Fiancé finalists to square off
Steph Le Brocq and Sam Allen, a bride and groom-to-be, are among those set to face off in regional finals across New Zealand in the hopes of being named the Young Farmer of the Year.
The inaugural Labour weekend event was a collaboration between The Rees Hotel and four local producers - Felton Road, Prophet's Rock, Quartz Reef and Rippon - plus Martinborough's Ata Rangi.
After a welcoming cocktail party on Friday night, Saturday brought a full day, Pinot Noir-focused tasting at the historic Bannockburn Hall, with a multi-course lunch matched with white wines at the Bannockburn Hotel.
Winemakers showed four wines each, built around various themes, including Europe's influence, the evolution of style, and the impact of vine age.
On Sunday, a 300-lot charity wine auction, run by The Wine Auction Room, saw an impressively serious array of New Zealand and international collectible wines go under the hammer, raising money for the Central Otago Pinot Noir Charitable Trust.
A five-course degustation dinner at The Rees followed, featuring older vintages and many winemaker anecdotes.
A significant number of this year's attendees have already registered interest for next year's event, which plans to include a Tasmanian winery.
