Brisbane Fine Wine Festival Report
Report on Previous Years and
Program for 2006
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Table of Contents
WHAT IS THE BRISBANE WINE FESTIVAL?
The Brisbane Wine Festival is Queensland’s largest Wine Festival for the general public and trade.
With a strong emphasis on wine education, the Festival is aimed at the serious wine lover who wants to learn more about wine.
As such, the demographic is broad from younger well educated professionals through to the financially secure baby boomer generation.
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Exhibitors are typically boutique and medium sized wine companies from all Australian wine growing regions.
The Festival runs for three days in June/July (Friday 30th June to Sunday 2nd July 2006)
Each day is divided into Sessions of 3 or 4 hours duration.
We are expecting in excess of 2,000 visitors to the 2006 Festival over three days with session numbers ranging between 300 to 500 people.
In addition, the Festival runs a series of Masterclasses or seminars where patrons can learn about a particular topic from highly regarded presenters. Topics typically include wine and food matching, characteristics of wine from particular regions and new and emerging wine styles.
The Brisbane Wine Festival gives the general public and members of the hospitality trade the opportunity to:
- Taste trophy and award winning wines
- Taste wines not previously seen
- Taste wines from new and emerging wine growing regions
- Buy wines not normally available in most retail outlets
- To meet and talk to winemakers and vignerons all in the one venue
- To learn about new cellar door and wine tourism ventures
- To learn about grape varieties, regions, winemaking techniques and how they influence the taste of different wines
- Taste and discover new wine and food matches
- To taste and compare similar wines to aid in cellar selection
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In 1975, the Queensland Wine Guild, a voluntary organization, began the Brisbane Wine Show as it was then known at the Park Royal Hotel. In 1978 it moved to the Carlton Crest Hotel where it remained until 1988.
It was taken over by the Restaurant & Caterers Association in 1990 and continued with them until 1994, however this time at the RNA Showgrounds Exhibition Building.
In 1995 Colin Spotswood renamed and registered the ‘Brisbane Wine Festival’. He ran the show at the Convention Centre and later returned to the Exhibition Building at the RNA.
All About Wine (Paula Tewksbury) purchased the business from Colin Spotswood in 2001. In 2003 the Festival moved to the Carlton Crest Hotel in the City. It was felt that a city hotel would provide a more prestigious venue, more accessible to the public and provide accommodation to patrons and interstate exhibitors.
The event has outgrown the ballroom use at the Carlton Crest so the 2006 Festival will be held in the larger Grand Chelsea Ballroom at the Mercure Hotel in the city
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PROFILE OF EXHIBITORS
At the 2005 Brisbane Wine Festival, 96 wine labels occupied 50 stands while non wine exhibitors accounted for 4 stands.
Wine companies came from:
| New South Wales |
24 |
| South Australia |
20 |
| Western Australia |
11 |
| Victoria |
12 |
| Queensland |
16 |
| New Zealand |
3 |
| Tasmania |
2 |
| Australian Capital Territory |
1 |
| South Africa |
2 |
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In 2005 around 2,200 people attended the Festival. Of those surveyed, the following was found:
- 86% were from the general public and 14% from the trade
- of the 88% from the general public, 52% were male and 48% female
- 80% of attendees were aged between 25 and 55 years
- 60% were married or in de facto relationships
- 76% resided in Brisbane, 19% came from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, 3% came from elsewhere in Queensland and 2% were from interstate or overseas.
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Reasons given for attending the Brisbane Wine Festival were:
- To taste wines not tasted before
- To learn about which wines to buy and place an order at attractive prices
- To meet winemakers and wine company executives
- To enjoy a social and educational event with friends
- To learn more about wine
- To enjoy a multi-faceted outing with friends, wine and food
- 9 out of 10 felt the Exhibition was good fun and the wines and exhibitors exceeded their expectations.
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The 2006 Brisbane Wine Festival will be held in the Mercure Hotel, North Quay overlooking the river in the Brisbane CBD.
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The Mercure Hotel is one of Brisbane’s largest hotels with the adjoining Ibis Hotel, providing 438 accommodation rooms.
The Festival is to be held in the Grand Chelsea Ballroom which is located on the ground floor. The entry from Ann Street opens into a large Foyer Area suitable for Banners and Marketing Opportunities. The Hotel is accessible from the Brisbane River CityCat, Roma Street Station and Queen Street Bus Station.
Public access is via Ann Street into the pre function area of the main foyer on North Quay. There is a goods hoist with a capacity of 3,000 kilograms and dimensions of 5.8 metres by 3 metres accessible from the loading dock which is at the Turbot Street entry.
Accommodation packages are offered to the exhibitors and to patrons starting @ $139 per night. There are two accommodation options of three and four star standard along with multi room suites.
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| Tuesday 2nd May 2006 |
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Wine Judging
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All day (not open to the public) |
Friday 30th June 2006 |
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Presentation of Trophies VIP’s, Invited Guests
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12.30 – 2.00pm |
Afternoon Session |
2.00pm – 5.00pm |
Evening Session
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6.00pm – 9.00pm |
| Saturday 1 st July 2006 |
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Afternoon Session |
12.00pm – 4.00pm |
Evening Session
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5.00pm – 8.00pm |
Sunday 2nd July 2006 |
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One Session |
11.00am – 3.00pm |
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