News & Events

The Forrest Graperide

The Forrest Graperide was another great day out in 2009 with a full house of 2500 Graperiders. The event just keeps on keeping on from its success when it won the New Zealand Event Professionals "Best Established Event" for 2008.

For those that are new to The Forrest Grape Ride the course traverses a 101km circuit through some of the most stunning scenery New Zealand has to offer. From the Forrest Estate Winery stone wall in the capital of the New Zealand wine industry, Renwick, it's a flat route to Blenheim. Riders then head north and gently climb into Picton with an exhilarating descent into the centre of the town. Climbing out of Picton, the route follows the picturesque Queen Charlotte Drive around the head of Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds, literally a ride through nature's photo album. The stunning scenery of Ngakuta and Momorangi Bays passes as the ride winds and twists to The Grove.

A flat ride to Linkwater leads onto Mahakipawa hill and more breathtaking scenery, followed by a descent to the outskirts of the mussel capital, Havelock. Left turn onto SH 6 and it's homeward bound across gently rolling terrain, hopefully with the prevailing breeze at your back (we hope) and home to Renwick. Off the bike and you're in the grapes with our celebrity guests, treading grapes for processing into an exclusive Forrest Estate vintage for next year's event.

The "100 Virgin Grape Crush" will see another 100 female riders from the event chosen to join the Grape Gonzo and Steve "The Goon" Gurney in the traditional crushing of 3 tonne of Forrest Wines premium pinot grapes. You will also have the chance to rub shoulders with the sports top cyclists as they challenge for placings in the National Points Series which the Graperide is part of for 2010.

27th March 2010 * 2nd April 2011 * 24th March 2012 * 6th April 2013 * 5th April 2014 * 28th March 2015 *