MEDIA RELEASE
19th OCTOBER 2016
Limestone Coast Wine Show on next week
Guest international judge, Jane Skilton MW, arrives in the Limestone Coast on Thursday ahead of next week’s Limestone Coast Wine Show. The leading New Zealand wine educator and writer will tour Coonawarra, Padthaway and Wrattonbully in the lead-up to the 16th annual event, with four days of judging set to get underway at Coonawarra Hall on Monday.
Jane Skilton MW is a regular senior judge at the Royal Easter Wine Show, the NZ International Wine Show, the Spiegelau International Wine Competition, and the Hawkes Bay Wine Awards. She has also judged in London, Tokyo, Brisbane, Rutherglen and Shanghai, and says she is looking forward to her first year of involvement in the Limestone Coast Wine Show.
“I really love judging regional shows; it gives an excellent overview of a region, the vintages, winemakers – much more than giant national shows,” Jane says. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the region is preserving its heritage and sense of place, but also meeting the challenges of competition from more ‘in vogue’ wine styles like pinot noir, for example.”
Distancing herself from what she describes as New Zealand’s “Pinocentric” view, Jane lists sparkling wine, chardonnay in all of its forms (especially chablis), Rutherglen muscat/tokay and cabernet sauvignon among her favourite wine styles.
“When I told (fellow NZ judge) Michael Brajkovich I was judging, he said ‘Coonawarra is the most under-rated red wine area in Australia’ which is high praise indeed,” she reveals.
Jane began her wine career in London and moved to New Zealand in 2000, where she founded the NZ School of Wines and Spirits.
“I teach the Wine and Spirit Education Trust qualifications and general wine courses to trade and consumers pretty much full time, so I explain to the students where the Limestone Coast is and the fact that it is a heritage region,” she says. “I’ve been a couple of times but have never actually seen the coast itself.”
Next Thursday evening (27 October), the coastal Robe and Mount Benson wine regions will host the wine show’s sell-out trophy presentation dinner on the Robe foreshore in a clear-sided marquee overlooking Guichen Bay, complete with vine chandeliers, locally carved limestone bowls, and festoon lighting. Jane Skilton will select her favourite wine from amongst the entries for the highly coveted International Judges Award, while a brand new Wine of Provenance Trophy and a new Chief of Judges ‘Wine to Watch’ will be among other prestigious awards up for grabs during the seafood-themed feast.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Judging 24-27th October at the Coonawarra Hall
Trophy dinner 27th October on Robe Foreshore
Exhibitors & Public Tasting Friday 28th October at Coonawarra Hall 9am-1:30pm
Image att: Guest international judge Jane Skilton MW.
For further information, please contact Sarah Pidgeon, LCWS Committee, on Mob. 0412 825 149 or visit limestonecoastwine.com.au