Source: Winetopia
International & local wine gurus, top Auckland chefs, 60 leading wineries and a sake sommelier make for a sensational celebration
Now in its 9th year, Winetopia Auckland is set to celebrate its most dazzling celebration of wine, while settling some scores on the main stage and hosting two days of restaurant-led masterclasses.
Flying in for the event, which takes place on 26 and 27 July 2024 at the Viaduct Events Centre, is international wine expert and renowned drinks journalist Mike Bennie.
A regular judge across Australian and international wine competitions, Mike will be sharing stories from his journeys through wine regions of the world on Winetopia’s main stage and sharing his favourite “baller wines” in masterclasses.
The main stage will also be home to a series of Winetopia Wine Battles, with attendees getting to taste and then vote for their favourite region or variety, ultimately determining the winner. Moderating Wine Battles will be MC Keelan McCafferty and Winetopia Founder Rob Eliott.
A line-up of Auckland’s most exciting restaurants are running their own food and wine masterclasses, which are sure to get ticketholder’s taste buds singing. Duo Eatery, Bossi, Te Kaahu, Manzo and Culprit will all be taking attendees through a journey pairing their signature flavours to top wines from around the country.
New to Auckland Winetopia is SSA Certified Sake Sommelier, Marion Titmuss, founder of Somm-Sake. Marion loves making Sake easy and fun to explore and will be showcasing a diverse collection of carefully created Sake, which is ideal for Winetopia attendees looking to broaden their wine horizons.
Winetopia is the best place to discover new wineries in the space of an afternoon or evening. With 60 sensational wineries showcasing under one roof, there is something for every palate. From Northland’s Karikari Estate to Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley and Waiheke’s Casita Miro, there is a huge mix of wine varieties represented from all Aotearoa’s wine regions.
Wineries that are new to Winetopia Auckland this year include: Ayrburn, Boulder Bay, Casita Miro, Cuvar, Edmond De Rothschild, Heritage NZ Wines, Folding Hill, Hampshire, Henlee, Moy Hall, Paroa Bay, Postage Stamp, Sante, Swiftsure, and Te Awanga. They join established Winetopia wineries including Craggy Range, Nautilus Estate and Rockburn.
Visitors receive a Spiegelau glass to sample wines with and each ticket also includes their first five tasting tokens. Winetopia has become a must-attend event for wine-lovers who enjoy purchasing direct from the wineries to take home bottles or order cases for home delivery.
American Express are sponsors of the Premium Lounge this year. Although tickets to the Premium Lounge are sold out, American Express Card Members can still look forward to additional benefits such as priority entry, complimentary coat check and a tasting of Cloudy Bay Pelorus NV on arrival to Winetopia just by showing their card.
In addition to a range of artisan food producers, four kitchens at the event being run by top Auckland chefs including Shun Dowling of Bossi and Jessabel Granada of Nanam, making Winetopia a wine and food lover’s dream come true. To top it all off, each session of Winetopia Auckland will finish with a live performance of soulful vintage tunes by Auckland band Tiny Ticket.
Winetopia Auckland is organised by Lemongrass Productions and is proud to be supported by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, American Express, You Travel and Spiegelau.
