With the 2024 Liquid Luxury Wine Show just around the corner, we know our home barrel owning friends are eager to showcase their best blends. To provide expert insights, I sat down with my good friend and S&K assistant winemaker, John "JP" Martin, to discuss the essential steps for ensuring success in the upcoming show. Here's our chat:
Preparation and Planning
Sam: Hey JP, the Liquid Luxury Wine Show opens in just over a month! What should our home barrel owners be doing right now to ensure their blends are top-notch?
JP: Hey Sam! It's crunch time, indeed. First off, our home barrel buddies should make sure their wines are properly sulphured and freshened up to achieve that perfect flavour profile. Regular tastings and adjustments are key, ideally about 3-6 months before the show. Secondly, they should start thinking about which categories they will enter their wines into. It’s important to focus on the wine’s flavour profile rather than its age to find the best fit.
Sam: Sounds like solid advice. Ideally, how far in advance should they start preparing?
JP: For next year, the earlier the better! Starting 6-12 months ahead gives ample time for aging, blending, and sulphuring. If they wait until the last minute to top up and sulphur, the wine won’t have time to meld, and the sulphur can close off the aromatics. We want the judges to experience the full bouquet and flavours of the wine.
Category/Class Selection
Sam: Speaking of categories, how crucial is it to pick the right one? Any tips for making that decision?
JP: Oh, it's super important! Picking the right category ensures your wine is judged fairly against similar styles. My tip? Read the show’s guidelines carefully and decide based on your wine's characteristics and style. Always taste your wine with its flavour profile in mind, not just its age.
Sam: What if they’re unsure which class to enter?
JP: If you're on the fence, get a second opinion. Have someone else taste your wine to see if it fits the category you’re aiming for. While I’m almost certain our home barrel owners won’t have too much trouble roping a friend in to assist with the taste testing, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions. We’re here to help!
Judging Criteria
Sam: Alright, let’s talk judging. Can you explain the typical criteria used in the Liquid Luxury Amateur Fortified Wine Show? Geez, that’s a mouthful! Who came up with that name, anyway?
JP: Sure thing! Judges look at freshness, category placement, aroma, flavour, balance, complexity, and overall impression. And about that name—I’m just the winemaker; the tongue-twisters are all your department!
Sam: And what aspects are judges most critical about?
JP: Freshness, balance, and complexity are top priorities. A well-balanced wine should have harmonious flavours without any one element overpowering the others. Complexity is also crucial—we’re looking for layers of flavour and aroma that evolve on the palate.
Sam: What key qualities do judges seek in a winning fortified wine?
JP: Winning wines often have exceptional depth of flavour, freshness, complexity, balance, and a long, satisfying finish. It’s all about creating a memorable experience. As judges we taste a lot of wines, if a wine jumps out at us, we’ll be certain to remember it come medal time.
Sam: What’s the most valuable piece of advice you can give to amateur winemakers aiming to win?
JP: Focus on quality and start early! Topping up and sulphuring 6-12 months ahead is ideal. A last-minute touch-up won’t give the wine time to evolve and shine.
Sam: How can home barrel owners use judge feedback to improve future entries?
JP: Analyse the feedback carefully. Revisit your aging and blending process, adjust techniques, or tweak your timing for bottling and topping up. It's all about continuous improvement.
JP: Sam, I feel like I've been doing all the work here! do you have any tips to share?
Sam: Well, now that you mention it. Absolutely! My tips are all about making my life easier, so listen up! First off, make sure you're entering 200ml—no less, and obviously more is much appreciated. Don’t send your wine in too early; we don't want it aging in the back room. But don’t leave it too late either—I don’t need any heart attacks over late entries!
When it comes to containers, keep it clean! Plastic doesn't break, but if you’re sending glass, wrap it up like it’s a rare artifact. And for the love of grapes, use express post to make sure it gets to us on time.
This year, with the flood of entries, we can’t run an analysis on every single wine show sample. However, if you send us two samples, we can do an analysis—just be patient for the results. If you do want an analysis run, you'll need to make sure you complete this form and send it with your second sample
Don’t forget to fill out the online entry form Liquid Luxury Amateur Fortified Wine Show - Enter Now before shipping your sample. That way, we know to expect it. And please, clearly label your entry with your name, category, and class. We’ll email you once we’ve received your sample.
Additional Tips
Sam: Any resources, books, or courses you recommend for those looking to up their game?
JP: Absolutely! Check out winemaking books like "The Winemaker's Handbook" by Terry G. Garey and "The Complete Guide to Making Your Own Wine at Home" by John Peragine. Online courses and local winemaking clubs are also great. And don’t forget the AWRI (Australian Wine Research Institute)—a fantastic free resource. And of course, dive into past articles on our LiqLux Academy Blog, plenty of gems there too!
Sam: Oh, and if the date hasn't already passed, it would be worth people coming along to our Home Barrel Workshop at Stanton & Killeen on Sunday 4th August, wouldn't it? Tickets can be purchased here.
JP: That's a no brainer!
Sam: Shameless plug right there!
With these expert tips from JP, our home barrel owners are set to shine at the 2024 Liquid Luxury Wine Show. Good luck crafting your exceptional wines, we can’t wait to receive them when entries open August 26th, 2024. Cheers!
