Hospice Wairarapa Wine Auction
There’s no rule that says supporting a great local cause shouldn’t also be fun. Hospice Wairarapa brings fiesta-style food, top local chefs and wonderful wine together in a riotously colourful setting on 19 October.
“The Hospice’s Charity Wine Auction and Fiesta of Flavour is our major fund-raising activity, and is always a lot of fun for the 200 guests. Competitive natures emerge when the bidding starts! We call it putting the fun into fundraising,” says Hospice Wairarapa Trustee, Masterton’s Suzie Adamson.
The evening has something for all price brackets. Guests can simply attend and sample food-station fare from eight of the region’s top chefs, matched with regional wines, throughout the evening.
For people who shy away from the adrenaline rush and speed of live bidding, colourful mystery bags for $50 to $150 and a Silent Auction offer a less stressful approach and some fantastic but more affordable items.
The main auction contains some mouth-watering items. “We believe California’s Napa Valley will be a highly sought-after destination as our top auction item. We have arranged exclusive access to some top-flight wineries, personal tastings with owners and private accommodations that are simply not available otherwise,” says Suzie. Other travel packages, jewellery and of course top label and rarely available wines will also be included in the auction.
Held every other year since 2009, the Wine Auction has so far paid off more than half the mortgage on the Hospice’s Te Kowhai home base in Masterton, freeing up money to spend on patient services.
More details, and tickets at $175pp, are available at www.hospicewairarapa.co.nz. The venue is Brackenridge Country Estate, Martinborough.
Rachel McCahon
