Hawke’s Bay named 12th Great Wine Capital of the World
Hawke’s Bay has been named a ‘Great Wine Capital’ of the world, setting it alongside 11 other prestigious wine regions such as Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Bilbao, and Adelaide.
Admission to the Great Wine Capitals programme, as the 12th Capital worldwide, comes after a stringent selection process that looks at a region’s winegrowing industry, its history, wine tourism, educational opportunities, business, and travel, as well as the cities and region itself.
In announcing the news, Hawke’s Bay Tourism CEO, Hamish Saxton said the significance of being named a Great Wine Capital of the world is a remarkable milestone for the region. “Hawke’s Bay’s inclusion as one of just 12 Great Wine Capitals of the world is of regional and national significance. It is recognition that Hawke’s Bay wines are among the world’s best, and that our nation’s wine growing industry, while still young, offers quality to rival the world’s oldest.
“This new achievement gives Hawke’s Bay a unique positioning in New Zealand and the world. Becoming a Great Wine Capital will also give a significant boost to the region’s post-cyclone recovery, particularly with the wine industry already generating an estimated $300 million direct revenue to the Hawke’s Bay economy and contributing $156m to GDP. The accolade will further increase Hawke’s Bay’s global recognition and will give it access to additional expertise, resources, and support from the best of the global wine and tourism industries.”
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive, René de Monchy, said the announcement is a huge boost for the region. “Being named as a Great Wine Capital of the World is a fantastic platform to showcase the Hawke’s Bay region’s amazing wine offering and its range of experiences and attractions to domestic and international visitors. Travellers are looking for world-class offerings and this global accolade provides that assurance and puts Hawke’s Bay alongside the world’s best wine experiences.”
Jo Collins, President of the Adelaide, South Australia Great Wine Capitals Steering Committee has welcomed the addition of Hawke’s Bay. “We are thrilled to welcome Hawke's Bay and the twin cities of Napier and Hastings to our esteemed network. The quality of the wines from this region, their international recognition and unwavering commitment to excellence in grape and wine production, sustainable tourism and education was evident and saw them unanimously voted in by our existing 11 network members.
“A key strength of the network is that members do not see themselves as competitors, but rather working together with a spirit of cooperation to support and learn from each other through common challenges and opportunities. And importantly, continuing to lift the bar in terms of the global wine and tourism offering.”
