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Sam Leyshon (Class 2000) named dux and wins wine judging position
Sam Leyshon, from Mallaluka Wines in the Canberra District, has been named dux of the 44th Advanced Wine Assessment Course by The Australian Wine Research Institute.
Visit Canberra reported that Sam Leyshon, from Mallaluka Wines in the Canberra District, has been named dux of the 44th Advanced Wine Assessment Course by The Australian Wine Research Institute.
This is a significant achievement for Sam who, as dux, was offered an appointment as an associate judge for the 2019 NSW Wine Awards – a highly coveted position. Due to conflicting dates, Sam instead accepted a judging position at the 2019 Canberra Regional Wine Show in October in a move that will help jumpstart his wine judging career.
The Advanced Wine Assessment Course is an intensive course that aims to cultivate Australian wine industry professionals at an elite level. The selection of the dux of each course is based on statistical scores, verbal skills and group interaction.
Sam said ‘the Advanced Wine Assessment Course was both challenging and educational. It gave me a fantastic opportunity to test my knowledge of wine assessment and my skills in verbal explanation. I gained new and valuable tools which allowed me to judge wine critically and constructively. I will most certainly encourage others to give themselves the opportunity to take part in the AWAC.’
‘I participated in this course to learn more about the Australian wine show judging format, to test my palate by tasting a diverse array of wines and to see how others perceive those wines. I feel this course has actually led me to understand the value and importance of wine show judging – I look forward to being a part of wine show judging across the country.’
“This is a big deal in the wine world,” said Canberra District Wine Industry Association’s Fergus McGhie of Mount Majura Vineyard.
“This particular program is designed for those who already possess advanced wine tasting skills – it basically feeds the next generation of Australian wine show judges so to be named dux of the course is a big win for Sam and endorses his excellent ability to communicate with wine. From the point of view of the Association, it reiterates that we have plenty of talent here in the Canberra District.”