The Auswine Forum

Did anyone have a crack at the Negociant's exam this morning in
Sydney? What was it like?

I was booked in but couldn't make it. Next year I guess.

what is the negociant's exam all about?

The Negociants exam is put on by a wine company. 100 people choosen throught Australia after sitting a written and blind tasting exam. It gets down to a final 10 people who sit another exam and are interviewed by a panel of judges...James Halliday, peter forrestal...Yada Yada

The winner gets a 6 week trip around Europe visiting just about every awesome winery you can think of for private tastings, Petrus, DRC, Dujac, Gajo, Sassacia...you mane them they are in there.

I sat the exam last week...only 4 written questions all straight forward and three white wines, blind, 3 different varieties, 3 different countries....required to pick, variety, country and region and write a detailed tasting note......so there you go.

Dr Ahnoose,

You do get around. I thought such a renowned (cough,cough, blech!) winemaker would surely not be eligle for such an exam. But seeing you're also a master of disguise and a legendary impersonator, I'm sure you found it ohso easy to trick the kindfolk at Negociants. Shame on you Ahnoose, shame!

So....Mr Lole we meet again...I trust you are well.

Recovered yet?

Dr Ahnoose

No, I feel terrible, damn you, Ahnoose! But knowing your evil ways, perhaps you slipped some white powder into my drink while my back was turned?
Will Smothers die a slow and painful death at the hands of the dastardly Ahnoose?

David Lole wrote:No, I feel terrible, damn you, Ahnoose! But knowing your evil ways, perhaps you slipped some white powder into my drink while my back was turned?
Will Smothers die a slow and painful death at the hands of the dastardly Ahnoose?............

David,

Dr Ahnoose is renowned for causing a stink


Cheers

Jamie

If anyone is interested the wines tasted blind were:

1/ Mesh Eden Valley Riesling 2003

2/ Tieffenbrunner Pinot Grigio 2002, Alto Adige, Italy

3/ Willian Fevre Chablis Champ Royaux, Burgundy, France

Dr Ahnoose

Dr Ahnoose wrote:If anyone is interested the wines tasted blind were:

1/ Mesh Eden Valley Riesling 2003

2/ Tieffenbrunner Pinot Grigio 2002, Alto Adige, Italy

3/ Willian Fevre Chablis Champ Royaux, Burgundy, France

Dr Ahnoose

thanks Gary

You can be lucky with your timing sometimes - I got into the initial Negociants course a few years ago after sitting the exam, and one of the themes that year was Pinot - we had a session with Aubert de Villaine, Gary Farr and Larry McKenna (and some pretty good Burgundies).


regards
Chris

ChrisH wrote:You can be lucky with your timing sometimes - I got into the initial Negociants course a few years ago after sitting the exam, and one of the themes that year was Pinot - we had a session with Aubert de Villaine, Gary Farr and Larry McKenna (and some pretty good Burgundies).


regards
Chris

I was in the Perth one that year. How good were those DRC's?

Did you guys have the sherry session also?

Cheers, brad

Yeh they were cracking sessions the DRC's were excellent.

This year the first Seminar is Loire and the second is Barolo...

Cheers

Dr Ahnoose

Gary,

What is the process involved to try to sit the exam? Do you have to contact Negociants and express an interest. Where do the tastings you mentioned fit into the program?

Thanks

Grant

Anonymous wrote:Gary,

What is the process involved to try to sit the exam? Do you have to contact Negociants and express an interest. Where do the tastings you mentioned fit into the program?

Thanks

Grant

Hi Grant

It's Dave.......Working with wine is now run every two years....the Negociants rep should tell you about it..best people to speak to are Annette and David Le Mire in Adelaide.
Seminar 1 is in May and is the Loire Valley...written assignment is handed out at this time.
Seminar 2 is in July and is on the wines of Piedmont

Cheers

Dr Dave Ahnoose

Anonymous wrote:
It's Dave.......Working with wine is now run every two years....the Negociants rep should tell you about it..best people to speak to are Annette and David Le Mire in Adelaide.
Seminar 1 is in May and is the Loire Valley...written assignment is handed out at this time.
Seminar 2 is in July and is on the wines of Piedmont

Cheers

Dr Dave Ahnoose

Hi Dave

Any chance of a name?

Hi Gavin

Sorry....my name?

Dave Brookes

Brad

We did have the sherry session, however they generally are not my cup of tea, so I was not quite so enamoured with that ssession.

However I do like their fortifieds - Pedro Ximinez and the like


regards
Chris

Anonymous wrote:Hi Gavin

Sorry....my name?

Dave Brookes

Thanks Dave,

Thought about registering and becoming a regular?

Perhaps pm me?

ChrisH wrote:Brad

We did have the sherry session, however they generally are not my cup of tea, so I was not quite so enamoured with that ssession.

However I do like their fortifieds - Pedro Ximinez and the like


regards
Chris

Not having known much about sherry I really enjoyed this session, and the fantastic lunch of traditional tapas to accompany the great Lustau's.

Re Burgundies - Stunned when after all the terrific Grand Cru's we'd had in the earlier session the DRC's came out and cranked it up a further notch.

The written questions for interests sake were.....

1/ Name two white varieties grown on the hill of Hermitage.

2/In the U.K. wine market, Australia has the largest market share in the off-premise sector: True/false

3/In the production of both sherry and Port, the fermentation is arrested by the addition of grape spirit. True/False

4/Name four varieties that are grown in the Loire Valley.

Like I said.....pretty straight forward.

Cheers

Dave

Dr Ahnoose wrote:If anyone is interested the wines tasted blind were:

1/ Mesh Eden Valley Riesling 2003

2/ Tieffenbrunner Pinot Grigio 2002, Alto Adige, Italy

3/ Willian Fevre Chablis Champ Royaux, Burgundy, France

Dr Ahnoose

they shouldn't have been too hard to pick.