Message from the President

Your Society is in excellent health. So say I after attending two contrasting Festivals in May, namely one in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, and the other in Catalunya, Spain.

I also attended the Council meeting at the conclusion of the Willamette Festival and had the pleasure of witnessing the installation of the new Global Chair of the Society, Mike Donohoe from the Americas and presenting him with the Andre Simon Gold Medal for past services rendered to the Society and, of course, for those to come as the new Chair. I should like to pay tribute to the outgoing Chair, Michael Tamburri of the APZ, for all he has done for us, especially as his tenure coincided with the Covid pandemic.

My impressions were of two well organised, though understandably different, events. In Willamette there were 120 attendees and the focus was rightly on the wines and the terroir of the region where world class Pinot Noir is made as can be seen from the number of wineries and the investments made by the Burgundians themselves.

For something different the Catalunya Festival had 40 attendees allowing the organisers to arrange a number of small wine tastings and unique events in private homes and Clubs together with meals at two 2 star restaurants and one 1 star Michelin restaurant. Many late lunches and dinners ensued. With the wines of the Emporda being both different and arguably of a lesser quality than the wines of the Willamette Valley the focus was perhaps, quite rightly, more on the food of the region.

I am now looking forward to welcoming you to my home town, Sydney, in October where we hope to put on a Festival to rival those of Willamette and Catalunya. Spaces are still available so please come and enjoy our Australian hospitality.

Chris Bonsall.