New Date and Venue for Charity Wine Auction
April 9 2014
New Date and Venue for Charity Wine Auction
Stunning vintage lots will be up for grabs at the HB Winegrowers Charity Fine Wine Auction set for Saturday, November 8.
The event will join the FAWC! (Food and Wine Classic) summer series and has moved to the Hawke’s Bay Racing Centre following the closure of the Hawke’s Bay Opera House for earthquake strengthening.
There are 39 auction lots in the Cranford Hospice fundraiser, many showcasing the very best from Hawkes Bay vineyards – and the much-acclaimed 2013 vintage.
A long summer of warm, dry weather resulting in perfect climate conditions has seen the 2013 vintage lauded as one of, if not the best, in 30 years.
Te Mata Estate chairman and Cranford Hospice patron John Buck says wine enthusiasts must be at this year’s auction. “This Saturday afternoon event is the best opportunity you will get to evaluate the finest offerings from a vintage of great promise.”
And the 2014 season has been a great successor. “It’s another high quality year,” he says. Many of the lots are unique, one-off wines, not available for commercial sale.
The format will be kept simple with an afternoon pre-tasting function, food and music, followed by the auction itself.
Event coordinator Annabel Tapley-Smith says syndication will open up the event to a wider range of people by making it more affordable.
“We’re ramping up the fun factor and encouraging friends to increase buying power by getting together and pooling resources,” she says.
The organising committee says that while the move from the opera house was necessary, they are committed to supporting the venue in the future.
The charity wine auction is in its 23rd year and has raised more than $2 million for Cranford Hospice. Funds are used to help keep palliative care services free of charge for terminally ill patients and their families throughout Hawkes Bay.
www.hawkesbaywineauction.co.nz
www.cranfordhospice.org.nz
ENDS