A reinvention

What began as the Gisborne Wine and Food Festival in 1997 and has seen many incarnations from vineyard-based to single venues and a mixture of both, has this year been reborn as The Weekend of Wine and Food.

Gisborne Winegrowers' Society has partnered with Tourism Eastland to create a new-look cellar door-based event which organisers say is just what the public has been asking for.

Event manager Prue Younger says the two-day event to be held on October 24-25 will provide visitors with an authentic Gisborne wine and food experience.

"We have unique cellar doors around our region and this is a way to get people out to those venues and truly showcase the region, rather than having it all at one site," says Younger.

"The event will also promote any other activities related to a food or wine experience that the hospitality industry wishes to put on to show off our great Gisborne produce."

The Weekend of Wine and Food is completely different from earlier festival-type events, with wine and food the top priority, she says.

"There will be entertainment but it will be low-key - this is an event for real wine-lovers."

The highlight of the weekend will be a six-course 'Celebrate Chardonnay' degustation dinner where local winemakers will present their wines matched with Gisborne produce and the culinary talents of Peppers Beachfront chefs Dan and Bridget French. Guests will have the opportunity to score each wine and dish in a 'People's Choice' competition.

Gisborne Winegrowers marketing sub-committee chairman Andrew Vette says the new format will give wine-lovers the event they really want.

"We're pretty excited to have transport to the cellar doors - we have had a huge amount of feedback to say that's what people have enjoyed in the past and want in the future."

Tourism Eastland chief executive Stuart Perry says The Weekend of Wine and Food is the first of a number of exciting events planned for 'Out East' this summer.

"This celebration of our fine food and stunning wines is a showcase for the region," says Perry.

"The Labour Weekend timing of the event gives visitors three days to experience the many sights and activities on offer here and savour all that is great about our district."

Perry is looking to see a big increase in visitors from Hawke's Bay because their anniversary day falls on the Friday before Labour Weekend giving them a four-day holiday.

Tickets are $25 for a one-day pass or $40 for a two-day pass, with a cellar-door pass of $15 for those who want to use their own transport. Available from ticketek.co.nz, Tourism Eastland and the Gisborne Wine Centre. Bus tickets will be limited to 1000-per-day. Up to 10 winery venues will open from 11am until 5pm gisbornewineandfood.co.nz. Buses will operate two circuits from a base at the Gisborne Wine Centre, stopping at up to 10 cellar-doors at 30-minute intervals on both days, creating an easy 'hop-on, hop-off' service.