Aotearoa NZ Chardonnay Symposium

Aotearoa NZ Chardonnay Symposium National forum for discussion & Exploration of Chardonnay in Aotearoa.

26.09 - 27.09 2024 Hastings

We heard the feedback and in 2026 we’ve introduced even more opportunity for socialising with our wine community! Ticket...
24/06/2026

We heard the feedback and in 2026 we’ve introduced even more opportunity for socialising with our wine community! Tickets available NOW

Welcome Gathering:
New addition to the symposium programme: a Welcome Party on Wednesday for the local wine community to join visiting delegates in a casual catch up at the beautiful Peak House. Think BYO Chardonnay, grazing platters, and the perfect setting for catching up with peers who are a few years between drinks! Tickets available to the wider wine community.
- Wednesday 16 September
- Peak House, 357 Te Mata Peak Road, Havelock North
- $50 + GST & booking fee

Chardonnay Celebration:
Thursday night features our classic mid-symposium celebration with a feast from Silence of the Lambs, a massive table for BYO wines, and a DJ to keep things grooving. Tickets available for delegates and their partners.
- Thursday 17 September
- Atrium, 203 Queen Street East, Hastings
- $95 + GST & booking fee

We are thrilled to welcome Virginia Willcock (AUS) to our symposium line up! Virginia leads the winemaking team at Marga...
24/06/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Virginia Willcock (AUS) to our symposium line up! Virginia leads the winemaking team at Margaret River's and the 2026 vintage marked her 20th year at the estate.

"Chardonnay is the sexiest wine on earth and New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places on earth containing joyful human beings making great wine. If we can get all this together in one place…. where else would you rather be? Only curious minds will be there including the presenters, and only dynamic discussions and delicious Chardonnays will be shared." - Virginia Willcock ahead of the 2026 Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium.

Virginia will present a Case Study in one of our most-popular sessions of the symposium. Stay tuned for more speaker announcement and programme updates in the weeks to follow!

17 - 18 September 2026
Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium
Toitoi, Hastings
Registration now open, see link in bio.

This symposium presents a unique opportunity for wine industry professionals to gather and engage in an extensive explor...
20/06/2026

This symposium presents a unique opportunity for wine industry professionals to gather and engage in an extensive exploration of Chardonnay, assessing its current position and future prospects.

Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium
17.09 - 18.09
Registration now open: see link in bio.

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT! Joining us from Margaret River’s founding wine estate, Vasse Felix, is Virginia Willcock.As the Ch...
18/06/2026

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT! Joining us from Margaret River’s founding wine estate, Vasse Felix, is Virginia Willcock.

As the Chief Winemaker behind some of Australia’s most critically acclaimed wines, Virginia leads the winemaking team at Margaret River's . The 2026 vintage marks her 20th year at the estate, having joined the estate as Chief Winemaker in October 2006.

With an unending fascination with natural fermentation creating wine and the role microbiology plays in grapes and vineyards, Virginia has driven the revolutionary development of winemaking style at Vasse Felix, creating more environmentally expressive wines. Her pioneering work with the use of wild-yeast fermentation in Chardonnay has influenced producers across Australia and helped define the estate’s signature style.

A respected authority on Margaret River winemaking, Virginia was awarded the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Winemaker of the Year, following recognition as a finalist for the 2025 award. She was also named Winemaker of the Year in the ASVO award for Excellence in 2024.

We're delighted to have Virginia join us and present a Case Study in one of our most-popular sessions of the symposium. Stay tuned for more speaker announcement and programme updates in the weeks to follow!

17 - 18 September 2026
Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium
Toitoi, Hastings
Registration now open: https://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/chardonnay-symposium-2026/

REMINDER TO APPLY - applications close this Sunday. Thanks to The New Zealand Horticentre Trust, the Aotearoa Chardonnay...
26/05/2026

REMINDER TO APPLY - applications close this Sunday.

Thanks to The New Zealand Horticentre Trust, the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium is pleased to offer 10 Scholarships for winegrowers and/or makers, students and educators in wine science to attend the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium September 17th and 18th 2026.

More details here: https://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/chardonnay-symposium-scholarship/



Thanks to The New Zealand Horticentre Trust, the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium is pleased to offer 10 Scholarships for w...
05/05/2026

Thanks to The New Zealand Horticentre Trust, the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium is pleased to offer 10 Scholarships for winegrowers and/or makers, students and educators in wine science to attend the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium September 17th and 18th 2026.

Scholarships will cover the cost of a full programme registration at the conference. Out of region recipients will be provided two nights accommodation but will need to meet their own costs of transport to Hawke’s Bay.

Applications are open now and close 11:59pm 31st May 2026

Eligibility for application:
1. Young or developing winegrowers and winemakers that can demonstrate their potential contribution to the growing of grapes and making of wine in New Zealand.
2. Students or Educators in the fields of viticulture and/or winemaking that can demonstrate their potential to assist in the advancement of viticulture and wine science for the benefit of the New Zealand wine industry.

The selection process will be undertaken by an independent panel comparing applicant responses with a selection matrix.



Registration is now open for the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium 2026!September 17 - 18 at Toitoi in Hastings.The theme of...
29/04/2026

Registration is now open for the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium 2026!

September 17 - 18 at Toitoi in Hastings.

The theme of the 2026 symposium is quality, focusing on the unique features that define our whenua (land), climate, and philosophy, and how these elements come together to enable the production of premium Chardonnay.

Stay tuned for speaker and session highlights over the next few months, there's a lot to be excited for!

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