Michelle Hellyer and Eden Clarkson, who are completing the second year of their Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design degree, were announced as tee shirt design winners by Clearview co-owner Helma van den Berg at EIT’s ideaschool graduates art exhibition event last week. 
Read more

Pyramid Valley Vineyards, in North Canterbury is the first wine business in the southern hemisphere to say "Bitcoin accepted here".  Read more

One of the country’s leading young viticulturists, Caine Thompson has joined Pyramid Valley Vineyards in Waikairi, North Canterbury, as its first managing director.

Thompson, formerly viticulturist with Mission Estate Winery in Hawke’s Bay, is a previous winner of the national Young Viticulturist award and the over-arching New Zealand Young Horticulturist competition.

With a strong expertise in organic grape growing, and a soon to be completed MBA under his belt, Thompson, will be working closely with owners, Mike and Claudia Weersing to raise the profile of the biodynamically-managed vineyards and the select range of wines, both nationally and internationally.

Further strength is added to the Pyramid winemaking team by Brittany Thompson, formerly of Elephant Hill Winery, Hawke’s Bay.  She brings significant international experience from cult producers such as Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle in the Napa Valley of California, where she worked with consultant winemaker, Andy Erickson.

For more about Caine and Brittany, read here

Three wineries went head to head in last night’s inaugural Great Hawke’s Bay Wine Off, and in a true David versus Goliath style, the smaller contender, Clearview Estate Winery was victorious.

The new event, held overlooking the Bay with guests watching the sun go down from The Peak, the revamped restaurant on Te Mata Peak, attracted 50 guests who voted for the wine they thought best matched each of the five courses served.

Competing were Trinity Hill, Rod McDonald Wines and Clearview, with the latter taking out all but the fourth of the five courses to be the undisputed winner.    Now a wine bottle sculpture by Ricks Terstappen is resplendent at the beach side cellar door.

Read more about the winning feat

Two Hawke’s Bay wineries represented the region at a huge wine fair in Hong Kong and report that there is keen interest in wines beyond those from Marlborough, with importers and distributors wanting to know more about local wines.

Elephant Hill Estate and Winery and Moana Park manned the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc. stand that was part of the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Fair held over three days earlier this month that attracted over 20,000 buyers. (7 to 9 November)

Sileni Estates was also due to attend and while it could not at the last minute, its wines fared well in the wine awards competition run in conjunction with the Fair.  Church Road, Mills Reef, and Elephant Hill were also award winners. 


Read more here (and see the list of award winners)

Guthrie-Smith is a name synonymous for many with school camps and more latterly environmental education. 
However for some, Herbert Guthrie-Smith is considered the author of one of the finest pieces of nature writing anywhere in the English language.

Associate Professor Alex Calder, Head of English, Drama and Writing Studies at the University of Auckland, who will be in Hawke’s Bay as guest speaker at an event to celebrate the opening of the Guthrie-Smith Tutira 20,000 tree Arboretum, says that Guthrie-Smith in his book
Tutira, was not just an observer of the world of plants and animals, he chronicled the interaction with the human
world.

“He was one of the first environmental historical writers and is a key person to turn to, to understand why rural New Zealand looks and is the way it is,” says Mr Calder.

Read the remainder of the Guthrie-Smith press release.
From 24 November 2013 the Guthrie-Smith Arboretum is open Sundays from 9am to 5pm.  Entry is $10 per person, with school children free. (Cash only as no EFTPos available). 

Visit the Guthrie-Smith website here for more information.

Ask what defines Hawke’s Bay and among
the answers are bound to be fresh fruit and vegetables, wonderful wine, delicious seafood, farm fresh meat, alfresco lifestyle, beautiful scenery and possibly Maori love story myths.
 
It’s all these ingredients plus more that are embraced in Hawke’s Bay On a Platter, a new visually stunning, 200-page cook book being produced as a joint fundraiser by Woodford House and Hereworth School.
 
“We were determined to create ‘not just another cookbook’,” says Jo Harvey, one of the small team of predominantly school parents behind the production. 
“The result is a book that uniquely captures the essence of Hawke’s Bay.  All that’s good in terms of being a producer of great food and wine and fabulous places to visit.”

Interspersed between the recipes, supplied by school families and local food and wine stalwarts, are stunning
bespoke photographs by award-winning photographer, Lee Warren.

Also featured are snippets of history that has shaped the region and stories about local iconic landmarks such as Te Mata Peak and Pania of the Reef.
 
“This is a cook book but it could easily adorn a coffee table as the full page photography on almost every page is a visual feast,” says Mrs Harvey.  “Even our advertisers embraced the concept we created and you’d be hard
pressed to tell what is an ad over another glorious photographic representation of our region.”

Work began in February this year for the
team of seven: Jo Harvey, Ana Ward, Jackie Black, Kate Vautier, Heather Smith, Lee Warren, and designer Steve Rawlinson. 

All but Mr Rawlinson were new to the publishing game and it was a steep learning curve with two of the women taking leave from paid work to get the book completed to the printer’s deadline.

 “There were a few weeks of not much sleep,” says Mrs Harvey.

Families from the two schools submitted recipes, many of which have been handed down through generations.  Chefs from Elephant Hill, Sileni and Blackbarn Bistro plus winemakers and olive producers also contributed their favourites.

Each recipe in the final cut was cooked or baked by the donor and then styled by Ms Smith to be photographed.   Care was taken to check instructions and where necessary, these were edited or expanded.

With dust jacket, marker ribbons, and a high quality production, the fundraising book has been released to coincide with Christmas gift purchasing. 

Retailing for $50, the limited edition Hawke’s Bay on a  Platter can be purchased on line or at selected retail outlets.   www.onaplatter.co.nz