N E W S
risen overall by nearly 15% on last year to 483 of which 112 are from overease. Chair of CIRC Ken Helm said entries had been received from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Germany, France, Canada and South Africa. “It is pleasing to see a great increase in the number of French entries – from two last year to 17 this year,” Helm said. “The US went from 20 to 31. Perhaps the greater interest can be put down to the greater awareness of Canberra in the centenary year.” Judging for the Challenge, the largest single varietal wine show of its kind in the southern hemisphere, will take place from 8 -10 October and the winners announced on 11 October. Twelve trophies will be awarded at a presentation event that evening. The judging panel will include US-based wine writer Dan Berger, Alsace-based wine manager and judge Valérie Dirringer, Alexander Kohnen, managing director of the International Wine Institute in Germany, Don Young, senior white winemaker at Orlando Wines, Anna Pooley, winemaker at Pooley Wines in Tasmania, and Kerri Thompson, director/winemaker at Wines by KT in South Australia. The event will also include a seminar on Riesling excellence by leading Australian winemakers and academic oenologists and a masterclass tasting led by experts from four leading Riesling-producing countries, both
on 11 October; and a trade and public tasting on Saturday 12 October. Further details on the seminar and masterclass, for which places are limited, can be found at www.rieslingchallenge.com.au International students get a taste for Australian wine More than 200 international students put aside their textbooks for a couple of hours in mid August to learn about Australia’s well known red and white varieties as part of a wine tasting at the National Wine Centre of Australia. The aim of the tasting – the third annual international student wine tasting hosted by Wine Australia, Study Adelaide and the National Wine Education & Training Centre (managed by the South Australian Wine Industry Association) and supported by the National Wine Centre of Australia – was to spark the international students’ enthusiasm for Australian wine and encourage them to explore wine regions while studying in Australia. Many of the students at the event were from China – South Australia’s biggest international student market. Wine Australia’s regional director, Australia & emerging markets, Aaron Brasher, said the event gave international students a taste for the quality and variety of Australian wines. “As international students come to Australia to educate their minds, it’s also a great opportunity to educate their palates by exposing them to some of
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our local wines from across some of our 65 wine regions,” Brasher said. “What we found at last year’s tasting is that, trying some of our local wines as part of an educational experience, provides a catalyst for international students to travel to some of the many wine regions so close to Adelaide and beyond, to actually experience the places, the people and the stories that make our wines stand-out on the world’s stage. “Education and engagement are central to Wine Australia’s global strategy and this event aims to reach a new consumer audience that already has a strong interest in Australia, to develop an understanding about Australian wines. “As with last year’s event, this tasting will help international students to appreciate and develop a taste for the quality of our wines and give them the confidence and knowledge to be able to choose a top local drop and share it with their friends and families when they return home from their Australian educational adventure.” The international students had the opportunity to taste more than two dozen Australian wines from across the country from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Frankland River, Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Grampians, Mornington Peninsula, Hunter Valley and Tasmania. Students also had the opportunity to learn about bilingual wine courses, masterclassses and tastings offered through the National Wine Education and Training Centre.
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