Business owners, winemakers share tips at Hawke's Bay Wine Auction workshop

Kevin Stirrat, head of investment strategy at Forsyth Barr Investment, speaks at the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction Sponsor Partnership workshop yesterday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Sixty of Hawke's Bay's leading business owners and winemakers gathered at Harcourts Hastings auction rooms yesterday for the annual Hawke's Bay Wine Auction Sponsor Partnership workshop.

Speakers from Harcourts, Forsyth Barr, MRD Web + Digital Marketing, Grundy Productions and NZME shared information on topics including investment, web and design, film production and advertising.

Auction manager Elisha Milmine said the function is invitation only for the event's sponsor partners and is always popular, with many takeaway tips and tricks across the topics.

She said this year's 43 auction lots comprise 41 wine offerings, most of which are bespoke parcels created for the event, one travel package which will have successful bidders enjoying return flights and seven nights' accommodation at Reef House in Vanuatu, and a one-off David Trubridge art piece.

Milmine said syndicates are becoming popular, with groups of between two and six people pooling their money to buy one-off special wine offerings and experiences.

"It becomes a good excuse to get together regularly and enjoy these wines, or some prefer to take their portion and cellar."

Elephant Hill chief executive Andreas Weiss said the workshop was "not only very informative, but also another example of what an intellectual and dynamic group of people are involved with this event".

"The opportunities with being involved are the icing on the top of giving to Cranford Hospice."

This year's Hawke's Bay Wine Auction is on November 10 from 1pm to 5pm at the Napier Conference Centre. Tickets will go on sale on July 2 and absentee bidding is also available.

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