Get Ready for New Zealand’s Biggest, Smallest Boutique Wine Festival

It has the biggest selection of leading small-production wineries from across the country and it’s coming soon! Get ready for the New Zealand Boutique Wine Festival, 10th June 2018, at the Imperial Buildings Fort Lane, Auckland.

A pleasant journey through the cellar doors of some of our smallest, but most passionate vineyards, this festival is designed to please, with rare vintages, vertical tastings and Masterclasses with renowned industry gurus, including Yvonne Lorkin (festival ambassador), Joelle Thompson and Wellington based ‘natural wine’ expert, Jules van Costello.

“This event has amazing wines you won’t get to taste anywhere else, and what is even better is that you get to sample them amongst a sparkling crowd of wine-lovers, in a stunning location, with great music to match,” says festival owner Sue Duncan.

“This is the perfect Sunday event, designed to suit all kinds of wine lovers, from beginners to buffs,” she said.

A highlight of this year’s event will be a Masterclass led by NZBWF’s official ambassador, Yvonne Lorkin.

Lorkin brings huge knowledge about wine, and is a prolific columnist, writing for Dish and Canvas magazines, wine columns for ten regional newspapers, she is wine correspondent for Radio NZ, Chief Tasting Officer of WineFriend.co.nz and, for the last seven years’ producer and presenter of the TV show; Thirsty Work.

She brings a reputation for fun and feisty presentations and her festival Masterclass, ‘Wildcard Reds - local versions of foreign legends’, aims to unpack some of the new, groovy and downright different red varietals being grown here in New Zealand.

Another speaker is Jules van Costello - drinks writer, restauranteur, and wine director of Wellington specialist wine shop Cult Wine. In his masterclass, Jules will be addressing; ‘What we mean when we talk about Natural wine.'

Joelle Thomson is a local legend of New Zealand wine and her Masterclass, ‘What’s hot in NZ wine’, covering the evolution of Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, and why some wines succeed while others fail, is sure to be a sell-out success.

Every festival visitor should also book in to one of the Vertical Tastings happening during the day, an opportunity to taste a ‘flight’ of wines from one vineyard, one grape variety, of several different vintages. These tastings demonstrate how different external conditions (weather, time of picking, and a winemaker’s nuances) are reflected in each wine.

With wines from Northland to Central Otago, the New Zealand Boutique Wine Festival 2018 creates an ideal opportunity to see, taste and learn about some of the hidden gems New Zealand keeps bottled up.

The full line-up of NZ Boutique Wine Festival vineyards include: Turanga Creek, Black Ridge Vineyard, Mon Cheval Wines, Tironui Estate, Johner Estate, Teravin, Mount Michael Wines, Lone Goat Vineyard, Clos Marguerite, Judge Rock, Fancrest Estate, Wet Jacket, Collaboration Wines, Cable Bay, Two Rivers, Man O' War, Maison Noire, Silver Wing Wines, House Of Ball, Maori Point, Peacock Sky, The Bonelines, Cypress Wines, Greystone Wines, Hopes Grove, Kina Beach Vineyard, Tantalus Estate, Terravin Wines and William Murdoch.

Tickets are on sale and selling fast. Check out NZBWF for tickets and timings and for updates and sneak previews leading up to the event, see the NZBWF Facebook page and Instagram.

“This event is packed full of flavour and surprise and we look forward to seeing New Zealand’s wine lovers at the NZ Boutique Wine Festival in June,” says Duncan.

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