The Real Wine Fair will host talks and masterclasses given by wine growers and trade experts during the two days of the fair.
There is no advanced booking for the events, just come early to ensure your seat!
Sunday 17th March
2.00 – 3.00 pm – John Wurdeman of Pheasant’s Tears Winery on “How tradition has become the cutting edge of Georgian wine.”
- John Wurdeman (photo by Jamie Goode)
Several years ago, John Wurdeman, now proprietor of Pheasant’s Tears winery, fell in love with Georgia, its culture and wine traditions. A most articulate spokesman for his adoptive country, John is at the forefront of promoting the interests of Georgian growers and winemakers and establishing an international reputation for their wines.
In the past couple of year the influence of Georgian winemaking has been evident in the number of growers who have purchased the clay fermentation vessels called Qvevri and started to make skin-contact white wines.
The revival of the old Georgia is being witnessed in the fortunes of the new Georgia.
4.00 – 5.00 pm – Mike Weersing of Pyramid Valley Vines in Canterbury, New Zealand on “Orange boom – the rise of skin-on wine.”
- Mike Weersing, Pyramid Valley
Mike and Claudia Weersing have been ploughing their biodynamic furrow in the beautiful vineyards in Waikari in northern Canterbury for about ten years. Mike studied oenology in Burgundy and has worked at some of the truly great estates in France. The Pyramid Valley wines are utterly distinctive – naturally-made they have purity, focus and nerve. Mike and Claudia have also been experimenting with zero-sulphur wines and white wines made with extended skin contact.
Mike is a brilliant, passionate speaker. Hear the story of Pyramid Wines and how he is pushing the winemaking boundaries in New Zealand.
Monday 18th March
2.00 – 3.00 pm – Mark Andrew (Roberson) & Doug Wregg (Les Caves de Pyrène) on “Jazzing up the wine world – trends in winemaking, wine writing and wine selling.”
Never has the wine world been in a state of greater flux. Whilst globalisation has necessarily meant an increasing homogenisation of wine styles on the one hand, it has also provoked a counter-culture of artisan winemakers (doing it for themselves), of opinionated and controversial bloggers, whilst simultaneously engendering a more imaginative approach to wine buying and selling.
Mark Andrew, wine buyer at Roberson and editor of newly-minted magazine, Noble Rot, and Doug Wregg, will discuss these trends (and others) and assess the commercial and cultural influence of natural wine in today’s global market.
For further information, please contact info@threalwinefair.com
Note: All of the master-classes will take place in the seminar room opposite the wine tasting room. For further details please ask at the front desk.