The Pick n Pay Wine & Food Festival is set to take place at Sugar Rush Park in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, on October 3. The event promises a day of exceptional South African wine, delicious food, live entertainment, and unforgettable experiences. Festival-goers will have the opportunity to indulge in great food, learn from experts, or simply enjoy a day out with friends.
The festival will feature approximately 50 of South Africa's leading wine estates, offering a wide range of wines, including elegant reds, crisp whites, award-winning rosés, and Cap Classique. Visitors can also explore the festival's wine-based cocktails for a unique experience. The Tasting Room will offer exclusive guided wine-pairing sessions hosted by a chef, wine expert, and featured producer, with 40 seats available per session.
The Tasting Room will host several tasting sessions, including Survivor Wines, Hermanuspietersfontein, Journey's End Vinyards, Babylonstoren, and Anthonij Rupert Wyne, starting from 12:30 pm. These sessions are available as a R150 add-on to the ticket price. Additionally, the Mixology Theatre, presented by Diageo, will offer an interactive, hands-on cocktail-making class where participants can craft and enjoy two premium wine-based cocktails under the guidance of an expert mixologist.
The Food Market will serve a variety of dishes, including nutritious bowls, lamb, sushi, salads, gourmet cheese, and charcuterie boards. The festival will also feature burger and pizza trucks to cater to the crowd throughout the afternoon. Visitors can add a pre-packed picnic to their ticket and enjoy it on the lawns with live music and the festival atmosphere.
Each picnic bag will serve two people and can be pre-ordered as an optional extra. It is essential to note that alcohol may only be consumed at the venue and cannot be taken off-site. A token system will be in place to promote responsible drinking, where attendees will "pay" between one and four tokens per tasting, based on the price point of the wine.
Festival-goers can purchase tickets for R350 from Webtickets. The event will start with Pick n Pay Wine Club Member early access at 12 pm, followed by general access at 12:30 pm. The Tasting Room Experience will run on the half hour until 4:30 pm, and general pouring and tasting will end at 4:30 pm. Wine sales from the Pick n Pay Wine Shop and food sales will continue until 5:30 pm.
The event aims to promote responsible drinking and provides an opportunity for attendees to order wine and have it delivered to their homes via Pick n Pay. The festival will close at 6 pm, marking the end of a day filled with great food, wine, and entertainment.
Key points
- The Pick n Pay Wine & Food Festival will feature approximately 50 of South Africa's leading wine estates.
- The festival will offer exclusive guided wine-pairing sessions in the Tasting Room.
- A token system will be in place to promote responsible drinking.
