We never imagined ourselves wanting to venture out in these plunging temperatures, but when we found out two of our favourite things — wine and food — were to unite in the form of a Winemaker’s dinner series at SKYCITY’s The Grill by Sean Connolly, we began preparing the thermals for an evening to remember.

Consisting of a five-course degustation, each dinner from the four-part series throughout June will see delectable plates sumptuously matched with extraordinarily good, award-winning wine. And while no two will be the same, you can rest assured that each will present a sensory overload. The first of the series begins on the 7th of June, where The Grill invites you to dine with Ben Longhurst, a French wine expert from Euro Vintage whose knowledge of his country’s prominent wine-making regions (from Champagne to Bordeaux) will be incorporated into a flavour filled dinner.

If you’re inclined to experience something a little closer to home, the three successive evenings — taking place on the 14th, 21st and 28th of June — will pay homage to New Zealand. You can expect the guest connoisseurs — Brent Marris from Marisco Vineyards, Clive Jones from Nautilus Estate, and Dean Shaw from Nevis Bluff Wines, respectively — to take you on a journey through some of our countries finest wineries, from the cool and diverse valleys of Marlborough to the southern beauty of Central Otago, before blending their wines harmoniously with The Grill’s gastronomic talent.

While each individual evening will be exquisite in its own right, attending all four is a sure-fire way to indulge in a start-to-finish experience like no other. With only 15 tickets available per event, we suggest you book now to secure your place.