Festival Programme

Friday 10 February 2012

FRIDAY TWILIGHT SPARKLING CRUISE

Experience a wonderful cruise out on the Marlborough Sounds at Twilight. Buses will depart Blenheim at4pm for Havelock where guests will board the Marlborough Travel Odyssea Launch and cruise into the Marlborough Sounds for an evening of fine wine, delicious cuisine and stunning scenery. Also included is a tour of a mussel farm and an opportunity to sample seafood straight from the sea.

Date: Friday 10 February 2012

Depart Seymour Square, Blenheim: 4pm

Arrive back to Blenheim at 9:30pm

Tickets are just $120 + booking fee and include coach trip to and from Havelock, Sounds Cruise, food and wine.

Click here to purchase your tickets.

NUITS ROMANTIQUES AT CLOS HENRI VINEYARD

Friday 10^th February 2012

Venue: Clos Henri Cellar Door, SH63, Blenheim

Enjoy an evening of French culture at the picturesque Clos Henri Cellar Door for Nuits Romantiques, the celebration of Valentine’s Day.

With canapés anda glass of Clos Henri wine to start, the French outdoor movie will be screened on our chapel lawn amongst the vineyard with French style movie treats for your tasting pleasure.

All inclusive of the ticket price, with other wine available for purchase on the night and no BYO. Bring low lawn chairs or a blanket, good friends or that special someone and start the weekend of the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival at Clos Henri Vineyard.

Start time: 8.30 pm - Movie will screen around 9.30 pm

No gate sales and Ticket Price: $48 from www.ticketdirect.co.nz

Contact: Chelsea Allan

Email: cellardoor@closhenri.com or Phone: (03) 572 7923

Click here for more information.

BBQ, LIVE MUSIC, RENAISSANCE BEER TASTINGS & WINE TASTINGS AT HUNTER'S RESTAURANT

Friday 10^th February 2012, Open from 5.30pm

Venue: Hunter’s Restaurant, 603 Rapaura Road, Blenheim

Relax and enjoy live acoustic music from local artists Tom Knowles and Josh Logan, a delicious BBQ menu,

Renaissance beer tastings and wine tastings from Hunter’s in the Garden Restaurant just 10 min from town.

Live music starts at 6pm, Renaissance beer tastings are available from 6pm – 8pm and wine tastings will be available from 5.30pm.

Choose from a delicious BBQ menu from $24.50 - $32.00 which includes a large range of buffet salads and bread selection. Starters and desserts are also available.

Bookings recommended – groups welcome. Contact: Sarah McDermid Email:sarah@hunters.co.nz or ph 03 572 8589 Or Restaurant ph 03 572 8803

For taxi/shuttle bookings: Neal Shuttle Bus 0800 577 527 or Marlborough Taxis (03) 577 5511

Saturday 11 February 2012

BRANCOTT ESTATE HERITAGE CENTRE EVENT CALENDAR - BUBBLY BREAKFAST

Start the wine and food festival early with a bubbly breakfast at the Brancott Estate Heritage Centre.

Time: 8.30 am to 10:00am

The Brancott Estate Heritage Centre offers the perfect way to start this year’s Marlborough Wine Festival, with bubbles and breakfast overlooking the stunning vista of Brancott Vineyard. Just a stone’s throw from the Festival site, the Brancott Estate Heritage Centre offers a stylish location to kick start the day’s activities, with a delicious bubbly breakfast starting at 8.30am. Bookings are essential.

THE MARLBOROUGH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
"101 must do weekends" full of spectacular wines, delicious cuisine and fantastic entertainment. The festival has something for everyone including wine tutorials with the regions' leading winemakers and viticulturists, the Fashion in the Vines competition and the Food and wine matching competition.

This year 60 wineries are participating and over 30 local and national food suppliers.
Gates open at 10:30am for this one day festival and tickets always sell out!

Featuring: Hello Sailor, Dane Rumble, Tahuna Breaks and much more......

Click here to secure your tickets to the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival 2012

WINE TUTORIAL #1

The Evolution of Sauvignon Blanc

11:30am - 12:30pm

Learn more about the variety that put New Zealand wine on the global map including its diversity, complexity and ageability. At this special tasting you will have the opportunity to sample between 6 and 8 older vintage wines as well as the different styles of Sauvignon Blanc that have emerged over the past decade, under the expert tuition of two well known winemakers. If you are a wine buff, or just curious about how winemakers transform fruit intoone of the New Zealand’s most complex products, this is the tutorial for you. Tickets limited to 80 seats.

Click here to purchase your tickets to the Evolution of Sauvignon Blanc wine tutorial.

WINE TUTORIAL #2

1:30pm - 2:30pm

The Marlborough Wild Card Red Tasting

Some of our top winemakers have been quietly working away mastering new red varieties within

Marlboroughand we now have some excellent examples to add to our region’s repertoire, including

Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot/Malbec and Montepulciano. Take this rare opportunity to try the stunning wines under the guidance of the winemakers who created them. The Wild Card Red tasting theme was tested with international wine media and trade people recently and received rave reviews, so we arenow introducing it to festival guests who will have the chance to experience the potential of these varieties. Tickets limited to 80 seats.

Click here to purchase your tickets to the Marlborough Wild Card Red wine tutorial.

Please note that you MUST have a ticket to the Wine Festival to go to this tutorial, as the tutorial takes part in the festival site. If you book a ticket to the tutorial and haven't got a Wine Festival ticket, you won't be able to get into the tutorial.

Chef's Table

A series of free culinary demonstrations by top NZ Chefs celebrating local and NZ produce alongside Marlborough wines.

Watch, learn and be inspired.

Fisher & Paykel Chef's Table Programme

12:30pm Fisher & Paykel Chef’s Table - Grant Dicker & Beef & Lamb NZ

1:00pm Fisher & Paykel Chef’s Table - Matt Bouterey & Regal Salmon

2:30pm Fisher & Paykel Chef’s Table - Grant Dicker & Beef & Lamb NZ

3:00pm Fisher & Paykel Chef’s Table - Matt Bouterey & Regal Salmon

Click here for more information.

Sunday 12 February 2012

SUNDAY SOUNDS SPARKLING CRUISE

9.30am Coach collection from Seymour Square bus stop in central Blenheim followed by 9.45am collection from Marlborough Vinters Hotel (MVH).

Head out to Havelock Marina to board Marlborough Travel's launch - Odyssea for a stunning Marlborough Sounds experience. Sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery, the commentary and of course the wonderful Marlborough wines!

Cruise into a Greenshell Mussel Farm where your experienced skipper will explain how and why they grow so well here. taste the perfect food match - the freshly steamed mussels served with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Click here to purchase your tickets.

SUNDAY WINE DOWN TOUR

Enjoy a relaxing day of exploration f some of Marlborough's stunning tourist destinations including some top cellar doors, Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre and lunch at one of the region's renowned winery's - Wither Hills.

Click here to purchase your tickets.