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The Taste of Tasmania (Dec 28th to Jan 4th) Podcast

David_Cush_taste_conversation.mp3

Please Note: Due to sound checks by the Taste musicians, we had to move during the interview to a new location that turned out to be noisier. As a result you will hear a big change in the audio early in the podcast, sorry about that but unfortunately we couldn't do anything - the perils of outside 'live' recording!. In our conversation Dave starts by telling us how long he has been working at the Taste, we then quiz him on what it is like being an exhibitor. We hear the good, the bad and the ugly. We hear what it's like to compete with other wine producers at this event, and to finish we ask what he likes about the Taste and what he thinks would help improve the event

Working at the Taste of Tasmania - What's it really like? - by PJ December 2008.

The Taste of Tasmania (affectionately known as 'The Taste') is 20 years old this year and to celebrate this momentous occasion I have written a poem:

Oh Taste,  thou art twenty

Of food and wine, yea verily we have had plenty

So help cele.. (well I think we can all agree that's enough creativity for one day - Ed) 

I have been to nearly all the Tastes held so far, so I can claim to be something of an expert on the punter side of this event but what I wanted to know was what it is like to be a Taste wine exhibitor.  When I think of the Taste I think of Spring Vale Wines.  Not only was I introduced to Spring Vale through the Taste but their unwooded Chardonnay (now known as plain old Chardonnay) has been a consistent favourite.  So who better to chat to than David Cush from Spring Vale.

Spring Vale wines have been a part of the Taste for many years with Dave's involvement dating from 2001.  Officially Dave is the assistant to his winemaker wife Kristen but he has been involved in producing Spring Vale vintages for some years so he is well placed to fill you in on the 'other' side of the Taste.  Luckily the intrepid team from Winepunters caught him on his day off.  

The Taste is a major selling event for all exhibitors but especially for Spring Vale wines.  Despite being on one of the busiest tourist routes in Tasmania Spring Vale doesn't "get a lot of traffic to the cellar door". As a result, the opportunity to market and sell to large numbers of people means that Spring Vale Wines is a keen and active supporter of the Taste.  Talking about their cellar door, we included Tim (he's the one in the cap) in the photos because when you go to the Spring Vale Wines Cellar Door (and you will go won't you - Ed) you will most likely meet either Dave or Tim.

Aside from saying how good the Taste is as an event Dave confirmed what I had already suspected.  The Taste is hard work.  "By the end of the third day I usually lose my voice and (by the end of each day) your legs are killing you". This is something that people sometimes forget.  After all you don't produce a large, sophisticated and very successful event by accident.  A lot of people work extremely hard (many of them are volunteers) so that we can be entertained while enjoying fantastic Tasmanian food and wine.  Interestingly Dave nominated the physically tiredness he feels at the end of each day as one of his 'favourite' things about the Taste.  I can understand where he is coming from, I am also 'tired and emotional' at the end of a day at the Taste (not for the same reasons though - Ed).

During our discussion Dave raised an issue that only wine exhibitors encounter.  Despite all the signage, some people don't seem to realise that you have to buy (or bring) a glass before you can have a wine - now why punters aren't allowed to just swig out of the bottle is beyond us (no, it's only beyond you PJ - Ed).  This means that a glass of wine can become relatively expensive (at least $5 for the glass then at least $7 for the wine), whereas the purveyors of beer just pour their product into plastic cups.  According to Dave this 'misunderstanding' happens regularly and to my surprise I witnessed one of these incidents.  I was at the Goaty Hill stand trying to decide between the Pinot or Riesling when a lady standing next to me asked for a glass of wine and when she found out she had to buy a glass as well she flounced off (yes kiddies people flounce in real life not just in historical fiction - Ed).

Since talking up punters is my reason for being, I wanted to know if Dave had a 'good punter' story.  I was very impressed with the mystery '40 something' lady Dave mentioned who comes in every day and buys the Spring Vale Pinot, not by the bottle thereby saving money, but by the glass and this has been happening for the last eight years.  According to Dave he has never seen her drink anything else.  Whomever you are, you get the Winepunters bow of approval for outstanding loyalty.  The lady in question may also like to know that Dave thinks you haven't aged over the last eight years so well done you (please contact us urgently and tell us your beauty secrets - Ed).  So I can't be accused of a lack of objectivity I asked Dave for a 'bad punter' story.  He said he couldn't comment since most of the bad behaviour involved members of his family or friends.  Right well lets move on shall we?

Most of our discussion concerned the positive aspects of the Taste - it simply is a staggeringly good event - but I was interested in finding out if exhibitors had ideas for improvement.  Dave mentioned that, due to the logistics, running a stall at the Taste is harder than running a bar and he believed the organisers should 'work in a stall' to learn how difficult it can be to operate within all the regulations that apply to this event.  At one point exhibitors were told they may have to wear hair nets.  As I pointed out this would be a disaster - I mean Dave is happily married but every man still wants to look good for the ladies and that is impossible in a hair net!

On a personal level both Dave and I agreed if we could change one thing it would be to reduce the number of people who are at the event during peak times.  On occasion the Taste is a victim of its own success.  As an example, I have noticed an increase in the number of arguments that occur between people over seating.  To be fair to the organisers they do seem have been aware of this issue and I did notice extra seating (leather couches even) which may help. 

All in all I look forward to the Taste every year and I hope it continues for many years to come.

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