Marlborough Winemakers Wine Options 2014 – Round Three and Final Results

The third and final round of the Marlborough Winemakers Wine Options was held at Brancott Estate’s Riverlands event centre, with Yvonne Lorkin as the MC. As is the tradition, the final game is ‘dress-up’, with a prize for the best costumes. I haven’t attended the final game, as I’m usually the MC at the first game, but judging from photos, participants go to great lengths to create some amazing outfits. It all adds to a really fun and memorable night. It all contributes to the cohesiveness of the Marlborough winegrowing region.

Here’s what Yvonne Lorkin said “it was a hot and sticky evening – loads of glitter and face paint and bad wigs and synthetic fabric – as is the way with fancy dress shindigs. We began this auspicious occasion with everyone upstanding for the national anthem, after which I declared I hoped the teams were better wine-tasters than they were singers!”

Also, “there was no end of sledging and one team was loudly accused of cheating by changing their answer halfway through the count…it was a great night, fun for all the family”.

Following are the results of the third round and the overall placings, as well as the wines served by Yvonne.

The third round places were:

1^st, 120 points (150 maximum), ‘Wineoceroses’, the team led by Hamish Smith

2^nd=, 115 points, ‘Lees Riders’, a Mahi team

2^nd=, 115 points, ‘The Good Hunt’s’, a Hunters team

Second Last =, 30 points, ‘Katpiss and the Plunger Gamers’, an Accolade team

Second Last =, 30 points, ‘Leo’s Mexican Lion’, a Delegats team
Last Man Standing: Clive Jones, Nautilus Estate, after a 10-question long battle

Best Dressed, ‘Leo’s Mexican Lion’, a Delegats team

Yvonne said of the ‘Best Dressed’ team “The Mexican wrestlers won Best Costume mainly due to their wearing their undies on the outside, having tiny torches down said undies and wearing their elaborate masks the whole evening. “

The wines served were:

Collaboration Wines Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2010

Folium Vineyard ‘Reserve’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Earth Keepers Otiake Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2010 (Last Man Standing wine)

Gillman Matakans 2007

Francis Ford Coppola ‘Director’s Cut’ Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2011

The overall winners after three rounds and a tie breaker situation were:

1^st, ‘Wineoceroses’, with Hamish Smith, David, Troy and Martin

2^nd, ‘Nice Rack’, with Sophie Matthews, Sara Addis, Hannah Armstrong and Ruth Lingham

3^rd, The Good Hunt’s, a Hunters team