Let the battle begin: Masters of Wine vs Master Sommeliers in new Aussie wine challenge

Six of the UK’s leading Masters of Wines and Master Sommeliers will go head-to-head in the ultimate food and Australian wine matching showdown at this month’s Australia Day Tasting in London.

In a first of its kind initiative, The Great Aussie Taste-Off will pit a Master of Wine against a Master Sommelier across three sessions, each debating the wines they believe best match a series of dishes prepared by Michelin-starred chef Roger Jones of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn.

After tasting the food and wine together, and hearing each pair’s persuasive reasons, the invitation-only audience will vote for their favourite match.

The battle, in partnership with Tourism Australia’s Restaurant Australia campaign, features teams comprising Natasha Hughes MW vs Clement Robert MS, Justin Knock MW vs Xavier Rousset MS and Jo Ahearne MW vs Isa Bal MS.

The unique sessions will feature as an integral part of the Australia Day Tasting, held at Lindley Hall on 26 January. This annual trade event is the largest showcase of Australian wines in the UK and Europe with more than 1000 wines, including new releases and vintages along with wineries seeking distribution in market.

Wine Australia Head of Market UK and Europe Laura Jewell MW said The Great Aussie Taste-Off will highlight the versatility of Australian wines in a fun, interactive way never before seen by the UK trade.

‘With 65 diverse regions and some of the oldest vines in the world, who can say pairing food with Australian wine presents a single, obvious choice?

‘The Great Aussie Taste-Off will prove how a myriad of Australian wines can be paired to a range of international cuisines by highlighting the adaptability of some of our premium offerings. I hope the calibre of competitors will ensure the on-trade in particular come and see which wines inspire some of the best in the business.’

Competitor Natasha Hughes MW said there are some ‘terrifically food-friendly wines’ currently being produced in Australia.

‘We’ve all been to food and wine pairing sessions before, but the element of competition gives this a new twist,’ she says.

‘It’s great to add a little bit of fun to the mix with a competitive food tasting challenge like this and I hope it will provide even more of an incentive for people to visit the Australia Day Tasting – over and above the opportunity to taste some great wines.’

Fellow competitor Xavier Rousset MS said Australian wines today provide an ideal match for food because they have a greater level of acidity and less extraction than in the past.

‘This event will show how food-friendly these wines are and highlight the evolution from what was happening a few years ago,’ he said.

But how confident are they? While Natasha admits the MS teams are composed of ‘ninja’ food and wine matchers, Xavier concedes the challenge could go either way.

The winners will be revealed following the Australia Day Tasting.

Australia Day Tasting

Date: 26 January, 2016
Time: 10am to 5pm
Location: Lindley Hall, London

The Great Aussie Taste-Off session details

Modern British

Time: 11am
Competitors: Natasha Hughes MW vs Clement Robert MS Chair: Emma Symington MW

Pan Asian

Time: 1pm
Competitors: Justin Knock MW vs Xavier Rousset MS Chair: Wine Australia Chairman Brian Walsh

The Classics

Time: 3pm
Competitors: Jo Ahearne MW vs Isa Bal MS Chair: Laura Jewell MW