Confirmed Roadshow Merchants, Reports, Dates and Contact Details
28th September 2011 – DONE
Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
The 100 Best Australian Wines roadshow 2011/2012 kicked off with a phenomenal tasting at Tate Britain. With the impressive backdrop of Pre-Raphaelite paintings adorning the walls, over 150 guests joined Matthew Jukes and the Tate’s wine captain Hamish Anderson to enjoy a fantastic array of Australian wines. Two hours of serious tasting got under way with Matthew on hand to answer all questions from guests. Many were surprised by the quality and diversity of the wines on offer, with one lady commenting, ‘I didn’t associate Australia with these types of wines. I have been amazed at the elegance on display.’
3rd November 2011 – DONE
Vagabond Wines, 18-22 Vanston Place, Fulham Broadway, London SW6 1AX
The Vagabond team put on a terrific show last night in their beautiful shop in Fulham and people were already tasting away an hour before the official kick off time of 7pm! Every single wine showed beautifully and Colin commented that he was excited to taste the range of wines himself, because he was on the look out for some fabulous new listings. The punters loved the individual flights of Semillons, Rieslings, Chardonnays, Pinots, Cabernets and Shirazes – each one showed off the diversity and wealth of choice in virtually every corner of Australia. Clearly the expensive wines were jumped on and adored by the keen tasters, but the lower end of the spectrum was thoroughly vetted, too – many commenting that these were the best value wines that they had ever tasted.
29th November 2011 – DONE
Hermitage Cellars, The Brookfield Hotel, Havant Road, Emsworth, Hants PO10 7HG
Alistair and Becky Gibson put on a magnificent 100 Best Australian Wines Roadshow event at the Brookfield Hotel and I cannot ever remember seeing a queue of people form as quickly as they did that evening, at 6.30pm on the dot, in order to pick up their Dartington tasting glass and get stuck into the wines. Every level of wine knowledge was in the room, from eager amateurs, to people new to Aussie wines and also some very experienced collectors. I raffled off a few bottles of rareAustralian wine from my cellar and we raised £320 for local charities, 130 glasses were used which must mean that well over one hundred people showed up and after three hours of civilised sipping we all called it a night. Alistair reports good orders coming in, in time for Christmas entertaining. Agents Negociants and also Enotria sent highly educated staff along to help with the pouring and the upshot was some good business, some new listings for Hermitage Cellars and a century more fine Australian wine lovers in the South of England.
2nd February 2012 – DONE
SH Jones, Cellar Shop, 2 Riverside, Tramway Estate, Banbury OX16 5TU
You’ve got to hand it to SH Jones. They are some of the most clued up chaps in the wine business – thoroughly professional, generous and totally committed to promoting and drinking fine Australian wine. They also know how to inform and educate and so this year’s 100 Best Roadshow event was a blast. Some sixty-five people attended and they tasted the room dry. I showed a large range of wines and everyone made sure that they tasted everything! They loved the Dartington glasses, too, which has been a stand out feature, and improvement, of this year’s Roadshow so far. A vocal group, there were questions, loads of enthusiasm and plenty of orders placed, too! Kieron Galliard, overlord of the SH Jones posse, noted that the evening was, ‘definitely another big success all round’ and that it had ‘given us some food for thought on our Aussie listings, too, which is an added bonus’. This strikes at the heart of my reason to organise this Roadshow. It is hopefully an evening like no other which thrills the customers, but which also prods the merchants into branching out and discovering new and exciting wines themsleves to list and spread the word. I look forward to returning to this incredible shop. If you have not already come across SH Jones get in touch with them now – they are not only wine wise, but they are also very good lads, too.
9th February 2012 – DONE
Great Western Wine, Wells Road, Bath BA2 3AP
On a wintry evening in Bath, the warm welcome at the wondrous ‘library of wine’, that is GWW, was amazing. The whole team was there to chaperone sixty-five thirsty wine lovers through an incredible array of wines. Not surprisingly, on such a freezing cold evening, the fizzies and whites served as aperitifs in lining people’s palates up for a stunning range of stately reds. Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Fiano and Chardonnay - coming from a multitude of regions and showing all facets of flavour, all looked sleek and thrilling. But the reds stole the show starting with some sultry Pinots and moving through every variety imaginable and ending up with some massive, inky, brooding Shirazes which (bizarrely) I have to admit seemed slimmer and less daunting than usual! It must have been the weather! Kate Robinson, GWW’s private client sales guru, reported that, ‘The tasting was a great success! Matthew – thank you very much for coming down to Bath to meet our customers and enthuse about the best wines of Australia. There was a great atmosphere in the shop and we had lots of positive comments which resulted in some great orders.’ As I made my way back to London it started to snow and as I looked out of the window of the train I regretted not bringing a bottle of fine Aussie red with me to warm me up! The next day twitter was alive with praise for the event and most importantly the sensational wines. My abiding memory was that I reckon there were more converts to top Aussie wine at GWW than at any previous event. Many were blown away by the detail and complexity of wines that they had previously imagined would be one dimensional, oaky and solid – it’s always nice to change people’s minds forever!
1st March 2012
Corks Out, The Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, Warrington
7.30-9.30pm £25
To book tickets please call Hayley on 01928 531886
3rd March 2012
House of Menzies, Castle Menzies Farm, Aberfeldy, Perthshire PH15 2JD
To book tickets please call 01887 829666
8th March 2012
Wimbledon Wine Cellars, Imperial Wharf, London SW6
To book tickets please call Jon on 020 7736 2191 or email on chelsea@wimbledonwinecellar.com
15th March 2012
Theatre of Wine, 75 Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9TS
To book tickets please call 020 8858 6363
16th March 2012
The Secret Cellar, 43-45 Church Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1JT
To book tickets please call 01892 537981
17th April 2012
Noel Young, 56 High Street, Trumpington, Cambridge, CB2 9LS
To book tickets please call 01223 566744
List of Incredible Wines for Tasting
- NV Jansz, Tasmania
- NV Pirie Estate, Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, Tasmania
- 2005 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant, Elizabeth Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW
- 2010 Vasse Felix, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, Margaret River, WA
- 2011 Shaw & Smith, Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, SA
- 2010 Hart & Hunter, Oakey Creek Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW
- 2010 Tower Estate, Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW
- 2003 Tyrrell’s, Winemaker’s Selection Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley, NSW
- 2010 Yalumba, Y Series Viognier, SA
- 2010 Fox Gordon, Princess Fiano, Adelaide Hills, SA
- 2010 Knappstein, Handpicked Riesling, Clare Valley, SA
- 2010 Pewsey Vale, Riesling, Eden Valley, SA
- 2005 Peter Lehmann, Reserve Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley, SA
- 2010 Skillogalee, Riesling, Clare Valley, SA
- 2010 Chapel Hill, Unwooded Chardonnay, McLaren Vale/Adelaide Hills, SA
- 2010 Innocent Bystander, Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Vic
- 2009 Stonier Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Vic
- 2008 Giant Steps Tarraford Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Vic
- 2008 Leeuwin Estate, Prelude Chardonnay, Margaret River, WA
- 2010 Ocean Eight, Verve Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Vic
- 2009 Shaw & Smith, M3 Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, SA
- 2011 Turkey Flat, Rosé, Barossa Valley, SA
- 2010 Riposte by Tim Knappstein, The Dagger Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills, SA
- 2010 Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir, Tamar Ridge, Tasmania
- 2010 De Bortoli, Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Vic
- 2008 Paringa Estate, Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Vic
- 2009 Moss Wood, Amy’s Blend, Margaret River, WA
- 2008 Petaluma, Coonawarra, SA
- 2009 Willunga 100, Cabernet / Shiraz, McLaren Vale, SA
- 2008 Wakefield, Promised Land Shiraz / Cabernet, SA
- 2009 Penfolds, Koonunga Hill Seventy Six Shiraz / Cabernet, SA
- 2009 Heartland, Dolcetto/Lagrein, SA
- 2006 Jim Barry, PB Shiraz /Cabernet, Clare Valley, SA
- 2005 Jacob’s Creek, Johann Shiraz/ Cabernet Sauvignon, SA
- 2007 Tahbilk Shiraz, Nagambie Lakes, Vic
- 2009 Mitolo, Jester Shiraz, McLaren Vale, SA
- 2009 Turkey Flat, Butcher’s Block Red, Barossa Valley, SA
- 2008 St Hallett, Blackwell Shiraz, Barossa Valley, SA
- 2009 Torbreck, Cuvée Juveniles, Barossa Valley, SA
- 2009 Glaetzer, Bishop Shiraz, Barossa Valley, SA
- 2007 Paringa Estate, Peninsula Shiraz, Mornington Peninsula, Vic
- 2006 Peter Lehmann, Stonewell Shiraz, Barossa Valley, SA
- 2006 Jim Barry, The Armagh Shiraz, Clare Valley, SA
- 2009 Brown Brothers, Orange Muscat & Flora, Vic
- NV Campbells, Classic Topaque, Rutherglen, Vic
