A busy year for the Warkworth Wine Academy
The Warkworth Wine Academy (WWA) is dedicated to sharing its passion and enjoyment of wine and promoting the Matakana Wine Trail through educational talks and shows. This year the best way to do this was to take the show on the road; and enjoy a full weekend retreat!
Owner and operator, Daniel Millaire, has been lecturing all over the region in the last year, presenting his “Wine Appreciation Show” to a variety of groups, including the Warkworth Rotary Club, the Warkworth Oaks Retirement Village and various social club fundraisers to name a few.
The ninety-minute show is not only educational but a lot of fun. It demystifies wine in straightforward ways so every glass can be enjoyed with three of the senses - sight, smell and taste - something humans have been doing for millennia. Distinctive styles and tastes are demonstrated simply using six different wines, served alongside amusing stories, which makes it an entertaining time for all involved. Regardless of your knowledge you’ll learn something new about wine and enhance your appreciation for it.
Once again, Warkworth Wine Academy hosted an unforgettable wine weekend at the stunning DangelaA Boutique Lodge. This time three couples enjoyed a unique experience. None were wine connoisseurs going into the weekend, but all shared the same enthusiasm for learning, having fun and enjoying a wine or two. After the first night, the group was totally enchanted by the surroundings at DangelA Boutique Lodge, the quality of the food and the extensive selection of wines. Of all the annual weekends away they’ve shared this was the most amazing experience, leaving them with memories and wine knowledge to last a lifetime!
The weekend started with the lodge’s signature welcome drink followed by a lecture on sparkling wines and Champagne. The history and the different techniques in the making of these wines, and the tasting of the different styles, is fascinating and always compelling. After this lecture a casual dinner was served ending with a cheeseboard and a stunning NZ Syrah enjoyed around the fireplace.
The next evening a ninety-minute talk compared over 12 different wines of all styles and types from across the globe. A fabulous lecture that was followed by a sumptuous five-course meal, each course served with a wine to perfectly match the food, which made for an animated and lively dinner. By the end of the night, all “the problems of the world” had been solved and many laughs had been shared.
The weekend finished with the DangelA Boutique Lodge Champagne breakfast before the group headed to Matakana Estate Vineyard for a local wine tasting to end an incredible wine fiesta weekend! For more information about the show or to enjoy your own wine weekend, contact Daniel Millaire 021 215 9256