Special vintage to be auctioned at Hawke's Bay Wine Auction

John Bostock, left, and Bostock Wines general manager Matt Stafford show off the 2017 vintage. Photo / Supplied

This year's Hawke's Bay Wine Auction has a very special lot, which has been donated by the Bostock family in memory of the late Vicki Bostock.

Hawke's Bay organic apple grower and newcomer to the wine industry, John Bostock, has donated the very first wine from his first 2017 vintage.

"We created Bostock Wines in memory of my late wife Vicki," he said.

"We were so grateful to Cranford Hospice for helping look after her, so we have donated this very special wine to hopefully raise some decent funds for Cranford to enable them to care for others.

"They really do such an amazing job."

Vicki's Vineyard was named after Vicki Bostock who John Bostock credits for igniting his passion for organics.

"Vicki loved the land and everything it can produce and she was very passionate about growing healthy, nutritious food organically," Bostock said.

"Growing grapes and producing premium organic wine on family land in the area where she grew up is something she would be very happy about."

The Hawke's Bay Wine Auction will celebrate 28 years this year with Hawke's Bay's most talented winemakers providing over 40 lots of wine, many of which are being specially blended.

The event runs as a charity auction with all proceeds going to Cranford Hospice, having raised $3.3million for them since it started in 1991.

Very soon Bostock will be opening a cellar door and has renovated the old racing stables which are located alongside the Bostock family home at Ngatarawa and an area which has been in Vicki's family for generations.

At this weekend's auction there will be a 3 litre bottle of 2017 Bostock Merlot and a 5l bottle of 2017 Bostock Syrah up for grabs.

These bottles are the only ones of their kind and will be coupled with the chance to learn more about the Bostock Wines organic vision with a special private dining experience for 8 people prepared by the Bostock Organic Kitchens top chef, showcasing Bostock Wines and produce.

This will be a unique opportunity to have the only large bottles of the first vintage from Vicki's Vineyard.

"Vicki and I grew up on this land and she absolutely loved it and she would have been so pleased and passionate for us to grow premium quality wine here," he said.

"It means a lot to me to produce a wine in memory of Vicki from Vicki's Vineyard."

There are four 2017 Bostock Wine varieties including Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and already this first vintage has received gold medals and top reviews from the country's most influential wine critic Bob Campbell.

Campbell said he was "impressed with all four wines" and described Bostock as "hitting the ground running with this first release of a new Hawke's Bay label."

The Hawke's Bay Wine Auction takes place on Saturday, November 9 at Hastings City Art Gallery from 1pm – 5pm.