Educational Events and Resources

In early October each year, the New England Regional Wine Show is the highlight of local growers' educational activities. Held over three days, grape growers and wine makers not only enter their wines for judging but get to talk first hand with all judges about their wines during the Exhibitors Tasting Day. More often than not, discussions focus on vineyard practices as much as wine making techniques.

The education theme is further developed for exhibitors through a Masterclass which is run by the senior judges. Benchmark wines, from comparable regions around the world to the New England are tasted, reviewed and discussed. The goal is to increase our skills at recognizing the finest attributes in quality wines and learn how these wines are grown and made.

Volunteers at the Show get to taste any of the entries at the same time as the judges are evaluating a particular group of wines. Score sheets are available for those who want to further practice their sensory evaluation skills.

The photo shows Charles Whish who was the Chair of Judges in 2005 and 2006. Charles, a native New Englander, is now head winemaker for Rosemount Estate in McLaren Vale, SA. At the 2002 Royal Melbourne Wine Show, he was awarded the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for his 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Petit Verdot blend from McLaren Vale. Charles' father, Keith, developed the Gilgai Winery near Inverell in the 1960's.