Winter Food & Wine Events Planned for Kauri Cliffs & The Farm at Cape Kidnappers

New Zealand luxury lodges Kauri Cliffs and The Farm at Cape Kidnappers will host four Winter Food & Wine Weekends bringing a fantastic line-up of guest chefs, winemakers and wine authorities to the Relais & Chateaux properties in 2010.

JOSH EMETT & BLAIR WALTER – SATURDAY 24 JULY
The series kicks of on Saturday July 24 at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay New Zealand, when Melbourne based chef Josh Emett teams with Felton Road Wines’ Blair Walter for an indulgent dinner matched with prestige wines.

And this is a great story! Josh Emett and Blair Walter grew up on nearby farms but their careers took them in different directions. After years in New York at the helm of Gordon Ramsay’s eponymous restaurant, Josh is in Melbourne to open Maze for Ramsay in the Crown complex. Blair Walter has stayed closer to home, in Central Otago, building his winery Felton Road into one of the world’s most sought after wine labels. This special dinner will combine Josh’s passion for cooking with Blair’s Felton Road wines.

JAMES HALLIDAY & BOB CAMPBELL – SATURDAY 14 AUGUST
The Great Pinot Noir Challenge
Australia’s foremost wine authority James Halliday and his New Zealand counterpart Bob Campbell M.W. return to Cape Kidnappers for this fabulous wine challenge! James and Bob will conduct the ultimate ‘taste-off’, a fabulously friendly rivalry and celebration of pinot – showcasing the finest of Australian and New Zealand Pinot Noir. A must for pinot fanatics!

PETERSATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER
PETER GILMORE – SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER
with special guest Duncan Forsyth from Mount Edward Wines I CLIFFS
Peter Gilmore is Executive Chef at Quay in Sydney. Quay has received seven consecutive ‘Three Chef’s Hat’ awards from the Sydney Morning Herald’s ‘Good Food Guide’, and made culinary history in ‘09 by taking out four top awards in the same year, including ‘Restaurant Of The Year ‘09’ for both The Sydney Morning Herald and Australian Gourmet Traveller ’09 ‘Restaurant Guide’; He won these awards again in ‘10, and debuted in the coveted S. Pellegrino’s ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list. Peter’s food will be matched to wines by Duncan Forsyth from boutique Central Otago winery – Mount Edward.

CHAMPAGNE LAURENT–PERRIER – SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER
A CHAMPAGNE WEEKEND HOSTED BY LUDOVIC DE LAGEARD
The finale to the series is a must for champagne lovers – Join Ludovic De Lageard of Champagne Laurent – Perrier for a sublime five course dinner matched with champagnes from this famed house. Founded in 1812 in Tours-Sur-Marne, about an hour’s drive from Paris, Laurent-Perrier is undoubtedly one of France’s great champagne houses and synonymous with style and celebration – and this weekend promises both! Ludovic will also conduct a tutored champagne tasting on Saturday afternoon.

All weekends allow ample free time for guests to enjoy the many leisure options available at these two luxury properties. World class golf courses, Day Spas, scenic walks or venture further a field for fishing, winery visits, and more, the Winter Wine Weekends offer a range of activities in the one inclusive price.

Commenting on the Winter Food & Wine Events, Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers Managing Director Jay Robertson commented, “we are truly excited to be bringing some of the world’s best chefs and winemakers to New Zealand for these very special weekends. It is a fantastic line-up of talent and combined with golf, spa or just relaxing at the properties, it is really the ultimate New Zealand weekend!”

The price for each weekend is $800NZ per person* (double occupancy) per night and includes luxury accommodation, degustation dinner with matched wines, tutored wine tasting, full breakfast and choice of a round of golf or a 50 minute massage in the Day Spa.

For reservations at Cape Kidnappers phone 64 6 875 1900 or email reservations@capekidnappers.com

For reservations at Kauri Cliffs phone 64 9 407 0010 or email reservations@kauricliffs.com

More info on www.kauricliffs.com and www.capekidnappers.com