Superbly situated in its spectacular vineyard location in the grape-growing region of Matakana, just north of Auckland, Plume restaurant offers glorious 180-degree views of vineyards, fields, valleys and mountains. Plume is all about fabulous local New Zealand wine and produce and how, together, they can celebrate culinary diversity. Matakana is just an hour’s drive from Auckland or Whangarei and is a ‘must visit’ destination on any Matakana wine or food journey.

At Plume they believe a great meal is not just about the food and wine, it is a complete sensory experience and to that end they are intent on employing a number of sustainable strategies. The team at Plume are as passionate about sustainability as they are about their food so they have built an energy efficient, north-facing New Zealand villa-type building design with a low carbon floor print. They have created a building that incorporates the use of as many recycled materials as possible and also a solar energy system to power the kitchen’s hot water.  They are also composting and recycling all of their waste and they are utilising ‘rain gardens’ to aid in the uptake of storm water run-off and water conservation.

Formerly known as ‘Heron’s Flight’, the restaurant was rebranded as Plume on October 16 2010 with a completely revamped interior décor, landscaping and management. What was once fondly regarded as a destination servicing fine Italian fare and inspired Italian style wine, has now evolved into an exciting taste experience, thanks to the inclusion of French inspired wine from the Runner Duck Estate and Farida’s (Plume’s restaurant manager) passion for global cuisine.

Offering both indoor and patio dining, Plume is open for Wine Tasting and lunch Wednesday to Sundays (Lunch 11am to 3pm, Wine Tastings 10am to 40m Wednesday to Friday 10am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday), Dinner: 6pm onwards on Friday and Saturday. Plume is closed Christmas and New Year’s Day. For groups who would like to go for dinner on any other night, the staff at Plumes ask that they contact them and they will happily open by special arrangement. The same goes for weddings.  Plume is the perfect wedding venue with its beautiful vineyard views and tranquillity and the main restaurant area which opens on to the outside covered patio. There is also the Rengarenga room which opens out onto the ‘Nest’, a cosy covered area which could be used for the wedding ceremony. Bookings are recommended and for more information please view their website at http://www.plumerestaurant.co.nz/

Yealands Estate Wines has been awarded three gold medals, amongst a field of more than 12,000 wines, at the 2013 International Wine Challenge.

The judges awarded gold to Yealands Estate Single Block Series R3 Pinot Noir 2011, Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Grüner Veltliner 2012  and Yealands Estate Single Block Series S1 Sauvignon Blanc 2012. The Yealands Estate Single Block Series S1 Sauvignon Blanc  2011 last year received the International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy.

In total, Yealands Wine Group was awarded an impressive 31 medals by the International Wine Challenge judges, across the Yealands Estate, Crossroads Winery and The Crossings brands.

“Our gold medal winning wines have all been grown on our Awatere Seaview Vineyard. It’s particularly rewarding to see the quality of fruit produced from this site developing every year, across our varietals,” says Tamra Washington, Chief Winemaker for Yealands Estate.

The Yealands Estate Grüner Veltliner 2012 was one of only two wines to receive gold in the Grüner Veltliner category. The other wine recognised was from Austria, the home of the varietal.

“Grüner Veltliner has only recently been planted in Marlborough. This wine has shown real potential and we are thrilled that our locally-grown example has been recognised amongst the world’s best,” says Washington.

The International Wine Challenge is considered the largest and most prestigious competition in the world.

Trophies are awarded to the very best examples from their class and selected from the gold medal wines, after a rigorous process where the wines are judged at least three times.

The New Zealand wine industry is likely to benefit from a long term trend towards increasing dryer and warmer summers, a University of Canterbury (UC) weather expert says.

This is supported by a recent international study that suggests the country is better placed than most other established wine producing nations of the world to adapt to climate change.

UC meteorologist Professor Andy Sturman says production of wine grapes benefits from relatively constant warm and sunny conditions over the summer, which helps the grapes to mature and develop the unique flavours of the different varieties.

``The impact of changing weather patterns is likely to vary across the country, because of the effect of New Zealand’s complex and mountainous terrain. So some parts of the country may experience rather different temperature and rainfall trends than others.

``It appears that the belt of anticyclones that circles the southern hemisphere has drifted southward. This shift in climate zones is not likely to continue indefinitely so will probably stabilise after a while and New Zealand may settle into a new weather regime,’’ Professor Sturman says.

New Zealand’s wine exports earned about $1.2 billion last year. The area of vines in the Marlborough region alone totalled 22,861 ha in 2012, which is about 66 percent of the national vineyard area.

Professor Sturman is heading a $500,000 international research project into climate and vineyards which is expected to result in an increase of up to 10 percent in income for the New Zealand wine industry.

The two-year research project began in Marlborough this year and is using cutting-edge high-resolution computer systems to investigate localised vineyard weather. The international research team includes experts from Plant and Food, NIWA, and several French wine research experts.

``We are setting up a network of weather stations across the vineyard areas of the Marlborough region, as well as high resolution air temperature monitoring networks over selected areas, to investigate in detail the relationship between grape growth and the microclimate. Plant and Food Research will be analysing the grapevine response alongside our climate monitoring to enable us to identify these relationships.

``We are also running high resolution local weather and climate models that will allow us to understand the nature and controls of small scale variations in climate across the vineyard region. These will form the basis of models that can be used to help the wine industry adapt to the varying climate.

``Quite a few wine producers in Marlborough have been helpful in allowing us access to their vineyards to conduct the research, including Pernod Ricard, which is the largest company in the area.

``Our intensive analysis is currently only in Marlborough, but once we have tested our models we plan to apply them to other vineyard regions of New Zealand.’’

The data for the past few decades suggests that the typical variability in New Zealand’s weather from year to year will continue, but the overall trend is for more dry and warm summers resulting from an increase in occurrence of anticyclones (high pressure systems) over the New Zealand region.

Professor Sturman will give a public lecture on recent weather trends at UC next Wednesday (April 17). For further details: http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/wiw/

The head of the world’s leading wine glass company flew into Queenstown this week (w/c March 18) to consult with local winemakers and leading wine experts about producing a speciality wine glass specific for Central Otago Pinot Noir.

Georg J Riedel, chief executive of the prestigious Austrian Riedel Glass Company, toured the Central Otago wine region to gain a better appreciation of the region’s famed Pinot Noir before embarking on an intense tasting session to “find the perfect glass in which to enjoy Central Otago Pinot Noir”.

Mr Riedel, a 10th generation member of the Riedel family, led the interactive session with a select number of around 20 wine experts and local winemakers who each sampled their own vineyard’s wine in 14 different types of Riedel glasses.

He said using the right glass was ‘crucial’ when enhancing the art of drinking wine and encouraged guests to “forget about the look of the glass” and “feel the emotion of the wine".

“I asked them to concentrate on how the wine performs in the glass, how does it feel, and how does that vary from glass to glass,” he said.

“Central Otago is internationally recognised for producing some of the world’s best wine, and Pinot Noir from the region is particularly sought after because of the great intensity and finesse of the wine.”

Mr Riedel said Central Otago Pinot Noir was selected for the new wine glass because of its quality and intensity.

Each guest was asked to rate the glasses and award points to those they thought best reflected the way their wine should taste, before scores were collated and two glasses emerged as clear winners.

Experienced local winemaker Alan Brady, pioneer of wine in the Central Otago Wine region, said he was “amazed” at how different his Wild Irishman Pinot Noir wine tasted in each of the glasses.

“It was like I had tasted 14 different wines and for me there was one clear winner which stood out from the rest,” he said.

“The perfect Pinot Noir glass has a rounded, bulbous bottom and a thin pointed flow at the top. The glass controls the flow of wine to the palate in a spectacular way so the wine doesn’t become better, it tastes better”, said Mr Riedel.

Steve Green, chairman of New Zealand Winegrowers’ and owner of Bannockburn’s Carrick Winery, said this important development signalled that Central Otago Pinot Noir
had ‘come of age’.

“The international reputation of our wines has been recognised and a dedicated Central Otago Pinot Noir glass will sit alongside worldwide icons such as a Burgundy Glass and the Champagne Flute”, he said.

“An historical moment is about to occur in New Zealand’s wine industry and Central Otago is preparing for the world stage.”

Visiting Queenstown for the first time, Mr Riedel was full of praise for the region saying he was “in love” with the beautiful town and a “huge fan” of the region’s Pinot Noirs.

“A wine as good as your Pinot Noir needs to be savoured from the correct glass.”

Along with his father before him, Georg Riedel has taken the 250-year-old Riedel company to the top of the wine glass world by designing individual glasses to enhance the aromas and flavours of specific wine varieties and styles.

Time magazine famously wrote:  “The Riedel family have contributed more to the delight of wine lovers in the past 50 years than almost any winemaking dynasty.”

The company produces a range of glasses of different shapes and diameters for varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Pinot Noir which are used throughout the world.

Mr Green said it was testament to Mr Riedel’s love of Central Otago’s wines that he had travelled from the other side of the world to talk to winemakers and growers here and gather their thoughts.

“To have a company as influential as Riedel recognise our region’s Pinot Noirs as stand-out and worthy of a specially designed glass is a proud moment in Central Otago’s relatively short 30-year winegrowing history,” he said.

Austrian-born Quartz Reef winemaker Rudi Bauer described Mr Riedel’s visit as a “massive“ international endorsement of the region’s commitment to delivering quality wine.

“We’re looking forward to working with him further to identify the key elements for a Central Otago glass.”

The Riedel Central Otago Pinot Noir glass is planned for release by Hancocks Wine & Spirit Merchants in 2014.

An enduring love for the land combined with a belief in ethical farming and a passion for winemaking has drawn two of New Zealand’s most successful wine entrepreneurs back to the industry.

Loveblock is the new brand that realises the vision and passion Erica and Kim have to create great New Zealand wine that best reflects the terroir on which the grapes are grown while minimising chemical input.

The couple’s previous label was New Zealand’s most successful wine marketing business, sold to Canadian beverage company Vincor in 2003. That label owned no land, preferring to source its grapes from contract growers.

After some time in the wilderness, Erica has found her Loveblock, a treasured and formidable landscape comprising 85 hectares perched atop the hills overlooking Marlborough’s Awatere Valley.

In a journey that began in 2004, here the duo has planted several grape varietals, farming organically, true to their deeply held belief of ethical farming and land care which enables the wine to reflect its naked or true terroir.

Loveblock wines are now coming to market and have already caught the eye of Terlato Wines International, a leading distributor of international fine wines in the United States which has signed a long-term partnership to market the brand in North America. In New Zealand, Loveblock is sold online direct to consumers.

Rhythm of the Land

The quiet yet immoveable and timeless rhythm of the land is integral to the fruits of Loveblock.

“The adage ‘your biggest strength is also your biggest weakness’ rings so true for many a wine producer,” Erica says, “but it has never been truer than for Loveblock.”

It was love at first sight when Erica first viewed Loveblock’s remote and wild terrain and elevated position overlooking the Awatere Valley.

“I immediately knew this was the place where I could put down my roots, look at the land holistically, restore balance and create a self-sustaining perma-culture environment while making jolly good wine. This is my Loveblock and my journey, the love affair with land had begun.”

Erica’s philosophy is that the land belongs to the future. And the people who love it and understand it are the people who own it for only a little while. And so organic farming was a logical step to achieving her vision to provide for the longevity of the land using purely biodynamic principles.

“It’s a philosophy that demands submission to the rhythm of the land and requires total cooperation with nature to maintain soil fertility,” she says.

Kim too is rising to the challenge of the land.

“As a winemaker, my aim is to deliver to you in the bottle what the grapevine produces. It is not up to me to be so presumptuous as to interpret what the soil says is right,” he says.

“Stylistically we are not making wines to a recipe. We are making wines we ourselves want to drink – we look closely at the fruit and see what it is telling us and we keep to that style.”

Loveblock has been forged from a love of the land and a challenge to chase the impossible sites, the improbable blends, the exquisite flavours.

“We plant vines in impossible places, make wine that needs to age for years while tying up cash flow,” Erica says. “We may be an accountant’s worst nightmare but we are driven by passion. And dreams,” she adds.

The first Loveblock wines to be released are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, all from the Loveblock Marlborough vineyard, and Central Otago Pinot Noir.  Other varietals planted are Pinot Blanc, Moscato, Saint Laurent, Chenin Blanc, Tempranillo and Arneis.

About Loveblock

Founded by Erica and Kim, Loveblock was forged from a love affair with a view and a challenge. Perched high on the hills overlooking Marlborough's Awatere Valley, Loveblock is far removed from the agricultural bustle in the valley below. At Loveblock, we are charged with creating the best wine we can to express this extraordinary place and its unique aspect. We follow our deeply held belief in ethical farming which enables the wine to show its true and naked terroir. Loveblock wines are available in five varietals direct to consumers. Our wines are distributed in the United States by Terlato Wines.

New Zealand brand Kim Crawford Wines has hit a record one million case sales in the past 12 months with 60 per cent of them going to the USA.

The Kim Crawford label, launched in 1996, has been part of the Constellation Brands NZ Limited portfolio since 2006 with global sales having grown significantly since that time.

Constellation New Zealand’s President Joe Stanton says Kim Crawford is a raging success story overseas and represents in excess of 45 per cent of all Constellation exports.

“It is sold in more than 50 countries and 88 per cent of Kim Crawford wine going offshore is Sauvignon Blanc,” Mr Stanton says

Constellation Brands New Zealand is the leading exporter of New Zealand wine into the North American markets driven by the success of Kim Crawford.

The North American thirst for this fine Kiwi wine shows no signs of abating, Mr Stanton says. Kim Crawford enjoys the status of the best selling New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in both the USA and Canada. Sales into North America have grown more than 20 per cent in the past twelve months alone.

“New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is unmatched globally because of its unique flavour profile resulting from our particular soil, climate and growing conditions. It has vibrant, zesty and pungent aromas and intense fruit flavours very much in favour in North America.

“Add to that Constellation’s extensive marketing and distribution networks which give us great market penetration and really this lovely wine from Marlborough in the South Island is simply a global winner,” Mr Stanton says.

The 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the work of a talented group of winemakers led by Kim Crawford Senior Winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst who is based at the company’s Riverland Winery in Blenheim.

Walkenhorst says his Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp and powerful, well balanced wine with intense aromas of gooseberry, passion fruit and citrus flavours.

“We use grapes from all over the Marlborough region where vineyards are selected by flavour profile for a desired outcome. We aim for a blend with a wide range of flavours from the tropical fruits to the herbaceous flavours.”

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has been available in offshore markets since 1996. New Zealand has around 20,000 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc grapes planted[1] and the industry exports around 150 million litres of the variety annually.

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1 Source: nzwine.com

Yealands Wine Group has begun 2013 with a flourish, with its range of Sauvignon Blanc starring in a haul of 28 medals at the highly competitive Royal Easter Show Wine Awards.

The accolades include six gold medals, seven silver and 15 bronze medals. Tamra Washington, Chief Winemaker of Yealands Wine Group, says the recognition is a thrilling start to the year, which she believes is a taste of more success to come for the winemaking team in 2013.

“As a winemaking team we’re particularly excited that gold has been awarded across our range. These awards demonstrate the depth of our portfolio and we aim to consistently produce great quality wines for all of our customers, regardless of their preference or budget. It gives me great pride that the hard work of the team is continuing to deliver such amazing results,” says Tamra Washington. 

Only 19 of the wines entered into the Sauvignon Blanc category were awarded gold medals, four of these were produced by Yealands Wine Group, more than any other producer.  Gold medals were awarded to the Yealands Estate Single Block Series S1 Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2012 and restaurant brand Baby Doll Sauvignon Blanc 2012.

The Yealands Estate Single Block Series R6 Pinot Gris 2012 and Crossroads Milestone Series Gewurztraminer 2009 were also among the gold medal winners.

The Royal Easter Show Wine Awards is New Zealand’s longest running wine competition, and as such is also one of its most competitive.

Trophy winners will be announced at an awards dinner to be held on Saturday March 16 at the Logan Campbell Centre, ASB Showgrounds, Auckland.

Yealands Estate has claimed its first award of 2013, with a trophy at the Sydney International Wine Competition. The J F Hillebrand New Zealand Ltd Perpetual Trophy for Pinot Noir was awarded to the Yealands Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2011.

The Sydney International Wine awards are renowned for choosing wines that enhance the dining experience and aim to expand the repertoire of choice for consumers making wine selections. The rigorous judging process means that award-winning wines are each judged three times and alongside food.

This international recognition for Yealands Estate Reserve Pinot Noir adds to the recent success of the Marlborough based winemakers. Accolades include multiple trophies for Sauvignon Blanc, across the range, including the title of the ‘world’s best Sauvignon Blanc’ from the 2012 International Wine Challenge.

The Yealands Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2011 was grown in the Gibbston Valley, Central Otago. The mineral acidity of this single vineyard blend contributed to its selection as best food matched Pinot Noir.

“As a winemaking team we’re very excited to receive this award, which demonstrates the depth of the Yealands portfolio. The 2011 vintage was a great year for Gibbston Valley and the fruit we harvested was at optimum ripeness. The wine was carefully blended with balance and elegance in mind, making this Pinot Noir a versatile food match,” says Yealands Estate Wines Chief Winemaker, Tamra Washington.

Other Yealands Estate wines to receive TOP 100 recognition at the awards are the Peter Yealands Pinot Gris 2012; Yealands Estate Reserve Pinot Noir 2011 and Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2012. The Yealands Estate Single Vineyard  Pinot Noir 2011 and Baby Doll Sauvignon Blanc 2012, also achieved a Blue-Gold award.

Stonyridge Vineyard, located on the beautiful island of Waiheke near Auckland has received recognition for its red wine, which has topped the list for the best Cabernet Merlot in The Age/ Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine Guide 2013. The Stonyridge Larose 2010 scored 97 points to make it the highest equal scoring red wine in 2013 and finish ahead of all of Australia’s most iconic Cabernet Merlots.

Renowned wine critic and author of the Good Wine Guide 2013, Nick Stock, describes the 2010 Larose as “sitting right at the top of the Bordeaux-inspired blends, the 2010 Larose has a beautiful density that is fused with elegance… a real triumph!”

This award is the latest in a long string of international accolades that Stonyridge Larose has achieved since the first vintage back in 1985, further cementing this wine as New Zealand’s greatest Bordeaux Blend, and indeed a wine that can stand proud on the world stage.

“To receive this kind of accolade from a country that has such a strong heritage for producing world-class reds is something that makes us really proud,” says Steve White, owner and Chief Winemaker at Stonyridge. “This latest recognition is remarkable because it blasts the old generalisation that Australia makes great reds and NZ great whites.”

“We are dedicated to producing the finest Cabernet blends in the world and unlike other NZ wine producers who deserted the Cabernets in favour of Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir, we have invested and stayed true to producing the world’s top Bordeaux Blend.”

This latest acknowledgement confirms Stonyridge as one of the world’s best red wine producers.  Last year Australian wine magazine Winestate awarded Stonyridge Larose 2006 five stars, placing it first equal with the legendary Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River in its annual awards in 2011, ahead of Chateau Latour 2006 and Chateau Rothschild 2006.

“We consider this more important than our victory against the First Growths in Paris because of the calibre of the judging panel,” says Steve.  “All the judges were Australian and two of them Masters of Wine (MWs) Phil Reedman MW, David Le Mire MW and Ian McKenzie National Wine Show Judge - these guys really know their Cabernets, so it feels good to get their seal of approval.”

Steve White purchased the north-facing Stonyridge property 30 years ago with the sole intention of producing the world’s top Bordeaux Blend i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot blends.  Stonyridge exports to prestige restaurants, wine bars and individual collectors all around the world.

As well as producing its own olives and olive oil, Stonyridge also boasts a critically acclaimed café (Veranda Café).  The café overlooks the vines, olive grove, and lavender field, and serves Pacifico/Mediterranean inspired dishes designed and created by the team at Stonyridge.

Over the years presidents, dignitaries and celebrities from around the globe have visited the café including the owner of PRADA, the EMIR of Abu Dhabi, Joanna Lumley, Dawn French, Michael Douglas, CEO of Louis Vuitton, Carl Lewis, the President of Mexico, Rachael Hunter Jamie Oliver and the Black Eyed Peas.

The success of this year’s Romeo Bragato annual conference for the wine industry has prompted conference organisers to bring the conference back to Marlborough again next year, a decision hailed by Mayor Alistair Sowman as a coup for the region.

In past years the conference has been rotated between Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Marlborough. The largest conference on the wine industry calendar, it brings together grape growers, wine makers and trade representatives. The Romeo Bragato Wine Awards are held in conjunction with the conference.
Mr Sowman says the feedback from the conference organisers this year was that Blenheim’s location worked well for both exhibitors and delegates.

“We used the Marlborough Convention Centre and arrangements were made to erect the large exhibition marquees at the front of the Clubs’ Complex – to create sufficient space for an event of this scale. It just goes to show that, if we can make the space available, big events want to come here,” said Mr Sowman.
Event organiser Karen McLean of the Napier-based events company Attend Limited confirmed that Blenheim would get the return booking.

“The feedback on the success of the venue and the ease of holding the conference in such a compact town was brilliant. Based on this, NZ Winegrowers has decided to hold the conference in the same region,” she said.

The Mayor says, with just about half the 500 conference participants from out of town, an event of this scale is worth somewhere around a million dollars to the Marlborough economy.

“Our retailers and hospitality workers get a real financial boost from this kind of event. Delegates are booked into our hotels and motels, they’re heading into our shops and cafes and spending at a time of the year when things can still be pretty flat. Local labour is needed to set up marquees, wait on tables and drive people around. It’s big business for the town!”

There’s a spin-off for local food suppliers too - one thousand lunches and 2000 morning and afternoon teas were served during the course of the conference and local produce featured in the formal conference dinner.

Mr Sowman says the Council had been liaising closely with the North Island event organisers to encourage them to bring this conference back to Marlborough next year.

“This is the heart of the wine industry and this is its biggest event. Wouldn’t it be terrific if it would permanently make its base Marlborough? I am sure Romeo Bragato would look out on the vineyards of Marlborough and appreciate that we have realised his vision.”

A ‘taste’ of some of New Zealand’s most applauded wines will be on offer for the first time in the historic town of Arrowtown thanks to a new innovation from a local winery.

Gibbston Valley Wines is branching out from its Gibbston home with a beautiful new tasting room on the main street of Arrowtown. From the warm stone and wooden interior of the old BNZ building, ‘A Tasting of Gibbston Valley Winery’ will be the first wine tasting room in the township.

Gibbston Valley Wines CEO Greg Hunt said the new facility would “bring the winery into town”, enabling it to showcase its wines and promote its products to a whole new audience which might otherwise not make the trip out to the vines.

“Arrowtown attracts thousands of regional and international visitors each year, so the new tasting room will mean that not only will people be able to sample our award-winning wines and choose from a full range from which to buy, but it will hopefully whet their appetites for everything else we have on offer in the valley.

“The space we have is only small, but it’s in the perfect spot on the main street and we’re thrilled to be opening.”

The new tasting room officially opens its doors today (Tuesday December 18) in plenty of time for the pre-Christmas rush and busy summer months. Nestled between retail outlets ‘Dreamz’ and ‘The Shed’, Mr Hunt said ‘A Tasting of Gibbston Valley Winery’ would provide a welcome addition to an already rich variety of retail and visitor experiences in Arrowtown.

Architect Ed Elliott and interior designer Terrence Vallelunga have ensured ‘A Tasting of Gibbston Valley Winery’ will be very much in keeping with its past, with warm wooden floors and counter, walls painted in heritage colours and exterior signage very much acknowledging the style of yesteryear.

One wall is taken up with a montage of photos and information about the winery and visitors will be encouraged to linger in the room and ask questions about its history and development.

The opening of the Arrowtown tasting room concludes a hugely successful year for Gibbston Valley Wines. The winery was recently  lavished with an array of Cuisine Magazine awards, in particular with its 2011 Pinot Noir winning five stars. Over the years it has taken home more than 300 international and national awards, and this year celebrated the 25th anniversary of its first commercial wine harvest, as one of the pioneering and oldest vineyards in the Central Otago region.

“We have much to celebrate and applaud,” said Mr Hunt. “The opening of the tasting room in Arrowtown is a great end to a highly successful year, and the perfect platform to share that success with wine lovers and those who would enjoy our winery restaurant, Wine Cave Tours and other retail offerings.”

‘A Tasting of Gibbston Valley Wines’ is the first of many new plans Mt Hunt hopes to realise over the coming months.

“The winery is going from strength to strength. Our goal is to add experiences and give people more reasons to visit Gibbston Valley Winery as well as lengthen their stay while they are here,” he said.

Gibbston Valley Winery is home to New Zealand’s largest and innovative wine cave, available for wine tours, private functions, weddings and special occasions, the new Barrel Room for C&I functions and weddings, and a retail outlet.

Yealands Estate has won a top international wine tourism award for the third year in a row.

Councillor Sue Wells will present Yealands Estate with its Best of Wine Tourism award for sustainable wine tourism practices at tomorrow’s New World Food and Wine Festival in Hagley Park.

"It's great to see Christchurch and South Island wineries getting global recognition and promoting the region as a result," says Sue Wells.

The awards are run by Great Wine Capitals, a network of nine cities in the northern and southern hemispheres that share a key economic and cultural asset -- their internationally renowned wine regions.
Christchurch | South Island, which includes the Waipara Valley, Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and Central Otago wine regions, belongs to the exclusive network.

Yealands Estate founder, Peter Yealands, says the international recognition reflects the passion the Yealands team has for sharing their sustainability story.

“We are passionate about our sustainability practices and enjoy the opportunity to share what makes us different with the visitors who come to our winery. At our cellar door we aim to create a unique experience, which showcases our dedication to making quality wine in an innovative way,” says Peter Yealands.
The panel of judges commended Yealands Estate for leading from the front and demonstrating their commitment to sustainability, rather than just talking about it.

The South Island’s regional Best of Wine Tourism Award winners include Melton Estate, in West Melton near Christchurch, who won the wine tourism restaurant category.

Owner Tracy Caunter comments: “Our total focus is offering the very best wine hospitality for locals and guests to Christchurch.  Our aim is to be the premier event destination for international visitors, corporate clients, and locals seeking a winery experience close to the city.”

Spy Valley Wines won this year’s new category – architecture and landscapes – for its impressive buildings.

The architecture and landscaping provide the basis for the commitment Spy Valley makes towards creating an innovative and unique wine tourism experience, says Cellar Door Manager and Marketing Assistant Nicola Clark.

"This award recognises the unique architecture at Spy Valley and creates a reason for people to visit our home," says Nicola Clark.

Northburn Station, a high country sheep station in Central Otago with its own winery, won the innovative wine tourism experiences category for the memorable visitor experience it offers.

Central Otago's specialist wine tours company, Appellation Central Wine Tours, won the award for wine tourism services.

The awards serve as an industry benchmark for excellence in the field of wine tourism, and to be rated amongst the best for the third time is a great accolade for our business and the wine region as a whole, says Director Wendy Johnston.

“This is proof of the consistently excellent service given by our guides, customer service staff and the vineyard cellar door staff,” says Wendy Johnston.

The winners receive a Best of Wine Tourism trophy and plaque as well as opportunities to promote themselves locally and internationally through the Great Wine Capitals Global Network. For more details about the winners, categories and criteria see: www.southislandwine.co.nz/awards.asp

Background:

The Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Global Network (www.greatwinecapitals.com) was founded in Bordeaux, France more than 10 years ago with a goal to bring together the world’s most prestigious wine regions to enhance their economic, education, and tourism projects.

Until 2009, there were eight members, including; Bilbao/Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Cape Town (South Africa), Florence (Italy), Mainz (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal) and San Francisco/Napa Valley (USA). Christchurch joined in 2009.

Members of the network run the international Best of Wine Tourism Awards, fund annual international student grants and maintain a growing database of international wine writers and connoisseurs.

The network brings together cities that are gateways to internationally-renowned wine regions, for example San Francisco – gateway to the renowned wine region of Napa Valley.