Delegates from eighteen countries will hear from some of the world’s most renowned wine writers and educators, and have the opportunity to taste over 400 wines from 1-3 February 2016.

The event will see Sauvignon Blanc from around New Zealand stand alongside examples from Italy, France, Chile, South Africa, Australia, America and Austria. The unique styles from each country and region will be compared, the history of the variety unearthed, and its likely future direction debated.

During the Celebration, attendees will dive into the winemaking techniques used and resulting wines produced from New Zealand’s most popular grape variety. The diversity of styles examined will range from classic stainless steel fermented wines, through to botrytised, wild fermented and oak aged approaches, as well as low alcohol Sauvignon Blanc.

While uncovering the intricacies of Sauvignon Blanc is the mainstay of the event, a range of other exciting activities are also on the agenda, including: a garden party at Marlborough’s historic Timara Lodge, a train trip through the Awatere Valley, a Kiwiana beach party, and a gala dinner with a one-off World of Wearable Art show.