Wineries report record tourist season

The long and mainly sun-blessed Hawke’s Bay summer has seen winemakers smiling at the prospect of another fine vintage, and winery staff in general celebrating a hugely successful tourist-driven season. At Clearview Winery in Te Awanga the numbers of guests who called to wine and dine were “record breaking”, function, events and restaurant manager Kristy Paddick said. “It’s been absolutely pumping,” she said. “We had the full sign out in the driveway by about 10am most days over the holiday period.”