Corporate Blind Tasting Event – Parramatta Square ‘After 5 Series’ 28 July 2022

Parramatta Square ‘After 5 Series’ 28 July 2022

Last week I was engaged by the Trustees of Walker Corporation of 2 Parramatta Square, to host a special Masterclass for their valued Tenants, called the ‘After 5 Series’ .

Presented on the last Thursday of every month, the intention of the Walker Corporation’s Marketing Team is to create a wonderful space of connection and community for their corporate neighbours, while offering the opportunity to learn a new skill.

For the July ‘After 5 Masterclass’ I suggested a Blind-Tasting of three uniquely interesting Champagne and Australian Sparkling Wines… I presented each one wrapped in foil, and invited the guests to bring each of their five senses to the table for the tasting that day:  ~  Sight  ~  Smell  ~  Touch  ~  Sound  ~  Taste  ~ 

We explored the magic of Champagne:

by 1. learning that champagne cannot be called champagne, unless it is made in the Region of Champagne... Il n’y a le champagne que de Champagne

2. we learnt that the Traditional Method of champagne making goes way back to the late 1800’s when the adding of sugar and yeast created the lees, and that Champagne has a minimum of 15 months on lees to be called champagne; and vintage champagne requires a minimum of three years…

3. Lastly we learned that our passionate Australian Sparkling Wine makers also adhere to the very strict rules of delicate harvesting of grapes, gentle pressing to maintain pristine jus, precision blending, disgorgement, and limited dosage to create extraordinarily excellent Sparkling Wines we can be very proud of…

So.. to the Question:

 ~ ~ Which wine was which ?? ~ ~ 

Which sparkling wine did our guests believe to be from Champagne ?

We had eight hands held high for the first wine;

12 hands held high for the second wine…

and with over 15 hands raised for the third wine…

we can declare the third wine was in fact: Kreglinger 2016 Vintage Sparkling Wine from TASMANIA at approx $55 per bottle

The second wine was Bollinger Special Cuvée Non-Vintage – a classic demonstration of hundreds of years of wisdom and knowledge, with a minimum of 15% reserve wines in each special bottle. This iconic champagne retails for approx $90 per bottle

and the very first, which was much admired as it warmed in the glass, and opened-up, displayed its characteristic crunchy red apple, lime tart and delicate honey notes, was the Jansz 2017 Vintage Brut also from Tasmania. This successful Australian sparkling wine retails for approx $45 per bottle.

Before the final game of Heads and Tails to distribute some prizes… Susan invited one guest from the audience to learn the ‘Art of Sabrage’ – the sabering of the top of a bottle of champagne, by SABER – or Sword… We learned how Napoleon’s Officers, returning from defeating the Prussian armies, would accept generous gifts of champagne from the Champenois people… They would take their military sabers from their hilts and triumphantly slice the tops of the bottles open while riding.

The adventurous guest of the Director stepped up to learn the science behind the Art… and he got it first go!