AAVWS Talk & Taste

Cultivating the Future | Presented in association with ENARTIS

Friday 8th November 2024

Date | Friday 8th November Venue | Quality Hotel Mildura Grand, Ballroom, Corner Langtree Avenue and Seventh Street, Mildura Time | 1.00pm – 5.00pm Cost | $85pp

Bookings Essential

Join us for a mind opening session exploring new ways of thinking about what is a centuries-old craft of growing and making wine. We traverse the globe touching on stories of grand visions, revolutionary concepts, technological advances, artificial intelligence, data mining, crystal ball gazing and future farming. An afternoon not to be missed that will entertain, inform and inspire for those who grow, make or simply love to drink wine.

SESSION ONE: ALTERNATIVE THINKING IN THE CRADLE OF TRADITION

Alternative Thinking in the Cradle of Tradition

Panel session – Leanne Altmann / Chief of Judges, Alder Yarrow / International Guest Judge (USA), Kavita Faiella / Shaw + Smith, Ed Merrison / Vininspo

The alternative varieties movement in Australia has been approaching growing and making wine over the last 30 years with an open mind, a curious palate and a firm focus on future proofing in the face of climate change. Meanwhile our colleagues in the original lands of Vitis Vinifera have generally been working in ways more tied to history and tradition through denomination rules as well as social and cultural expectations. Join our expert panel of talented 2024 AAVWS judges on a journey through Europe exploring the lesser known and fascinating stories of modern pioneers who are taking a less constrained approach to thinking about the future of wine in their region in a time when not only the climate, but consumer patterns are changing rapidly.

SESSION TWO: AI AS A TOOL IN WINE

Panel session – Leanne Altmann / Chief of Judges, Sara Ferriera / Enartis Global, Glenn James / Billy Button, Steve Flamsteed / Wine Network Consulting, Pia Merrick / Australian Vintage

This session explores the very ’now’ topic of artificial intelligence and its potential use as a tool in the wine world. Presented in association with our partner Enartis, the panel will explore the concept of wine characteristic mapping by AI and its applications in winemaking and marketing. Special guest Sara Ferreira, expert on Wine Luthier the exciting new AI driven service Enartis is offering in Australia, joins us from France to present. Not only explaining how it works and exploring potential applications but also practically applying this new and unique technology to a sample set of Australian alternative variety wines to create the reference data for the session, some of which will be tasted during the session. This is absolute cutting-edge technology and we are super excited to partner with Enartis to be able to apply that technology for such an exciting project with the AAVWS.

SESSION THREE: WHAT COMES NEXT

Panel session – Leanne Altmann / Chief of Judges, Dr. Stefano Dini / Gruppo Matura (Italy), Mark Walpole / Fighting Gully Road, Caroline Simonis / Zilzie

Do we have enough varieties to work with in Australia now? Are we satisfied? Or are there more grapes to explore across our diverse array of wine growing regions and climates in Australia? This session may just answer these questions with a cohort of AAVWS family members, including former International Guest Judge and work renowned agronomist Dr Stefano Dini, who are on a mission to keep exploring. Get set to learn how much is involved in bringing in new material and what it takes to set a new variety on its path in a new land. Our panel will present their ideas on why they are looking for new varieties, what they’re seeking in terms of attributes and just how and where they intend for these new arrivals to be taken up in terms of planting, growing and making all the way to drinking. Come along for the ride as we gaze into the crystal ball of future Aussie viticulture and ponder the wines that will come from it.

PURCHASE TICKETS