A South Australian winery is backing a competition to uncover hidden Australian winemaking talent.
Mojo Winemakers has invited amateurs who “have always dreamed of making wine but have never had the opportunity” to take part in Wine: Baptism of Fire 2016.
The competition will pit teams of two from each state against one another, and entrants will be mentored by wine experts in the process.
This is the first year Mojo has presented the competition.
Jess Ho and Wiremu Andrews, who were involved in the competition two years ago, said their participation gave them further insights into the winemaking process.
“Not only was it fun, but it demystified the issues wineries and winemakers face when getting the product out there,” Andrews said.
Contestants are encouraged to apply as a team of two, and need to be available throughout the year to manage the process – from choosing which grapes to pick, through to the design of the brand and the launch of the end result.
Each team will align with charity partners of their choice and Mojo will award a $10,000 prize to the winning team.
Proceeds from the sales of the finished wines will go to the winning team’s nominated charity.
The selection process will begin soon, and grape selection and picking is expected to start in February.
The competition will be documented in a web-based reality TV series.
Applicants can register here before 22 January.
