We are very pleased to be giving away two general admission passes to the Wellington Winetopia event (transport excluded) to our GrownUps members.
All you need to do to enter the draw is be a GrownUps member, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter and fill in your details near the bottom of the page!
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About Winetopia
Winetopia presented by Singapore Airlines, New Zealand’s biggest and most extravagant celebration of wine, has announced its talent line up, which includes award-winning comedian Ben Hurley (Wellington and Christchurch only) and the talented Auckland-based covers band Two Many Chiefs.
Ben Hurley will be bringing his bold yet charming personality to all three cities as the event MC and main stage host. During the events, Ben will be hosting wine writers, masters of wine, and some famous NZ faces. Says Ben, “I’m really looking forward to hosting these shows, great food, music, and of course the wine.” Ben is best known for his TV appearances on THREE’s ‘7 Days’ and ‘The Project’. He has also hosted the NZ Music Awards and is the roving reporter for TVNZ’s ‘Seven Sharp’.
To get everyone in a celebratory mood, the acclaimed group Two Many Chiefs are back by popular demand and will be bringing their soulful tunes and timeless classics to the Winetopia stages in Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland. This year, Two Many Chiefs will be joined by saxophonists Louisa Williamson (who will be performing at the Wellington event) and Thabani Gapara (who will be performing at the Christchurch and Auckland events). Two Many Chiefs are renowned for their funky, background jazz and their wide range of material covering everything from jazz standards to modern, Top 40 hits.
American novelist and filmmaker Rex Pickett, best known for his novel Sideways, which was adapted into a 2004 box office hit of the same name, will be appearing at all three Winetopia events. Rex is currently in New Zealand to write a follow up to Sideways and will be interviewed on the Main stage over a glass of Central Otago Pinot Noir by renowned NZ comedian Ben Hurley at the Wellington and Christchurch events.
Here for a good time, not a long one, Winetopia today also announces the launch of a new event experience, ‘Date The Maker,’ where visitors will get just a few minutes up close and personal with some dazzling winemakers. This is speed tasting at its finest and by the end of the experience visitors will have become intimate with a range of wine folk from around the country – all serving different glorious expressions of the same grape. Will they find their perfect match, or will they cast all aside for the promise of something new from the sea of wineries awaiting them?
In addition to the entertainment element, wine lovers will be able to participate in a variety of tasting sessions, masterclasses, and sommelier sessions where they will be able to learn about the delicious wines they’re tasting. The Gaggenau Sommelier Sessions will be back for a second year at the Auckland event, allowing wine lovers to step inside the mind of a sommelier and taste some of their favourite wines. There will also be cooking demonstrations by chefs Tim Read and Des Harris serving up delectable food pairings, to elevate the culinary experience.
One of the best things about Winetopia is learning about wine and who better to impart their knowledge than NZ’s top wine experts? Legendary wine guru Bob Campbell, New Zealand’s best known and most prolific voice in wine, as well as Stephen Wong, Master of Wine, who has amassed a wealth of knowledge throughout his career as a sommelier, will both be speaking at the events and sharing their expertise. Prolific wine writers Joelle Thomson and Angie Atkinson also appear across the event series bringing their own flair and discoveries to share.
Winetopia Founder Rob Elliott says, “We’re thrilled to be working with such a talented group of people to help make the Winetopia experience all the more memorable for our attendees. One of the things that sets Winetopia apart from other wine events is that we are all about bringing fun and entertainment into the mix to create a bit of theatre for the wine tasting experience. Combine that with delicious food and sensational wines from over 50 of New Zealand’s most prestigious wineries, and it’s a pretty wonderful experience. We can’t wait to welcome people to our upcoming events and raise a glass together to celebrate Aotearoa’s most enchanting wines over the coming months.”
Each Winetopia event will feature over 50 leading wineries in each city and an all-star (and all-Kiwi) cast of presenters. Wine lovers can expect a sumptuous experience with the results of the exceptional past two vintages being opened for tasting (approximately 250 wines per event).
Visitors have an opportunity to ‘tour’ each region of the country and try all styles of wine. From Marlborough Albarino to Central Otago Pinot, Northland Chardonnay to Hawkes Bay Syrah, there is something amazing for all tastes. A limited number of ‘Golden Coins’ can be purchased in advance or at the event and these will afford the attendee a taste of one of the most prestigious wines from around the country retailing at over $100 per bottle.
Now into its 7th year, Winetopia has gone from strength to strength, offering wine sales through the website alongside event tickets and access to the Winetopia Club – an opportunity to discover wines and boutique brands throughout the year.
The Winetopia events will take place at the following locations:
• Wellington (1-2 July) at TSB Arena, 4 Queen’s Wharf, Wellington Central
• Christchurch (26-27 August) at the new Te Pae Christchurch Convention and Exhibition Centre
• Auckland (28-29 October) at Shed 10, Queen’s Wharf
To view the wineries that will be attending the events and to book your tickets now, visit www.winetopia.co.nz.
The wineries (participating in at least one city) are: Matahiwi, Coal Pit, Ohau, Prophet’s Rock, Fromm, Pisa Range, Judge Rock, Domaine Road, Astrolabe, Longview, Greywacke, Mahi, The Landing, Esk Valley, Sovrano Estate, Waitiri Creek, No1 Family Estate, Tony Bish, Dancing Petrel, Westbrook, Quartz Reef, Karikari Estate, Cloudy Bay, JK14, Osawa, Wooing Tree, Palliser, Takapoto Estate, Craggy Range, Petane Station, Seresin, OTU, Nautilus, Esses, Unison, Mount Michael, Elephant Hill, Paroa Bay, Escarpment, Carrick, Rockburn, Forrest, Catalina Sounds, Stonecroft, Clearview, Bald Hills, Abbey Cellars, Church Road, Nanny Goat, Peacock Sky, Monowai, Smith & Sheth, Hanz Herzog, Three Miners, The Winemakers Wife, Gibbston Valley, Tupari, Ash Ridge, Abel Wines, The Boneline, Elephant Hill, Paritua
A valid My Vaccine Pass is required to attend all Winetopia events. The organisers are confident the events will run on the scheduled dates, but if postponements due to covid are necessary then tickets will be transferred to the new dates or refunds offered.
Terms and conditions
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- You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
- Competition closes on the 14th June 2022, winners will be notified via email by 16th June 2022.
- As a competition winner, you must confirm you have received our email notifying you of the win within three days. If we have not heard from you in three days the prize will be redrawn, and your prize will be forfeit.
- As a competition winner, you are responsible for transport to and from the event.
- Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
- GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
- By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
- One entry per person.
- Prize in non transferrable.
- You must reside in New Zealand – the prize will only be posted within New Zealand.
- You must be over 50 years of age to enter, check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.