While walking about Adelaide on one of his many trips down here, Matthew noticed what he felt was a disproportionate number of homeless people living in the parklands which surround the city. He commented to friends that he would like to do something about this which would involve the industry about which he is passionate – wine – and the sport which he loves – rugby.
His words fell on the ears of a friend who played touch with a girl who worked as fundraising manager for Hutt Street Centre – Adelaide’s leading provider of meals and services for the homeless who live in the city. And so the journey began, over a bottle of Pinot Gris one hot summer day down in Hutt Street, Adelaide.
Matthew is an award winning, internationally renowned wine communicator, writer, buyer and commentator. He is the palate behind the cult wine website www.matthewjukes.com and author of the UK’s no.1 best selling annual wine guide, The Wine List. His book new book Taste, Food and Wine, 2007, written in conjunction with Brisbane-based wine writer Tyson Stelzer, is published in Australia in October 2007.
He is in great demand as a speaker, panellist, judge and convenor at wine events around the world. Matthew tastes and provides notes on all the wines for tasting at the Touch Wine event.
His greatest personal satisfaction is derived from the growth and success of his ‘invention’ – Touch Wine, which he is not alone in seeing as a potential global movement to increase awareness of and raise significant funds for people who are homeless, vulnerable and marginalised in our communities.
