New events for Toast Martinborough 2014

Tickets to Wairarapa’s premier annual wine, food and music festival go on sale next week – and organisers are promising a range of new and exciting additions to the menu.

“Toast Martinborough just keeps getting better,” says General Manager Rachael Fletcher. “The nine participating vineyards and their foodie-focused partners have got together to offer some amazing new experiences – all with the festival’s famous touch of glamour and sophistication.”

To be held on Sunday 16 November, Toast Martinborough’s highlights include a series of informal food and wine ‘masterclasses’. Well known gourmets such as author and chef Julie Biuso and winemaker Helen Masters will entertain and educate festival-goers on topics ranging from oyster shucking and serving to wine label decoding. Accompanying the events will be an extensive range of ‘must taste’ wines, including Margrain Vineyards’ new En Rose bubbles, Ata Rangi’s cellared Craighall Riesling and the exclusive-to-the-festival Escarpment Rosé.

“That’s just the beginning,” says Fletcher. “Dry River’s offering a hole-in-one golf competition, Palliser Estate’s uniting beef, lamb and the best in barbecuing and, for the first time, Te Kairanga and Martinborough Vineyard are joining forces to offer a superb five-star experience. This will include food from hot new Wellington restaurant The Crab Shack and, as a pick-me-up at the end of the day, Sangria made from Wairarapa’s own Lighthouse Gin.”

As for the music, festival-goers can expect everything from solo artists to big bands, and sounds covering the spectrum of jazz, blues and covers to salsa, brass, Afrobeat and rootsy Americana folk.

“The beauty of Toast Martinborough is that festival-goers enjoy a unique food, wine and music experience at each vineyard, with the freedom to travel the route on foot or via a free shuttle bus service,” says Fletcher. “It has a magic that’s attracted people from around New Zealand and the world for 22 years – and we’re really excited about the new developments for 2014. We look forward to welcoming Toast veterans and newcomers alike.”

The tickets will go on sale at 9am on 1 October via www.ticketek.co.nz, 0800 TICKETEK and Ticketek outlets nationwide. With a tradition of all 10,000 selling out quickly, Fletcher advises a swift response.

“Our Facebook and Twitter friends are already raving about our plans, so we expect strong demand and a fantastic turn-out on the day.”

The Toast Martinborough 2014 participants

·         Ata Rangi, with Ruth Pretty Catering
·         Dry River, with Capitol and WBC
·         Escarpment, with HG Catering
·         Margrain Vineyard, with The Vineyard Café
·         Muirlea Rise, with Fine Cuisine
·         Palliser Estate, with Bar Saluté
·         Te Kairanga Wines & Martinborough Vineyard, with Wharekauhau Country Estate & The Crab Shack
·         Tirohana Estate, with Tirohana Estate Restaurant
·         Vynfields, with Café Medici