Providing a "not flash just friendly" approach, with plenty of fine wine and some sharp knowledge about the whole wine scene, came up trumps for Junction Wines at the annual Hawke's Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards this week.
For the past three years the winery has made the final six in the Jenny Nilsson House of Travel-sponsored Hawke's Bay Cellar Door of the Year competition but this year they hit the top.
Sileni Estate had won it for the past two years and were going for the trifecta of titles, but the Central Hawke's Bay vineyard steered by the Ashworth family, John and Jo and winemaker son Leith and his wife Tracy, got the nod.
What made it extra special was the public vote, because the winery is slightly off the more beaten track than other Bay wineries.
"People don't know us as well so it is exciting to think we got that public vote," Mrs Ashworth said.