Pie-eyed judges pick a winner

A panel of dedicated judges have munched and sipped their way through an inaugural pie-pairing challenge to deliver the ultimate combination.

The verdict: pies make everything better.

Nearly 40 Marlborough wine, beer and cider producers matched their products with a pie as part of ‘The Great Burleigh Pie Pairing Challenge’.

Devised in the depths of winter by a group of friends over a drink, the challenge involved sourcing pies from popular Blenheim dairy The Burleigh.

After a blind tasting of all the entries - described as a gruelling yet hugely enjoyable marathon judging effort - the results have been announced.

Top of the list, with the ultimate pairing, was a match between Lawson’s Dry Hills Pioneer Gewurtztraminer 2015 and a pork belly pie.

Lawson Dry Hills winemaker Rebecca Wiffen was presented with an enormous wheel of French brie cheese as a prize at The Burleigh on Monday.

Fiona Fenwick, one of the organisers of the challenge, says the number of entries, 39 in total, had completely blown her away.

‘‘What started as a few friends getting together over a pie and deciding it was about time the perfect tipple was picked to pair alongside has grown to something really special in the Marlborough community,’’ she says.

One of the judges, Simon Nunns, says the addition of a pie brought out the best in the drinks on show. ‘‘These Marlborough wines, beers and ciders submitted are all fantastic in their own right but they are on the verge of sublime when matched with these iconic pies,’’ he says.

Plans are already in the works for the 2018 version of the challenge, with the team hoping to incorporate a people’s choice entry.

Full results are available on ‘The Great Burleigh Pie Pairing Challenge’ Facebook page.

PHOTO: SCOTT HAMMOND/STUFF Lawson Dry Hills winemaker Rebecca Wiffen is presented with the top pairing prize, a wheel of cheese, by The Burleigh co-owner Jane Dickenson.