Clairault seals new arts deal

Long-time Margaret River porducer Clairault Wines has won the tender to become the sole wine sponsor for the UWA Perth International Arts Festival 2006.

Festival starts on February 10 and extends through to March 5 and will be themed ‘Earthly Pleasures’.

The UWA International Arts Festival attracts more than 300,000 people to theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts and literature events. It has been the major feature on the WA arts program for more than 50 years and is one of the oldest international arts festivals in Australia.

The Clairault-UWA Arts connection joins other high-profile wine sponsorship deals with arts and cultural events.

Earlier this year Hay Shed Hill winery announced a three-year sponsorship deal with the Perth Fashion Festival, which began in September 2005.

And recently, fellow Margaret River producer Voyager Estate won the  2005 Best Small or Medium-sized Business Partnership Award  in recognition for its contribution to the Western Australian arts community and local theatre company Noble Rot.

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Good news also for another local wine producer with the 2003 Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon awarded a top 100 medal at the 2006 Sydney International Wine Competition.

The highly regarded, if not quirky, wine competition judges wines alongside food and according to a particular style, rather than comparing different varietals altogether.

Howard Park’s recognition places its Leston in the blue/gold category across all 12 categories from more than 2,000 entries.

Full results of the 2006 competition won’t be available until 25 February 2006.