This is how you do wine
Now, you all know that I’m no stranger to food and wine festivals. I remember going to the South Beach Wine & Food festival Grand Tasting before it was outrageously expensive! (Yes, that was a long time ago.) So when the Kiwi told me that he was booking the day off in mid-March for the Gibbston Wine & Food festival, I figured it had to be good. Man, was it ever!
We got pretty lucky with the weather, which helped. It was pretty cold in the shade (it is early autumn here, after all), but the sun was perfect. There were enough people to feel buzzy and fun, but not so many that you couldn’t get to the wineries or the food vendors. There was only a small entrance fee (NZ$25), and most of the tastings were only NZ$4. Food was also a la carte, and some of the more popular restaurants and purveyors were there. (I highly recommend Zamora meats, if you’re in the area. Holy monkey, their food is good!) And because it was held in the Queenstown Gardens, the vibe was relaxed.
I don’t know many people in town still, but I got introduced to many of the wine makers and beer brewers in town through the Kiwi. He’s worked in the industry for ages, and he’s lived here in Queenstown for nearly 8 years now. It was nice to put faces with labels. And most native kiwis are pretty friendly and laid-back, so mix in some wine on a gorgeous Saturday and you’ve got yourself a good ol’ time. I think our table at the end of the day says it all:
Wine makers + wine drinkers + restaurant owners + good eaters = one fabulous day!