Menu

Call Us

W&F Celebration 2014

W&F Wine and Food Celebration at NZ School of Food & Wine

Over 600 hospitality trade and wine and food lovers attended our inaugural event includes 17 contestants for the New Zealand Sommelier of the Year, Junior Sommelier of the Year and Wine Professional Sommelier Year and 25 elite New Zealand wineries.

Our W&F Wine and Food Celebration will run again in September, 2015. 

image

Our Viaduct Room is transformed with the bar from Hay’s just to the right of this photo.

image

Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas, Restaurateur Therese Herzog and Tim Hanni MW judging the practical component of the competition.

The goals of the competitions are to foster professionalism, career development and on-going training within hospitality. A travel grant of $200  enabled a people to travel to Auckland from around New Zealand.

We are grateful for the  industry sponsorship and support for the competition prizes.

image 

Meg Abbott-Walker, sommelier of Masu Restaurant, SkyCity.

image

Pouring Louis Roederer Estate before the judges.

New Zealand Sommelier of the Year

This award recognises excellence in New Zealand and international wine knowledge for outstanding candidates working as a sommelier or senior manager in a hotel, lodge or restaurant. We encourage entries from candidates who can demonstrate excellent wine service and communication skills along with an in depth knowledge of wines from around the world.

Sponsor: New Zealand School of Food and Wine & Louis Roederer

image

Prize

  • Return flight to Paris sponsored by NZ School of Food and Wine
  • VIP hosting for a day at Louis Roederer including a full tour of the cellars & lunch
  • Return transfers Paris to Reims

image

Andy Gladding, winner of the New Zealand Sommelier of the Year.

Junior Sommelier of the Year

image

Jared Svedlund from The French Cafe, Junior Sommelier winner, Oliver Carr, Keefe Robinson-Gore from the George Hotel, Christchurch.

This award recognises excellence in New Zealand wine knowledge for outstanding candidates working in any hospitality business. We encourage entries from candidates who wish to develop their wine skills and progress to more senior positions in their chosen field.

Sponsor: Misha’s Vineyard

image

Prize

  • Return flight to Queenstown
  • 2 nights accommodation with Misha’s Vineyard/The Rees Hotel
  • Special dinner at the award-winning True South Dining Room (Exec-Chef - Ben Batterbury) and joined by the General Manager of The Rees Hotel
  • Helicopter tour around the key winegrowing regions of Central Otago

 

Young New Zealand Wine Professional of the Year

image

Celia Hay and Therese Herzog evaluating the sales pitch of wine professionals.

image

Brian Shaw from Amisfield presents a Pinot Noir pitch during the competition.

This award recognises excellence in New Zealand wine knowledge for outstanding candidates working in wine sales, retail, cellar door or wine distribution sectors. We encourage entries from candidates who wish to develop their wine skills and progress to more senior positions in their chosen field.

Sponsor: Hans Herzog Estate & Yealands Estate

imageimage

 image

Alexis Robin, Winner of the Young Wine Progressional with Ralf Kleinsgorge, Yealands Wine Group Regional Manager. 

Prize

  • Return flights to Blenheim for the weekend of April 11-13, 2015
  • Attend Herzog Harvest Weekend: picking grapes, helping in the winery, lunches and dinner at Herzog bistro and restaurant
  • Travel to Yealands Estate, Awatere, meet wine-makers and view the vintage operation
  • 3 nights accommodation

image

image

NZ Sommelier of the Year winner Andy Gladding from The French Café, Auckland being presented with a bottle of Louis Roederer Crystal,  Cameron Douglas (Master Sommelier and Head Judge), Celia Hay, Ben Longhurst (Sponsor Eurovintage Distributors).

http://event.foodandwine.co.nz/Sommelier.html

image

NZ Junior Sommelier of the Year winner Oliver Carr (student at Lincoln University and former manager of Shed 5, Wellington) Alexis Robin, Winner of Young wine professional (Cellar door Mount Difficulty, Central Otago), NZ Sommelier of the Year winner Andy Gladding from The French Café, Auckland.

SPECIAL GUESTS

image

Guest presenters included Tim Hanni Master of Wine from California, well-respected wine judge Bob Campbell Master of Wine and Juliet Harbutt, Cheese expert from London.

image

Juliet Harbutt and her fabulous book on World Cheese.

image

image 

Raffaela Delmonte tasting freshly pressed New Zealand extra virgin olive oil.

Airborne Honey captivate our guests with their honey sourced from New Zealand native flowers.

image

SPECIAL WINE TASTING  OVER 2 DAYS

Twenty-five outstanding winegrowers, many of them certified organic, presented their wines at our public tasting held over two days.

Marlborough      Dog Point, Hans Herzog, Yealands, Loveblock

Hawkes Bay      Te Mata, Elephant Hill and Paritua

Gisborne     Wrights

Villa Maria’s new, low alcohol and organic wines

Harakeke Farm   Nelson

Auckland          Turanga Creek, Puriri Hill and Artisan

Canterbury        Pegasus Bay, Black Estate and Greystone

Central Otago    Mt Difficulty, Aurum and Valli

From France      wines from the famous regions of Chablis and Alsace and the Rhone Valley

image

Hans Herzog pouring some of his delicious and celebrated Viognier with Hollis Giddens from Valli wines behind him.

image

Steve Olley from Elephant Hill.

image

The boys from Maison Vauron pouring Chablis.

image

Ed Donaldson from Pegasus Bay.

image

Decanting Puriri Hills Pope Vineyard 2008 - blend of Bordeaux grapes.

image

Erica Crawford discussing Loveblock’s organic wines.

image

Important helpers Jenny Rothenberg and Cecilia Lee.

image

More Important helpers Sarah Whitehouse, Lutonia Naicker and Sarah MacIntyre.

image

Great to have Mount Difficulty on board.

image

Bronwyn Skuse from Vinoptima tempting us with that delicious Gewurztraminer in three styles: Vinoptima Reserve, Bond Road and the  Vins Sophora - appropriately named after the Latin name for the native Kowhai tree.

image

Justin Hart representing Yealands Estate Single Block Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, PGR and Pinot Noir.

imageLuic Parola from Greendrop organic wines, beers and spirits showing 

image

Oliver Hay selling wine!

image

Harakeke Farms from Nelson. 

image

Food writer Julie le Clerc and past student and VIVA columnist Nikki Wickes join us for the Artisan Bread workshop.

image

Dan from Paritua Estate, Hawkes Bay

image

Judy Flower presenting her wines from Puriri Hills.

image

Murray from Dog Point presents their outstanding wines.

image

Emily Camblin from Villa Maria shares the new low alcohol range of wines.

Latest Newsletter

See our latest email newsletter.

Read now

Categories

Celia Hay

Celia is a qualified chef and holds the WSET (London) Diploma of Wine. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History, Master of Education (Distinction) and MBA Master of Business Administration from the University of Canterbury.

Find out more

The School

Founded by Celia Hay, the New Zealand School of Food and Wine opened its first campus in Christchurch in 1995.

Find out more