The Event: 42 Teams, One Game Plan
Touch Wine is the brainchild of UK wine writer and author Matthew Jukes. Since the inaugural event in 2005 Touch Wine over the years has raised over $360,00 for Hutt Street Centre. The success can be attributed to the backing of the wine industry, the fantastic support of all sponsors, the passion of Matthew Jukes and the support of the Australian sporting icons including Nick Farr-Jones and Bruce McAvaney AM.
Touch Wine 09 will offer the public a day of wine tasting in the city parklands, with plenty of food, children’s entertainment and of course an exciting sporting competition. The main competition is a touch tournament between 42 winery teams and at lunchtime SA Touch will play its State League Grand Final. After lunch a celebrity challenge match will take place, adding to the fun of the day.
The day will offer more than 100 wines for tasting from the 60 wineries represented. It also offers the wine industry from grape pickers to growers, wine makers to exporters a unique opportunity to gather together to have fun, to bond as a team and to give something positive back to the community. More than 1,000 individuals from the wine industry will directly participate in the event.
For the spectator and general public, as well as food, wine and kids entertainment, there will be live bands featuring the swinging sounds of Jump Daddy’s from midday, followed mid afternoon by some classic pop rock music for all ages by Adelaide’s biggest cover band Raw Sugar.
The teams will be vying for the “Hutt Street Centre Cup” with the person best exemplifying the spirit of the day awarded the “Sr Pauline Medal”. (Sr Pauline Flynn AM is a Daughter of Charity who worked tirelessly with the homeless at the Hutt Street Centre for 17 years).
The popularity and success of Touch Wine can be measured now by its reputation as a quality and well organised event. Its success as a leading fundraising initiative is evident by its export in 2008 to the Hunter Valley and in May 2009 to Ireland. Next stop Melbourne 2010.
