Raising a glass to classic success

Angela Hannah, Lisa Atkins and Marie Walters enjoy some wine tasting at Salvare Estate during the Wineries Ride on Saturday. Photo / Duncan Brown

This year's F.A.W.C! Summer Series has been hailed a "roaring success".

Initial participation numbers were well above last year's attendance figures.

Hawke's Bay Tourism general manager Annie Dundas said the 2013 Food and Wine Classic, which drew to a close yesterday, had been "amazing", drawing people to the region from across the country.

"It's been a roaring success and the initial numbers are well above last year," she said.

Official numbers, profits and ticket sales would be calculated over the coming week.

The week-long series started with the sold-out launch party on November 1 at Craggy Range Winery, and wound up yesterday with the Sunday Carnivore Carnival at Hawke's Bay Racecourse.

"It was a beautiful day at the races to finish everything off, the band was playing and people were out in the sun enjoying the day."

Punters at the racecourse yesterday enjoyed two courses of prime-cut Hawke's Bay farmed meat cooked trackside.

The week's events included appearances from celebrity chefs Annabel Langbein, Nici Wickes, Auckland's French Cafe chef Simon Wright and celebrity chef and F.A.W.C! ambassador Ray McVinnie.

The food and wine festival included more than 50 individual events at some of Hawke's Bay's best venues, restaurants and cafes.

Masterchef 2011 winner Nadia Lim was also in the Bay for the series and gave a motivational speech to young EIT hospitality students.

Ms Dundas said a number of out-of-towners had enjoyed the Hawke's Bay produce and wine over the past week.

"There has been a big mix really of people from out of town, people from Wellington, looking quite sunburnt and happy, [and] people from Auckland. We had a couple from Queenstown and Christchurch as well."

During the final weekend yesterday and Saturday, there were 14 events, including the Ray McVinne-hosted Wineries Ride, as cyclists took a casual trip around wineries in Bridge Pa and the Gimblett Gravels. Ms Dundas said the Soul to Soul event at St Georges Restaurant on Saturday night was also a favourite with guests, as Auckland's famous Soul Bar and Bistro head chef Gareth Stewart, and award-winning St Georges chef and owner Francky Godinho served a six-course dinner.

"They loved it, Francky at St Georges and Rex Morgan on Friday night were great."

Chef Rex Morgan cooked some of his best dishes from the past 25 years at Sacred Hill Winery.

Looking ahead to future classics, she said the winter F.A.W.C! events were in the process of being finalised.

"The winter events are about getting people to Hawke's Bay in the off-season and enjoying our food and wine. It was a huge success in June this year so we are looking forward to next year now."

She said jokingly there were no plans for an autumn or spring F.A.W.C! series.