2024 MAY WTC - IVYBROOK FARM

McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association’s Wine Tourism Committee welcome international and interstate guests for our first Wine Tourism Workshop of 2024. The workshop will cover:

• Strategies to create unique and memorable experiences
• Developing commissionable tourism products which fit with your brand
• Knowing and communicating the value of your experiences to consumers

The workshop will take the form of a panel with esteemed guests:

Carolyn Martin – Co-Founder & Marketing Director at Creation Wines, Walker Bay, South Africa

Born and bred in the Cape Winelands and being a third-generation wine estate owner, it can be said that Carolyn Martin's passion for wine is in her genes. After completing her studies in Cape Town Carolyn launched her own design company in London, focussed on innovative brand development with world-renowned brands such as 3M, Laurent Perrier and 3i. In 2002 Carolyn and husband Jean-Claude Martin bought a farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Wine Ward of South Africa, naming it 'Creation'. Since its inception Creation Wines has held innovation as one of its defining principles.

Dynamic, knowledgeable and always inventive, Carolyn is a wine and food pairing expert of note. This gave rise to an award-winning Canapé and Wine Pairing concept, a first for a South African wine estate when launched in 2009. Since then Creation has developed a myriad complementary wine and food pairing experiences: the Secret Pairing, the Paradoxical Chocolate Pairing, even a Tea and Canapé Pairing for non-drinkers. Creation was the 2021 Global Winner of the Great Wine Capitals Award for Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences, and was ranked 4th in the World at the 2023 World’s Best Vineyards (WBV) Awards.

Robin Shaw – Founder & Lead Consultant, Wine Tourism Australia

Robin Shaw is the founder of Wine Tourism Australia, a consultancy business that specialises in helping wineries and wine regions maximise their tourism and direct sales potential. She has an extensive wine and tourism background that includes management roles at The Australian Wine Club, Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre, South Australian Tourism Commission, Winemakers’ Federation of Australia and Adelaide Hills Wine.

In 2004 Robin received a prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship to study global wine tourism innovation, after which she developed a suite of industry resources, including ‘The Australian Wine Tourism Toolkit’. Robin excels in crafting unforgettable wine experiences, whether it’s developing wine tourism for regions and enterprises, leading immersive study and trade tours, or creating and implementing innovative direct-to-consumer strategies. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for excellence, Robin also specializes in project management, workshop facilitation, and crafting cellar door experiences that captivate and inspire. Her dedication to enhancing customer service and sales through training and mentoring, along with her engaging presence as a conference moderator and speaker, make her a driving force in the wine tourism industry.

Libby Cupitt – Customer Experience Manager at Cupitt’s Estate, Shoalhaven NSW

Cupitt's Estate is a family-owned tourism and hospitality business on the NSW South Coast, comprising a paddock-to-plate restaurant, winery, brewery, cheese-making facility, cellar door, farm and wedding venue. With a passion for hospitality and a commitment to excellence, Libby is dedicated to ensuring guests have an unforgettable experience at Cupitt's Estate.

Cupitt's Estate is highly committed to food sustainability and aspires to be a regional example of what can be achieved. The kitchen garden seeks to activate idle paddocks into areas of food production and reduce reliance on Sydney suppliers, and Cupitt’s is working on closing the loop on food waste as well, with brewer’s grain, food scraps and grape mark all going back into the garden and chicken coop.

The workshop will be held in the Barrel Hall at Wirra Wirra. Please bring a bottle of wine to share and come prepared with questions. There will be Harry's Deli platters available to snack on during the evening.

COST: $10pp for financial members of MVGWT. Please bring a bottle to share.

Wednesday 22 May 2024 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM (UTC+10:30)

*Please note this event is for financial members of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine & Tourism Association (MVGWTA) only