The New Zealand Wine Festival in Seoul and Busan: 2024

The New Zealand Wine Festival recently took place in Seoul under the theme of ‘Kia Ora Aotearoa, Hello New Zealand’. Kia Ora is a Māori greeting symbolizing health & support, while Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud, symbolizes the country.

From delightful garden celebrations, introducing an array of wines, offering different styles & flavors, performances for local youth groups to the opportunity to win some pretty great prizes, this festival is the perfect way to kick off the season of events and fun. If you missed this great wine festival in Seoul this year, keep an eye out for next year. But also, don’t forget that this wine festival is also heading down south as it also takes place in Busan, Korea.

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The Venue

Hosted at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, similar to last year, the New Zealand Wine Festival included the picturesque poolside area of the hotel. With stunning city views from the hotel’s garden, it’s the perfect place to sit back and enjoy various wines while enjoying the early summer breeze.

The Wine

The festival showcased an extensive selection of wines, with a total of 27 wineries present at the event, showcasing wines from both North & South islands of New Zealand. At the event, visitors get to enjoy an array of different wines, that can’t be found anywhere else in the country.

Wine enthusiasts had the opportunity to taste a selection of wines that ranged from whites to reds with some wineries presenting their newest and exclusive offerings that can’t be found anywhere else in Korea yet.

Some wineries I liked:

Mozzie wines: Started in 2015, strong Maori heritage. Each bottle is infused with a reverence for tradition and spirit of innovation. Highlight was the natural wines they brought to the festival, both Sauvignon & Pinot.

Oyster Bay: Sustainably produced wine, as it names implies perfect pairing for oysters. Fruity first tasting notes of apple.

Along with the wine, visitors got to enjoy an outdoor buffet with barbecued meat, with a prominence of lamb options, an impressive cheese grazing table and a well-stocked salad bar, giving plenty of options to go along with the wine tasting.

Being a dessert person, the addition of a Fairy Lamington, which is the mash-up of two classics from down-under, the Lamington & Fairy bread, was a delectable treat that had me go for seconds.

The Entertainment

Entertainment came in the form of performances from the Otara Youth Hub students, a local New Zealand collective that supports Māori youth, who shared the rich heritage of Māori & Pacific cultures through several dances, including a traditional Haka. The performers captured the attention of the audience, transporting us for a few minutes away from Seoul to New Zealand.

Artisans of Aotearoa – In collaboration with the North Asia Center of Asia-Pacific Excellence

Go Wild Honey: Freeze dried honey dust from bees gathering pollen from the ancient Tarahina tree on Chatam island.

Pause for tea: Sugar free sparkling herbal tea flavored drinks from organic loose-leaf blends. Tasted a few and the Chamomile & Lavender one was very refreshing, great non-alcoholic bubbly alternative.

AO Cacoa: Sustainably sourced cacao, creating a bean-to-bar chocolate infused with Pacific & Aotearoa flavors. The chocolate is slowly roasted so his 94% chocolate was not bitter at all, very smooth. The Tai Tokerau Olive Oil 65% chocolate was also an interesting pairing, very smooth.

The Prizes

At the end of the night, the festival ended with an exciting raffle. The anticipation was palpable as lucky winners were drawn one by one and they raced up to collect their prizes, which ranged from bundles of local products and vouchers for restaurants to DHL vouchers (intriguing yet useful prize).

The number one prize everyone was waiting for was the free trip to New Zealand, sponsored by Singapore Airlines, allowing the winner to experience awe-inspiring landscapes and unforgettable adventures.

From Seoul to Busan

If you couldn’t make it to the Seoul festivities, worry not: the festival is making its way to the vibrant city of Busan on May 18th! Make sure to mark your calendars and gather your friends because this is an event you won’t want to miss. Keep an eye out for exciting contests, delectable treats, and a chance to win fabulous prizes. It’s the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the joyful New Zealand spirit and create lasting memories.

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