Toast Martinborough is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Wairarapa calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at The Runholder in Martinborough, in the heart of one of New Zealand's most distinctive wine areas. It is an annual event with an established local audience and a consistent place in the regional calendar.
Now exclusively hosted at The Runholder. Wine, gin, food & music among the vines. Wine festivals across Europe typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Toast Martinborough, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
The Wairarapa, just over the Rimutaka mountains from Wellington, is one of New Zealand's smallest premium wine regions and home to two distinct sub-zones: Martinborough (the historic centre, planted in the 1980s with cuttings from Burgundy and producing some of New Zealand's most-respected Pinot Noir) and Gladstone. The cool, dry climate and free-draining alluvial soils suit Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and aromatic varieties. The region was founded by a small group of pioneers (Ata Rangi, Martinborough Vineyard, Dry River, Te Kairanga) in the late 1970s and 1980s who recognised the parallels with Burgundy's terroir. Modern producers include Escarpment, Schubert, Craggy Range Te Muna and Palliser Estate.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for 14 November 2026. Cost details are best confirmed directly with the organiser ahead of travel. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at toastmartinborough.co.nz. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
The Wairarapa is reached most easily from Wellington (1.5 hours by car or train through the Rimutaka tunnel). Martinborough and Greytown are the main wine-tourism centres, with the village of Martinborough a compact, walkable wine destination with cellar doors clustered around the central square. Beyond wine, the region pairs with the Wairarapa coast, the Tararua and Rimutaka ranges, and Wellington itself — NZ's capital with the country's strongest cultural scene including Te Papa Tongarewa (the national museum), the Wellington restaurant and bar scene, and Peter Jackson's Weta studios.
