Jane Gifford supporter gold medallist

Further up the Coast: Ti Point etc. etc.

Reconstruction of the Jane Gifford received a big boost this week.

With the undertaking by Ti Point Vineyard to provide long-term sponsorship, the Jane Gifford Trust will receive a bounty from every bottle of wine the aclaimed vineyard sells. At current volumes, this will amount to $6000–7000 annually.

In return, of course, every opportunity will be taken to publicise this support. The close association of the Mahurangi Regatta with the Jane Gifford project—the scow is set to resume her former role as the regatta’s flagship—suggests that Ti Point wines should feature at the prize-giving and dance.

Now this, potentially, presented the after-match function organisers, Friends of the Mahurangi, with a dilemma. As readers of the Mahurangi Magazine will be aware, Ransom Wines were the exclusive purveyors of wine to the venerable event, in 2007.

The Ransoms also paid for a double-page spread that subtly explained that the event’s funding depended entirely upon patronage of the cash bar and catering—in the nicest possible way, the organisers need to entice regatta goers to leave their private wine supplies back aboard.

In the event, of course, Ransom Wines is only too happy to share the Mahurangi Regatta Prize-Giving and Dance exposure. Robin Ransom responded in his characteristically supportive and constructive style:

Where there’s a will there’s a way. Besides,’ he adds, ‘while there is some overlap in our respective ranges, there is also some complementarity.

So although Ti Point is a little removed geographically, compared to the Ransom vineyard location on the south branch of the Mahurangi River, Ransom Wines is a major sponsor of the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary Society, nearer Ti Point Vineyard’s neck of the woods—all commendably non-territorial, really!

Cash bar profits were decidedly down at last January’s prize-giving and dance. This was partly due to the absence of electronic transaction capability, but the other factor was that the mark-up was greater at the earlier events, when the wine supplied was ‘cheap and cheerful’. With Ti Point Vineyard’s wholesale rate to the Jane Gifford, and Ransom Wines likewise offering a very good price, profits this year should contribute nicely towards making the event self-funding.

So while there will be a premium on the gold medal-winning 2004 Ti Point One merlot, a full range of chardonnay, merlot, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc and viognier will be available by the glass, or by the bottle for around $20.

Small wonder, given the quality of the food, fine wine, sparkling service, unrivalled hospitality and incomparable ambience, that a number of visiting yachtsmen have ventured that this event surpasses anything on offer on the Waitematā.

Now, if only punters can be persuaded to bring plastic, and purchase beverage and victuals ashore, there might just be sufficient income to pay for the marquee and—the expenses only, of—the thumpingly popular Prohibition Big Band.