13 February 2012

New Exclusive Wine Partner for Wildfoods Festival

A new wine partner has been selected as the wine of choice for the 2012 Wildfoods Festival.

Based in Marlborough, Tohu will be the exclusive wine supplier at the Hokitika event, to be held on 10 March. Tohu is New Zealand’s first Maori family owned winery, distributed by Kono Beverages and 100% owned by the Wakatu Incorporation. They have been producing award-winning wines from New Zealand’s premier grape growing regions since 1998.

Event organiser Mike Keenan says the winery was selected based on the high quality of their wines and their shared values. “We are excited to announce that Tohu will be the Wildfoods’ exclusive wine supplier,” says Mr Keenan. “Tohu is a natural fit with our event. Not only do they produce high quality award-winning wines from some of the country’s best winemaking regions, they also have a strong connection to the land and a deep respect for their environment. For wild foods to exist, that environmental responsibility is important.

“This festival is a great opportunity for us to showcase New Zealand’s best and, this year, we have over 50 stalls confirmed, with a wide variety of gourmet and quirky food and drinks – the biggest range ever.”

At the festival, Tohu will be showcasing their Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and ‘Young Vine’ Pinot Noir. All wines are sourced from vineyards certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand – a programme that is an integral part of the company’s values.

Tohu marketing manager Jessica Thomas says the company jumped at the chance to be involved with the event. “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to showcase our wine at such an iconic event,” says Ms. Thomas. “The festival naturally complements our brand and catchphrase ‘Ngā hua a te Whenua’ – our gift from the land. We’re looking forward to matching our wines with some delicious wild food.”

Renowned celebrity chef Charles Royal, who has partnered with Tohu on a number of occasions, has been confirmed as this year’s Wildfoods Festival demonstration chef. Mr Royal is famous for his use of traditional wild herbs, edible ferns and indigenous foods to create contemporary cuisine, and has won a number of awards, including the Innovative Chef of the Year Award from the Restaurant Association of New Zealand in 2003, and The New Zealand Cuisine Magazine and Matua Valley Wines Award of Innovation and Excellence 2004-2005.

Mr Keenan says Mr Royal’s popularity reflects a growing trend towards ‘slow’ foods. “More and more people are favouring fresh, natural foods, without the additives and processing of many processed foods. As well as being nutritious, ‘slow’ foods – or what we call wild foods – are not only good for you, they are also packed with flavour.

“For this reason, there has been a resurgence of farmers’ markets popping up throughout the country; for us, the Wildfoods Festival is the ultimate hunter and gatherer market.”

The 23rd annual Wildfoods Festival will be held on Saturday, 10 March 2012, at Cass Square in Hokitika. The unique nature of the festival attracts over 15,000 visitors to the town that has a local population of 3,400, and is a key economic driver for Hokitika and the wider Westland area. Tickets to the festival are on sale now, priced at $36 from www.ticketdirect.co.nz.

For more information about the festival, please visit www.wildfoods.co.nz

ENDS

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