KEY POINTS:
With glasses gaily swinging on lanyards around the neck, keen imbibers will shortly be tripping across the nation's vineyards as thousands flock to the festivals held in our wine regions this summer.
A heady mix of sunshine, local wine, food and music are strong draws to these events
that run from Waiheke to Waipara and often prove to be a casual and convivial way to get a snapshot of a region's wines.
Starting off the sipping season is Gisborne's Wine & Food Festival this Sunday.
The multi-site event will be based around three vineyards, plus a group venue for the remaining 19 wineries taking part, linked by buses.
Another event allowing the masses to meander through individual vineyards is next month's ever-popular Toast Martinborough. Given its compact nature, the region is perfectly suited to this approach, which allows visitors to wander between the 10 sites or hop on and off the buses circulating throughout the day. So popular is it in fact, that when tickets went on sale for it a fortnight ago they sold out in just five minutes. With overcrowding able to change a cruisy day into congested chaos, organisers have placed strict limits on the number of tickets made available each year.
The largest event of its kind, The Marlborough Wine Festival, held on Valentine's Day this year, has also capped its numbers at 8000, down from the 20,000 that once thronged there.
As well as the victuals and vino, supplied by over 50 wineries, part of the Marlborough package is some top-end musical entertainment _ this year drinkers are set to be serenaded by the Black Seeds and Phoenix Foundation. For those fancying something more cerebral in between sips, there's a Riedel wine glass master class, plus tutorial on Marlborough's sub regions in the offing.
Another festival with a major musical component is the Devonport Food, Wine and Music Festival the following weekend. Performers include Goldenhorse, and perhaps fittingly for a place where the alcohol doth flow, Jordan Luck and his band. There's also more educational input courtesy of Glengarry who are offering classes on wine appreciation.
So it's not all about getting squiffy, but that is an inescapable side effect of these affairs. I've seen a few things I wish I hadn't at festivals in my time, such as some irrigation applied to Montana's Marlborough festival block that I've been assured plays no part in the classic characters of sauvignon coming from that historic vineyard!
While high spirits and a little loss of footing are acceptable, leglessness amongst attendees is something festival organisers are keen to curb. Keeping ticket prices at levels high enough to deter anyone out for a cheap day's boozing has been one way some festivals have tried to tackle the issue, but some still trickle past.
This year the Gisborne Food & Wine Festival is running a Drink Wise campaign using the slogan "Show us you have class and drink out of your glass" with the bottle sales that encourage such debauched deportment banished from this year's bacchanalia. Stickers sporting this message will be handed out to well-behaved imbibers to be worn as a badge of honour.
So go ye into the vineyards, armed with sun hat, cream, shades and a soupcon of sobriety!
AL FRESCO DRINKING
A light, fresh and summery selection suited to being enjoyed outdoors.
Spinyback Nelson Pinot Gris 2008 $18.95
Made by Waimea, this is one of the most impressive under-$20 2008 gris that I've tried to date. It certainly doesn't skimp on flavour, possessing the variety's classic pear and cinnamon spice characters and voluptuous viscosity counterpoised by a pleasing freshness.
(From Don Johnson's, Gladstone Wines, Huapai Wines.)
Riverby Estate Marlborough Sail's Block Riesling 2008 $19.50
With their often lower alcohol levels and versatile styles, rieslings can make for great picnic wines. This off-dry example lifted by bright grapefruit acidity has lots of fleshy peach and mandarin fruit with added intensity from the addition of grapes affected by noble rot.
(From Scenic Cellars, Caros, Herne Bay Cellars, The Wine Vault.)
Bald Hills Friends and Lovers Central Otago Rose 2008 $22
'Tis the season of wine and roses, and this one's a winner with its mouthwatering and vibrant palate of raspberries and cream and hint of subtle sweetness. Summer in a glass.
(Mail order from www.baldhills.co.nz.)Polish your glass and get ready for this season's run of wine festivals
