Wine Australia welcomes 45 Masters of Wine with fine Australian wine

A Master of Wine (MW) is the most prestigious qualification in the world of wine and this Sunday 4 October, Wine Australia and event partner Tourism Australia will welcome 45 MWs to Australia with a breakfast and Australian fine wine tasting at Bennelong Restaurant in the Sydney Opera House, the first stop of an action-packed visit to 10 Australian wine regions.

This is the first time in 30 years that an MW group has visited Australia and Sunday’s event will offer the group a taste of the ‘new’ Australia, a country at the forefront for crafting innovative, exciting and authentic fine wines that are matched only by the contemporary fine food and dining experience Australia offers.

What started more than 60 years ago as a qualification for the UK wine trade, the MW title is now held by 318 wine professionals globally. The Membership includes winemakers, buyers, shippers, business owners, retailers, academics, sommeliers, wine educators, writers and journalists.

Guests will enjoy breakfast canapés such as shaved culatello with barley toast and truffle butter, and mud crab congee, matched to some of Australia’s finest sparkling wines including Luke Lambert Sparkling Chardonnay 2012 from Yarra Valley and House of Arras ‘EJ Carr Late Disgorged’ Sparkling 2002 from Tasmania.

Following breakfast, a formal tasting will be presented by wine writer and judge Mike Bennie and Andrew Caillard MW, with a focus on wines that are expressions of their unique terroir in two brackets: Australian wine ‘pioneers’ and distinctively Australian fine wine today.

Wine Australia Chair Brian Walsh is looking forward to showing the group of international wine experts how Australian wine has evolved.

‘For many in this group of highly influential and knowledgeable wine professionals, it’s been a long time since they’ve visited Australia and I know they’re going to be surprised and delighted with the evolution of Australian wine over the last three decades.

‘This is also an opportunity for them to see first-hand how our collegiate Australian wine community inspires excellence and the innovation to craft distinctive fine wines.’

The MW breakfast will be hosted by Mr Walsh, Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Ronson and Bennelong Executive Chef Peter Gilmore.