfying a number of criteria: being family controlled with two or more generations working in the business; possessing a library that offers 20 or more vintages of a brand; and a commitment to environmentally best practices, among others. Each of the twelve founding members were in attendance and pouring at least two different wines:<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Brown Brothers
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Campbells
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0D\u2019Arenberg
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0De Bortoli
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Henschke
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Howard Park
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Jim Barry
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0McWilliam\u2019s
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Tahbilk
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Tyrelll\u2019s Wines
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Wakefield (known as Taylors in Australia, but uses the name Wakefield in the Northern Hemisphere due to copyright restrictions)
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Yalumba<\/p>\n

Allison & Chris Wallace <\/strong><\/p>\n

Wine and Travel Bloggers<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Chris<\/a>Chris & Allison Wallace are avid lovers of both travel and wine. Between them they have visited more than 70 countries and tasted wines from across the globe.<\/p>\n

Allison is the Director of Media & Communications for Flight Centre Canada (www.flightcentre.ca) and is a published author and photographer.<\/p>\n

Chris is a former Private Equity Fund Manager and is a published author on www.seekingalpha.com & www.Investedcentral.com. Both have attained WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 2 certificates and are regular contributors to NatalieMaclean.com.<\/p>\n

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