“I think there’s a lot of smoke and mirrors around wine. A lot of mystery and, frankly, a lot of BS,” says Meg Brodtmann, master of wine and co-host of wine-themed podcast, Wine with Meg and Mel. “I get that people want a little romanticism, like ‘the grower was French and wore a beret and had a nice moustache and drove a little deux chevaux’, but at the end of the day, most people want to know if they’re going to like something.”

Brodtmann is exclusively placed to drive the direction of wine education. She’s Australia’s first female master of wine, a title awarded to fewer than 500 people around the world since the rigorous exam began in 1953. The honour is hard-earned, with the tasting component featuring 36 wines from around the world, tasted blind and requiring very specific identification. “If [a wine is from] Burgundy, you would have to name that it was from a particular village, not the one next door,” says Brodtmann.

Appearing in tandem with podcast co-host Mel Gilcrist, Brodtmann’s wine expertise and approachable philosophy will be on display at New Crush, a one-day marquee event at this year’s Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, celebrating all things drinks.

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Divided into five zones (wine, beer, cider, spirits, and low and non-alcoholic drinks), New Crush promises an afternoon of music, snacks, tastings and education. It’s there Gilcrist and Brodtmann will present Sip School, a series of sessions designed to help drinkers find their own path, balancing information with engaging interactive elements. “In one of the sessions you’ll be able to find out whether you’re a supertaster, which Mel likes to tell everyone she is,” says Brodtmann. “It’s always her excuse for being really fussy about food.”

There will also be a selection of exciting new Victorian whites and reds to try, and a Winemaking 101 session featuring a wine-in-progress from winemaker Rob Dolan. “A bit of a treat from the winery so people can see what wine really looks like before it’s all pretty,” says Brodtmann.

Oenophiles take note: Brodtmann won’t be trying to recruit the next Master of Wine at Sip School. Rather, it’s about helping people find their own path to exciting new flavours. “I’m passionate about wine, so obviously I think education is important,” says Brodtmann. “But at the end of the day, if you like something, that’s fabulous. What I would say is don’t just stick to the same thing. Broaden your horizons a little bit and be adventurous. There is so much mystery about wine – don’t be afraid of it, just enjoy it.”

Besides discussing wine at New Crush, Brodtmann is keen to get to the Cider Bar, which will feature 20 local ciders ranging from oak-aged vintages to wine-cider hybrids. “I’ve recently been trying them again because I’ve always found them too sweet,” says Brodtmann. “I worked in France for years and French ciders aren’t super sweet. So I’m really interested in the cider.”

New Crush takes place on Saturday April 9 at E Shed at Queen Victoria Market.

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