The Shed At Northburn Station Appoints Wine Professional

The Shed At Northburn Station Appoints Experienced Wine Professional As General Manager

August 13 2012: Northburn Station’s The Shed has appointed wine and hospitality expert Paul Tudgay as General Manager underlining the company’s commitment to enhancing the events and conference and incentive sector of its operations, focusing around its purpose-built facility, The Shed Restaurant, Cellar Door and function venue.

Tudgay (40) is a professional sommelier, trained in the UK, and for the past five years has had a high profile as a Queenstown Resort College wine educator and more latterly as its Hospitality and Business manager. He is also credited with introducing the international Wine and Spirit Education Trust qualification to Queenstown, with more than 80 people qualified to date.

Northburn Station owners Tom and Jan Pinckney opened The Shed four years ago with Jan taking on the diverse role of overseeing The Shed including the restaurant, cellar door, functions and the company’s trade wine business.

“During those four years there has been strong growth, particularly the restaurant, which today offers a full a la carte menu, serving lunch for anything up to 185 people a day,” says Jan. “While The Shed is widely used for functions and weddings we now want to focus more on events and the important conference and incentive market which will be possible with Paul’s expertise.”

Tudgay was selected from a competitive number of applicants for his specific experience with wine, food and hospitality management.

“Paul is proficient in so many areas and recognises that Northburn Wine Company is ready to move to a new level. We are confident that he will help us achieve our goal,” says Jan who will step aside from The Shed to concentrate on the wine trade sales division of the business.

Tudgay is optimistic about the new role which will allow him to develop his “entrepreneurial spirit.”

“The Northburn role is a fantastic opportunity and I certainly regard it as a fresh challenge. What has been accomplished in a short time at The Shed is excellent but there is still room to grow. With its location and individuality there is huge potential.”

He considers the combination of the quality wine produced under the Northburn label, and the restaurant with its emphasis on regional food, is outstanding.

“The restaurant is all about “from the paddock to the plate” with so much of the produce grown at Northburn itself. This is definitely a very important selling point along with the innovative wine and food match.”

Northburn Station plans to create more of its own events and on September 9 The Warratahs, marking their 25th anniversary as a leading Kiwi band, will play at a lunchtime concert while in mid-October renowned New Zealand singer and songwriter Paul Ubana Jones is scheduled to perform.

“There will be a big push to boost events like this because it is such an ideal site and lends itself to musical performances,” says Tudgay. “I am also a strong advocate for winery tourism because, after all, Northburn is all about its wine.”

Northburn Station was recently judged as the most innovative regional wine tourism experience by the prestigious Great Wine Capitals global network s highlighting the winery as a significant Central Otago and New Zealand venture.

“This puts Northburn at the cutting edge and we want to build on this further. The aim is for every visitor to the station, whether they call in for lunch or attend a wedding or conference and incentive function, to have an exceptional experience which we hope will in turn raise the awareness of the winery and its facilities both nationally and internationally”.

www.northburn.co.nz

ENDS

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