Wine Australia invites you to explore the diversity and complexity of our continent of wine.
- 11:00am – 12:30pm: Trade Seminar (Limited Seating)
- 12.30pm – 3:30pm: Trade Walkaround Tasting
- Cost to attend: Free
Wine Australia’s Head of Education, Mark Davidson, will host a History, Evolution and Revolution seminar with Michelle Bouffard. The discussion will involve insights from visiting winemakers and focus on the importance of old vines, farming practices and how Australian wine styles are evolving.
The walkaround tasting will feature over 45 producers, across more than 15 wine regions, showcasing a broad range of varieties and styles, from classic wines and old vines to innovative expressions of modern Australian wine.
Please register to confirm your attendance, and we look forward to hosting you on May 8. Seating for the trade seminar is limited, and will be confirmed by Wine Australia email.
On-Premise Trip Incentive
Are you an on-premise wine buyer eager to learn more about Australia’s wine scene? Ready to be surprised and captivated by the quality and diversity of Australian wine on a trip hosted by Wine Australia? If you are located in Washington D.C., Toronto or Montreal, read on to find out how to secure your spot.
Simply attending the trade show in your home city completes one of the criteria for your trip entry. We also ask you to let us know how you would utilize a visit to Australia to raise the profile of Australian wine.
Entry requirements and further details
We look forward to seeing you in May 2025!
Seminar Panelists
Mark Davidson
Born in London and raised in Sydney, Mark has over 35 years of experience in the hotel, restaurant and wine business. During his 15 years as a sommelier, he was named Sommelier of the Year at the Vancouver Wine Festival in 2001 and won the Spirited Industry Professional in 2014. Following his experience as a sommelier, Mark has produced numerous wine education and restaurant etiquette courses. As a Department Head and Instructor with the International Sommelier Guild, he was instrumental in the on-going development of the curriculum and has taught classes in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas. Mark joined Wine Australia in 2009 and he has been in the Education team since 2013. Outside of his day-to-day role, he is also an annual judge at Texsom International Wine Awards, Sunset Magazine and LA International wine competitions.
Michelle Bouffard
- WSET certified educator, DipWSET, certified sommelier
- Founder of Tasting Climate Change
- Author, journalist, speaker, educator, consultant
Originally from Quebec, Michelle moved to Vancouver to complete her Bachelor of Music degree in classical trumpet where she unexpectedly ventured into wine while working in a fine dining restaurant. Determined to make her mark in the wine industry, she graduated as a sommelier with the highest honours from the International Sommelier Guild in 2003 and completed the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in 2005.
Michelle was the co-owner of House Wine from 2003 to 2015, a highly regarded company based in Vancouver that specialized in cellar management and educational events. She also founded and was also the president of British Columbia chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.
Michelle now teaches WSET courses in Montreal and gives numerous training sessions including for wine associations such as Inter Rhône, Portugal and Wine Australia.
Michelle first book “Dis-moi qui tu es, je te dirai quoi boire” was published by Cardinal Editions in 2017, and has contributed to the recipe book “Le Secret des Vietnamiennes” by Kim Thùy. For the past ten years, she has been the sommelier on the popular Quebec cooking show Curieux Bégin. She writes for Quench and Extra Brut, and she has a weekly column on wine and environment in Le Devoir. She can be heard regularly on CBC radio.
In 2017, Michelle founded Tasting Climate Change, an international symposium to explore the challenges and solutions in the wine industry. In 2018, Urbania Magazine recognized her work by selecting her as one of 50 extraordinary Quebecers. In continuation with her work on climate change, she co-wrote a book called “Quel vin pour demain” which was published by Dunod in September 2021. The book talks about the solutions available for the wine industry to adapt and mitigate climate change. The book is available in French and Spanish. A second revised edition is published in 2024.
Michelle is often invited to sit on various panels and judges at numerous wine competitions in Canada and abroad. Ever the eternal perfectionist, she is continuing her studies at the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine.