2025 Riedel Riesling Masterclass
The 2025 Riedel Riesling Masterclass will be held Thursday 17 October 2025 at the Hotel Realm.
The Masterclass Theme and Presenters will be advised shortly.
Tickets will be on sale from 1 July
2024 Riedel Riesling Masterclass – Riesling De-Mystified
De-Mystifying Riesling . An expert guided tour of outstanding Rieslings.
Presented by:
Stephen Wong MW, VDP Ambassador for NZ – The VDP Pyramid De-Mystified – formed in 1910 the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) is a group of about 200 German wineries that developed a wine quality system that is now largely adopted by the German wines act. The system rates both wine style and sweetness, origin of grapes and rates micro sites for grape quality. Understand the VDP quality pyramid and taste some exceptional German Riesling!
and
Cate Looney, Chief Winemaker, Brown Family Wines, VIC – “Sweet and Dessert Rieslings ” – Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties and is made across a variety of styles. Cate will take us through a range of sweet Rieslings explaining how these wines are made and how the method of their creation impacts the wine characteristics- Botrytis, cordon cut and ice wines.
A “must attend” for any Riesling lover.
Due to the rarity of some of these wines places are limited.
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/CLGYB
2022 Riedel Riesling Master Class
The 2022 Riedel Riesling Master Class will feature two sessions:
Rieslings of New Zealand – Cameron Douglas MS, will present Rieslings from the great Riesling regions of New Zealand – from the block mountains, schisty soils and dry climate of Central Otago; to the dry inland valleys and loess soils of inland Canterbury and Marlborough; Nelson gravels and Wellington Dristrict greywackes. Cameron will explain the regions, how geography determines their terroir and will present a an oustanding Riesling from each of the five key New Zealand Riesling regions, contratsing the characters of the regions.
Cameron is an experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant. He takes his position as unofficial Ambassador for New Zealand wine very seriously, ensuring he spends time in every wine region in the country regularly. He lives his life around his enthusiasm for all things beverage – teaching, travelling, tasting and talking. He has judged and presented regularly in the USA, the UK, Australia and Asia. Holding the first Master Sommelier (MS) qualification to be awarded in the Southern Hemisphere, Cameron has served on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas, and is a committed member of the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe.
Riesling with texture – A new zeitgeist for Australian Riesling? – Jane Faulkner, Wine Writer, reviewer and judge will present five exceptional Rieslings from SE Australia chosen for their expression of the characteristics which make Riesling a versatile and complex wine.
Jane is a journalist by training and a wine writer by vocation. She contributes to numerous publications including Halliday magazine and is a reviewer for Australia’s leading wine guide, Halliday Wine Companion and is the Australian contributor for Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Guide. She is also an experienced wine judge and has chaired numerous shows. Jane is a guest presenter at the AWRI Advanced Wine Assessment Course. As part of the ASVO Wine Show Technical Advisory Committee, Jane helped revise, rewrite and update the protocols on running Australian wine shows. She is involved in the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival as a wine committee member advising on content and a regular presenter during the festival. Born in Malaysia and living in Melbourne, Jane never tires of travelling throughout the wine world including Australia in search of stories and wines from inspirational, thoughtful producers. Other than that, she drinks with gusto.
Date: Thursday 13 October
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Venue: High Courtyards, Hotel Realm, National Circuit, Barton
Cost:S110
Bookings must be made online at: https://www.trybooking.com/CBZUM
Includes a light supper.
2020 Riedel Riesling Master Class – Hidden Secrets
The 2021 Riedel Riesling Master Class will feature two sessions:
Rieslings of Cenral Otago – Cameron Douglas MS, will present Rieslings from the New Zealand region of Central Otago. Block mountain systems with spectaular scenery, schisty soils, dry climate, high sunshine and cold winters all characterise this most magic of wine regions. Cameron will explain the region and how its geography determines the terroir.
As a professional Sommelier (the first MS in the Southern Hemisphere), Cameron spends much of his time involved in education – academically in charge of the Wine and Beverage Program at AUT University in Auckland. He is Patron of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association; has served on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas, and is committed to being an instructor and examiner for the MS program both in the USA and Oceania.
Rieslings of the Alsace – Anne Krebiehl MW, Wine Writer will present the Rieslings of Alsace – Situated in the lee of the forested Vosges mountains the “other Rhine Region”, the most German of French wine regions, Alsace produces steely dry Rieslings. With a wine making history that dates to some of Europe’s earliest plantings, Alsace is one of the great, under-appreciated treasures of the wine world -Jancis Robinson
German-born but London-based, Anne Krebiehl MW is a freelance wine writer and lecturer. She is the contributing editor for Austria, Alsace and England for the US Wine Enthusiast and also writes for trade and consumer wine publications – The World of Fine Wine, Decanter, The Buyer, Falstaff, and Vinum. She lectures, consults and judges at international wine competitions and is a panel chair at the International Wine Challenge. Admitted to the Institute of Masters of Wine in September 2014, Anne has helped to harvest and make wine in New Zealand, Germany and Italy. Her first book, The Wines of Germany, was published in late 2019.
Date: Thursday 15 October
Time: 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Venue: High Courtyards, Hotel Realm, National Circuit, Barton
Cost:TBA
21st Canberra International Riesling Challenge Postponed
Media Release
24 April 2020
21st Canberra International Riesling Challenge Postponed
The Canberra International Riesling Challenge (CIRC) has been postponed from the planned October 2020 to 11-16 October 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-10 pandemic.
Founded in 2000, the Canberra International Riesling Challenge is the largest single varietal wine show in the Southern Hemisphere usually attracting over 500 entries from 6 -10 countries, and is one of the major Riesling events in the world.
Each year the Challenge welcomes several international judges, receives up to 30% of entries from major Riesling producing regions from around the world, and holds a number of significant public events as part of the Challenge.
“The Challenge Committee has taken the difficult decision to postpone the 21st Canberra International Riesling Challenge from 2020 until October 2021” said the Challenge Chairman, James Service.
“We have taken into consideration the current restrictions on international air travel and the need to protect our staff, volunteers and participants from possible infection associated with handling wines and managing and attending public events.
“The Committee is committed to following all restrictions and directions of Government including the current social distancing and gathering restrictions and given the unknown period of such restrictions we cannot not proceed in 2020”, Mr Service said.
“The Canberra International Riesling Challenge Committee greatly appreciate the support we receive for our sponsors, judges, stewards and other volunteers, Riesling producers and Riesling lovers who have supported the Challenge since its inception”.
“We are confident that the Challenge will be able to return in 2021 to continue to promote excellence in Riesling and the appreciation of Riesling by wine lovers” Mr Service concluded.
Arrangements for 2021
Entries Open 1 June 2021
Entries Close 31 July 2021
Wines received Canberra 20-24 September 2021
Award Judging 11-13 October 2021 – Albert Hall, Yarralumla
Trophy Judging 14 October 2021
Riedel Riesling Masterclass 14 October 2021 – Hotel Realm, Barton
Awards Ceremony 15 October 2021 – Hotel Realm, Barton
Realm Riesling Dinner 15 October 2021 – Buvette Restaurant, Hotel Realm, Barton
Riesling Experience 16 October 2021 – Albert Hall, Yarralumla
Riedel Riesling Masterclass
Hidden Gems
Rieslings from Alsace and Central Otago
Presenters – Anne Krebiehl MW and Cameron Douglas MS