A Bold Case for Australian Excellence

Monday 1st June marked the wine industry’s most significant investment to date in telling Australia’s fine wine story to an international audience. Aimed at celebrating Australian excellence not just in wine, but also in terms of food, hospitality and tourism, 12 of the world’s most influential wine media and educators are being hosted by Wine Australia in the Barossa Valley for five days, before travelling further afield on regional tours across South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.

The inaugural Landmark Australia Tutorial comprises of more than 200 of Australia’s finestwines, presented by the country’s leading winemakers and commentators, and accompanied by an original series of seminars devised uniquely for the event.

Anticipated highlights include an ‘Historic’ masterclass featuring sought-after wines such as the 1954 Seppelt Great Western Hermitage K72 Shiraz, the first vintage of Penfolds Grange (1955) and an extremely rare 1955 Wynns Coonawarra Estate ‘Michael’ Hermitage. A Slow Food/Slow Wine evening also promises to be an inspiring experience, showcasing the best of the Barossa’s local produce partnered with Australia’s new wave of alternative varietals and sustainably-grown
wines.

Paul Henry, Wine Australia’s General Manager Market Development, commented: “The
intention of the Landmark Australia Tutorial is to create a forum for people to discover and debate the voice of our top Australian wines. It should serve as a rallying point for informed wine opinion, and aspires to be the most influential residential wine course in the world. It certainly promises to be the most authoritative and extensive exploration of Australian fine wine yet undertaken.”

The 248 wines chosen to articulate the Australian fine wine story were nominated in
collaboration with the guest tutors for each masterclass, and are intended to capture a sense of Australia’s winemaking history, as well as to give an indication of Australia’s intended future direction in terms of style, varietal expression, technical development and regional signature.

“The world should be much more familiar with the contribution Australia can make as a
producer of fine wine, and also as a leading exponent of exceptional cuisine, cutting edge hospitality and inspiring regional tourism,” Henry concluded.

Anyone around the world can watch and respond with their thoughts throughout the week, by contributing to Wine Australia’s blog at www.landmark-wineaustralia.com or via Twitter www.twitter.com/winehero.
 
NOTES:
• The Landmark Australia Tutorial will take place at The Louise in the Barossa, between
June 1 and June 5 2009.

• A complete schedule of the week’s masterclasses can be found online at
www.landmark-wineaustralia.com along with regularly updated postings of the wines
tasted, dinner menus and interviews with the participants.

• The inaugural Landmark Australia Tutorial participants are: Ms Essi Avellan MW (Finland), Mr Tyler Colman (United States), Mr Jamie Goode (United Kingdom), Julia Harding MW (United Kingdom), Ms Yukari Iwashiro (Japan), Mr Frank Kämmer MS (Germany), Ms Rebecca Leung (Hong Kong), Mr Dermot Nolan MW (Ireland), Mr Hwee Peng Lim CSW (Singapore), Ms Barbara Philip MW (Canada), Mr Sean Razee MS (United States), Ms Bell - Pei Tang (China)

• The participants were required to apply to the Tutorial Executive Committee in writing last year, and were selected from over 130 formal applications.

• Tutors Dr Tony Jordan, Mr Andrew Caillard MW and Mr Michael Hill Smith AM MW, will
direct the course and represent an authoritative and yet highly contemporary Australian
viewpoint. In addition, winemakers and industry commentators will be on-hand as guest
tutors to discuss highlighted varietal styles, the origins of classic expressions, and new
areas of winemaking interest that will undoubtedly define Australia's future landscape. A
full list of tutors is available online.

• Wine Australia is the brand under which the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation,
a Government organisation established to provide strategic support to the Australian wine sector, delivers its international marketing programme.

 For further information, please contact:
James March
Executive Officer – Communications
Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation
+61 8 8228 2016 / +61 409 545 995 / james.march@wineaustralia.com