Wine Show to Mark its 50th Year
BY DI SNEDDON
Hunter Valley Wine Show will commemorate its 50th milestone with a week of celebrations, reflecting on the rich history of the event and region.
Kicking off with judging on August 15, the event will culminate with an industry celebration lunch at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley on Friday, August 19, where the prestigious best in show trophies will be awarded.
Over the past 50 years, the show has received more than 33,000 entries and awarded over 1,900 gold medals.
From the myriad of expert judges, including the introduction of an international judge in 2006, to the long-time serving Australian Defence Force members assisting in the operations of the event, the show has created a dedicated community with a shared passion for excellence in wine.
Current President of the Hunter Valley Wine Show Executive Committee Craig Saywell said he is proud to lead a committee of community volunteers, and to work closely with the Singleton Army Barracks who have supported the show since 1980, representing over 40 years of community collaboration.
“We are delighted to have former Commandant of the Singleton Army Base and Freeman of the Shire of Singleton, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove (Retd) and Lady Lynne Cosgrove join us for this year’s 50th year celebrations,” Craig added.
This year’s judging panel is chaired by highly experienced and respected winemaker and sommelier, Samantha Connew, owner of Stargazer wines in Tasmania. Samantha carved out her reputable career as a senior winemaker at many wineries across the world including Wirra Wirra (McLaren Vale) and Tower Estate (Hunter Valley), as well as managing applied research projects for the Australian Wine Research Institute.
Joining her to judge at the 50th show is a panel of diverse, highly accredited sommeliers and winemakers, a mix of local, outer state and international experts.