Fine WA Wine & Seafood on Display for International Traders
A handful of international wine scribes and media personals from the Beyond Busby Australian wine tour concluded their 2-week wine tour of Australia at Matilda Bay, Perth, last Friday evening. And just when they thought the food and wine couldn’t get any better – it absolutely did…
Cold scallop on shell with lime mayo
Perth put on its finest show – a combination of mild weather, cloudless skies and calm river conditions complete with Black Swans and Dolphins made Matilda Bay a perfect picturesque setting for a sunset seafood feast prepared by WA seafood Ambassador Don Hancey and accompanied by fine wines from the Swan Valley, Geographe, Perth Hills and Pemberton.
Supported by Wine Australia, the Beyond Busby group consisting of influential wine traders from China, USA, Canada, Sweden and the U.K spent two weeks travelling, enjoying and immersing themselves in some of Australia’s best wine regions. The last leg of the tour saw them finishing in Margaret River and the Great Southern, before flying to Perth for their last night.
Don said that the brief he was given from Wines of WA CEO, Larry Jorgenson, was to create an evening that simply gave guests a unique and memorable taste and feel for the regions of Western Australia.
“I wanted to present the dishes in a way that made our Western Australian seafood the hero. The range of seafood was outstanding – in its freshness and unique textures,” Don said.
There is no shortage of publications on the topic of tasting, more specifically, how wine can be paired to complement or contrast with the elements in the food. And this being the case – a wide range of WA seafood was selected to best accompany the wines at the Matilda Bay dinner.
Guests not only enjoyed but savoured the moment of the finest wines inextricably complimenting a seafood line-up including Western Australian Western Rock Lobster, Shark Bay Prawns and Scallops, Fremantle Sardines, Octopus, Mullet and Broome Pearl Meat, sponsored by the WA Fishing Industry Council.
The trade group, with its connections to find dining establishments across international markets were delighted at the delicacy in front of them and were a highly appreciative audience.
“This is the finest meal we have had on our trip,” said one of the participants. “The relaxed and beautiful setting, the fine wines and this spectacular seafood has been a memorable finish to a fantastic trip.”
Larry Jorgensen, CEO of Wines of Western Australia, who were the event organisers, said that WoWA and WAFIC enjoyed a fruitful and complementary relationship. “Wine and seafood are synergistic, and this event was a great opportunity to work together to showcase what Western Australia does best,” he said.

Marinated Fremantle Octopus with shaved fennel