06/14 Commonwealth Diaspora – Blind Tasting Buddies
Wine Tasting, Sunday June 14th, 2026, Seattle
Wine Lineup:
Sparkling
- NV Digby Fine English Brut Leander Pink England, UK
White
- 2021 Testalonga Swartland Hárslevelű – Mangaliza Coastal Region, ZA
- 2022 Makarounas Pafos Xynisteri Aerides Cyprus, CY
- 2020 Sadie Family Swartland Palladius Coastal Region, ZA
Red
- 2003 Henschke Lenswood Merlot Abbotts Prayer South Australia, AU
- 2002 Felton Road Pinot Noir Central Otago South Island, NZ
- 2015 Church Road Winery Hawke’s Bay Marzemino McDonald Series North Island, NZ
- 2013 Brokenwood McLarenVale Shiraz Wade Block 2 Vineyard South Australia, AU
Dessert
- 2007 Jackson-Triggs Riesling Icewine Delaine Vineyard Niagara Peninsula, ON
This session’s theme, Commonwealth Diaspora, examines the global spread of viticulture and wine culture through the historical framework of the British Commonwealth. The selected wines highlight how grape varieties, winemaking traditions, and market structures moved across continents, shaped in part by British trade networks, agricultural policy, and cultural exchange.
The tasting will also engage with the more complex legacy of colonialism and post-imperial influence. Participants will consider how systems established during the British Empire affected land use, labor, and the development of wine industries in regions such as South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, with lasting impacts that continue to shape production and identity today. This includes both the dissemination of technical knowledge and infrastructure, as well as the inequities and disruptions tied to colonial governance.
Attendance:
- Preston B.
- Nick D.
- Michele D.
- Jay L.
- Andrea M.
- Peter N.
- Ben R. + Steph and Britt
- Pradeep V.
