More than 160 guests gathered at Carrington Place Bar & Restaurant in perfect weather on Sunday February 24thfor the announcement of the 2019 Trevor Drayton Scholarship recipients.
Guest enjoyed live music across the afternoon and a steady stream of fabulous food prepared by Chef Scott Webster and his team while sampling some of the Hunter’s finest drops from a range of the region’s best-known wineries including Peter Drayton Wines, Drayton Family Wines, First Creek, Allandale and Hart & Hunter.
Scholarships were awarded in winemaking to First Creek winemaker Rauri Donkin and assistant winemaker at Allandale Wines, Sam Boyd. Last year Donkin became the first scholarship recipient sponsored by the Foundation to partake in the internationally recognised Len Evans Tutorial. The Tutorial, restricted to just 12 participants from across Australia annually, is designed to broaden the participants wine knowledge and prepare them as potentially the next generation of wine judges.
Boyd, who began his career at TAFE studying carpentry and joinery before following his long held passion for wine as a career, hopes to use his scholarship funds to further his experience both nationally and internationally.
Two scholarships were also announced in conjunction with the Hunter TAFE Foundation. Gian Tram is studying hospitality at Hunter TAFE and is also undertaking a Level 2 Wine & Spirit education course with a view to eventually becoming a sommelier and working in fine dining.
Hayley Waterhouse has just completed her pastry apprenticeship while studying at Hunter TAFE and is now planning to head to the USA to expand her knowledge of the many styles and techniques employed in the industry internationally. She hopes to eventually return to the Hunter and open her own patisserie.
Trevor Drayton Foundation spokesman, Scott Webster, said Sunday was a huge success and fundraising on the day had raised a record figure. The funds would be used to assist more young Hunter talent studying and aspiring to excellence in the wine and food industry, adding to the more than $50,000 in scholarships the Foundation has already distributed over recent years.