‘Genius’ will be missed

PHIL Laing was a “genius” when it came to promoting Tasmanian wine and, up to his death, was still organising the Tasmanian Wine Show, which he pioneered more than 30 years ago.

His presence was sorely missed at the show which wrapped up on Friday.

Friend and senior wine maker at Bay of Fires Wines, Penny Jones, said the wine show was simply not the same without him.

“It was very strange and very quiet without him,” Ms Jones said.

“Phil knew how to light up a room and keep us all in order.

“He just loved the wine industry and the people in it.

“Phil wanted to educate people about wine and he did that so well.”

Ms Jones said although his health was failing, she had been in regular contact with Mr Laing about the show.

“He so wanted to live long enough to come to it,” she said. “I phoned him every day and he was still organising everything when he left us way too soon.”

Freycinet Vineyard winemaker Claudio Radenti met Mr Laing 30 years ago and said he was passionate about the Tasmanian industry and key in putting it on the map.

“It was hard not to get choked up at the wine show because he had such passion for all things wine,” he said.

“He was a genius and it was masterstroke when he got the best wine judges and writers to Tasmania 30 years ago to judge the first wine show.”

Mr Radenti said Mr Laing succeeded in getting “legends of the industry” including Victorian winemaker James Halliday to judge the wines.

“Having that expert judging from the outset meant the brand improved and the national publicity was an added bonus.”