Friday 4th November 2022
Venue: Quality Hotel Mildura Grand, Ballroom
Time: 1pm – 5pm
Cost: $120pp
The 2022 Talk & Taste will be full of celebration and reflection of the alternative variety movement in Australia over the last 21 years.
Session one: Coming of Age
Hosted by Max Allen
Referencing a collection of former trophy wines, Max will check in on how they’re travelling to help illustrate the story of the past, present and future of the AAVWS. In his inimitable style he will touch on the people who shaped our journey and the evolution of the show since his time at the helm. Along the way he will bring in some key guests to ask the big questions. Is the AAVWS still relevant? What is ‘alternative’ and should we still segregate it? Mildura? Why it’s been important to the success of the show?
Max will reflect on 21 years of the AAVWS from the perspective of, a former Chief of Judges (2005 – 2011) and being a guest judge in 2002 and in our 21st show in 2022.
Session two: In the Grü-ve
Hosted by Jane Faulkner
Jane will facilitate a deep dive into Grüner Veltliner’s journey in Australia drawing on her experience as a great lover of the varietal, a former Chief of Judges (2012 – 2018) and being a guest judge in 2005, 2007, 2009 – 2011.
Looking at award winning wines and a coupe of benchmarks from its homeland, Jane will question how Grüner Veltliner is going in Australia viticulturally, vinously and with the consumers. Backed up by a rockstar panel featuring Dave Carpenter from Lark Hill who made Australia’s first Gruener wine and Larry Jacobs from Hahndorf Hill the unofficial King of Gruner in Australia and winner of the 2020 AAVWS Best Wine of Show and a few other special guests.
Session Three: At the Table
Hosted by Sophie Otton
Sophie, current Chief of Judges (since 2019) and Guest judge in 2005 and 2018, will gather an expert panel to look at wine list changes in the two decades since the first AAVWS.
Featuring some of Australia’s most revered restaurateurs and sommeliers including co-founder Stefano de Pieri, Movida’s Frank Camorra, Melissa Moore from the Merivale Group and Where’s Nick bar owner Bridget Rafall. The panel will look at the evolution of dining and wine lists and how alternative variety wines have played a part in that. And chances are you will end up with a tasty morsel, including jamon, baccala, pate on crostini and montasio cheese, alongside your glass of wine to accompany this chat.
