Trade buyers get first taste at Royal Melbourne Wine Show

A new tasting event at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show (RMWS) is allowing trade buyers to have first sniff of the medal winning wines.

The RMWS Trade Buyer Tasting invites wine retail and on premise buyers to join the Exhibitors’ tasting on Friday 26 October at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

The first such tasting to be held in conjunction with a capital city wine show, organisers hope the initiative will provide an opportunity for trade buyers to discuss the wines directly with winemakers, many of whom will be present during the four-hour tasting session.

Buyers will have the opportunity to taste all wines entered into the 2012 show, including the 22 trophy winners, the winner of this year’s Jimmy Watson Trophy, the 50th winner of the Francois De Castella Trophy for Best White Wine and the inaugural winner of the Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz in Show.

Entries to the 2012 RMWS are now closed, with over 3000 wines competing for the trophies. Judging will take place on 9-12 October.

Chair of Judges David Bicknell told The Drinks Business: “If you bring the trade into the tasting it’s a chance to make a connection between the exhibitor and the person who’s going to sell the wine.

“It seems so obvious, but nobody’s doing it. We’re in an industry that’s had its head in the sand in many ways.

“Next is the problem of how to get the public more involved. We do a couple of little master classes and public tastings after the show.

“We’re not sure what’s going to work and what’s not, but we’re giving it a go. We’ve got lots of other ideas in the bag as well; it’s all part of the reinvention process.”

The Trade Buyer Tasting will be held from 8am-12pm on Friday 26 October at Building 4, Melbourne Show Grounds.