How great is NZ! I love being home - you can't beat the beautiful outdoors and fun at your fingertips.
Although there was an unseasonal cold spell which froze all of your tips - even snow on the hills around Hawkes Bay.
Shot up Te Mata Peak on my specialized Mountain bike for a wicked ride right over the top to Craggy Range on the other side.
No trail to follow, a few tumbles and slides down the hill, but an adrenaline pumped start to my day.
Only home for a day or two catching up with the talented Craggy/Wild Rock team and what's been happening (Trophy Award for the 2008 Gravel Pit Red at the NZ International Wine Awards) then off to Auckland with Matt Stafford (one of our 6 skilled winemakers) to the Liquorland Top 100 Awards dinner.
We had a blast, meeting up with Sam Bennett (another winemaker from the formidable team of 6), Kate Broadhurst, Ric Little from Vitners and some of our great sales team Lisa Raymond and Brent Hindman.
Not only did we take 3 Golds (2007 Gravel Pit Red, 2007 Angels Dust Reserve Syrah, 2008 Strugglers Flat Pinot Noir) we nailed the Merlot category winning Trophy Merlot with the 2007 Gravel Pit Red and best value too... yehaa!!!
Four Hawkes Bay Wines wining Trophys speaks volumes too - congrats to all the winners!
Back to the Bay for a few days housekeeping and then up to Auckland again for the NZ Music Awards and working in the Auckland market with the sales team, Andy and Lisa.
The Music Awards were great fun and a big thanks to Mike & Belinda Henley and NZ Music on Air - Mike McClung & crew.
Caught up with the gorgeous Boh Runga, Anika Moa, and Tiki Tane and had a fantastic time listening to Midnight Youth and LadyHawke.
If you are lucky enough to get one of these events you quickly get to realise how lucky we are in NZ with the level of talent and passion in our music industry - inspiring stuff!
Checked out some great wine retailers in Auckland including Glengarry's, First Glass, and The Wine Vault with Lisa and Andy - thanks all.
Also squeezed in a fun packed tasting with some of my old wine group in Auckland - the infamous Richard Street Wine Group (which like the plague has spread rapidly from Westmere to Herne Bay and Point Chev).
My son & daughter and friend Suzie Marsden with Pipi the boxer (Westpac's Head of Sustainability) busked for Breast Cancer Foundation - great effort, great cause.
