NSW wine makers, growers, cellar door and winery staff will gravitate to the Hunter Valley in May thanks to a bumper week of events aimed at upskilling, providing networking opportunities and improving knowledge within the industry.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) in collaboration with NSW Wine Association will be serving up a Pinot Noir Masterclass in the Hunter Valley as part of the NSW Wine industry skills development program.
Held at Kirkton Park, Hunter Valley on 21 May, the masterclass will dissect Pinot Noir as we know it in Australia today.
NSW DPI Viticulture Development Officer, Penny Flannery, said that the event follows several masterclasses held in previous years, including the Chardonnay Masterclass held in Orange last year.
"The grape variety that is we choose to focus on is selected by industry participant feedback from the previous masterclass event," said Ms Flannery.
President of the NSW Wine Industry Association, Mark Bourne, said that industry experts will present on heritage and history, viticulture, winemaking and emerging trends.
"The Masterclass will also look through three 'best of' brackets of Pinot Noir from NSW, Australia and international wines," said Mr Bourne.
Following the masterclass, NSW DPI will lead into the sold out second NSW Rootling's Conference, commencing with a casual networking dinner on the evening of 21 May, followed by two full days of conference presentations and tours in the Hunter Valley.
The Rootling's Network was created in 2023 for under 40s working in the NSW wine industry to build their confidence and skills.
Ms Flannery said the goal was to establish a structured youth network for the NSW wine industry to create ongoing support, mentorship opportunities and develop professional skills for the NSW wine industry's future leaders.
"The Rootling's Network was launched last year and immediately embraced by the industry with an inaugural conference one of the successful network activities.
"At this year's conference we will be visiting many of the well-known Hunter Valley vineyards and cellar doors, as well as focusing on promoting networking amongst the group.
"Although this year's conference is sold out, anyone under 40 years of age at any stage of their career within the industry, including cellar door and winery staff, can still join the network and hopefully attend next year's conference," said Ms Flannery.
There are still tickets available for the Pinot Noir Masterclass at https://nswwine.com.au/pages/upcoming-events.
Pinot Noir Masterclass
Date: Tuesday 21 May 2024
Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Venue: Kirkton Park, 336 Oakey Creek Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320
