Awards and seminars added appeal to Wine New Zealand 2008

10 October, 2008

Hospitality and wine trade professionals gathered en masse at Auckland's ASB Showgrounds to attend New Zealand's premier wine trade event, Wine New Zealand from Sunday August 31st to Tuesday September 2nd.

The crème of the New Zealand hospitality industry welcomed this unique opportunity to meet with the winemakers, sample their wines and appreciate why New Zealand is causing such a sensation in the international world of wine. A first-class line up of wineries sampled a diverse range of grape varieties, including a number of new vintage releases from 2008. Visitors had the privilege of tasting the wines from beautiful Spiegelau glassware which showcased their quality perfectly. As Steve Logan, Proprietor of Logan Brown Restaurant Wellington commented "We loved the event. It was a great opportunity to try new brands, styles and regions and also great to catch up and socialise." Preliminary attendance statistics show enhanced quality of visitors year on year, with indications that there were in excess of 2,000 hospitality and wine professionals who attended the show across the three days.

Without a doubt a highlight for visitors and exhibitors was the Corbans Viticulture Wine New Zealand Seminars. The platform for the seminar series is built on New Zealand's reputation to continually produce a quality product. As first time exhibitor Steve Nathan from Salvare Estate Limited commented "As a new winery it is important that we gather as much market and marketing intelligence as possible. The seminars at Wine New Zealand were invaluable and gave us insights we would not have achieved any other way."

Speakers included international guests Kevin Zraly, wine educator and author of Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, Robin Kelley O'Connor, President, Society of Wine Educators and Ben Edwards, Sommelier from Australia. These international guests joined a selection of inspirational speakers which included local winemakers, prominent wine media and trade and hospitality professionals, to present a series of informative topics. They gave their insights on trends, research and two varietal specific tastings of New Zealand wines- Sauvignon Blanc and Sensational Syrah and Other Hot Reds.

 "The calibre and content of the seminar sessions, I believe, were of an international standard' commented Dennis Lunken, CEO Corbans Viticulture. "The wine industry is dynamic and the ability to be innovative in our marketing and to continue our reputation as a quality producer is integral to the industry's long term success," he said. Corbans Viticulture is committed to supporting these seminars as part of its three year term sponsorship.