2014 Scholars
Glenn Barry ○ Knappstein Wines ○ Winemaker
Matt Brooke (Dux) ○ Brooks of Melbourne ○ Head Sommelier
Bree Boskov ○ Prince Wine Store Wine ○ Educator
Will Byron ○ Stonier Wines/Onannon Wines ○ Winemaker
Melanie Chester ○ Seppelt Great Western ○ Winemaker
Scott Comyns ○ Pepper Tree Wines Chief ○ Winemaker
Jeremy Dineen ○ Joseph Chromy Wines Chief ○ Winemaker
Tristan Habeck ○ Whole Bunch Wines ○ Distributor
Andrew La Nauze ○ Yalumba Wine Company ○ Winemaker
Severine Logan ○ Watershed Premium Wines ○ Chief Winemaker
Peter Marchant ○ le Petit Cochon ○ Wine/Hospitality Consultant
Mary Retallack ○ Retallack Viticulture ○ Managing Director
2014 Len Evans Tutorial
The Len Evans Tutorial Qantas Dux for 2014 is Matt Brooke from Melbourne.
Matt Brooke is former Head Sommelier at Brooks of Melbourne and now plying his trade at Crown. He is also one half of the winemaking team behind the Athletes of Wine label, along with the 2010 LET Dux Liam O’Brien.
As Dux of the 2014 course, Matt has now been guaranteed judging position at two of Australia’s most important Wine Shows, the National Wine Show in Canberra and the Sydney Royal Wine Show.
Matt will be flown business class courtesy of Qantas to London and then onto Europe with invitations to the greatest wine houses.
Many of the rarest, oldest, and greatest wines were opened in one extraordinary week when 12 young(ish) Australian wine personnel were put to the sternest and most rewarding tastings of their lives.
Len Evans Tutorial convener and tutor, Iain Riggs said; “This group highlighted the fact that the Trustees recognize the ongoing need for high caliber wine show judges and that the industry now needs professionals that can take the premium Australian wine message to a greater audience.
“These are the guys at the forefront of grape growing, winemaking and selling premium wine. The dramatic increase in sales of imported wine shows a sophisticated consumer. A better awareness of premium Australian wine and where it sits in relation to imported wine, is essential to the industry getting its message out to the world.”
Scholars from the past seven Tutorials are now gracing the judging benches at all major wine shows across Australia. In the calendar year starting 2015; Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne will be Chaired by Len Evans Tutorial scholars as well as Chairs of a number of regional wine shows.
Scholars come from the fields of winemaking, viticulture, liquor retailing, restaurants, marketing and journalism.
Twelve fully paid scholarships are offered, each with wine, food and accommodation valued at $10,000. The only cost incurred by the scholars is physically getting to the Hunter Valley.
The Tutors for the 2014 Len Evans Tutorial were: James Halliday, Ian McKenzie, Iain Riggs, Gary Steel and Tim James.
The 2014 Len Evans Tutorial was held in the Hunter Valley on the 3-7 of November.
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"The tutorial was a way of getting a stronger foot in the door for show judging opportunities. It’s the ultimate blind tasting experience that really hones your knowledge and understanding of what is expected of a judge and how to really asses and reward quality, a benchmarking experience like no other.."
