Raise a glass and join the celebration of Geelong's finest wines at the 24th Geelong Wine Show.
Get ready to raise a glass as the 24th annual Bay 93.9 Geelong Wine Show is set to grace the region from October 30th to November 17th, 2023. This celebrated event brings together some of Geelong’s finest wine producers, all eager to showcase the quality and diversity of their outstanding wines.
Chaired by John Harris of Mitchell Harris Wines in Ballarat, the judging panel for this year’s Geelong Wine Show boasts esteemed figures from the industry, including Simon Steele of Medhurst Wines in the Yarra Valley and Matthew Brooke, Director of Wine at Crown Melbourne. For the region’s winegrowers, the show is more than just a competition; it’s a valuable learning opportunity. Entrants receive detailed written feedback that can inform their future winemaking decisions.
Keep up with the latest food and booze news across the region here.
Steven Paul, Chair of the Geelong Wine Show and General Manager at Oakdene Wines, expressed the show’s mission to evolve in response to the changing needs of exhibitors and consumers. It also serves as a platform to celebrate the rich winemaking history of the Geelong region. “The Geelong Wine Show aims to promote excellence in winegrowing in the region, broadly promote the wines of the region to the wine trade and wine-drinking public, and identify the best wines of the region each year, in addition to fostering links between sponsors and the wine industry,” he explained.
This year, the show has introduced alterations to entry requirements and show classes, offering exhibitors more opportunities to attain a coveted trophy. A novel venue, The Davidson Restaurant at The Gordon, will host the judging panel. The change of location will allow for the showcasing of recent venue improvements and provide students and staff with unique engagement opportunities.
John Harris, Chief of Judges for the Geelong Wine Show, is no stranger to the role, marking his fourth year as a judge and second as the Chair of Judges. He praised the region’s climatic and geographical diversity, which makes for a fascinating judging experience. “The climatically and geographically diverse sub-regions of the Geelong wine region make for fascinating judging, and it is a real thrill to taste the difference in the same varieties grown across the three,” Harris said. He highlighted the excitement of discovering the strengths of various grape varieties suited to each sub-region.
With hopes set high, the show anticipates the presentation of high-quality and gold medal-winning wines, despite the challenging growing conditions of 2023. Wine enthusiasts can look forward to wines boasting finesse, elegance, good fruit concentration, and flavour intensity from the 2022 and 2021 vintages.
The grand finale of the Geelong Wine Show will be the annual Awards Dinner held on Friday, November 17th, at the picturesque Terindah Estate on the Bellarine Peninsula. The event will be hosted by former Geelong Cats footballer Barry Stoneham and will feature a new addition to the Wine Geelong Hall of Fame Legends Honour Board.
For those eager to sip and sample the region’s best, Wine Geelong invites patrons to a special public tasting on Wednesday, November 1st, at The Davidson Restaurant at The Gordon. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase discounted cases of wine from the event’s medal-winners. Tickets for this exclusive event are available for just $39 per person, with attendance limited to 60 guests.
For further details and ticket information, visit www.geelongwineshow.com.au.
