Masterclasses set to inspire

Press release: 18 December 2023

Masterclasses are back for the 2024 festival, but have increased to four, as allowed by the larger festival site at Renwick Domain.

Wine Marlborough Events Manager Loren Coffey says wine education is a key part of the festival programme.

“Expanding the Masterclass offering means we can continue to deliver popular wine and food pairing classes and introduce more intimate and in-depth winemaking-focused Masterclass experiences, targeted to suit our wine enthusiast attendees,” Loren says.

Ngarita Warden is Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) teacher and research winemaker for Bragato Research Institute. She is also one of the masterminds behind the Masterclasses, working with winemaker and wine lecturer Nadine Worley, cofounder of Fugitive Wines.

A Méthode Marlborough Masterclass will see winemakers pour a selection of Marlborough sparkling wines, while explaining the long and detailed process required to make them.

“Traditional méthode sparkling winemaking is such a fascinating process and the masterclass is a great way to show how individual winemakers create their own style. Marlborough’s growing conditions have a lot in common with classic sparkling producer areas, including Champagne, and we love to bring people’s attention to this,” Ngarita says.

The Unlock your Hidden Winemaker Masterclass will be led by some of Marlborough’s top Pinot Noir producers, guiding guests through the art of blending to create their own unique glass of Pinot.

Ngarita says Masterclass hosts enjoy this class as much as the participants, who put lots of care into creating their blend and leave the class with a great festival story.

From the Mountains to the Sea is the fourth and newest Masterclass, where participants will enjoy a range of local Marlborough, wild-caught and sustainable foods, paired with lesser-known, full-bodied local red wines.

“Hunting and fishing enthusiasts will love this class, as will anyone interested in wild game and locally harvested seafood,” Ngarita says.

The Wine and Cheese Pairing Masterclass, which sold out quickly, promises ‘the best of the best’, with two judges from the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show sharing six award-winning wines, paired with some of the region’s best cheeses presented by the cheesemaker.

There’s a reason this classic combo is an annual winner at the festival, says Ngarita.

“Some people assume every wine will go with every cheese, but they just don’t. So there are many nice surprises in the class and people leave feeling confident and inspired about how to put the perfect wine and cheese together.”