Winetopia Auckland will once again celebrate the best of local wine from around the country.
Now in its ninth year, Winetopia Auckland is set to celebrate its most dazzling celebration of wine, while settling some scores on the main stage and hosting two days of restaurant-led masterclasses.
International wine expert and renowned drinks journalist Mike Bennie will fly in for the event, which takes place on 26 and 27 July 2024 at the Viaduct Events Centre. A regular judge across Australian and international wine competitions, Mike will share stories from his journeys through wine regions of the world on Winetopia’s main stage and share his favourite “baller wines” in masterclasses.
The main stage will also be home to a series of Winetopia Wine Battles. Attendees will taste and then vote for their favourite region or variety, ultimately determining the winner. MC Keelan McCafferty and Winetopia Founder Rob Eliott will moderate the Wine Battles.
A line-up of Auckland’s most exciting restaurants will run food and wine masterclasses, which are sure to get ticketholders' taste buds singing. Duo Eatery, Bossi, Te Kaahu, Manzo, and Culprit will all take attendees through a journey pairing their signature flavours with top wines from around the country.
New to Auckland Winetopia is SSA Certified Sake Sommelier, Marion Titmuss, founder of Somm-Sake. Marion loves making Sake easy and fun to explore and will be showcasing a diverse collection of carefully created Sake, which is ideal for Winetopia attendees looking to broaden their wine horizons.
Winetopia is the best place to discover new wineries in the space of an afternoon or evening. With 60 sensational wineries showcasing under one roof, there is something for every palate. From Northland’s Karikari Estate to Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley and Waiheke’s Casita Miro, there is a huge mix of wine varieties represented from all of New Zealand’s wine regions.
Wineries that are new to Winetopia Auckland this year include Ayrburn, Boulder Bay, Casita Miro, Cuvar, Edmond De Rothschild, Heritage NZ Wines, Folding Hill, Hampshire, Henlee, Moy Hall, Paroa Bay, Postage Stamp, Sante, Swiftsure, and Te Awanga. They join established Winetopia wineries, including Craggy Range, Nautilus Estate and Rockburn.
Visitors receive a Spiegelau glass to sample wines with and each ticket, as well as their first five tasting tokens. Winetopia has become a must-attend event for wine-lovers who enjoy purchasing direct from the wineries to take home bottles or order cases for home delivery.
American Express are sponsors of the Premium Lounge this year. Although tickets to the Premium Lounge are sold out, American Express Card Members can still look forward to additional benefits such as priority entry, complimentary coat check and a tasting of Cloudy Bay Pelorus NV on arrival to Winetopia just by showing their card.
In addition to a range of artisan food producers, four kitchens at the event are being run by top Auckland chefs, including Shun Dowling of Bossi and Jessabel Granada of Nanam, making Winetopia a wine and food lover’s dream come true. To top it all off, each session of Winetopia Auckland will finish with a live performance of soulful vintage tunes by Auckland band Tiny Ticket.
Winetopia Auckland is organised by Lemongrass Productions and is proud to be supported by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, American Express, You Travel and Spiegelau.
