The Class of 2009 announced
12 wine industry professionals have been announced to take part in Australia’s most prestigious wine school – the Len Evans Tutorial from 2 to 6 November 2009.
Now in its ninth year, the Len Evans Tutorial is again set to be one of the great weeks in the world of wine.
The 12 scholars are made up of Australia’s best wine makers, sommeliers, trade representatives and journalists from more than 130 applications.
Many of the greatest, rarest and oldest wines are opened in one extraordinary week when 12 young(ish) Australian wine personnel are put to the sternest and most rewarding tastings of their lives.
This year’s lucky dozen is:
1. Stuart Halliday Tetsuya’s Sommelier
2. Jeff Byrne Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard Winemaker
3. Ian Hongell Peter Lehmann Wines Senior Winemaker
4. Alex McKay Collector Wines Director/Winemaker
5. Adam Wadewitz Best Wines Winemaker
6. Nick Ryan Wine Journalist
7. Michael Symons Stonier Winery Winemaker
8. Fran Austin Bay of Fires Wines Winemaker
9. Leanne Altmann Trim Hospitality Group Assist. Rest Manager
10. James Erskine Chris Ringland’s R Wines Sales Manager
11. Sally Humble Cutler & Co Sommelier
12. Dean O’Reilly Moet Hennessy Australia Sales Respresentative
Len Evans Tutorial convenor and tutor, Iain Riggs said; “This group highlights the fact that the Trustees recognise that the Tutorial has been very successful in providing a higher level of wine appreciation for wine judges but the industry now needs professionals that can take the premium Australian wine message to a greater audience. “These are the guys at the coal face of wine selling. 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.”
Qantas is the major sponsor of the 2009 Dux award. The Dux is rewarded with a guaranteed judging position at two of Australia’s most important Wine Shows - the National Wine Show in Canberra and the Royal Sydney Wine Show, as well for the first time being offered a position as Associate Judge at the prestigious Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Qantas will also fly the Dux to London and then onto Europe with invitations to the greatest wine houses.
Scholars from the past eight Tutorials are now gracing the judging benches at all major wine shows across Australia. The 2009 Sydney Wine Show featured two previous Len Evans Tutorial graduates on 2 the Panel Chair, eight of the nine Australian Judges and all Associate Judges were also former students, including four Qantas Dux award winners.
The Tutorial program is designed to define the demands of show judging and to define quality by exposing the scholars to the great wine styles of the world.
A team of five tutors will put the scholars through their paces in what James Halliday described as “the most exclusive wine school in the world.” The Tutors for the 2009 Len Evans Tutorial are James Halliday, Brian Croser, Ian McKenzie, Iain Riggs and Gary Steel.
The Tutorial is open to all applicants, regardless of their present position. Previous scholars have come from the fields of winemaking, liquor retailing, restaurants, marketing and journalism.
Twelve fully paid scholarships are offered each year including wine, food and accommodation valued at around $9000. The only cost incurred by the scholars is physically getting to the Hunter Valley.
2009 Scholarship Sponsors
Amorim Cork Australia Pty Ltd
Brokenwood Wines
Lehmann Wines
Leeuwin Estate
Australian Vintage Ltd.
McWilliam’s Mt Pleasant
Petaluma
Shaw and Smith Pty Ltd
Tahbilk Pty Ltd
Tyrrell’s Vineyards Pty Ltd
Vintage Cellars
Yalumba Wine Company
Other Major Sponsors
Basil Sellers - Sellers Group
Macquarie Bank
Sydney Royal Wine Show
Qantas Airways Ltd
Riedel The Wine Glass Company
Australia Post
Peppers Guest House Hunter Valley
