Satellite event of The Spring Social, Albany
Great Southern Wine Masterclasses
Vintage & Vision: Saturday 26 September
– and –
Rooted in Time: Sunday 27 September
Delivered at the beginning of The Spring Social, a new two-evening street festival by The City of Albany, book you place to join Great Southern wine producers for a masterclass in the Six Degrees Gold Room, Albany’s historic Stirling Terrace.
Taste across vintages, styles and generations, guided by the people behind the wines. Whether you’re a casual wine appreciator or an extreme wine enthusiast, you’ll learn what makes Great Southern wine distinctive, and hear about the decisions they make to produce exceptional world-class wines.
Vintage & Vision
with Duke’s Vineyard and Ferngrove
Saturday 26th September, 5-6pm: $60 pp + booking fee
The Great Southern is one of the world’s largest wine regions, made up of five distinct sub-regions: Albany, Porongurup, Mount Barker, Denmark and Frankland River, each with their own distinctive geomorphic and climatic conditions; but no two years are ever the same. Much of what shapes our wines begins in the vineyard, but it’s what the winemaker does with the exceptional fruit that turns it into a world-class wine.
Duke’s Vineyard | Riesling Vintage Vertical
How much can one wine change from year to year? Ben from Duke’s Vineyard will take you through a vertical tasting of Porongurup’s signature variety with three recent Riesling vintages. Compare different years of the same wine to reveal characters shaped by weather, harvest, craft and age. Taste them side by side and hear how vineyard, expert hands and time leave a distinct mark on each vintage.
Ferngrove | The Art of the Red Wine
There’s a lot that happens between grape and glass. Simon Keall from Ferngrove brings you two Shiraz and two Malbec to demonstrate variation in their signature varieties. From the harvesting and crushing of the fruit through to fermentation and maturation, you’ll hear how countless winemaking decisions come together to create a world-class wine with pure expression of site.
Rooted in Time
with Galafrey Wines and Alkoomi Wines
Sunday 27th September, 5-6pm: $60 pp + booking fee
Great Southern wine has deep roots. Two heritage family wineries come together to celebrate 100 years in vintages between them. Alkoomi celebrated their 50th vintage last year and Galafrey celebrate their 50th vintage next year. With many of their vines reaching 50 years, you’ll discover what happens when mature vines meet decades of experience, evolving techniques and traditions worth hanging on to. Tonight’s hosts were both born into wine and as you’d expect, there’s a deep understanding that comes with a lifetime at a family winery.
Galafrey Wines | Riesling, Three Ways
Great Southern is renowned for its Riesling.
Kim Tyrer from Galafrey Wines in Mount Barker will pour three Riesling wines; sparkling, barrel fermented and Müller blend.
You’ll hear about what makes Great Southern Riesling so distinctive and appreciated. Exploring the versatility of one variety, styled in three rare directions.
Alkoomi Wines | Cabernet Through the Ages
Laura Penniment from Alkoomi Wines in Frankland River brings two museum Cabernets together with a current release for a tasting across the ages.
Explore how Cabernet style has evolved, from traditional Bordeaux-inspired winemaking to contemporary approaches focused on fruit, tannin and making wines that are ready to enjoy earlier.
Two nights, four producers, and plenty to talk about.
These are well-paced, guided tastings for 30 people who like to know a little more about what they’re drinking, and who enjoy putting their wine dollars behind passionate Great Southern producers. Come for the wine, take away the stories.
Image courtesy of Wines of Western Australia at Alkoomi, Frankland River.