Long and winery road leading to Hawke's Bay

By MEGAN SINGLETON

This year 28 wineries feature in six days of wine tastings and tours, concerts and culinary delights, food and wine workshops, live music and entertainment between Friday, February 1, and Wednesday, February 6.

The perfect introduction by car to sunny Hawke's Bay is by SH1 as it winds from the north through the sleepy Esk Valley between a patchwork of grape vines. And only 10 minutes earlier, the sweeping views of the rolling hills and Pacific Ocean make your arrival into what has been described as the Tuscany of New Zealand truly an experience to write home about.

Hawke's Bay is home to the oldest and most diverse wine-growing region in the country, with the first planting of grapes more than 150 years ago at what is now The Mission Estate. With well over 2200 sunshine hours a year it is little wonder the area can boast so many award-winning wineries.

The festival, which promises to "thrill your heart and rock your world", is spread over a large geographical area, making it impossible to see it all in a day, or even two. So this year visitors can choose one of six routes to enjoy exploring the vineyards, dining alfresco and listening to live music. Buses are provided for each route, and passengers can transfer to different routes at several stops along the way.

Saturday evening entertainment includes a sold-out performance by Hayley Westenra at Brookfields, and in the stunning Lombardi amphitheatre in Havelock North, overlooking the Heretaunga Plains, you'll find Symphony Under the Stars, featuring an exclusive performance of opera singers from the New Zealand Festival, accompanied by a 35-piece orchestra, with Peta Mathias as MC.

Several workshops take place during the day throughout the festival, including one on olive oil (a burgeoning industry in this region), and others titled "The Modern Cook", with Ray McVinnie, the "Devine Terrior Tour" (by bus), featuring Merlot tasting with Villa Maria's Stu Devine, "The Great Winemakers' Balloon Debate", "The Riches of a Clean Green Land", with wine expert Vic Williams, and tutorials from winemakers at several vineyards.

Where to have lunch is likely to be the biggest dilemma, because the choice is so vast, although some venues require booking ahead. Visitors to the bay will enjoy live music and delicious food at most locations while lazing in the sun against a backdrop of growing grapes.

But the biggest event of the festival is the prestigious Hawkes Bay Vintners' Charity Wine Auction on Saturday, which has raised money for Cranford Hospice for the past 11 years. This year's predicted earnings of $120,000 will make the total donated just over $1 million.

A full auction catalogue is available, featuring many wines made exclusively for the event, and several are offered in barrel lots, giving the successful bidder the chance to have the finished wine labelled to order. And in honour of the auction itself, local artist Kate MacKenzie has created a painting titled The Naked Bidder.

Harvest Hawke's Bay

Friday, February 1, to Wednesday, February 6

Admission is by buying a tasting glass: single day glass ticket, $10; single Saturday and Sunday passes, including tasting glass and shuttle buses, $25; two-day pass, including tasting glass and shuttle buses on Saturday and Sunday, $40.

Symphony Under the Stars at Lombardi, $60. Book at Ticketek, ph: (09) 307 5000. Bookings are essential for many of the dinners, workshops and exclusive tastings.

For a full brochure, ph: 0800 4 HB WINE (0800 44 29 46)

E-mail: wine@harvesthawkesbay.co.nz

Harvest Hawke's Bay website

Getting there

Fly to Napier:

Air New Zealand 0800 737 000

Origin Pacific 0800 302 302

By Car:

From the north take SH1 on the new-look Napier-Taupo Road.

From the South, either take SH 50 through Central Hawke's Bay or SH 2 through Waipukurau and Waipawa.

Accommodation

B&Bs, farm-stay motels and hotels.

Contact

Napier Visitor Information Centre (06 834 1911)

E-mail: info@napiervic.co.nz

Hastings Visitor Information Centre; ph: (06) 873 5526

E-mail: info@hastingsvic.co.nz

Hawke's Bay website