Marlborough Wine Festival Heading for Sell-out

February 8, 2011

Twenty-eight years after the first Marlborough Wine Festival, organisers are preparing for another sell-out this weekend.

8000 tickets went on sale for the iconic event, with all but a handful being sold prior to today. Wine Marlborough GM Marcus Pickens says the quality of the festival is renowned nationally and internationally.

“There is nothing like the Marlborough Wine Festival anywhere else in New Zealand. Our wine, food and entertainment are world-class and combined with the stunning Brancott Vineyard setting, the festival is viewed as one of the must do events in the country.”

Given this is the 28th Marlborough Wine Festival, the organising committee are honouring one of the stalwarts of the event. Gerry Gregg from Pernod Ricard was one of the instigators of the Festival back in the 1980s. He was instrumental in the establishment of Festival being held at Brancott Vineyard and has been involved in the organisation for many of the past 28 years, holding the position of Chairman for well over 15 of those years.

In recognition of his enthusiasm and support of the event, he will be a passenger on board a Nanchang CJ-6a, which will fly over the festival site on the day. There is only one passenger seat available to a person nominated by the festival committee.

Mr Gregg says he was “blown away” by the offer.
“I was stunned when I was told, I have never been up in anything like a Nanchang, so this is very special. I feel very honoured actually – the only problem is they won’t let me fly it.”
The plane owned by the Omaka Real Flying Club, will be flown by Jay McIntyre of JEM Aviation Ltd. Mr Gregg said it would be a totally different perspective for him, as for the past 28 years he has been heavily involved “on the ground” at the festival.

“I just hope it’s not that fast that I don’t get the time to take some photos.”
With 130 wineries based in Marlborough, the opportunity for visitors to try the very best of the region is one of the major attractions. Combined with an array of stunning food, the Fashion in the Vines competition, the Wine Tutorials and the Supreme Food and Wine Match competition, the Festival has cemented itself as the leading event of its kind.

Entertainment this year will be provided by Vodafone Music Award winners OpenSouls and The Checks along with Sola Rosa and local band Remastered.
The Marlborough Wine Festival gates will open at 10.30am, with last drinks being served at 5.30pm. Buses will be operating between town and the site, running throughout the day.
Organisers urge festival goers to purchase tickets from Ticket Direct (www.ticketdirect.co.nz or 0800 224 224) this week as there will be no gate sales on the day.

ENDS

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