NZ Merino took out the Supreme Award at the 2019 New Zealand International Business Awards.

It is 19 years since Kerry Hammond completed his viticulture diploma, and in that time he has probably pruned tens of thousands of vines.

A company that is changing the face of vineyards here in New Zealand has just recently taken out the Supreme Awards at the Wellington Gold Awards and the Global Gold Award for exports.

Simple design coupled with a product that ‘gets the job done’, has led to Datamars taking the Gold Pin at the Best Design Awards.

Jim Harre is the first to admit he keeps a low profile for someone with such a big influence on wine.

For the second year running an emerging leader from Central Otago has taken out the national title of Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year.

The wine industry was never Stuart Dudley’s first career choice. The viticulturist for Villa Maria Wines in Marlborough had his mindset on research or forensics, having completed a degree in Genetics and Biochemistry.

For the first time ever a New Zealand wine brand has been included in the top three Most Admired Wine Brands in the World, taking out the third spot.

The numbers say it all. Twelve participants, 3600 wine tastes, 85 producers, 57 wine regions and 11 countries.

It may be just a coincidence, or it could be a secret weapon – but the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker’s of the year in both 2017 and 2018 bought a house on the exact day they competed in their regional finals.