Bay wine community contributes over $125,000 to Cranford Hospice

Over $125,000, proceeds from the 2010 Midlands Hawke’s Bay Charity Wine Auction, were presented (Wednesday 8 December) to Cranford Hospice board chairman, Ken Gilligan and Cranford general manager, Helen Blaxland by Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc. chair, Nicholas Buck.

The commitment to Cranford Hospice by the Hawke’s Bay wine industry began in 1991 and since then it is not just the financial generosity that has grown; the relationship has become personal for the many grape growers and winery personnel involved.

Hawke’s Bay’s regional wine industry association with Cranford follows in good stead from other wine / hospice relationships around the world.  Examples include the most famous Hospice de Beaune held in Burgundy each year, the Napa Valley Wine Auction, and the Winesong! Auction held in California.

“Hawke’s Bay’s full-bodied reds and Chardonnays are wines that can be barrel-aged and have some longevity, which makes them ideally suited as auction lots,” says Mr Buck.  “Wineries that participate in the Charity Wine Auction do so from a strong sense of community involvement and a desire to give back to their region.”