Kinross Winery is celebrating  the opening of its new purpose-built cellar door this summer marking a significant milestone for the Gibbston winery.

The winery represents five world-class Central Otago wineries and is a showcase of the region. 

“ Our exclusive wine partnerships with Coal Pit, Hawkshead, Valli and Wild Irishman labels alongside our own Kinross label is a distinctive point of difference,” says CEO Nicky Sygrove. “ Visitors relish the opportunity to experience side-by-side tastings of each individual winemaker’s expressions of the area.”

“Our new cellar door is an exciting progression marking the next phase of development. We are proud to represent this calibre of wine and hold ourselves accountable to ensuring the experiences match the wines themselves.”

Nicky Sygrove

Two of Kinross’ wine partners have recently received prestigious wine industry awards. 

“Coal Pit’s Tiwha Pinot Noir 2018 and Valli’s Gibbston Pinot Noir 2019 were awarded the International Wine Challenge’s NZ Best Red Wine Trophy which is significant recognition” she says. “We are privileged to offer these award-winning wines alongside Hawskhead’s stunning range and the finest wines from Wild Irishman produced by pioneer Alan Brady. Each has their own fascinating complexities, processes, award-winning talent and stories to tell.”

The cellar door has capacity to simultaneously cater for multiple large group wine tastings and more tailored experiences for clients wanting to explore the wines.

“ Our internationally qualified sommeliers offer much more than a wine tasting sharing the flavours and stories behind the brands to help people delve deeper into our world of wine.” says Nicky. “Our wine garden and bistro are the perfect summer spot to enjoy beautifully crafted dishes, snacks and platters that make Kinross such a prominent food and wine destination.”

Company Future Focus

Kinross has a recently undergone an operational restructure to the benefit of the business. 

Nicky Sygrove, previously sales and marketing manager was appointed CEO, while Conor O’Boyle moved from the position of accountant to chief operating officer and Thomas Moschetta was named general manager of wine.

Nicky says the restructure is a testament to the team’s dedication to wine.

“ Our owner Christine Erkkila stepped into the lead role just before Covid-19 and along with her husband John’s extensive experience helped to cleverly navigate the turbulence from the pandemic. This protected the company’s fantastic staff culture, allowing us to retain and attract some incredible new team members over that time.”

“I feel very proud and lucky to be handed the reins at such a key time with both Christine and John staying very connected to the business in governance roles. It’s a win-win for further development at Kinross.”