Tutukaka axed from Winery Tour

This year's Winery Tour attracted a bumper audience of all ages to Tutukaka to see Stan Walker (above), The Exponents and Breaks Co-op, but the tour won't be back in Northland next year. Photo / File

Northland music lovers won't be able to listen to live music outdoors at Tutukaka in February with the venue axed from hosting the Winery Tour in 2015 as organisers focus on actual wineries for the show.

The Winery Tour has been a fixture at the Tutukaka Marina Reserve in February since 2010 - when Tim Finn, Bic Runga and Dave Dobbyn took to the stage - attracting a crowd of up to 3000.

But for next year's tour Tutukaka has missed out.

The next Winery Tour has Dave Dobbyn and Don McGlashan performing together, joined by the legendary Supergroove and Winery Tour regular Anika Moa.

The 2015 Tour will play nine shows in nine wineries around New Zealand between late January and the start of March, with all shows played on a Friday or Saturday or the day immediately prior to a public holiday.

Co-promoter Campbell Smith said: "This tour is about great NZ music, great NZ wine and food, stunning locations and the warm and balmy nights of summer. It's all about feeling good with friends and family, kicking off your shoes, having a wine or two, a dance and singing along. And for the 2015 Winery Tour we believe that we have one of the greatest line-ups of talent we have ever put together, to play in the best wineries in the country."

Mr Smith says the 2015 tour will focus on fewer wineries and scheduling the shows on the best days of each week.

"We are sad to be not returning to some tour spots in 2015 that have hosted great shows in the past, but we hope that our fans from those places will find the closest Winery Tour show to them, buy tickets, pack their bags, book a motel or hit up friends for the couch and make a weekend away of it," he said.

The nearest the Winery Tour comes to Tutukaka is Ascension Wine Estate, Matakana, on February 7.

*Are you disappointed the Winery Tour is not coming to Northland next year? Send your views, and include memories of Winery Tours past, to: reporters@northernadvocate.co.nz