It's raining wine!

We'd heard all about this festival, aptly described by one mate as ''my Christmas Day''. He ain't wrong about that. In it's 19th year, North Shore's premier gathering, in Devonport, is everything a wine, food and music festival should be - wine, food and music!

It's difficult to know where to turn next, the beautiful beaches and parks home to 20-odd wineries from all over New Zealand flouting their best vintages. The booze is supplemented by some cracking bites: everything from locally caught seafood to delicious danishes and spicy Indian dishes. Of course, as is always the case when one armed with a glass and the option of 300+ wines, food comes second to sampling as many of the vines as is humanly possible!

The day started with an ''am'' beer on the balcony before we ambled down to the pier and jumped one of Fullers' crammed boats - everyone with the same idea: get there as early as poss, find a piece of shade and drink yourself into oblivion. By mid-afternoon, even the wine buffs could be seen teetering about on their haunches, trying desperately to get one over on gravity!

We teamed up with Lee and Serena for our day in the sun. The $40 entry fee wiped thanks to Kris' ability to score press passes in advance, despite openly informing the organisers he had ''no plans whatsoever'' to follow-up the event with published copy. After all, when are you going to get a chance to interview someone when you're brief the day is to drink your way around the south island's vineyards!? So, press passes in hand, we ambled through the gate and set about finding that shady spot from which to attack the grapes!


Some of New Zealand's finest vineyards were there for the taking, namely Three Miners and Rockburn, both from Central Otagao (south of the south island), which boast some fantastic whites and reds. Rockburn boasts some wonderful Pinot Noirs, while Three Miners produce, as far as we're concerned, some of the country's finest Gewürztraminer - a German grape that seems to flourish here. Boundary wines, too, should be proud of their Pinot's, carrying the taste of strawberry, cherry and rasberry. Hmmm.

Then, as was always going to be the case, things got a little crazy. Tastings (well, you get a 300ml glass and it's filled every time) from Hawkes Bay, Malborough, Waiheke Island, Kumeu and West
Auckland were all thrown back like they were going out of fashion.
Soon the legs started to wobble, the palate became dry and every vino started tasting the same. Kris tried to sober himself by stripping off and running into the sea, Marit meanwhile joined the girls for a spot of Sangria, a decision they all regreted Sunday morning!