Winetopia makes welcome return

A festival that celebrates New Zealand’s wide range of topquality wine, Winetopia, is finally about to kick off once again after a pandemic-induced hiatus.

Winetopia was launched seven years ago by Rob Eliott, who witnessed first-hand the ‘‘explosion’’ of New Zealand’s wine scene.

‘‘There was only about 50 wineries in New Zealand 50 years ago, there are now around 700,’’ Eliott said.

‘‘It changed the way people view New Zealand – I’ve met people internationally who get excited about our country because of the quality of our wine.’’

Eliott believed the huge increase of wineries and emphasis on home-grown wine has changed Kiwi perceptions as well.

‘‘If you go on a road trip, quite often you will stop off at a winery, or you might go to a concert at a winery . . . The wine scene here has become much more than just a nice drink,’’ he said.

The first Winetopia was an Auckland-only affair, but the event has since grown to include Wellington and Christchurch.

Eliott said the timing of the event is one aspect that sets it apart.

Unlike most of Aoteroa’s wine festivals, Winetopia takes place in cities during the colder months.

‘‘New Zealand has heaps of wine festivals in the middle of summer, which is fantastic,’’ he said.

‘‘But what we wanted to do was bring the wine to our metropolitan centres. It’s just a really nice experience in the middle of winter to come together and try some really great wines.’’

Winetopia sports a huge variety of wineries, from big names including Cloudy Bay, Amisfield and Church Hill, to lesser-known wineries such as Esses or Tarras.

Eliott encouraged wine-lovers to try something new at the event.

Winetopia founder Rob Elliot says the festival is the best time to try something new.

‘‘You can’t get a full glass of wine at Winetopia, the way it works is that you go around and get a little taste of everything.’’

Visitors this year will be invited to ‘‘Date The Maker’’, spending a few minutes with the creators of their favourite drop.

Attendees will also have the chance to meet wine royalty Rex Pickett, the man behind cultfavourite novel-turned-film, Sideways.

Pickett’s novel, and the 2004 film and subsequent play adaptation, changed the way the industry looked at red wine.

‘‘The ‘Sideways effect’ was scientifically proven to impact the sales of pinot noir and merlot,’’ Pickett laughed over Zoom.

Pickett is back in New Zealand laying the groundwork for a sequel to Sideways, where his main characters find themselves deep in Central Otago wine country.

Pickett plans to journey around New Zealand wineries in a campervan, like he envisioned his characters will.

He has warned every winemaker, shopkeeper and attendee of Winetopia that he’ll be mining for content wherever he goes.

‘‘I want to chat to wine lovers and the general audience, and just get an understanding for the culture,’’ he said.

Pickett is currently staying in Central Otago, and is a huge fan – predicting it could become ‘‘the new Burgundy’’, a wine region in France.

Pickett will speak alongside experts including masters of wine Bob Campbell and Stephen Wong, as well as wine writers Joelle Thomson and Angie Atkinson.

Winetopia was held in Wellington on July 1 and 2, and will continue in Christchurch on August 26 and 27 and Auckland on October 28 and 29.

❚ This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air.

Winetopia is finally back in action after a pandemic-induced hiatus.