Central Otago’s acclaimed wine and food will take centre stage at a new four-day celebration in and around the Central Otago and Southern Lakes regions in January.

Roam Central is the creation of Central Otago Winegrowers’ Association (COWA) and comprises four anchor events between January 26-29, 2023, including a flagship inaugural wine and food festival in Gibbston on January 28, a statement released to media this week said. 

Roam Central is designed to shine the spotlight on the world-famous Central Otago wine region – its terroir, local produce, flavours and people – in new, diverse and engaging ways, COWA event manager Jo Brown said.

“We’ve created an event based around themes of discovery and connection to share our love of life in Central Otago and the Southern Lakes. 

"Our wine region is regarded as one of the best in the world, and we want to throw our doors wide open and celebrate it. Roam Central is an amazing opportunity to invigorate the local industry and will be a drawcard for wine lovers beyond our region,” she said.

The anchor events, showcasing the region’s winemakers, growers and chefs, are:

●  Roam Together (Pinot Central) January 27-29: A programme of events that includes master classes, cellar door tastings, cooking demonstrations, a Virtual Roam, ticketing and transport hub.

●  Roam Around Town (Wine & Dine) January 26-28: Participating local restaurants pair up with local wineries to treat guests to a unique four-course wine and food-matched dinner.

●  Roam the Valley Wine & Food Festival: Held at the picturesque grounds at Cargo Cellar Door in Gibbston, the festival is a ticketed event for up to 3000 people and includes themed zones with seating and entertainment.

●  Roam the Vines (Brunch in the Vineyards) on January 29: Selected local vineyards will host a relaxed brunch among the vines to wrap up the four-day celebration.

A series of satellite events will also be scattered throughout the programme allowing visitors to interact with the wines and personalities in new 'up-close-and-personal' ways.

Tickets are on sale now and are available here.

More details about each event will be available in the coming weeks.