It sounds like a relatively simple proposition – gather 250 wines that exemplify Australia’s ultimate wine offering, recruit industry legends to present them, and invite 14 of the world’s most influential wine professionals to taste them!

That was the task facing the Landmark Australia Tutorial team last year in the Yarra Valley.  A simple proposition it may have been but the results have been anything but “simple”, with the participants from last year’s event still talking, writing, tasting and sharing their amazing experiences!

The Landmark Australia Tutorial is described as an educational course that celebrates Australia’s fine wines from the past, present and future – but it is much more than that.  Our participants immersed themselves in not only Australian wine – but our culture, our people and our stories.

The event is about highlighting the best of the best in Australian wine, with tutored master classes and dinners which provide the platform for comparison, contrast and conversation.

Imagine a guided fortified tasting with rare and exquisite aged samples dating back to 1910; or being immersed in a single historic perspective master class of wines valued at more than $40,000 – some of which will never be tasted again. 

These were just some of the experiences that the 14 participants at last year’s event enjoyed.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Edward Ragg from China, summarised the event:

“I can only feel extremely grateful and extremely fortunate, of course, to have been exposed to such an astonishing cross-section of Australia’s fine wines.”

Each of the 14 participants returned home with a much greater understanding of Australia’s fine wines and each have begun to share their new knowledge of Australian wine. 

Here are just some of the stories that our participants have shared so far:

• Edward Ragg: Complete review of all the wines: http://www.adegga.com/events/103-landmark-tutorial-2010
Ongoing series of reports on the Landmark Tutorial from Edward on enobytes.com http://enobytes.com/?s=landmark

• Jon Troutman: A review of each day of the Tutorial: http://content.corkd.com/?s=landmark+australia

• Sarah Ahmed: Reviews of the wines and the Tutorial http://www.thewinedetective.co.uk/?s=landmark+australia
Ongoing series of reports on Australian wine from Sarah on http://www.thewinedetective.co.uk/regional-reports/australia/

“I remember at one point during the ‘historic perspective’ tasting, looking at the wines and the people around the room; thinking what an incredible opportunity to taste these little glimpses of history in a glass.  I had to catch a lump of emotion in my throat.  What a privilege to be there and I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else in the world at that moment.” – Kim Bickley, Head Sommelier of Hilton Sydney and Luke Mangan’s Glass Brasserie.

Over the coming weeks and months will be bringing you more news, stories and videos from the Landmark Australia Tutorial. You can follow A+ Australian Wine on Twitter here to get the latest updates, or register to join the A+ Australian Wine conversation today.