Festival Focus

New home for Marlborough Wine & Food Festival

SOPHIE PREECE

THE VENUE might have changed, but the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival’s greatest supporters will be there in force in February, says the organiser of the 29th Girls on Tour expedition. There are 23 women booked on the 2022 “tour” to Marlborough, with their alter egos ready to go, says ‘Raqeul’ (sic), who has led the charge for nearly three decades.

Her crew are “a wee bit sad” that the iconic event will not be held at Brancott Vineyard in 2022, with the February 12 event moving to Renwick Domain instead. But it’s unlikely to slow down this bevy of festival besties, reportedly from ‘Bluff’, on their annual festival weekend. “No kids, no grandkids, no work,” she says, describing how the laughter begins from the start of the trip, and doesn’t stop until they get off the bus at the end.

The annual expedition began in 1994, when Raqeul and a friend were sitting on a beach in Kaiteriteri watching their kids swim, and decided they needed to “get away from it all”. Later that day a trip to the Motueka information centre saw them book their train and tickets to the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, and Raqeul hasn’t looked back since, growing the group whenever she comes across someone she thinks needs a pick-me-up.

Every year the busload of women, wearing pseudonymprinted t-shirts, step away from life and into the tour, for four days of good wine, food and company, with the festival as the centrepiece of activities. “Many of us only ever see each other at Girls on Tour, and it’s as if we’ve never been apart,” says Raqeul. “A lot of people don’t even know our real names.”

Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens says after cancelling the 2021 event due to Covid-19, organisers are determined to make the 2022 event one of the best ever, while ensuring the “unique atmosphere” of the festival is retained. “Having attendees who have been to more than 20, or even 30 events, reminds us how important the festival is, and that it is key to recreate the magic at a new site.” Wine Marlborough is grateful to Brancott Vineyard for allowing the festival to be held among its historic vines for the past 33 years, helping generate the legacy of the event, he says. “But we couldn’t think of a more appropriate new site than the Renwick Domain, which is in the heart of Marlborough wine country.”

Pernod Ricard Winemakers operations director New Zealand, Tony Robb, says the company has been “proud hosts” for the festival for three decades, bringing people together “to celebrate the excellent food and wine that comes from the Marlborough region”. However, a significant amount of redevelopment is scheduled around the festival site over the next few years, “which will make it unsuitable for hosting events like the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival”, he says. “This event continues to grow in scale and as an operational vineyard our priority has to be to care for our land so we can continue to produce high quality wines.” Marlborough District Councillor for the Wairau/ Awatere Ward, Cynthia Brooks, says she is thrilled that the “village” of Renwick will play host to the festival next year. “We identify as the heart of wine country, and this is where the recent wine industry started in the 70s,” she says. “The people here will really embrace this festival.” Cynthia says the festival is one of the most important events in the Marlborough calendar. “It is a celebration of who we are and what we have achieved as a wine region.” As she organises their 2022 outing, Raqeul is already looking ahead to 2023, when the Girls on Tour will have their 30th anniversary, likely to draw past attendees’ home from overseas. “It will be quite large. If borders are open, I think all of them will come together.” Marlborough Wine & Food Festival: February 12, 2022 Locals only tickets on sale: October 18 to 24 All tickets on sale: October 28