It was just another day at the office; fly in to Melbourne, taxi to the event, ensure all the materials for the construction of the stand had arrived, build the stand, set up the iPads…etc, etc…..12 hours later, be pretty chuffed with how the stand looks…….then freak out at how big this event is.For gourmands, the Good Food and Wine Show is what the Clipsal 500 is to motorheads; loud, proud, aromatic and full of tasty treats. The event boasts around 200 exhibitors with an attendance in excess of 30,000. Additionally there is a beer garden, celebrity chef demos, cooking classes and hosted wine tastings.
On the first day of the event our very own Phil Manser took to the stage of the Riedel Theatre with presenter Rob Hicks to host a tasting of the Good Food and Wine Show Official Dozen. Phil did a great job talking through the wines (…as per usual….but please don’t tell him as we’ll have to move offices if his ego inflates further) and the feedback from organisers and patrons alike was overwhelming.
The second day saw us Inundated with people swarming our stand – we should have beat them off with sticks, but we only had wine, which just encouraged them. It was non-stop from the time the doors opened at 10am until they closed at 6pm. Exhausted and too knackered to even get dinner after missing lunch, we managed a couple of beers then passed out (tired…not drunk).
Overall our experience at the Melbourne GFWS was sensational. We set up a successful stand and, in doing so, got the opportunity to meet and talk wine with a bunch of great folk who were almost as obsessed with the fermented grape as we are. And, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.
Goodnight Melbourne, we love you!….lock up your cellars Sydney, here we come!
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