Budburst 2016 - Natural Wine, Food and Music Celebration - Promotional press release

A collective palate that is positively bursting with educated taste buds; a well-established and blossoming craft beer scene; a borderline unhealthy addiction to caffeine and more eateries per capita than New York - is it any wonder that Wellington will now be the host to New Zealand's first ever natural wine festival?

From the cutting edge of new-world minimalist intervention wine-makers, to the old world stalwarts who would simply shrug their shoulders and say, "this is how we've always done it", this festival will represent a meticulously selected (and rather exciting) spectrum of wines made with a non-interventionist approach in the vineyard and winery.

And meticulously selected is no overstatement. To be eligible, these wines will have to achieve a rigorous minimal standard - organic farming, 100% hand harvesting and the promotion of biodiversity in the vineyard, combined with wine making practices that encourage minimal intervention - wild fermentation, reduced oak use, low So2 and no fining. Of course, that's the bare minimum, and, even in this inaugural year, participating wineries will be expected to have at least one wine that meets the "Ideal" standard, a set of conditions which push the bar even higher. 

The goals don't stop there either, with broader aims to raise awareness of alternative wines, generate dialogue, and assess the environmental, economic and cultural impacts of the wine trade, whilst maintaining a certain transparency looking in, balanced by an outlook that is international.

Of course, unlike spontaneous wild yeast fermentation, all this won't just happen. Festival directors Elissa Jordan and Regional's very own Amy Farnsworth are currently pushing and promoting, marketing and mediating whilst sipping and slurping at every opportunity. And as is only befitting such a hip event, crowd funding is generating the majority of capital required, so, if you haven't done so already, click here to pledge, and benefit from first dibs on entry to the festival and its events, that are sure to sell out quickly.

Discover wines and food that show a sense of place, and listen to live music - clear the decks for November 13th at Prefab cafe, Jessie Street, Wellington.