Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium 2024

Taking place on September 26th and 27th in the beautiful Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay, the symposium will be held at the recently refurbished Toitoi: Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre in Hastings. Expanding on our foundation of education and community laid in 2023, this year the Symposium shifts focus to explore the sense of place in Aotearoa Chardonnay. This symposium presents a unique opportunity for wine industry professionals to gather and engage in an extensive exploration of Chardonnay, assessing its current position and future prospects. This immersive event will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and wine tastings, offering a unique opportunity to gain knowledge and inspiration. Attendees can look forward to sampling over 50 wines throughout the symposium, including rare offerings not commercially available in New Zealand. Held over two days in September, the symposium will bring together a national audience from the wine community to hear, taste and share knowledge on the domestic and international trends happening with Chardonnay. Chardonnay Celebration: This lively event invites you to bring a special or interesting bottle of wine to share with fellow enthusiasts, making it a night of mingling and celebration. The entertainment, brought to us by Jamie Macphail of Small Hall Sessions, begins with an hour of music by James “JR” Rochester, the talented guitarist and owner of the Paisley Stage in Napier. Later, the band Power will take the stage, delivering two hours of high-energy funk and soul. In addition to the music and wine, Black Betty Barbecue will be firing up their mobile “Low ‘n’ Slow” BBQ and the Small Halls pop up bar will be pouring the best beers the Hawke’s Bay has to offer. Whether you’re there for the Chardonnay, the food, or the music, the Chardonnay Celebration is a must-attend event! Day 1: Thursday 26th October 8:00am - 5:00pm Celebration (ticket includes entertainment, food and BYO): Thursday 26th October 6:00pm - Late Day 2: Friday 26th October 8:30am - 4:30pm