• Chef’s Table to be part of Festival for first time

• International flavours combine with Marlborough Wines

With over 30 food stalls, the 2012 Marlborough Wine and Food Festival is set to be a gastronomic event.

New Zealand’s largest and longest running wine festival takes place on Saturday February 11, at the historic Brancott Estate Vineyard.

Alongside the 60 wineries and hundreds of locally produced wines, the festival will highlight the abundance of gourmet food produced in the region.

General Manager Marcus Pickens said the food stalls will represent close to a dozen international cuisines, from French to Indian, Mexican to Japanese, as well as highlighting classic New Zealand fare.

“Marlborough wines are renowned for complementing an array of food styles and we wanted to showcase that ability at this year’s festival,” he said.

An added bonus is the introduction of the Fisher and Paykel Chef’s Table, with well known celebrity chefs coming to Marlborough to demonstrate their skills.

“The cooking demonstrations will be held throughout the day, with entry being a gold coin donation,” Mr Pickens said. “Thanks to the generosity of the chefs tables food sponsors, Regal Salmon, Canter Valley and Beef and Lamb New Zealand providing food product we will be able to make a donation to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal from the Fisher and Paykel Chefs Table.”

Many of the wineries onsite will also be matching their wines with specifically created dishes. Members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite wine and food match, via text on the day.

Wine lovers will also get the chance to learn from winemaking masters, with the popular wine tutorials returning this year. Marlborough’s flagship wine Sauvignon Blanc will come under the spotlight with an Evolution class focusing on the older and more diverse styles. The other tutorial, Wild Card Reds, will highlight the red varietals emerging in Marlborough.

The jam-packed day includes entertainment from Kiwi legends Hello Sailor, plus Tahuna Breaks, Dane Rumble, Christchurch band Dukes and Marlborough boys, Remastered.

“The Marlborough Wine and Food Festival has been a part of summer for nearly 30 years,” Mr Pickens said. “2012 will be no different. We have something for everyone, no matter what age.”

Tickets for the festival are available at all Ticket Direct outlets at www.ticketdirect.co.nz ^[1] or 0800 224 224.

 

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