Henry and the Fox presents
State v State
A fun, interactive afternoon of wine, food and stories as Western Australia takes on South Australia—and your vote decides which state wins.
About the event
Friendly rivalry. Serious food and wine.
Western Australia and South Australia are going head-to-head for a fun, interactive afternoon of wine, food, stories and friendly rivalry.
Hosting the showdown is Terry P, keeping the afternoon moving, the rivalry alive and the voting honest. Aidan Considine from Nelson Wine and Cameron Smith from House of Fine Wine will introduce the contenders, share the stories behind the wines and make the case for their favourites.
In the kitchen corner, Executive Chef Malcolm Williams has created a five-course menu designed to put every pairing to the test.
For each course, you’ll taste the competing wines, hear their stories and cast your vote. There are no expert judges and no wrong answers—your opinion counts.
Once the final voting cards are counted, Terry will reveal which state has earned the title.
How it works
Taste. Compare. Cast your vote.
Each round combines a dish from Malcolm’s menu with wines from Western Australia and South Australia. The hosts will introduce the bottles, then the decision is yours.
Meet the contenders
Hear the stories behind each wine and what makes its region and producer distinctive.
Taste with the food
Consider the wines on their own, then see how each one works with the course in front of you.
Choose your winner
Mark your voting card after every round. At the end, all votes are counted and the winning state is revealed.
No detailed wine knowledge is required—just bring your appetite, your opinions and perhaps a little state loyalty.
Shark Bay scallop crudo
Pickled apple, bay oil, lime zest and chives
Peppered venison tataki
Soy, apple, ginger, sesame, pickled zucchini and green chilli
Cider-braised Scottsdale free-range pork belly
Confit shallot, pear purée, charred radicchio and cider jus
Coffee-rubbed Mackenzie Family 6+ MS Black Angus brisket
Smoked paprika, árbol chilli, thyme, coriander, jalapeño and aged cheddar cornbread
Dessert and cheese
Vanilla crème fraîche with a burnt honey, white balsamic and thyme reduction
Meet the team
The people behind the showdown
Stories, strong opinions and a little friendly persuasion will accompany every pour. Meet the team guiding the food, wine and voting throughout the afternoon.
Showdown host
Terry P
Hosting the afternoon is Terry P, Henry and the Fox’s resident food guru and the man charged with keeping the showdown moving.
Across each round, Terry will keep the rivalry alive, bring the table into the discussion and make sure every voting card is counted before revealing the winning state.
Wine host · Nelson Wine
Aidan Considine
Aidan Considine joins us from Nelson Wine to introduce the bottles, producers and regions represented throughout the afternoon.
He’ll share the stories behind the wines, explain what to consider in each pairing and make the case for the contenders he believes deserve your vote.
Wine host · House of Fine Wine
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith from House of Fine Wine brings another perspective to the table as Western Australia and South Australia go head-to-head.
Throughout the showdown, Cameron will unpack the different styles and regions, join the friendly debate around each pairing and give guests plenty to consider before voting.
Executive chef
Malcolm Williams
Executive Chef Malcolm Williams has spent more than 25 years working across some of Australia’s leading kitchens, with experience spanning French, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Italian and modern Australian cooking.
For this showdown, Malcolm has created a five-course menu that gives every wine a proper test, with each dish designed to bring out a different side of the competing WA and SA bottles.
Event details
Join the showdown
Expect a casual and entertaining afternoon with plenty of good food, interesting wine and discussion around the table.
View tickets- Date
- Saturday 3 October 2026
- Time
- 2.30pm - 5.30pm
- Location
-
Henry and the Fox
525 Little Collins Street, Melbourne - Tickets
- $99 per person
Tickets
Choose your side
Tickets are $99 per person and include the arrival cocktail, five-course menu, ten competing wines and voting throughout the afternoon.