London is to play host to a ‘ground-breaking’ tasting of Australian Shiraz next month that promises to “open people’s eyes†and, “start changing the existing, often negative, narrative,†according to organiser Amelia Jukes.
Called State by State: A celebration of premium Australian Shiraz, the event plans to showcase the diversity, quality and age-ability of the nation’s flagship red grape, which Jukes believes does not get the recognition it deserves.
Claiming to be like no other tasting held before in the UK, it will comprise 92 wines from legendary producers, including ‘cult’ labels from Australia’s new generation of winemaking talent – such as Bekkers, Swinney Farvie, Alkina, Rojomama and Thistledown.
The Shiraz event will be held on Wednesday 15 May from 10.30am-4.30pm at London’s 67 Pall Mall private members’ club, featuring wines made from “some of the oldest vines on the planet,†according to Jukes, who mentions highlights being back vintages of St Henri, Yalumba, Jim Barry Armagh, Yarra Yering and Clonakilla, along with famous labels such as Torbreck’s Run Rig and Mount Pleasant’s Maurice O’Shea Shiraz.
In total, the tasting will see wines from over 30 producers on pour, covering regions from Western Australia to New South Wales.
Notably, each winery will be showing a current release and an older vintage (5+ years) of each wine, providing the UK trade with a rare opportunity to understand how these great wines age.
Speaking to db about the motivation to hold such an event in the UK, Jukes said, “I honestly feel that Australia is woefully misunderstood; it is an entire continent with so much to offer and so much happening that is worthy of serious attention; it is hard to understand why this is so overlooked in the UK.”
Continuing, she commented, “The sheer diversity of the landscape, the venerable vines, the brilliant wineries and winemakers, combined with the multiple wine regions and the incredible winemaking history on their ancient soils (that way outdate European soils), are too overwhelming to comprehend.”
Concluding, she said, “This tasting aims to offer focus and understanding to a particular aspect of Australia’s vast and dynamic wine scene, open people’s eyes to what is happening there, and start changing the existing, often negative, narrative.â€
Among the wineries featuring at the tasting are those listed below, and for more information on the event, please email Amelia Jukes.Â
- Penfolds
- Yarra Yering
- Yalumba
- Paringa Estate
- Clonakilla
- Alkina
- Castagna
- Jasper Hill
- Mount Langi Ghiran
- Willunga 100
- Kaesler
- Swinney Wines
- Leeuwin Estate
- Torbreck
- Glaetzer
- Peter Lehmann
- d’Arenberg
- Wynns Coonawarra
- Rojomama
- Ox Hardy
- Mount Horrocks
- Kilikanoon
- Robert Oatley
- John Duval
- Tyrrells
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2024/04/london-to-host-ground-breaking-tasting-of-australian-shiraz/
