A celebration of all things food and wine.

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival – Crawl n Bite [©Melbourne Food and Wine Festival]

From 2 - 21 March 2012, every nook and cranny of Melbourne will house events in celebration of all things food and wine, while culinary stars from around the globe swarm in to join in the fun.

From whirling fiestas, long lunches and leisurely dinners in the labyrinthine network of laneways, to cocktails and canapes on the giddying rooftops, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival truly showcases the tasty heart of this city.

The 2012 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival presents a full program of more than 300 events across Melbourne and Victoria, including 80 events for under $50.

Over 20 days of unforgettable eating and drinking, the Festival celebrates the city’s obsession with food and wine with an unparalleled gathering of one-off dinners, whirlwind tours and crawls, riverside parties, hands-on learning (and eating), foodie family fun and regional adventures with a record 100+ events in regional Victoria.

The Festival kicks off with a new Riverside Opening Weekend of food-loving revelry from morning to night spilling along the river promenade and pontoons, into the city and out into Victoria’s harvestready wine and river country. Make a beeline for the Festival’s Riverside Hub at Queensbridge Square to start your promenading journey, mosey down to South Wharf for boutique wine tasting and provedore picnics at Cellar Door and Farm Gate, hop aboard a floating progressive feast at Docklands, get grilling at barbecue workshops, or share your love of food with your kids in a lively program designed for little bellies at Foodie Family Weekend at ArtPlay, among dozens of riverside events.

The Hot List, a roll-call of the global visionaries shaping the future of gastronomy – will storm the stage over the Langham Melbourne MasterClass weekend. Listen to the inspirations and aspirations of the game-changers of gastronomy including wd’s number one chef René Redzepi (Noma, Copenhagen) and three Michelin star Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana, Italy) at Theatre of Ideas.

Wine enthusiasts can taste fine and rare drops from the world’s established and emerging wine regions guided by a host of global authorities including Spain’s Telmo Rodriguez (Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez) and California’s Allen Meadows (Burghound.com) at Acqua Panna Global Wine Experience. For other tipples, join the makers and shakers of the world’s best bars and breweries including master mixologists Matthew Rees (Der Raum), Michael Madrusan (The Everleigh) and ‘gypsy’ brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø (Mikkeller, Denmark) at all-new Liquid Lounge.

Elsewhere, foodies with a yearning for learning can uncover prized recipes at hands-on classes (Make Passata with Mangia! Mangia!, Artisan Baking at Home) or come face-to-face with Michelin star cuisine at Crown’s Star Cooking Classes with international greats Thierry Marx (Sur Mesure, Pad Mok Kit Keung (Shang Palace, Hong Kong).

WHEN: Friday 2nd to Wednesday 21st March 2012

WHERE: Locations throughout Melbourne

COST: Varies

BOOKINGS: Visit the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival website for further details

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