Flavour Exchange is a new concept being held in Fed Square this year. The idea is to have a broad-based tasting of Victoria’s finest autumnal wines, beers, ciders and bites. The quarterly event has superseded the bi-monthly Wine Showcase and the semi-annual Microbreweries Showcase.
Theresa and I have very fond memories of the bi-monthly wine showcase, which was one of the best value experiences going. Each time the organisers showcased wines/beers from different regions in Victoria. We went every time and couldn’t believe the deal on offer — as many wines as you wanted, a cheese and wine matching course held by a qualified viticulturist and then more cheese. Needless to say Flavour Exchange had very large shoes to fill!
Photo courtesy Flavour Exchange
I arrived quite early at ~5pm. The good news is that the value for money hasn’t changed. However, it isn’t the free-for-all that once was. For $25 you are able to get 14 tokens. I realised early on that 14 tokens didn’t mean 14 tastings. It meant that if you went to a wine stall and they had four wines on offer then one token gave you access to all four wines. Value for money…tick!
Photo courtesy Flavour Exchange
It was a warm night and I was stuffing myself with delicious wagyu beef and lamb mint pies, crisp ciders and full bodied reds. I think the heat moved my attention to the ciders where an absolute standout was the apple cider from Endless Cider. On the wine side I couldn’t get enough from the team at Long Black. All of their wines are named after their dogs, with a particular favourite being the 2010 ‘Brave’ Shiraz.
Photo Courtesy Flavour Exchange
Flavour Exchange made a good effort at topping the Wine Showcase. I think I still prefer the specialisation that came with the latter as it provided a deep dive into specific regions across Victoria and I am a sucker for a good cheese/wine matching session. However, I can completely understand the rationale for combining the event for broader appeal. Additionally I love the concept of getting the best seasonal produce around. Here’s looking forward to the June event.
-Ruki
