Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn from Mark Davidson, Head of Education for Wine Australia @vintageMD!

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: We’d like to introduce you to Mark Davidson, Head of Education for Wine Australia @vintageMD! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Mark Davidson @vintageMD! Make sure to say hello so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: As we ask our Qs, you can ask Mark your Q’s as well! He'll do his best to answer all Q’s in the order they come #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: With so many participants lots of great Q's are asked! Even if u don’t ask 1--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll and @vintageMD 2 let us know u are here! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #wine with Mark Davidson, Head of Education for Wine Australia @vintageMD #WineWednesday #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: Thrilled to be here on #SommChat today. Can’t wait to share about all things #Australian #wine @wine_australia

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: @vintageMD Excited about the upcoming @wine_australia #US Roadshow #farfromOrdinary – heard there are a lot of great #Australian #winemakers coming and some much for learn for the #wine industry. Please tell us more. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @wine_australia will start in #NYC on 19 September , go to #Chicago on 23 September, then #Miami – 25 September, #Dallas on 27 September #LosAngeles on1 October and finishing in #SanFrancisco on 3 October…. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: will be largest collection of #Australia #winemakers on #US soil at 1 time, including Henschke Family, Virginia Wilcock of Vasse Felix, and Bruce Tyrrell of Tyrell 2 name a few. In #NYC will be hosting #Australian #women in #wine awards with @wine_australia …. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: Trade can register online to attend the seminars, the tastings, the master classes and reach out to @wine_australia to sign up or you can email me directly mark.davidson@wineaustralia.com! you won’t want to miss this! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @vintageMD how do we train our staff and customers on the @wine_australia #wines to pair with all foods not just focusing on red?

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: First thing is to step outside of the box of what you have thought or may have thought about #Australian #wine in relation to #food and just sipping wine…. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll #food and #wine pairing is always about experimenting and more so than ever before with @wine_australia BC of the great evolution of wine styles with traditional varieties and emergence of exciting new varieties for @Australia…. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll The planting of southern Mediterranean varieties has proven very successful as they hold their acidity and freshness in the warmer regions….. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll So now if in #Adelaide in the summer U R drinking a McLaren Vale #Fiano or #Vermentino with much delight! @TEXSOM @wine_australia lunch we poured a Nero D’avala from Riverland which really turned a lot of heads…. #tryit #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll some light to medium body reds from @wine_australia are really exciting right now - #PinotNoir from Yarra Valley and Mornington Penisula have never been better and showing balance and fragrance and complexity. gr8 w/ #salmon and #pork... #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll 2 take you 2 #Australia right now 4 a moment, we R seeing something called “Smashable Reds” & by that we mean #wines w/ lower tannin, mod. alcohol, juice w/ freshness & vibrancy, drink young, pour & smash it! #food and lifestyle are making this happen.. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll People in #Australia R “eating lighter and fresher” and consumption of #wine is increasing bc ppl are enjoying the accessibility of these #wine of lighter styles with fish, with veggies, salads, lighter meats…. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll some of the classic #Australia #wines such as #Barossa Shiraz are evolving and we are seeing more vibrant our fruited #wines that ever before. #SommChat

Harley Carbery @harleywine1: Good morning from #Vegas @vintageMD @keepercoll #sommchat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @harleywine1 hello live from @TEXSOM with @keepercoll - wish you were here to join in live and hope to see you soon. #SommChat

Harley Carbery @harleywine1: Wish I was there as well! Where have you seen the biggest impact/growth of @wine_australia wines #madeourway since the amazing event in Tahoe last year? #sommchat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @harleywine1 Growth has increased in #US but a real exciting impact has been with some key restos in #NYC, such as @THEMODERNnyc & also @GothamBar_Grill where they have increased their list of @wine_australia from 2 to 50 offerings thanks to #wine Director Josh Lit! #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @vintageMD how would you suggest a route for a #Somm wanting to explore and learn in #Australia about the #wine regions? how is best way to approach this?

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll Fly into #Adelaide & go see at a minimum McLaren Vale, Barossa and then Adelaide Hills. Then fly to #Melbourne to look at cooler climate regions such as Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley and then fly back to #US….. #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll then start planning UR next trip 4 Yr 2 where you will do Margaret River, Tasmania & Hunter Valley & keep coming back 4 next 5 yrs & you should cover it all OR U may never want to leave #Australia - @wine_australia and I are always here to help with planning #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: @wine_australia has been an active and vibrant supporter of @TEXSOM for many years. What makes this #wine conference special and gets you coming back @vintageMD #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll @wine_australia loves @TEXSOM because of the focus on education and elevation of expertise in the #wine business and it really is “THE” place to connect with the best and brightest in the industry. #SommChat #texsom

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: You have been with @wine_australia for 10 years - what have you seen unfold during that time and any thoughts looking forward @vintageMD #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll In the past 10 yrs while working at @wine_australia I have watched the sentiment for #Australian #wines shift to a much more positive view throughout the supply chain… #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: #keepercoll Going forward, BC of diversity of the offering of #Australian #wines I foresee a bright future in "on and off" premise. For example @TEXSOM a young #Somm fr #Stlouis is pouring Riverland Nero D’Avola BTG!!! We R getting somewhere & like where we are going #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk with @vintageMD Mark Davidson, Head of Education for @wine_australia ! #WineWednesday #SommChat

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Mark Davidson, Head of Education for Wine Australia @vintageMD join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! #WineWednesday

Keeper Collection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Mark Davidson, @vintageMD Head of Education for @wine_australia for his time #SommChat

Mark Davidson @vintageMD: @keepercoll Thanks for having me on #SommChat - always a pleasure and fun to do @TEXSOM in #Texas.