A celebration of great local flavours

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Tio Point oysters were the winner on the day, matched with Cloudy Bay bubbles

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It's crying time again Make lunchbox-packing child's play Chicken full of flavour Breathe fire into your food Early birds catch the fish Berry appealing Crimson power packs a punch Confiscating contraband to cooking Delighting in differences Relishing the taste of local garlic

Once again, another Marlborough Wine Festival has been successfully organised, with the people who control the weather doing an outstanding job.

A splatter of rain and then brilliant sunshine to finish off the afternoon was the perfect ending to the 28th festival, along with a stellar cast of New Zealand musicians, and local wines and food.

What impressed me most about the festival (besides not having to work there) was that it was able to provide a great day out and exceed the expectations of the majority. It was all about the wine and what Marlborough does best, and also providing great food to go with it.

The Tio Point oysters were the winner on the day, matched with Cloudy Bay bubbles. Having sampled them last year and again at the festival, I have come to the same conclusion as Tio Point owner Bruce Herne – that they are indeed the best in the world.

Tio is the Maori name for oyster, and Tio Point is at the entrance to one of the two bays where the oysters are cultivated in the cold waters of the Marlborough Sounds. The name reflects the suitability of the waters, and the oysters are characterised by high meat-to-shell ratios, plump and firm, with a sweet-salty flavour that is both distinct and complex – perfect au naturel!

There are a lot of other oyster, mussel and seafood producers around the world, who are bigger and have more marketing clout and bigger budgets, but the fact that Marlborough is one of the best wine-producing regions ensures that our food producers are not far behind, and their innovation and passion makes up for the difference in size.

There is no magic formula for the successful running of events or food businesses. It takes a dedicated and passionate team of people working together to provide the experience that we, as the consumers, want and pay for. Get it right, and you are the darling of everybody; get it wrong, and the rain clouds hang around a little longer.

Well done to the Marlborough Wine Festival organisers, the wineries and the food producers – another great year, and another great celebration of what we do best in Marlborough.

- The Marlborough Express

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