Educational & Networking Events
At the heart of our Association is a commitment to supporting the Hawke’s Bay wine community to be the best it can be. By fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge, we empower each member to thrive and contribute to the collective success of our region.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Events
2025
Red Wine Workshop | August 2025
The 2025 Hawke’s Bay Red Wine Workshop brought together industry leaders, winemakers, viticulturists and marketers to explore how evolving consumer preferences, global trends and climate dynamics are shaping the future of red wine.
To view the programme and speaker presentations - click here
Introduction to Exporting | June 2025
18 June 2025
In response to member feedback regarding export activities, the first in a series of export-focused workshops was held for producers new to exporting or running small, informal export programmes. NZTE’s James Medina provided guidance on market selection, entry strategies, pricing, sales and resource planning, along with available support. Experienced exporters also shared practical tips to help attendees navigate export markets more effectively.
Social Media Workshop | Connect Plus | June 2025
Following on from June’s Uncorking Social Success workshop (see below), Aimee from ConnectPlus has provided additional digital education tools exclusively for members.
This month’s update includes:
- Two new AI content prompts
• One to help all members create engaging educational content for their social channels
• A second exclusive prompt for wineries participating in the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction, to help promote your lot from 1 July
11 June 2025
Aimee Stewart, Connect Plus, hosted a social media workshop exclusively for Hawke’s Bay Wine members.
This was a jammed packed and informative session allowing members to take away a lot of learnings.
Aimee generously presented handouts with exercises and workpapers to all attendees. To see these handouts and Aimee's presentation - click here.
Aimee's Contact Details:
Wine Tourism | Barbara Tuche | May 2025
27 May 2025
As part of her regional insights project with the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, intern Barbara Tuche visited cellar doors and wine tourism operators across Hawke’s Bay. Her work was to help strengthen our Region’s alignment with the GWC programme by gathering valuable observations and identifying opportunities for growth.
Presentation overview:
- Section 1: The importance of wine tourism for businesses and regional impact
- Section 2: How we can each contribute to telling Hawke’s Bay’s collective story
- Section 3: The “4 E’s” of the Experience Economy, with international wine tourism case studies
- Combating seasonality
- What to look for when hiring and developing frontline staff
Barbara's Presentation - Wine Tourism presentation by Barbara Tuche
Regional Chardonnay Technical Workshop | Jan 2025
31 January 2025
Taking a closer look at Chardonnay from local producers and further afield. This workshop included:
Sub Regional Flight & Discussion - Sophie Harris, Indevin
Alternate Vessel Flight and Discussion - Jordan Harper, Craggy Range
Viticulture & Chardonnay in HB - Mark Krasnow, Thoughtful Viticulture
Inspiration from Across the Strait - Murray Cook, Dog Point & Nous
Benchmark Flight & Discussion - Scarlett Glackin, Vinci's Pizza
To see the full programme along with the resources and presentations - click here
2024
Chardonnay Symposium | Sept 2024
Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium
September 26th and 27th the symposium was held in the beautiful Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay, at the recently refurbished Toitoi: Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre in Hastings.
Expanding on our foundation of education and community laid in 2023, the 2024 Symposium shifted focus to explore the sense of place in Aotearoa Chardonnay.
This event featured keynote speakers, panel discussions, and wine tastings, offering a unique opportunity to gain knowledge and inspiration.
For further information including the Programme - click here
To see the Chardonnay Resources - click here
Storytelling & Visitor Experience Workshop | Sept 2024
Wednesday 25 September 2024 Held at Black Barn Winery
This was a practical workshop designed for businesses aiming to deliver exceptional visitor experiences and build brand loyalty.
Since the dawn of time, storytelling has been used to educate, entertain, and connect communities. But how can your business leverage the power of storytelling to enhance visitor experiences and build brand loyalty?
This workshop was tailored for business owners, marketing professionals and frontline champions to help refine their story, improve how to communicate it, and demonstrate how exceptional visitor experiences can reinforce your brand story.
Presenters:
Robin Shaw from Wine Tourism Australia, an expert in Wine Tourism.
Morven McAuley from Tradecraft, a brand strategy consultancy and podcaster. You can see Morven's presentation here.
To see more about the workshop - click here
Red Blend Workshop | June 2024
7 June 2024
Red Blends Workshop with the theme of “Red Blends in a Challenging Market”. This workshop brought together industry experts and enthusiasts to explore the complexities and opportunities within the red blends segment.
Keynote speaker Gary Walsh, The WINEFRONT, shared his expertise and unique perspective on Red Blends alongside additional speakers Nick Buck (Te Mata Estate), Aileen Huo (Church Road Winery) and Steven Carden (Delegat).
For further information click here
Regional Chardonnay Technical Workshop - 2024
25 January 2024
Following on from the successful Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium a one day technical workshop was held. It presented further opportunities to collectively learn through an in-depth dive into Chardonnay including:
- Barrel / tank samples formally evaluated
- Benchmark tasting flight
- Deep dive into clones / rootstocks.
To see more click here
2023
Chardonnay Symposium | Oct 2023
Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium
5 & 6 October 2023
Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers, in collaboration with New Zealand Wine and the New Zealand Society of Oenology and Viticulture, held the inaugural Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium in Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay on the 5th and 6th of October 2023.
This important event provided a forum for the wine community to assess where we are at and where we would like to go in the journey to making exceptional chardonnay.
The symposium brought together a national audience from the wine community to hear, taste and share knowledge on the domestic and international trends happening with Chardonnay.
Cellar Door Workshop | Nov 2023
16 November 2023
The Cellar Door collective held a training workshop for all new seasonal Cellar Door staff embarking on the summer season 23/24.
Independent Growers | Dec 2023
December 2023
At this event two independent grower / winemaker partnerships shared insights into their journey to establish sustainable partnerships that realised value for both partners.
