Get Past the Gooseberry, Let's Talk About the Wine

Lead MS - Ronan Sayburn MS
Resident NZ MW - Jane Skilton MW
With - David Keck MS & John Szabo MS

WHAT TO EXPECT

We discuss our most popular grape and its current position in the market, digging deep into where it has come from and where it is going. We discuss the evolution of style and why Sauvignon is expanding far beyond the classic example, the tried and true. Why is it important on a wine menu? And why is it no longer adequate to call it just ‘New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’? Let’s get past that gooseberry and just talk about the wine…

THE PANEL

David Keck MS - David was most recently a partner in Houston’s Goodnight Hospitality group. He has just returned to his home state of Vermont to explore new pursuits in the beverage industry. When not talking about New Zealand wine, David can be found whispering words of encouragement to his sourdough starter, Milton, and pruning Apple trees in northern Vermont.

John Szabo MS - Canada’s first Master Sommelier, author, presenter and critic with WineAlign.com, (former) intrepid traveller, and fanatic of racy, cool climate wines. John speaks 5 languages, but has promised to present mostly in English.  When not tasting wine, he can be found drinking wine and chopping wood in his wine country farmhouse in Prince Edward County (not in that order).

Ronan Sayburn MS - Ronan Sayburn is a Master Sommelier and currently Head of Wine at wine lovers haven 67 Pall Mall in London, plus CEO for the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe. When not doing something with wine, Ronan can be found deep diving shipwrecks off the south coast of England. He finds it best to keep the two pursuits very separate.

Jane Skilton MW - Jane has her own wine school in New Zealand, and is a part time wine writer. Technically British, she moved to New Zealand 20 years ago, and they haven't let her leave.