News

London to host ‘ground-breaking’ tasting of Australian Shiraz

30 April 2024 By Patrick Schmitt

A “ground-breaking” tasting next month in London promises to shift “the often negative narrative” on Australian Shiraz, according to the organiser, Amelia Jukes.

Called State by State: A celebration of premium Australian Shiraz, the event plans to showcase the diversity, quality and age-ability of the nation’s flagship red grape, which Jukes believes does not get the recognition it deserves.

Claiming to be like no other tasting held before in the UK, it will comprise 92 wines from legendary producers, including ‘cult’ labels from Australia’s new generation of winemaking talent – such as Bekkers, Swinney Farvie, Alkina, Rojomama and Thistledown.

The Shiraz event will be held on Wednesday 15 May from 10.30am-4.30pm at London’s 67 Pall Mall private members’ club, featuring wines made from “some of the oldest vines on the planet,” according to Jukes, who mentions highlights being back vintages of St Henri, Yalumba, Jim Barry Armagh, Yarra Yering and Clonakilla, along with famous labels such as Torbreck’s Run Rig and Mount Pleasant’s Maurice O’Shea Shiraz.

In total, the tasting will see wines from over 30 producers on pour, covering regions from Western Australia to New South Wales.

Notably, each winery will be showing a current release and an older vintage (5+ years) of each wine, providing the UK trade with a rare opportunity to understand how these great wines age.

Speaking to db about the motivation to hold such an event in the UK, Jukes said, “I honestly feel that Australia is woefully misunderstood; it is an entire continent with so much to offer and so much happening that is worthy of serious attention; it is hard to understand why this is so overlooked in the UK.”

Continuing, she commented, “The sheer diversity of the landscape, the venerable vines, the brilliant wineries and winemakers, combined with the multiple wine regions and the incredible winemaking history on their ancient soils (that way outdate European soils), are too overwhelming to comprehend.”

Concluding, she said, “This tasting aims to offer focus and understanding to a particular aspect of Australia’s vast and dynamic wine scene, open people’s eyes to what is happening there, and start changing the existing, often negative, narrative.”

Among the wineries featuring at the tasting are those listed below, and for more information on the event, please email Amelia Jukes, or to register, please click here.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River
Passel Estate, Margaret River

Swinney Wines, Frankland River

VICTORIA
Yarra Yering, Yarra Valley

By Farr, Geelong
Lethbridge, Geelong
Mulline, Geelong

Paringa Estate, Mornington Peninsula
Moorooduc, Mornington Peninsula

Mount Langi Ghiran, Grampians

Jasper Hill, Heathcote

Castagna, Beechworth

NSW
Mount Pleasant, Hunter Valley
Brokenwood, Hunter Valley

Clonakilla, Canberra

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Shaw & Smith, Adelaide Hills

Jim Barry Wines, Clare Valley
Kilikanoon, Clare Valley
Mount Horrocks, Clare Valley
Wakefield, Clare Valley

Wynns, Coonawarra

Aramis, McLaren Vale
Bekkers, McLaren Vale
Willunga 100, McLaren Vale
Yangarra Estate, McLaren Vale
Ox Hardy, McLaren Vale
D’Arenberg, McLaren Vale
Robert Oatley, McLaren Vale
HIckinbotham, McLaren Vale
Wirra Wirra, McLaren Vale

Penfolds, Barossa Valley
Alkina, Barossa Valley
Yalumba, Barossa Valley
Kaesler, Barossa Valley
Rockford, Barossa Valley
Turkey Flat, Barossa Valley
Hentley Farm, Barossa Valley
Torbreck, Barossa Valley
Glaetzer, Barossa Valley
John Duval, Barossa Valley
Peter Lehmann, Barossa Valley
RojoMama, Barossa Valley
Langmeil, Barossa Valley
Henschke, Barossa Valley