Tasting Australia 2021 is going ahead from 30 April to 9 May 2021 after the cancellation of the 2020 edition! The full program is currently available and tickets to some events have already sold out and others are selling fast. Within the program, there are plenty of French links – events revolving around champagne, sparkling wine, French food, French wines, and French varietals made here in Australia and in New Zealand.
But it says SOLD OUT already?
You may see that many of the events listed below are sold out. But not to worry they’ve added a waitlist in case they decide to put on an extra event or in case COVID-19 restrictions ease allowing them to have more people at each event.
CHAMPAGNE EVENTS AT TASTING AUSTRALIA 2021
The Tasting Table: Pol Proof
30 Apr 2021
3.30pm – 4.30pm
Proof, Anster Street, ADELAIDE
Tickets: $85 SOLD OUT – JOIN THE WAITLIST
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-pol-proof
Slip away to the elegant surrounds of the upstairs bar room within Adelaide’s first small bar, Proof, for a late afternoon featuring fine French champagne.
Deviation Road winemaker Kate Laurie will guide you on a seated flight of Pol Roger. Kate Laurie is a friend of the brand who honed her sparkling wine making craft in Champagne itself. Laurie is among Australia’s top sparkling winemakers, sourcing grapes from high-altitude Adelaide Hills vineyards and using traditional equipment and methods.
Pol Roger founded his eponymous champagne house in 1849. It quickly became a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill, who noted, “Champagne imparts a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced, the imagination is equally stirred, the wits become more nimble.” This family-owned company is based in Épernay and holds a unique place in the hearts of Australian champagne lovers.
The Tasting Table: Krug Front Bar
01 May 2021 & 02 May 2021
10.00am – 11.00am
$125 SOLD OUT JOIN WAITLIST
The Exeter
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-krug-front-bar
Olivier Krug is the current custodian of Krug champagne. This sixth generation family member has strong views on the best glass in which to enjoy his fine champagne.
Strangely though, he has given his blessing for Adelaide’s Exeter hotel to serve Krug in butcher glasses!
Tasting Australia drinks curator Nick Stock and Deviation Road winemaker Kate Laurie will lead this masterclass.
Taste a selection of vintages as you learn about the brand’s special relationship with the Exeter – one that sees individually numbered butcher glasses given to all who order a bottle of Krug. A very unlikely marriage but one that is working well.
Joseph Krug – a visionary non-conformist with an uncompromising philosophy – established his Reims champagne house in 1843. It remains family owned and is known around the world for its simultaneous poise and power.
Laurie, a heroine of all things bubbly, studied oenology in France and uses its traditional methods when making sparkling from her 130-acre property.
The Tasting Table: Bollinger and Daosa Balcony
06 May 2021
4.00pm
The Exeter Hotel
$95 SOLD OUT JOIN WAITLIST
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-bollinger-and-daosa-balcony
Join Tasting Australia drinks curator Nick Stock for an exclusive Bollinger tasting on the Exeter Hotel’s newly restored balcony with views across the East End.
Stock will share his selections and his thoughts on what sets this revered brand apart.
Bollinger – founded in the French village of Aÿ in 1829 – is known for its powerful, sophisticated and complex wines (and for being James Bond’s choice). The company is one of few remaining independent champagne houses and uses a long ageing process to add depth and finesse. Strict modern methods mean Bollinger is renowned for quality control, though its bottle is a nod to the past; it was redesigned in 2012 to reflect an 1846 relic found in the cellar.
FRENCH WINE EVENTS AT TASTING AUSTRALIA 2021
The Tasting Table: Hey Jupiter Jura!
30 Apr 2021
3.30pm – 4.30pm
$95
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-hey-jupiter-jura
Small but mighty. It goes for the Jura as a wine region, and it definitely goes for Adelaide’s gorgeous French-inspired eatery Hey Jupiter. At this Tasting Australia 2021 event, you will enjoy a tasting at Hey Jupiter’s outdoor tables where with a little imagination you could imagine yourself in a Parisian arrondissement.
The Tasting Table will allow you to discover why wines of the Jura are at the forefront of a contemporary fascination with traditional methods of farming and winemaking.
Leading your Tasting Australia masterclass is wine importer Andrew Guard, who will share the qualities that define Jura wines and share rare selections from this fascinating pocket of France.
The Jura, tucked between Burgundy and Switzerland, is one of the country’s most compact grape-growing areas. Chardonnay accounts for almost half the region’s plantings, though its most famous export of vin jaune is made with savagnin grapes.
In recent years wines from the Jura’s 2,000 hectares of vineyards have become pinups for natural wine and real tradition, with demand growing for the wide range of styles available and young winemakers increasingly inspired by the region’s methods.
FRENCH CUISINE AT TASTING AUSTRALIA 2021
Culinary voyage through the Mediterranean
02 May 2021
11.30am – 4.30pm
$99
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/culinary-voyage-through-the-mediterranean
Take a voyage to the Mediterranean without leaving the State in this Tasting Australia 2021 event.
Hosted by McLaren Vale’s Serafino, you will enjoy a lunch inspired by the beautifully diverse cuisine of Mediterranean Europe. Head chef Alberto Occhipinti will enlighten you with traditional Mediterranean dishes made using the best seasonal Fleurieu Peninsula produce.
Each of the event’s four courses will be paired with alternative wine varieties from Serafino’s Bellissimo range – think Pinot Grigio, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Fiano. Kick off the fun with canapés and a glass of sparkling wine on arrival.
Spain will influence your first dish, ahead of a stop in Italy and a French-inspired third course. Finish with a Greek-style dessert. Accolades for the Serafino restaurant include the 2019 Australian Good Food Guide Readers’ Choice Award.
Occhipinti’s dishes change with the seasons and are crafted to pair perfectly with wines from the surrounding vineyards. A late-afternoon finish gives you the perfect reason to stay overnight in one of Serafino’s 30 on-site rooms.
You can event stay at the property and take in the beautiful surrounds even longer. Special accommodation rates are available for guests attending this event, and transport can be arranged on request.
2KW Charcuterie Festival
02 May 2021
12.00pm – 2.00pm
2KW
$99
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/2kw-charcuterie-festival
2KW, with its beautiful rooftop views over Adelaide has teamed up with Adelaide’s premier charcutier, Massi Corrandini from Parma Handcrafted Meats, to create a feast showcasing the many flavours and styles of charcuterie.
The knowledgeable wine team from 2KW is busy sourcing wines from around the globe that will perfectly complement Corrandini’s amazing selection of meats.
Republic Regional wine & cheese series
02 May 2021
2.00pm – 5.00pm
$39
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/republic-regional-wine-and-cheese-series
There’s a lot to love about wine and cheese. Get along to Norwood’s Republic Hotel to celebrate these two South Australian specialties.
The venue’s Regional Wine & Cheese Series will feature boutique wine producers and artisan cheesemakers from the Clare Valley, Barossa, Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula.
Each ticket to this event includes tastings from 12 wineries and a cheese board. The Republic Hotel was built in 1880 and recently renovated to include a sleek new dining area.
EVENTS SHOWCASING FRENCH VARIETALS BY AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALANDER WINEMAKERS AT TASTING AUSTRALIA 2021
The Tasting Table: Che Syrah
08 May 2021
3.30pm – 4.30pm
$75 SOLD OUT JOIN WAITLIST
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-che-syrah
Two young guns with a passion for cool climate shiraz are joining forces to share their exceptional wares.
Melanie Chester and Michael Downer are leading a new generation of Australian winemakers. The award-winning pair honed their skills in South Australia and specialise in shiraz at its most nuanced.
Chester took the reins at Sutton Grange, near Bendigo, in 2015 with numerous accolades to her name. She believes it’s the site that matters most, not the winemaker, and leads production of the Estate and Fairbank ranges. Central Victorian granite soils are expressed through Chester’s work, with vines grown organically and wines traditionally handcrafted.
Downer leads Murdoch Hill near Oakbank in the Adelaide Hills and has quickly risen to become one of Australia’s hottest winemaking talents. His wines reflect both sound technical knowledge and an adventurous spirit, with his Landau syrah taking out three trophies – including best red – at the 2019 Adelaide Hills Wine Show.
Celebrate great young South Australian winemakers as we turn the spotlight to shiraz for this eight-wine tasting.
The Tasting Table: Cullen Wines
07 May 2021
3.00pm – 4.00pm
East End Cellars
$125
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-cullen-wines
Trailblazer Vanya Cullen comes to the Tasting Table with close to 40 years of winemaking experience at her family’s Margaret River estate. Environmental stewardship is at the heart of her decisions as managing director; both Cullen vineyards are certified biodynamic and use leading sustainable practices. Gather with us to explore wines lauded for their elegant expression of place. French varietals cabernet merlot, chardonnay, malbec, and sauvignon blanc-semillon are among the Cullen range – all dry farmed and nourished by ancient Wilyabrup soils.
Cullen was named Winemaker of the Year at the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, the latest accolade in a consistently impressive career.
THE TASTING TABLE: GIACONDA
01 May 2021
3.00pm – 4.00pm
Mother Vine
$125
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-giaconda
Giaconda is one of Australia’s most iconic producers. Its chardonnay leads the charge, consistently outgunning great bottles from Burgundy in blind tastings.
Founder Rick Kinzbrunner will make a rare festival appearance for this intimate tasting. The brilliant but elusive winemaker purchased Beechworth farmland in the 80s with a sense it would be suited to grape-growing. By 2006 he had been named one of the world’s top 10 best white winemakers by Decanter magazine.
Giaconda chardonnays have been lauded for their ability to push the boundaries and challenge the variety’s Australian blueprint. Seize your chance to enjoy a selection with the master who made them.
The Tasting Table: Bell Hill
08 May 2021
12.00pm – 1.00pm
Mother Vine
$125
https://tastingaustralia.com.au/events/the-tasting-table-bell-hill
Bell Hill is arguably New Zealand’s most exclusive producer of luxury chardonnay and pinot noir. Demand for each of the label’s vintages is always sky-high, with Kiwis clamouring to secure even one bottle each year.
Tasting Australia 2021 welcomes two winemakers from this historic vineyard – Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Velduizen – to the heart of Adelaide’s East End.
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KEY INFO
WHAT: Tasting Australia 2021
WHERE: Adelaide, South Australia
WHEN: 30 April – 9 May 2021
HOW: Tickets are available at https://tastingaustralia.com.au/program
Which events are you going to go to at Tasting Australia 2021?
For other articles about French food and wine, you may like:
Champagne Day: which champagnes to drink to celebrate the day
Champagne quotes for what we’re calling champagne week!
20 Champagne facts to celebrate Champagne Day this week
Cheese Lovers’ Day: cheese subscriptions
Croissant Day 2021: a history of the croissant and some croissant facts
The Sugar Man: the man who recreated the croissant
