18 Aug 2025 Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction Set to Reach Historic $5 Million Milestone
Monday 18th August, 2025
The Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction is poised to make history in 2025, with organisers expecting the event to surpass $5 million raised for Cranford Hospice since its inception in 1991. With just $93,179 needed to cross the threshold, this year’s auction – held on Saturday 13 September at Toitoi – promises an extra layer of excitement for bidders. To celebrate the milestone, the bidder (or syndicate) who pushes the total past $5 million will take home a remarkable set of large-format bottles donated by leading Hawke’s Bay winemakers:
- Radburnd Cellars 2019 Merlot Cabernet (magnum)
- Vilaura 2021 Blanc de Blanc Méthode Traditionnelle (magnum)
- Paritua 2019 Paritua ‘Red’ Cabernet Merlot (magnum)
- Helio Wines 2023 Chardonnay (jeroboam)
- Tony Bish Wines 2017 ZEN Chardonnay (jeroboam), featuring hand-painted artwork by Dan Baker. The ZEN jeroboam is particularly rare, coming from the very first vintage of this prestigious wine.
Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction General Manager, Samantha Kershaw, says the team wanted to celebrate the occasion in a way that recognises the generosity of bidders and supporters and the life-changing work of Cranford Hospice.
“Cranford Hospice plays such a vital role in our community, and to be approaching such a big milestone is truly special. We’re so grateful to the winemakers who have donated such a beautiful line-up of wines to help celebrate this moment, and we can’t wait to see some competitive bidding for the chance to take it home,” said Kershaw.
Tony Bish, a Trustee of the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction Charitable Trust and participating winemaker since the first year, reflected on the achievement. “The Hawke’s Bay wine industry has been working together with Cranford for more than three decades. To get to a milestone as significant as $5 million is a phenomenal endorsement of a lot of community effort, volunteer time, and the uniting of the wider wine community. It shows that when everyone joins forces, great things can happen.”
A Legacy of Impact
Since 1991, the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction has:
- Auctioned over 1,000 lots
- Received more than 55,000 bottles donated by local winemakers
- Showcased 33 original artworks from local artists
- Become the largest annual private fundraiser for Cranford Hospice
The event is New Zealand’s oldest wine auction, with every dollar raised donated to Cranford Hospice to support free, compassionate palliative care for patients and their whānau.
This year promises to be more than just an auction. It will be a celebration of three decades of generosity, community spirit, and exceptional Hawke’s Bay wine.