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McLaren Vale - Ricky Young - Wine Buyer BWS
74 Plays4 years ago
On the eight episode of Fine Vines and Wine, I'm joined by Ricky Young, wine buyer, BWS Insider and category manager at BWS. We delve into the behind the scenes at BWS and the process behind what wines are selected to be sold in store, the beauty of McLaren Vale and why you should visit, and are told to keep our eyes peeled for some new and exciting releases. We also discuss the unconventional food and wine pairing of KFC fried chicken and champagne, which is still on my list to try, and what you can do if you want to further your wine knowledge. Head to my instagram @finevinesandwine for a list of the wines and wineries mentioned in this week's episode.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Introduction and Acknowledgment
00:00:07
Speaker
Hi everyone and welcome to Fine Vines and Wine.
00:00:10
Speaker
I'm your host Karis Pixie and each week I'll be giving you all an insight into the behind the scenes of our favourite beverage, wine.
00:00:18
Speaker
I'd love for you to use this podcast platform as a winery guide for your next weekend away, exploring everything Australia has to offer.
00:00:26
Speaker
You never know, you might discover a new spot or two to visit.
00:00:30
Speaker
I acknowledge the Cadigal peoples, traditional custodians of the land that we recorded today's podcast episode on.
00:00:37
Speaker
I pay my respects to the elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the cultures and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the nation.
Guest Introduction and Adelaide Trip Discussion
00:00:49
Speaker
On this week's episode of Fine Vines and Wine, I'm joined by Rikki Young, the Category Manager for BWS.
00:00:56
Speaker
Welcome, thank you for joining me.
00:00:58
Speaker
How has your week been and how was your trip to Adelaide?
00:01:02
Speaker
Awesome.
00:01:03
Speaker
Good morning and thanks for having me.
00:01:05
Speaker
So, look, so recently just gotten back from Adelaide.
00:01:08
Speaker
So I got back yesterday and I was in Adelaide for a week.
00:01:12
Speaker
So, look, Adelaide is absolutely beautiful, lots of good food, lots of good wine.
00:01:19
Speaker
So I absolutely had a blast, you know, but look, just got back yesterday.
00:01:23
Speaker
So I was back to reality today and a busy few weeks coming up, you know, so back into the swing of things now.
00:01:30
Speaker
I'm very jealous.
00:01:31
Speaker
I would love to go back again.
00:01:33
Speaker
Did you have a favorite winery from your Adelaide trip?
00:01:36
Speaker
And did you pick up any special bottles?
00:01:40
Speaker
So we went to a few wineries while we're there.
00:01:42
Speaker
So we went to the Barossa, which is absolutely beautiful.
00:01:46
Speaker
We went to the McLaren Vale, you know, which is on the coast and it's a beautiful coastal town.
00:01:50
Speaker
So, look, from my point of view, I'd say the highlight was actually Serafino Winery.
00:01:56
Speaker
Look, that's in the McLaren Vale, an absolutely beautiful location.
00:02:00
Speaker
Yeah.
00:02:01
Speaker
Awesome wine, awesome food.
00:02:03
Speaker
So, look, that was a real highlight.
00:02:06
Speaker
And look, in terms of special bottles, I mean, look, we had a lot of food and a lot of wine.
Challenges of Winery Tours
00:02:10
Speaker
A few bottles of Rockford Basket Press, actually, which is a really delicious Shiraz as well.
00:02:16
Speaker
Oh, wow.
00:02:17
Speaker
Those are probably the two highlights from the trip.
00:02:20
Speaker
Yeah, no, amazing.
00:02:22
Speaker
We went to McLaren Vale as well, but we only went to Darenburg and down the Rabbit Hole Wines and we didn't really have much time to do anything else.
00:02:29
Speaker
So I definitely need to go back.
00:02:32
Speaker
It's amazing as well how much, how time consuming it all is.
00:02:35
Speaker
Like I had so many other wineries I wanted to visit, wanted to see.
00:02:39
Speaker
But time just goes so quickly.
00:02:40
Speaker
You know, I think in the McLaren Vale, for example, we had five wineries we wanted to visit.
00:02:45
Speaker
We only got to three, you know, and the day was pretty much over.
00:02:47
Speaker
So it is still quite time consuming, surprisingly.
00:02:51
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:02:52
Speaker
I think when we went to the Barossa, we managed to get to, in the Barossa, we did five and my boyfriend was driving, which I probably shouldn't say.
00:03:01
Speaker
I was very drunk because he kept pouring them into my glass.
00:03:03
Speaker
I was like, oh God, okay, I'll keep drinking.
00:03:06
Speaker
And then in McLaren Vale, he drove again.
00:03:08
Speaker
But yeah, we only did two because it was a little bit further away.
00:03:12
Speaker
Yeah.
00:03:13
Speaker
And what was the highlight for your trip while you were there?
00:03:17
Speaker
Oh, well, he got it for me for my 30th birthday present.
00:03:20
Speaker
So that was like a highlight in itself.
00:03:23
Speaker
I think my favorite was Calabria Family Wines.
00:03:26
Speaker
And Darenburg as well.
00:03:27
Speaker
I really like Darenburg.
00:03:29
Speaker
Yeah, the cube is quite cool.
00:03:30
Speaker
Hey, it's quite quirky.
00:03:31
Speaker
I even remember I went to the bathroom in there once and even the bathrooms are quirky, you know, it's want to bring into the range.
00:03:38
Speaker
But then we do also review the range and we say, well, hey, what's not working and where is there more opportunity for?
00:03:43
Speaker
So we review different varieties at different times.
00:03:47
Speaker
So the red review, for example, takes place in May and then there's, you know, sparkling and white review that take place later on in the year.
BWS Wine Selection Process
00:03:54
Speaker
So look, what that just means is, hey, we review our range, we bring in new and exciting stuff and we also review the range and we look at, hey, where are the opportunities and, you know, what are customers, you know, what's not working and where's their opportunity to improve the range or, you know, to bring in new things.
00:04:11
Speaker
Okay, so it's more about what's working on the consumer side than you guys going through and tasting them.
00:04:17
Speaker
So what happens is the range review, so we send a brief or an email out to our suppliers and we essentially tell them, you know, our range review is now open.
00:04:28
Speaker
So what that means is suppliers will submit new wines to be ranged within our stores.
00:04:33
Speaker
And look, we have a, you know, we have a brief and certain things that we're looking for.
00:04:36
Speaker
So what that means is suppliers will submit lines to be ranged.
00:04:39
Speaker
And then we go through a process of reviewing those wines.
00:04:42
Speaker
You know, we do taste the wines.
00:04:45
Speaker
We make sure the wines fit the brief in terms of what we're looking for.
00:04:48
Speaker
And then if everything matches and everything aligns, you know, that's when we'll bring those wines and we'll range them into BWS.
00:04:54
Speaker
Oh, amazing.
00:04:55
Speaker
I would love to do something like that.
00:04:57
Speaker
That sounds amazing.
00:04:59
Speaker
It sounds cool, but there's a lot of work behind it and there's a lot of wine you have to taste.
00:05:03
Speaker
So a lot of people say, oh, that's my dream job.
00:05:05
Speaker
I wish I could do that.
00:05:06
Speaker
But I tell you what, sometimes it can be a little bit full on tasting that much wine.
00:05:10
Speaker
Oh, my gosh.
00:05:11
Speaker
Especially with red wine as well because I know even though you're spitting it out I'm assuming it's still quite heavy in the mouth so yeah I can imagine that would be quite hard.
00:05:20
Speaker
Yeah and sometimes your tasting session might start at 7am or 8am in the morning you know so it's a nice amount of grapes for breakfast.
00:05:29
Speaker
Yes definitely.
00:05:32
Speaker
What's your most memorable moment that you've experienced during your wine journey?
00:05:36
Speaker
Good question.
00:05:39
Speaker
So I was lucky enough actually to do a vintage experience at Chapel Hill in the McLaren Valley about three years ago.
00:05:45
Speaker
So what that meant was I actually stayed at the winery for three days and, you know, I helped them pick the grapes.
00:05:51
Speaker
You know, we did pump overs and, you know, we ran all the vines and grapes through the machines.
00:05:57
Speaker
So, look, it was really awesome to be able to see, you know, that process from start to finish and just stay at the winery itself for those three days and just experience, you know, everything that they went through during vintage, which is such a busy time.
00:06:10
Speaker
And as well, the other piece as well is just how beautiful the McLaren Vale actually is.
00:06:15
Speaker
You know, it's on the coast coast.
00:06:17
Speaker
You know, you can actually see from some of the vineyards, you can see the beach, you can see the coast, which is absolutely awesome.
00:06:24
Speaker
And while I was there as well, I remember I went to a, it's a bit of a, you know, I think it's like a restaurant or a hotel called, I think it's the Victory Hotel.
00:06:33
Speaker
hotel.
00:06:33
Speaker
They actually have a cellar at the bottom of the hotel and you can actually, you know, normally when you're picking your wine, you're looking at a wine list and you're choosing based on the wine list.
00:06:43
Speaker
But it was really cool because you could actually, you'd actually go into the cellar and you'd pick your wine from the cellar so you could say, oh, you know, I'd like a bottle of this to drink at that place.
00:06:52
Speaker
And it's just so cool and so different, you know, because rather than ordering off a wine list, you're in this big cellar with hundreds of bottles of wine and you're like, oh yeah, that looks pretty cool.
00:06:58
Speaker
I'd like to try that with my dinner, you know.
00:07:00
Speaker
So
00:07:01
Speaker
That was quite a unique experience as well.
00:07:04
Speaker
And you mentioned as well, you know, that you've been to the McLaren Vale.
00:07:06
Speaker
But look, it's one of those regions as well.
00:07:08
Speaker
That's absolutely beautiful.
00:07:09
Speaker
And I encourage everyone, if possible, to get out there and just see how beautiful it actually is.
00:07:15
Speaker
When I was in there recently, you know, we had a,
00:07:18
Speaker
We had a driver for the day and he took us around and he was still saying that people that visit Adelaide, about eight out of 10 people visit the Barossa and only, you know, about two out of 10 are going to the McLaren Vale.
00:07:29
Speaker
So, look, the Barossa as well in itself, it's a great region, but the McLaren Vale, very, very underrated and it flies under the radar a little bit, I feel.
00:07:38
Speaker
Yeah, no, definitely.
00:07:38
Speaker
No, the, but to be honest, the main reason that we went to McLarenville was because I wanted to go to down the rabbit hole wines, um, because I follow Elise Cook who runs it with her partner on Instagram.
00:07:49
Speaker
So that was kind of what made me initially want to go.
00:07:52
Speaker
And then someone was like, oh, if you're going, you should go to Darenburg as well.
00:07:55
Speaker
But I think if that hadn't been there, I probably would have just been like, oh, we'll just stay around the Barossa.
00:08:00
Speaker
So I'm very glad that that kind of made me go so I could see other parts of it as well.
00:08:07
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely awesome to see.
00:08:08
Speaker
And it's good to expand those horizons, you know, and see some different regions.
00:08:13
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:08:14
Speaker
Going back to working for doing the vintage, apparently it's really, really hard work as well.
00:08:20
Speaker
It is.
00:08:21
Speaker
It's not easy.
00:08:21
Speaker
I was exhausted.
00:08:22
Speaker
I think you start quite early and it's long hours for a lot of the people as well because the winery's flat chat.
00:08:29
Speaker
It's about anywhere from eight to 12 weeks of the year where vintage is in full swing.
00:08:34
Speaker
So it's pretty much nonstop for those eight to 12 weeks.
00:08:37
Speaker
Yeah.
00:08:38
Speaker
you know, picking the grapes, putting it all through the machinery and just making sure, you know, everything's in a good position.
00:08:45
Speaker
So, you know, to put the grapes, you know, into the tanks and everything.
00:08:52
Speaker
Yeah, so it was all hand-picking as well, no machine-picking?
00:08:55
Speaker
It depends.
00:08:56
Speaker
So Chapel Hill does a bit of both actually.
00:08:58
Speaker
So for some of their more premium wines, they are hand-picked.
00:09:02
Speaker
So, look, it's a bit of a mixture of both and I think that's what most places are doing these days.
00:09:07
Speaker
What do you think the wine industry will see more or less of in 2021?
Upcoming Wine Trends for 2021
00:09:13
Speaker
So, look, I think you'll see a lot more new and interesting as people continue to expand their horizons in wine.
00:09:21
Speaker
And what I mean by new and interesting, look, I think you'll see some unique and trendy varietals.
00:09:26
Speaker
So, you know, we're seeing like, you know, in Reds, for example, Sangio Vazis, Montepulcianos, Neros, for example.
00:09:35
Speaker
And I think you'll see a lot of different bottle shapes and formats, which is really exciting as well.
00:09:41
Speaker
So, you know, we're seeing canned wine.
00:09:43
Speaker
We're seeing half bottles as well, you know, which are really starting to pick up some steam.
00:09:49
Speaker
Look, in terms of what's coming for BWS, look, I can't give too much away, but there is some exciting stuff coming, especially in the red wine and cask space this coming year.
00:10:00
Speaker
So, look, keep an eye out for that because there's some really cool stuff that's about to hit the market.
00:10:07
Speaker
Oh, perfect.
00:10:08
Speaker
So cask wine is a massive thing or it's sort of coming back.
00:10:12
Speaker
What are your thoughts on it?
00:10:14
Speaker
Oh, look, I think it is making a comeback.
00:10:16
Speaker
I mean, we saw throughout COVID, you know, that a lot of people did get back into the cask wine space.
00:10:23
Speaker
Yes.
00:10:24
Speaker
And look, we're seeing as well in overseas markets, for example, cask wine is doing very well.
00:10:30
Speaker
I think, unfortunately, in Australia, there's a bit of a stigma that
00:10:33
Speaker
around cask wine at the moment.
00:10:36
Speaker
And look, that's what we're trying to overcome at the moment because look, you can actually get some pretty good quality cask wine, you know.
00:10:43
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:10:44
Speaker
So what we're trying to do is we're trying to remove that stigma.
00:10:47
Speaker
We know overseas how well that format is actually doing.
00:10:50
Speaker
So look, we see huge opportunity in that space in the Australian market.
00:10:55
Speaker
So watch this space over the coming months.
00:10:59
Speaker
Yeah, no, definitely.
00:11:00
Speaker
Because I know when I first came to Australia when I was 18, me and all my friends would drink cask wine, which is Band Rock Station, and it was disgusting.
00:11:10
Speaker
And we used to mix it with lemonade because it was just like the taste was horrible.
00:11:13
Speaker
But now, like...
00:11:15
Speaker
I've been, I worked with Calabria once a few times and they sent me their banter box and I love it.
00:11:20
Speaker
Like the rosé is amazing.
00:11:22
Speaker
They have a Montepulciano, which is also really good as well.
00:11:25
Speaker
And I love that I can open it, have a couple of glasses and then it doesn't go off.
00:11:30
Speaker
Like I have 30 days to sort of finish it a little bit.
00:11:32
Speaker
It's good if you want like just a glass.
00:11:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's absolutely awesome.
00:11:36
Speaker
And look, I mean, I might touch on this a little bit later, but we are seeing that trend, you know, towards moderation as well.
00:11:43
Speaker
So fast wine is absolutely perfect.
00:11:44
Speaker
You know, you can have a glass every couple of days, you know, rather than having to finish the bottle straight away, which is really cool.
00:11:52
Speaker
Can you explain what the BWS Insider Program is?
00:11:56
Speaker
Yeah, so I've been a part of the BWS Insider Program now for, look, I think it's nearing three years actually, so it has been a while.
00:12:03
Speaker
So what it is, it's a group of BWS team members
00:12:08
Speaker
Some people work in store, some people work in support office.
00:12:11
Speaker
So look, it's literally, you know, unique group of team members who come together to share their passion for drinks, essentially.
00:12:20
Speaker
So I think at the moment, there's maybe about 20 to 30 of us in total.
00:12:25
Speaker
Don't quote me on that.
00:12:26
Speaker
I could be a little bit wrong.
00:12:27
Speaker
And look, for us, we're just having a blast connecting with, you know, like-minded individuals over social media and sharing the drinks, sharing the drinks that we love.
00:12:36
Speaker
So, I mean, what we've seen as well throughout social media as well, you know, it's great to, rather than supporting products, it's good to put like a face behind the product.
00:12:49
Speaker
So that's kind of where, you know, the whole Insider program came in.
00:12:52
Speaker
No, that's awesome.
00:12:53
Speaker
Do you have to apply to be a part of it or can anyone that works for BWS be a part of it?
00:12:57
Speaker
Yeah, so you do have to apply.
00:13:01
Speaker
So look, there was a bit of an application process.
00:13:04
Speaker
But look, I think.
00:13:06
Speaker
what we've kind of been able to do in that space.
00:13:08
Speaker
I think it's really cool.
00:13:09
Speaker
And what we've seen as well is Dan Murphy's now actually has a bit of a similar program as well, which has popped up.
00:13:14
Speaker
So look, there has been, I think there has been some good success out of the program actually, because at first it was a bit of a pilot.
00:13:20
Speaker
It was a bit of a test and learn, you know, would it resonate?
00:13:23
Speaker
How would it go?
00:13:23
Speaker
And it's been a huge success actually.
00:13:25
Speaker
So look, BWS continues to support it, you know, now more than ever, which is really cool.
00:13:34
Speaker
No, I really like that as well because I find that with all the talks, especially about wine influencers at the moment and how people think they're just doing it for free wine, I kind of feel like people would relate more to a BWS insider because they work for BWS, so they know that that's their job and they'll probably be more trusting of your wine recommendations as well.
00:13:54
Speaker
Yeah, exactly.
00:13:55
Speaker
That's it.
00:13:56
Speaker
And that's the big social media shift we're kind of seeing at the moment, you know, whereas people are trusting people a little bit more than brands, you know.
00:14:06
Speaker
So I think it's just, you know, kind of following with that social media trend.
00:14:10
Speaker
What are the consumer trends that you're already seeing this year?
00:14:13
Speaker
I guess we're in April, which this year is going so quickly.
00:14:17
Speaker
Oh my God, I can't believe how quickly this year's going.
00:14:19
Speaker
I mean, my birthday's coming up in 11 days, you know, but it felt like, I mean, only maybe a month or so back that we're celebrating New Year's, you know, so it's crazy.
00:14:28
Speaker
I know, it's crazy.
00:14:29
Speaker
Yeah, it's going so quickly.
00:14:31
Speaker
What are the consumer trends that you're seeing for this
Shifting Wine Preferences
00:14:34
Speaker
year?
00:14:34
Speaker
Yeah, so we're seeing a big shift towards those easier drinking varietals.
00:14:39
Speaker
So, you know, Pinot Noirs, Rosé, Prosecco, Pinot Grigio.
00:14:45
Speaker
I mean, look, they're just so easy to drink and they're such a joy to drink.
00:14:50
Speaker
So, look, to no surprise, we are seeing a big shift towards those easier drinking varieties.
00:14:55
Speaker
Yeah.
00:14:56
Speaker
What we're also seeing is we're seeing the rise of low-alch and zero-alch wines and any other wines that classify as better for you.
00:15:05
Speaker
So when I say better for you, I mean, you know, organic, preservative-free, even vegan.
00:15:11
Speaker
As I mentioned before, you know, we know people these days are more health-conscious than ever, and they want to know what they're putting into their bodies these days more than ever, you know.
00:15:20
Speaker
So we're starting to see this trend in the wine industry,
00:15:23
Speaker
um more and more um i think when i look at the liquor industry you know beer did such a good job with kind of that zero out um and now we're seeing you know some of the other uh some of the other categories start to follow and with big success as well in the spirit section anyway i love seed lip i think seed lip do such a good job it tastes exactly the same and their marketing is great do you have many non-alcoholic non-alcoholic wines in stock at the moment
00:15:49
Speaker
Yeah, so look, I'd still say that in terms of lower alcohol, we have a great selection of lower alcohol wines.
00:15:57
Speaker
In terms of zero alcohol wines, look, we are still improving our range in that space.
00:16:02
Speaker
I mean, look, if you wanted a zero alcohol sparkling Chardonnay, Shiraz, Pinot, look, we more than cater for that, but still the selection is still a little bit limited, you know?
00:16:13
Speaker
So in each variety, we might only have, you know, one, two or three bottles at this point in time.
00:16:18
Speaker
So
00:16:19
Speaker
look, it is a focus for us and you will continue to see our range expand in that space because, look, it's what consumers are looking for and it's that trend that we're seeing at the moment.
00:16:29
Speaker
And I think it's quite, look, I actually, I heard one of your podcasts as well where you went into the process, I think, of zero alcohol wine.
00:16:38
Speaker
So, look, I'm probably not, you know, fully understanding of the process as better as, you know, some other people.
00:16:44
Speaker
But,
00:16:45
Speaker
It's also quite difficult to do.
00:16:48
Speaker
So I think if we go back two to three years ago, we might not have had the resource and the capabilities, you know, to fully offer good quality zero alcohol or, you know, low alcohol wine.
00:17:00
Speaker
But the winemakers in the industry are getting better and better.
00:17:03
Speaker
And I feel finally, you know, we're in a good position that we can have zero alcohol or low alcohol wine that actually tastes like wine.
00:17:11
Speaker
Yes, exactly.
00:17:12
Speaker
No, that's actually what I was going to say.
00:17:14
Speaker
Anyway, I feel like it'd be quite hard because even though I've had some great non-alcoholic wine, like the plus and minus range, which is amazing, I've also had some non-alcoholic wine, which is not very nice at all and doesn't taste like alcohol.
00:17:27
Speaker
And I kind of think, especially if you're a pregnant woman who is wanting to still be able to enjoy a glass of non-alcoholic wine, you want it to taste better.
00:17:41
Speaker
exactly like it tastes instead of tasting something which isn't as good yeah exactly and that and i think look that's the problem that we've had over the last few years but look winemakers um they continue to get better and better in this you know zero alcohol or low alcohol space so you know we're finally starting to get some good stuff which is absolutely awesome
00:18:00
Speaker
Amazing, no, I can't wait to see what you guys come up with.
00:18:03
Speaker
Don't leave just yet.
00:18:05
Speaker
We'll be right back after this short break.
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00:18:07
Speaker
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00:18:14
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00:18:19
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00:18:24
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00:19:02
Speaker
Spelt C-H-A-R-I-S.
00:19:05
Speaker
Available to purchase at winesave.com.au.
00:19:09
Speaker
Happy sipping!
00:19:10
Speaker
What's the selection process when you're adding new wines to the store?
00:19:14
Speaker
Yeah, so I touched on this briefly before, but look, I might go into it with a little bit more detail now.
00:19:20
Speaker
So as I mentioned, we do review our range once a year and we review different varieties at different times.
00:19:27
Speaker
You know, we have such a big range in BWS.
00:19:29
Speaker
If we had to review red wine, white wine, sparkling and champagne and rosé all at the one time, that would just be so much to do.
00:19:36
Speaker
So
00:19:37
Speaker
We do try to break it out a little bit, you know, so we can review the range in more detail.
00:19:42
Speaker
So what we actually do is we'll send out a brief to our existing suppliers or to new suppliers.
00:19:48
Speaker
And that brief will state what we're actually looking for
00:19:52
Speaker
So if we looked at a red wine review, for example, it might be, well, you know what, we're looking for these certain varieties.
00:19:57
Speaker
We're looking for Pinot.
00:19:58
Speaker
We're looking for, you know, Grenache.
00:20:01
Speaker
We're looking for Montepugiano, for example.
00:20:04
Speaker
And then it might say as well, you know, we're looking for products that are, you know, lighter in alcohol, lower in alcohol.
00:20:10
Speaker
So look, we do send out a brief that states what we're looking for.
00:20:14
Speaker
And what you'll often find is that brief, or not often, what you'll find is that that brief often matches up to current industry trends.
00:20:21
Speaker
So as I said, it'll be on-trend varieties, better-for-you products, and products that have an authentic story that will help bring new customers into wine.
00:20:30
Speaker
Because that's essentially what we want to do at the end of the day.
00:20:34
Speaker
We want to have a compelling range of products that our customers love and products as well that are going to bring new customers into the wine category.
00:20:43
Speaker
Can you tell me a little more about the Local Lover campaign and will this become a regular thing?
00:20:48
Speaker
Yeah, so this was a campaign that we ran as part of our ongoing strategy to support local producers.
00:20:54
Speaker
So producers or even customers could nominate their favorite products to be ranged into BWS.
00:21:01
Speaker
So look, it's a really good opportunity to connect with those customers that are passionate about local products.
00:21:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:21:11
Speaker
and to connect with those producers as well.
00:21:14
Speaker
And look, the timing of the campaign was really good because it fell during the COVID period.
00:21:19
Speaker
So timing was absolutely perfect.
00:21:21
Speaker
And look, in terms of will we see more of this going forward?
00:21:24
Speaker
I mean, we know that people these days, they want to support local, they want to shop local.
00:21:30
Speaker
So look, campaigns like this, I definitely think we'll see a lot more of this going forward.
00:21:36
Speaker
Amazing.
00:21:36
Speaker
Were you surprised by any of the ones that won or was there a, like, broad selection for everyone to pick from?
00:21:43
Speaker
Oh, look, there was a huge selection because, you know, anyone could essentially be nominated.
00:21:48
Speaker
But, look, in terms of the winners in each state, I mean, look, it wasn't not too surprising because, look, some of those winners, they do have a pretty good footprint in their home state.
00:21:59
Speaker
But, look, it was awesome to kind of, you know, follow their journey and see the results nonetheless.
00:22:04
Speaker
What wines are you drinking right now?
00:22:06
Speaker
I know you've just been to Adelaide, so you probably drank everything.
00:22:08
Speaker
Yeah, if I know anything and everything, I think Adelaide's about to go through a bit of a wine shortage at the moment, you know, after my trip.
00:22:15
Speaker
Oh, my gosh.
00:22:17
Speaker
Look, the weather is getting a little bit cooler now.
00:22:19
Speaker
So, look, even throughout summer and when it was hot, I was all about red wine.
00:22:23
Speaker
When it was a little bit hot, you know, it was more about those easy drinking varieties.
00:22:27
Speaker
So, you know, it might have been a chilled Pinot or some of even those lighter reds.
00:22:32
Speaker
But look, at the moment, I'd say, you know, Grenache.
00:22:34
Speaker
I'm a big Grenache fan.
00:22:36
Speaker
Malbecs.
00:22:38
Speaker
When I think about it, I actually haven't been drinking a lot of white wine, you know.
00:22:42
Speaker
It's been all about red wine lately.
00:22:44
Speaker
So, look, I think I actually do need to get whites back on the palate because it feels subconsciously I've been avoiding them a little bit.
00:22:52
Speaker
So, look, naturally I'm a huge red wine fan, but, look, I do enjoy all types of wine.
00:22:57
Speaker
So, yeah, look, at the moment, Grenache, Malbec's, I even enjoy a Pinot as well.
00:23:02
Speaker
So you can't go wrong with any of those.
00:23:06
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:23:07
Speaker
No, I actually feel I'm the same with white wine.
00:23:09
Speaker
Like in my wine fridge, the most I have is white wine.
00:23:12
Speaker
Like all of my shelves are full, but everything else is sort of dwindling.
00:23:16
Speaker
And I'm like, you should really start on those white wines as well.
00:23:19
Speaker
Yeah, that makes two of us.
00:23:22
Speaker
I know you work in the wine industry, so you probably drink anything.
00:23:25
Speaker
But are there any wines that you really don't like?
00:23:29
Speaker
Look, I wouldn't say there's anything that I really dislike or anything that I hate.
00:23:35
Speaker
But look, I mean, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, for example, everyone tends to love Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
00:23:42
Speaker
And I think it's a little bit, you know, tinny or minerally, for example.
00:23:46
Speaker
So look, there are certain varieties that I like more than others.
00:23:49
Speaker
Other varieties, let's just say.
00:23:52
Speaker
Yeah.
00:23:52
Speaker
And then as well, you like being able to try new and interesting.
00:23:56
Speaker
You want to find, you know, what's the next new and exciting, what tastes really good.
00:24:00
Speaker
I'm one of those people, you know, if everyone else likes it or tends to drink it, you know, I try to stay away from a little bit and find something new.
00:24:09
Speaker
You know, definitely I'm the same with Sauv Blanc.
00:24:11
Speaker
It's not.
00:24:11
Speaker
It's probably my go-to drink.
00:24:13
Speaker
Yeah, exactly.
00:24:15
Speaker
I mean, look, I will look naturally, you know, working in the wine industry, we'll drink it and we'll happily drink it.
00:24:20
Speaker
But look, it is probably one of my less preferred varieties.
00:24:23
Speaker
Do you have an all-time favorite wine?
00:24:25
Speaker
And if so, why?
00:24:27
Speaker
So for me, again, look, naturally it's going to fall into red wine because I feel like I'm all about reds at the moment.
00:24:32
Speaker
Yeah.
00:24:33
Speaker
But look, I'll probably go down two paths here for me.
00:24:37
Speaker
Look, you just can't go wrong with a big, oaky, bold Barossa Shiraz.
00:24:44
Speaker
I love those, you know, big, full-bodied red wines.
00:24:47
Speaker
Yeah.
00:24:47
Speaker
For me, Chris Ringland, Shiraz, you know, it's about $20 a bottle.
00:24:51
Speaker
And look, that's a real crowd pleaser.
00:24:53
Speaker
That's always one of my go-to wines.
00:24:55
Speaker
And then the other angle is I really enjoy an easy drinking Pinot as well.
00:25:00
Speaker
So, I mean, whether it's from the Yarra Valley, whether it's from Tasmania, there's just so many good Pinot producers out there at the moment.
00:25:10
Speaker
So it's kind of funny, you know, just the complete opposite direction.
00:25:13
Speaker
So look, I do love a big oaky Barossa Shiraz, but look, I also do love an easy drinking Pinot as well.
00:25:21
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:25:21
Speaker
I feel like there's the occasion to drink the big heavy reds and then you can sort of drink Pinots sort of more all the time.
00:25:29
Speaker
Like you can kind of drink them all year round, whereas I feel like a really heavy Shiraz, it's either with a really like big hearty dinner or it's more of a winter sort of style.
00:25:39
Speaker
yeah i agree completely but look look i love it cracking open a big bold shiraz um you know just the you know just the dedication and everything that's gone into that product and you know just that full-bodied mouthfeel as well um it's just you know so good to enjoy what's your favorite food and wine pairing so look this is probably going to sound a little bit basic and i don't want to be that guy but look for me it's champagne and seafood i mean look you can't go wrong um
00:26:06
Speaker
you know, with a nice bottle of champagne and some oysters, you know, it's just an absolutely perfect pairing.
00:26:12
Speaker
But look, something that is a little bit different that I'd encourage more people to try.
00:26:18
Speaker
Look, I don't know how this will sound and some people might get a little bit of a shock, but champagne and fried chicken as well actually goes together very well.
00:26:27
Speaker
So look, I encourage a few people to give that one a try and let me know their thoughts on that.
00:26:32
Speaker
I have heard that before and I have heard other people say that it's a really good combo.
00:26:37
Speaker
So I feel like I haven't tried it, but I feel like I'm definitely going to have to give it a try.
00:26:42
Speaker
When you say fried chicken, are you talking about like homemade fried chicken that you make yourself or are you talking about KFC fried chicken?
00:26:50
Speaker
It can be either one.
00:26:52
Speaker
Perfect.
00:26:53
Speaker
Yeah, I've paired it with both.
00:26:55
Speaker
I mean, look, it is quite funny to have a, you know, bucket of fried chicken from KFC and then you have, you know, your $50 to $60 bottle of champagne in the other hand.
00:27:03
Speaker
But look, it does also work with homemade fried chicken too.
00:27:07
Speaker
So you can try either one.
00:27:08
Speaker
But of course, I'd recommend the KFC one only because it's a classic pairing and it looks quite funny.
00:27:15
Speaker
And especially if you're doing the KFC one, you can spend more on the champagne.
00:27:19
Speaker
So it works out for the best.
00:27:20
Speaker
That's a good thought, actually.
00:27:23
Speaker
Works out for the best.
00:27:23
Speaker
I'm definitely going to try it.
00:27:25
Speaker
Maybe I'll even try it this weekend.
00:27:28
Speaker
I can't wait to see the photos.
00:27:30
Speaker
Oh, my God, definitely.
00:27:32
Speaker
So I've actually just done my Wessit Level 2 training and exam on Monday, Easter Monday, everyone.
00:27:40
Speaker
Do you have any tips for people who are studying or interested in furthering their wine knowledge?
00:27:45
Speaker
And are there any additional courses that you'd recommend that you've done or, you know, that other people have done?
00:27:50
Speaker
So you had your exam on Easter Monday?
00:27:53
Speaker
I did.
00:27:53
Speaker
I had a full day of wine training and then the exam on Easter Monday.
00:27:57
Speaker
Jeez, that's a little bit harsh.
00:28:01
Speaker
I know.
00:28:02
Speaker
Look, I'd love to get your thoughts on what you thought of it as well and the whole process.
00:28:06
Speaker
But look, I think in terms of the most important tip I can give, look, I think it's just to enjoy the ride and make it fun.
00:28:13
Speaker
I mean, look, it's a great opportunity to learn about the world of wine and even to taste some interesting wines that, you know, you might not have heard of or, you know, you might not have tried on your own.
00:28:24
Speaker
Yeah.
00:28:25
Speaker
The biggest takeout for me, I think, was just understanding how big the world of wine actually is.
00:28:30
Speaker
Oh, my gosh, yes.
00:28:31
Speaker
Look, I'm quite working in the Australian industry, you know.
00:28:35
Speaker
I'd like to think I'm quite familiar with Australian wine and the Australian industry.
00:28:38
Speaker
But in the grand scheme of things, it just blew my mind as to,
00:28:42
Speaker
how big the world of wine actually is and how small the Australian wine industry is on that scale, you know.
00:28:49
Speaker
So you kind of think you know wine and then you're seeing all these regions and varieties overseas and, you know, your jaw is nearly on the floor.
00:28:57
Speaker
You're like, geez, I didn't realise it'd be this much and it was this big, you know.
00:29:00
Speaker
So I think that was my biggest takeout, just being blown away of just how big the world of wine actually is.
00:29:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:07
Speaker
No, that was the same for me as well.
00:29:08
Speaker
Like my geography is horrendous.
00:29:11
Speaker
Um, and just having to remember like all the little towns and there's so many places and then there's so many different categories with where the wine sits.
00:29:19
Speaker
And like, if you're in one area, it could be this, but if you're in another area, it could be this.
00:29:24
Speaker
And I'm just like, oh my gosh, it was a lot.
00:29:26
Speaker
Like I found it really interesting.
00:29:28
Speaker
And like you said, trying like lots of different styles that I normally probably wouldn't have tried.
00:29:34
Speaker
But I do, I like how they're very, it's all like the standard styles, but I would like to, I think, do something on natural wine as well, just so I have like a broader, because I feel like Wested is quite like your traditional styles.
00:29:47
Speaker
Yeah, I agree completely.
00:29:50
Speaker
And you mentioned, was that Wesset 2 that you just did?
00:29:52
Speaker
Yes, it was Wesset 2.
00:29:53
Speaker
I've done Wesset 2 as well.
00:29:54
Speaker
I think the next step is Wesset 3.
00:29:56
Speaker
And I think Wesset 3 is actually a little bit more practical where, you know, you're tasting a lot more wines.
00:30:03
Speaker
I even think, you know, you're marked on tasting notes and things like that.
00:30:06
Speaker
So I guess for the both of us, that's the next step.
00:30:10
Speaker
I know I am considering potentially doing it, but yet we asked our teacher and he said that, yep, level three is a tasting exam, a written exam and multiple choice.
00:30:24
Speaker
So I'm like, oh, it sounds like a lot.
00:30:26
Speaker
So I don't know.
00:30:27
Speaker
It does.
00:30:27
Speaker
And we always hear that, you know, tasting wine and tasting notes, it's subjective.
00:30:31
Speaker
There's no rights and wrong.
00:30:33
Speaker
And then they're going to tell us, well, you know what?
00:30:34
Speaker
No, you didn't taste that.
00:30:36
Speaker
No, you didn't spell that.
00:30:37
Speaker
That's not in there, you know?
00:30:38
Speaker
Yeah.
00:30:39
Speaker
come up to the last question thank you so much for joining me today and this is probably the hardest question of them all um from your favorite wines at bws which would you take to a dinner party a barbecue and bring out for a movie night at home oh such such such a tough question i mean so many good wines to choose from so
00:31:01
Speaker
I am going to cheat a little bit on this question and I might say variety and a bit of a region rather than, you know, picking a wine in itself.
00:31:11
Speaker
So, did you say the first one was a dinner party?
00:31:14
Speaker
Yes, a dinner party.
00:31:14
Speaker
So for a dinner party, I'd actually go on a bottle of Australian sparkling.
00:31:21
Speaker
So look, in this case, we're seeing, you know, Australian sparkling at the moment.
00:31:25
Speaker
The quality is bloody good.
00:31:28
Speaker
We're actually seeing a lot of people as well.
00:31:29
Speaker
They're moving away from champagne and they're buying Australian sparkling, you know, because Australian sparkling at the moment is...
00:31:35
Speaker
is just so damn good.
00:31:36
Speaker
So look, a bottle of Australian sparkling, I save a little bit of money, you know, don't have to buy a bottle of champagne.
00:31:41
Speaker
And especially around that $20 to $30 price point, there's so much good stuff in that space as well.
00:31:47
Speaker
And look, even at a dinner party, it still looks impressive given some of the, you know, well-recognised brands that play in that space.
00:31:56
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:31:57
Speaker
And I've also as well, just cutting in slightly, me and some of my friends, we've actually been getting into drinking champagne from champagne that isn't one of the big houses.
00:32:08
Speaker
And actually discovering some, and I picked up one from Lickolan, sorry.
00:32:13
Speaker
There wasn't a BWS nearby.
00:32:15
Speaker
And it was only $36.
00:32:17
Speaker
And I was like, oh, well, this is great.
00:32:21
Speaker
Like, I'm definitely going to get this bottle again.
00:32:23
Speaker
So it's been nice to sort of, yeah, try some different ones that aren't like your classic Moet and Chandon and Dom and all of those ones too.
00:32:31
Speaker
And that's why it's so good kind of, you know, being close to the wine industry, you know, because it's exciting.
00:32:38
Speaker
You know, you want to discover new things.
00:32:40
Speaker
You want to find something new.
00:32:41
Speaker
And it's just, you know, being able to explore things that, you know, you might not have, you know, necessarily had before or something that you didn't think you'd try, you know, because there's just so much out there and it's just so exciting.
00:32:52
Speaker
Yes.
00:32:53
Speaker
Oh my gosh, definitely.
00:32:55
Speaker
What would you take to a barbecue?
00:32:57
Speaker
So look, a barbecue, I'm going to assume, you know, there might be a steak or sausage on the barbecue.
00:33:02
Speaker
So again, I'm going a big, big oaky barossa Shiraz.
00:33:07
Speaker
Yeah, amazing.
00:33:08
Speaker
Sounds good.
00:33:09
Speaker
Do you have any that BWS currently have that you would recommend?
00:33:13
Speaker
Yeah, so Chris Ringland Shiraz, definitely.
00:33:16
Speaker
I think, as I said, it's about $20 a bottle.
00:33:19
Speaker
You know, the bottle looks cool.
00:33:21
Speaker
It's a great-looking bottle.
00:33:22
Speaker
It tastes really good as well, a beautiful example of, you know, of that region and how Barossa Shiraz could taste.
00:33:29
Speaker
So that would definitely be my pick in that space.
00:33:32
Speaker
And $20 is great.
00:33:33
Speaker
Like you can buy a couple of bottles for that and it's not really breaking the budget.
00:33:37
Speaker
So that's also a good point too.
00:33:38
Speaker
Yeah, exactly.
00:33:40
Speaker
And look, you don't have to spend, you know, $40 to $50 to get a good wine these days.
00:33:48
Speaker
You know, there's plenty of good stuff available in more appropriate price points.
00:33:54
Speaker
Yeah, definitely.
00:33:55
Speaker
And what would you bring out for a movie night at home?
00:33:58
Speaker
So I would go a bottle of Pinot for the movie night at home.
00:34:02
Speaker
So something even like a Devil's Corner Pinot, look, a delicious Pinot, pairs perfectly with a movie on the couch, I reckon.
00:34:11
Speaker
Just so easy to drink, you know.
00:34:13
Speaker
So definitely a Pinot for a movie night at home.
00:34:16
Speaker
Well, thank you so much for joining me on today's episode.
00:34:20
Speaker
It's been so interesting to chat all about BWS.
00:34:25
Speaker
Have you got anything planned for the rest of this week?
00:34:28
Speaker
I don't actually.
00:34:28
Speaker
So funny enough, I got back from Adelaide yesterday and
00:34:34
Speaker
Um, and I've actually got the rest of the week off now, you know, so look, I mean, I've got to look, I think, look, not from work wise, but kind of personal life, it'll be quite busy.
00:34:41
Speaker
You know, I got to kind of get back into my routine.
00:34:43
Speaker
So I want to get back into the gym, uh, and a few things like that and just start to get everything ready for, you know, the routine that'll take place, um, next Monday.
00:34:52
Speaker
So look, nothing too exciting, but, you know, just starting to get some, uh, starting to get some routine back and just get into some normality.
00:35:01
Speaker
Um, I think my liver needs it, you know, um,
00:35:03
Speaker
Yes.
00:35:03
Speaker
For the past six days.
00:35:04
Speaker
But no, look, it's always good to get back into some routine.
00:35:08
Speaker
Amazing.
00:35:09
Speaker
Well, I hope you have a lovely rest of your week and thank you again.
00:35:12
Speaker
It's been a great chat.
00:35:14
Speaker
Likewise.
00:35:14
Speaker
And thanks so much for having me.
00:35:16
Speaker
I really enjoyed chatting to you and my time on here.
00:35:19
Speaker
Thank you so much for listening.
00:35:20
Speaker
Please rate, review, subscribe and share with your friends.
00:35:24
Speaker
I'll see you next week for another closer look into the wine industry.
00:35:27
Speaker
Now go and grab that glass of wine.
00:35:29
Speaker
You deserve it.
00:36:00
Speaker
Thank you.