The Auswine Forum

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Despite 35+ years experience in drinking and often enjoying big reds I don't hold any aspirations as a judge, I'll be happy to be a steward with tasting privileges on this one. [/quote]

I reckon Brian could judge as well as anyone. Ric too for that matter. Both arguably could judge better than me.

As for the idea of the Dirty Big Wine Show itself ... it's marketing genius. The results will be as meaningless as they are for all wine shows, but from a marketing viewpoint it is gold.

This is the future. Wine shows these days are way out of control - we need to carve them up and make them relevant to their niche. The Dirty Big Wine Show, the Great Australian Red, the Organics Wine Show ... this is the way to go. Make the results, and the intention, clear - some might even call it pre-determining the result, which of course it is, but that's kind of what happens anyway - rather than just handing out dozens of trophies across dozens of categories that most people can't understand.

Market to your niche.


Campbell.

Just for the hell of it you should try to add some of the export labels like the Mollydooker wines, if you can get them. Have the "Boxer" and "Two Left Feet" set for tasting this week. The two other wines "The Maitre D" and "The Violinist" are already hard to get. They will release two other wines later in the year.

Henry's Drive is another big alcohol label; 2002/3 were 16%. Anything they make seems to be 16%! Connor Park is another to look for; The Honor Shiraz 2002 was 17%.

Just a quick check shows that the following might be worth looking at for 15.5% and above examples as they have achieved that in previous vintages. (The question is whether they ever change their labels?)

Tait Barossa Valley Shiraz 2002 was 15.5%.
Two Way Range Barossa Valley Shiraz 2002 was 15.6%, 2003 15.5%.
Kalleske Greenock Shiraz (Basket Pressed) 2002 was 15.5%.
Jim Barry Lodge Hill Clare Valley Shiraz 2002/3 was 15.5%
Wild Duck Creek Estate (Heathcote) Springflat Shiraz 2002 was 15.5%.

Mike

You keen Campbell?
10 judges no conferring addem up and averagem
Glad you like the concept,
Nobody has ever accused me of marketing genius before.

Ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Smithy

Smithy,

I've never done a wine show and never will - but you won't have any trouble finding willing and able judges for this event.

Campbell.

smithy wrote:8) You keen Campbell?
10 judges no conferring addem up and averagem
Glad you like the concept,
Nobody has ever accused me of marketing genius before.

Ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Smithy

Smithy
If you're going ahead with this, then I suspect the following would be good ideas

1) Exclude yourself from judging - run the organisation of the event and even the publicity and remove all suggestion of bias. Some people (including myself ) give a big whenever you get up on the pulpit, so making yourself a neutral facilitator would avoid some of the from the bleachers

2) Why not make it a big red wine show, with no restriction on alcohol. It gives more credibility to the arguments re: all things in balance. Ok it risks a good 14%alc winner, but you sound happy to take that chance.

3) Do consider trying to get Wine Spec or the like on board. Whilst I don't share the "US palate", this sort of thing is right up their street and could win a few entrants some big o/seas orders. Get them on board and you'll get plenty of entrants.

3a) Why not invite selected US entrants (or even slot them in yourself). They're the other country regularly hitting big alcohol levels and maybe linked with wine spec or the like, a few US wines slotted in might pique their interest.

4) A straight average whilst seemingly fair, can cause issues and if you follow ice-skating ( ) then you'll be aware they discard the highest and lowest values and average the rest. This stops one judge giving extreme values and dominating the results over those that apply a finer scale of marking. e.g Judge 1 votes 19.6 for wineA and 12.2 for wineB. Judges 2-5 award 18.2, 18.6, 18.3, 18.2 for wine A and 18.9, 18.7, 18.7, 18.6 for wineB. Wine A wins when only one judge out of 5 preferred it.

5) Current release or any wine? Most producers will send current wine, but what about a museum class or two (to consider how many big wines age well)

6) No point doing fortifieds as these are covered adequately elsewhere and I don't believe you've ever claimed bias here.

7) Ensure you have full press support, which I imagine is pretty full-on effort-wise.

Have a think about any current part of the wine show circuit you object to (unfinished wines, chairmans instructions, proliferation of meaningless medals, etc) Your chance to have a gentle (or not so gentle) dig at them.

9) Aim for less wines tasted per session than other shows. It would be plain stupid to ignore the effect of an extra 2-4% alc on average.

regards

Ian