Winetopia presented by Singapore Airlines

The greatest celebration of New Zealand wine is back for its 3rd extraordinary year!

Journey deeper into the uncorked world of New Zealand wine, tasting delicious drops from 60 impressive wineries throughout our iconic wine regions. Unearth your favourites from the likes of Craggy Range, Mt Difficulty, Vavasour, Greywacke, and Man O’ War, taking home your favourite selections to sip, swirl and savour.

Winetopia presented by Singapore Airlines is your opportunity to get under the skin of the New Zealand grape scene and discover the colourful personalities that have made this country’s wine their life’s work. In this paradise for wine obsessives, there’s ideal opportunities to explore numerous regions and styles, try hundreds of lovingly crafted wines, and meet the makers from across all regions of New Zealand.

‘Share a glass’ with some famous faces, including Robyn Malcolm, Sir John Kirwan, Frankie Stevens, Julia Deans, Ray McVinnie and Moana Maniapoto, to unearth their favourite drop and a splash of humour along the way.

Learn from industry gurus including Master of Wine Bob Campbell and renowned Australian wine expert Mike Bennie, with masterclasses to enlighten, entertain and enhance your love of great wine. 

Plus, to close each session off with a bang, join Fat Freddy’s Drop trombonist, Joe Lindsay and ‘The Ol’ Dirty Brass Band’ (Lisa Tomlins, Julien Dyne and Lucien Johnson) for a Winetopia exclusive one-off performance! Definitely not one to miss!

Stay in the loop by ‘attending’ Winetopia on Facebook, and following us on Instagram and Twitter.

TICKETS

Ridiculously Good Value Tickets are $29 + booking fee (limited first release ticket) and includes entry to one session, 5 wine tasting tokens (valued at $10), Spiegelau wine glass (valued at $20) + free talks & entertainment. Get in quick for this ridiculously good value ticket, this price won’t last!

General Admission Tickets are $39 + booking fee and include entry to one session, 5 wine tasting tokens (valued at $10), a Spiegelau wine glass (valued at $20) + free talks & entertainment.

Cuisine Premium Tickets are $75 + booking fee and includes a Gift Bag, entry to one session, 5 wine tasting tokens (valued at $10), Spiegelau wine glass (valued at $20), Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut NV on arrival (60ml), Spiegelau Vino Vino Burgundy wine glass (valued at $40) + free talks & entertainment.

Masterclasses are $20 + booking fee – exclusive 45-minute interactive talk, including complimentary tastings of a number of premium wines.  Strictly limited number of Masterclass tickets are available per session. See below for further details.

Spiegelau Masterclass is $50 + booking fee – exclusive 30-minute interactive talk including tasting of a number of premium wines & 3 premium Spiegelau glasses for your to take home (valued at over $120). Every ticket purchased for this Masterclass also goes into the draw to win an Authentis Casual Decanter (valued $79.00).

Cazador Masterclass is $35 + booking fee – exclusive 45-minute interactive talk, including complimentary tastings of 4 premium wines and food matching from Cazador.

Clooney Masterclass is $60 + booking fee – exclusive 45-minute interactive talk, including complimentary tastings of 4 premium wines and food matching from Clooney.

Apéro Masterclass is $35 + booking fee – exclusive 45-minute interactive talk, including complimentary tastings of 4 premium wines and food matching from Apéro.

Friday 22 June - 5:00pm - 8:30pm
Saturday 23 June - 12:00pm - 3:30pm
Saturday 23 June - 4:30pm - 8:00pm

This event is strictly R18.
Please note drink tokens are non-refundable.
Masterclass tickets include tastings of the wines presented in the Masterclass.
Masterclass tickets DO NOT include entry into Winetopia.

More tasting tokens can be purchased at the event at $2 per tasting. Delicious food pairings will also be available to peruse and purchase. Most wines will be available to taste for one token. However some wineries will have super premium wines on offer, and these may cost multiple tasting tokens.

MASTERCLASSES

Masterclasses lead by special guest speakers are back for 2018. Indulge in the deeper joys of wine, learn from industry gurus and expect to be enthralled throughout the exclusive 45-minute interactive talk, including complimentary tastings of a number of premium varietals.

Tickets for Masterclass sessions can be pre-purchased now, so don't miss out! A limited number of Masterclass tickets are available per session, and can be purchased alongside your Winetopia session ticket for just $20 (+booking fee).

See below for schedule and more information about the classes and our special guest speakers.

There are strictly limited tickets to each Masterclass so secure your experience now!

Guest Speakers:

Mike Bennie
Australia

Friday 22 June – Session 1*
4:50pm - 5:35pm:  Sexy Syrah 
Pinot noir beware! Syrah, the quiet achiever with a distinct personality in varying regions, is on the rise for global attention with Australia’s prolific voice in wine Mike Bennie

Saturday 23 June – Session 2*
11:50pm - 12:35pm:  B-Sides
Join Australian wine expert Mike Bennie as he leads you on a discovery tasting, to unearth NZ’s lesser-known, unusual grape varieties and their delicious potential.

Saturday 23 June – Session 3*
4:20pm - 5:05pm:  Baller Wines
Premium, flagship, top-of-the-tree wines – identify what makes great wines great with Australian wine guru Mike Bennie, showcasing some of NZ’s finest names in wine.

*These Masterclass sessions begin 10-minutes prior to gates opening and main session beginning. Please ensure you’re at the event 10-minutes prior to this Masterclasses start time, and make yourself known to event staff to gain early entry. 

About Mike Bennie

When Mike Bennie isn’t wandering vineyards on the four corners of the globe, he is a respected and high profile freelance wine and drinks writer, journalist and presenter. A lot of his work appears in the highly-regarded publication Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, he is wine/drinks editor for Delicious magazine, and he is Editor-At-Large and contributor/writer to Australia’s most interactive wine commentary website WineFront.com.au. He is an active wine judge in Australia and overseas, a graduate of the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial, and is proudly a co-founder and co-director of the artisan and sustainability-focused Rootstock Sydney food and wine festival. He is prolific with his wine work, is a regular presenter at corporate and industry events, and between travels to exotic vineyards around the world, enjoys long walks on the beach with a bottle of wine (or sour beer) in his hand.

Bob Campbell (MW)
New Zealand

Friday 22 June – Session 1
5:55pm - 6:40pm:  Fabulous Fizz
Look no further, leading wine educator Bob Campbell, tells all about making and tasting high quality No.1 Family Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wines. 

Saturday 23 June – Session 2
12:55pm - 1:40pm:  Pinot WOW!
Crowd favourite pinot noir joins Bob Campbell (MW), to compare NZ's top 5 regions of this popular wine variety.

Saturday 23 June – Session 3
5:25pm - 6:10pm:  Serious Syrah
How to age with class and style - Master of Wine Bob Campbell, leads you on a vertical tasting, showcasing 5 vintages of Elephant Hill Syrah.

About Bob Campbell (MW)

New Zealand’s best known and most prolific voice in wine, Bob Campbell, was the second New Zealander and is one of only 353 people in the world to hold the Master of Wine qualification. He is widely regarded as New Zealand’s foremost wine educator, with more than 22,000 people having attended Bob’s wine diploma courses in New Zealand, Asia and Europe. He is wine editor of Your Home & Garden, Taste and the Air NZ in-flight magazine, as well as being New Zealand wine editor for Gourmet Traveller Wine. Bob contributes to wine publications in seven countries, and is currently chairman of judges at the NZ International Wine Show and chairman of the New Zealand section of the London-based Decanter World Wine Awards.

Spiegelau
The class of glass

Saturday 23 June – Session 2
3.00pm – 3.30pm: What a difference a glass makes: Can a glass change the taste?
Learn how the shape of a glass can improve or limit the taste and aroma of any wine you drink. This is your opportunity, like many before you, to taste some great wines and experience first-hand how the right glass can enrich your wine tasting experience. Admission includes 3 premium Spiegelau glasses for you to take home (valued at over $120).

Food and Wine
Matching

Beautiful wine is made to be enjoyed with beautiful food. It’s a celebration of our tastebuds, a complete experience, a true experience in being ‘wined and dined’. This year Winetopia is giving you the opportunity to experience a unique Masterclass experience including 4 premium wines, matched to 4 small tasting plates.

Friday 22 June – Session 1
7.00pm – 7:45pm: Into the Wild
An exploration into wild yeasts and wild food. Enjoy a flavoursome small tasting plate matched to 4 premium wines with Sommelier Meg Abbott-Walker and Cazador Head Chef Dariush Lolaiy.

Saturday 23 June – Session 2
2.00pm – 2.45pm: MADE IN NZ
Sommelier Benjamin Astarie, from Auckland’s exclusive Clooney Restaurant and head chef Nobu Lee, take you on a tasting tour of NZ, showcasing a small tasting plate consisting of NZ’s finest produce with 4 premium NZ wines to match. This is one not to miss!

Saturday 23 June – Session 3
6.30pm – 7.15pm: Good food, good wine, good company: the best way to wine
Join Sommelier Meg Abbott-Walker and French trained, Apéro Chef Leslie Hottiaux, as they show you how to bring people together through delicious food and wine, with a European/French twist. Enjoy 4 premium wines, alongside a mouth-watering small tasting plate to match created by Leslie Hottiaux.