Come on Adelaide Oval, lift your wine game

Reader Nikki Zorzi went to the SANFL Grand Final at Adelaide Oval. She says it’s an incredible asset. It’s just a pity about the wine offerings.

Firstly, as always, Adelaide Oval was a standout. The venue really is a leader on the world stage, and the facilities, staff and volunteers were fabulous. It is an incredible asset for South Australia and one we should be very proud of.

It was the wine offering at the bar I visited that caught my attention.

I was offered two options – a can of Prosecco or a Sauvignon Blanc, which was Squealing Pig from New Zealand.

I don’t know what wine options were available at other bars or stations around the Oval, so I’m certainly not suggesting these were the only wines being served across the venue.

However, it did make me stop and think.

Adelaide Oval welcomes visitors from interstate and overseas, and our state’s wine industry is such an important part of South Australia’s tourism offering and identity.

At the same time, the Australian wine industry, and particularly South Australian winegrape growers and winemakers, are going through an incredibly difficult period.

The industry is facing significant financial and emotional pressure, with the State Government currently working through ways to support an industry that contributes so much to our state.

So, when the two wine choices presented to me were a Prosecco and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, I couldn’t help but wonder why we aren’t seeing more South Australian wine represented.

I completely understand that there are contractual arrangements, commercial considerations and a lot of complexity behind beverage supply at a venue of this scale.

But surely there is also an opportunity for some oversight around what we are showcasing and selling at one of the most iconic venues in the state.

And before this is dismissed as a middle-aged woman in the Members’ section complaining about the quality of her Sauvignon Blanc, I think it is worth looking at the bigger picture.

If the wine industry is one of the things South Australia is renowned for, and if we are actively encouraging interstate and international visitors to come here and experience our state, it seems a missed opportunity not to showcase our own producers wherever we can.

Particularly when the industry is currently doing it so tough, perhaps there is an opportunity to look at how Adelaide Oval can play a greater role in supporting and showcasing South Australian wine.

Photo: Adelaide Oval Facebook page.