With a last-minute location change to Seymour Racecourse following the flooding of Mitchelton Wines, it was no small feat for this year’s Victorian Wine Show to go ahead on Wednesday, October 26.
It was a unique sight — rows and rows of glasses and judges in white lab coats swilling and spitting en masse.
The show is the largest collection of Victorian wines in one place.
There are 750 wines entered, with each judge blindly tasting about 250 wines.
They find the best of each variety and then from those select the best white and red wine of show.
The judging panel is diverse, comprising mostly experienced winemakers with some sommeliers from leading restaurants in Melbourne, a buyer from Coles and a judge from Japan who is a leading expert in sake.
Head judge Matt Harrop offers a fresh palate for judges trying to reach a consensus.
“The first thing they look for is wine that is pure without any winemaking or wine growing faults,” Mr Harrop said.
“We are trying to reward excellence and quality, but also it’s a celebration of diversity of Victorian wine.
“Victoria … has the most small wineries in the country in one state. We grow a really diverse style of wine.
“A shiraz grown in Rutherglen is going to taste really different to a shiraz grown in the Yarra Valley or a shiraz grown in Geelong.”
Any winery in Victoria can enter its wines. Seymour district wineries include Mitchelton Wines, Wine x Sam and Fowles Wine.
“It originated like all agricultural shows did in basically trying to improve the breed and help wine growers and wine makers make better wine,” Mr Harrop said.