The Auswine Forum

Who has been?

I just got back 20 mins ago. Fantastic night, great job from all the guys involved. Standouts form each producer for me:

Meerea Park - Indie Shiraz Pinot - Red fruits and seamless integration/balance
Margan - White Label Chardonnay - Proper oak, but all in harmony with the fruit
Thomas - Braemore 2013 samples, quite spritzy, but intense nose of apple and passionfruit - Sweetwater 11 and Kiss 11 both phenominal
De Iuliis - Both 11 Shiraz and 09 Reserve Shiraz were top drawer, elegant, structureed and long!
David Hook - de Nova Bianco 2012 - a blend of chardonnay, riesling, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc. Surprising harmony, chardonnay dominant nose with austere palate.
Mistletoe - Mozcato was sweet and 'accesible', Reserve Chard was a bit light on when juxtaposed with Margan - both shirazes were excellent.
Meerea Park - Star exhibitor for those who weren't Hunter fans present. Showed the Hell Hole Semillon 2011 (not paritcularly varietal for mine, but interested casuals), XYZ Chardonnay 2012 (good, elegant, fragrant and light), Indie Shiraz Pinot (red fruited, balanced and smooth), Alexander Munro Shiraz (oaky, big and bold - more akin to cold climate medium-full style than Hunter).

Top night, and great job from all there.

I've been to a previous one...

I think my issue is...I'm there to taste whereas most people are there to drink....I mean, it is Pop Up Wine Bar....

Definitely a good opportunity to try stuff from some of the better winemakers in the Hunter...

Was about to purchase tickets for the Melbourne session last week when I received an email stating I'd won a VIP session with the winemakers plus tickets for tonight. Really looking forward to the evening, I think it's a very clever method of promoting the region and individual vineyards.

Attended a similar event for the Aust. First Families of Wine at Campari House last month. A more cocktail party style of gathering with the siblings of the families hosting instead of the usual type of wine tasting event. I agree to some extent that it can border on bar rather than tasting session but it really captured the younger market and I believe assisted in promoting the new ranges from old family wineries.

As a Melbourne resident, I'm convinced that the Hunter doesn't even try to market in Melbourne.

There are almost no opportunites to try any Hunter wines (Tyrrells is the honourable exception, McWlliams to a lesser extent).

So its terrific that some of the "new vanguard" is presenting wines and hope the event draws an attentive crowd; alas I can't get there tonight