Slater & Gordon Wine Maker Master Class & Wine Symposium
Wine Maker Master Class – Thursday Lunch
Have you ever been to the Sunshine Coast’s most coveted wine event? This year’s Slater & Gordon Wine Maker Master Class and Wine Symposium was a sold out event, the biggest one to date! And Mask Events were honoured and privileged to be a part of this epic two day event, in more ways than one.
It was all about being introduced to some fantastic wine and giving generously to help the children of the Sunshine Coast via the fantastic charity SunnyKids.
How pretty it looked
As the guests ascended the staircase to the Sunshine Coast Function Centre they were greeted with a handmade rustic ‘Welcome’ sign, surrounded by lush greenery, rich red florals and a wine barrel to set the tone for the afternoon ahead.
De Bortoli Prosecco was flowing and the canapés made their way around wine barrels acting as dry bars with oak rattan stools and jars filled with our flower arrangements showcasing our signature colour for the event – Marsala. A deep, rich, red, giving a nod to the origins of this event. Bringing it back to what we were all there for – sampling some of the best wine in the industry.
How great it tasted
Upon being seated for lunch, under strings of festoon lighting and ivy, it was time for the nominated table captains (those lucky enough to be seated at the only black chair at the table) to start serving the wine. The first of the day was a 2014 Chardonnay from Juniper Estate.
This wine complimented the truffle oil used in the first entrée perfectly. I don’t normally drink white wine, but I went back for seconds with this wine. It was so fresh and elegant and a great way to start the lunch.
Oh, did I mention that Mask Events not only assisted to make this event a smashing success with our super styling skills, but we were also a sponsor. Bring on the shenanigans at the back of the room. Shhh that wasn’t us. But all joking aside, it was so lovely to bring along some of our staff and favourite clients for what we were calling our ‘Christmas Party’. Because, I mean, who in the events industry has time for their own Christmas party in the actual Christmas party season?
On to the second entrée (yes, two entrees!). This one was accompanied by a 2010 Two Sisters Riesling. This New Zealand wine had a lovely undertone of citrus and its acidity was perfectly paired with the pork belly and scallops. We have had the privilege of attending another wine dinner which featured a range of wines from this Central Otago winery. Fantastic wine from Adam’s fantastic small team of wine makers.
Yippeeee on to the red wines. Although maybe I’d had a little two much of the whites because I’d lost my table captain privileges by this stage and was only served half glasses of the The Two Sisters Pinot Noir and the Bird in Hand Shiraz. I do how ever remember wondering how they got this main meal of lamb to be so juicy and tender, so I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the lunch was a smashing successes.
And this was not just because we were listening to some great wine makers talk about their passion whilst the wine was flowing. It was because the generosity throughout the room was flowing. Flowing in the right direction. Right were it is needed most. To help at risk children on the Sunshine Coast. Allowing SunnyKids to assist them to access the services they need, so that they too, can have the best shot at a great life. Everyone deserves the chance to make the most out of their life.
Wine Symposium – Friday Evening
Oh my…… how did we all back up the next evening after such a momentous day/night before. What? Some people just had lunch and went home? Pfft, that’s not how Mask Event’s roll. We work hard and we play hard. And we were back again the next night for more wine tasting!!!
The tables and chairs were cleared out of the function room, and all of our wine barrels and stools were brought into the room to create a relaxed and enjoyable environment. This allowed for all the guests to mill around and have the chance to get up close and personal with each of the wine makers. These included the likes of Quartz Reef Wines, Ridgemill Estate, and Pyramids Road.
Everyone came away from this event happy. Guests were able to gain an understand of the wines their were surely to purchase by the end of the night, the wine makers were able to interact and receive feedback from their target audience (whilst making some great sales) and we all still managed to raise even more money for the ever deserving SunnyKids. A resounding success for everyone involved.
Can’t wait to see what we can do with this event in the years to come!
