Mark Krstic (ILF2021), WBM
The Tech Conference held in Kaurna Country would have been a nightmare to plan with all those sniffles. AWRI boss Dr Mark Krstic and his team didn’t just pull it off, they increased delegate numbers by 20 percent to 1,200. It’s a good sign that so many winemakers want to learn more. Improving the quality of Australian wine is surely the greatest marketing tool of all. Well done to the organisers for pushing on at all costs. The industry needs more of that kind of can-do attitude. Got the gout? Scared about the future? Push on regardless. There’s never a perfect time. The wonderful Welcome to Country by Mickey O’Brien added meaning to the gathering. Monday mornings are corked at the best of times but add a 20-minute obituary for Australian wine by AGW boss Tony Battaglene in a deathly-quiet auditorium and which way to the casino?