17 Jun 2009

Hawke's Bay area gets tick from London wine tasters

11:19 am on 17 June 2009

A wine-producing area just outside Hastings in Hawke's Bay has its sights set on the lucrative Asian and United States wine markets.

The 800 hectare block of land, known as the Gimblett Gravels, has attracted international acclaim this year, following a successful blind tasting of its wines in London. Many wine afficionados now rate the reds coming out of the area alongside the best from Bordeaux in France.

John O'Connor of the Gimblett Gravels Association, which is made up of 26 winemakers and growers, says more tasting events like the one in London are in the pipeline.

Mr O'Connor says winemakers are looking to hold an event in New York and possibly Asia.