Marlborough Wine and Food Festival 2012

February 7, 2012

Marlborough Wine and Food Festival – With the Best Entertainment from the Past, Present and Future

• 5 days to go until New Zealand’s largest Wine Festival
• Renowned entertainer Clarke Gayford to MC

The entertainment line up for this year’s Marlborough Wine and Food Festival has just got more impressive with a classic mix of entertainment encompassing 30 years of New Zealand music, a renowned celebrity as MC and innovative cooking classes from the country’s top chefs.

For the 29th wine festival, there is a strong emphasis on wine and food matching, with the opportunity to text vote for their favourite pairing on the day. In a move to evolve and strengthen the food element of the event, the Fisher & Paykel Chef’s Table has been introduced for the first time. Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens said entry to this demonstration area will by gold coin donation with funds raised being passed on to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

“We have Grant Dicker coming from Mint Dining Room courtesy of Beef and Lamb New Zealand and Matt Bouterey, an award winning Michelin star trained chef from his own restaurant, Bouterey’s Restaurant in Nelson. Both will conduct cooking demonstrations focusing on beef, lamb and Regal Salmon.”

Heading the music bill is renowned rock band Hello Sailor – one of only nine inductees in the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. Joining them is seven piece band Tahuna Breaks, who will make their festival debut and Dane Rumble another festival debutant.

The final debutant to the event is the Dukes from Christchurch. Having just returned from gigs in Singapore, Dubai and London, The Dukes have also supported big names like Blondie and the Pretenders, INXS and Gomez, on their New Zealand tours. Their instantly recognisable hit ‘Vampires’ was a top 10 hit, with the video winning the Juice Awards for Video of the Year.

Completing the line-up is local Marlborough band Remastered.

Mr. Pickens said this year’s event was the most comprehensive ever in terms of entertainment.

“We have something for everyone, no matter what age. Plus we are covering the best of the past, present and future of New Zealand’s music industry.”

MC at the festival will be well known television and More FM radio host Clarke Gayford. The creator of COW TV in Dunedin, Gayford was also involved in Pulp Sports, and has been the host of C4 Music Television and more recently Prime TV’s Getaway programme. Listen up for his unique take on the event and its place in New Zealand festival history.

With 60 wineries on site, hundreds of wines, 30 food stalls, wine tutorials and Fashion in the Vines, the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival is not only the longest running event of its kind in New Zealand, it is also the largest.

The Marlborough Wine and Food Festival will be held at the historic Brancott Estate Vineyard, the very first place to produce Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Tickets for the February 11 event are selling fast, and are available from www.ticketdirect.co.nz or 0800 224 224

ENDS