Trinity Hill is proud to celebrate three significant wins at the 2026 Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards, with recognition spanning both its Gimblett Gravels wines and Cellar Door experience.
Trinity Hill’s Cellar Door was named Cellar Door of the Year, recognising the exceptional service, knowledge and experience delivered by the team to visitors throughout the year. Led by Ben, the Cellar Door team plays an important role in bringing the Trinity Hill story to life and sharing the wines, people and place behind the brand with visitors from New Zealand and around the world.
The winery also received two trophies on the night. The 2025 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo was awarded the trophy for Other Premium Red Varietals & Blends, while the soon-to-be-released 2024 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels ‘The Gimblett’ received the trophy for Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Predominant Blends.
The results are particularly meaningful for the Trinity Hill vineyard and winemaking teams following several years of continued refinement in both the vineyard and winery.
Chief Winemaker Warren Gibson says:
“These awards represent an outstanding achievement for the entire Trinity Hill team. In recent years, we’ve been continually fine-tuning our approach in both the vineyard and winery to achieve greater sophistication and character in our finished wines. Collectively, we’ve felt the progress and known we were heading in the right direction, so to have that recognised through these awards is incredibly rewarding and a real validation of the hard work and belief behind what we do.”
The recognition of the 2025 Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo continues Trinity Hill’s long history with alternative varieties in Hawke’s Bay, while the trophy for The Gimblett 2024 celebrates one of the winery’s flagship Gimblett Gravels red blends ahead of its upcoming release.
Together, the three awards recognise the work taking place across Trinity Hill, from the vineyard and winery through to the experience offered at Cellar Door, and reflect the collective commitment of the wider team.
Trinity Hill also congratulates its fellow Hawke’s Bay producers and friends recognised at this year’s awards and celebrates another fantastic showcase of the quality, diversity and community of the Hawke’s Bay wine industry.
2026 Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards Results
Trinity Hill Cellar Door
Cellar Door of the Year
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2025
Gold Medal and Trophy – Other Premium Red Varietals & Blends
The 2025 Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo delivers the richness, generosity, and structure one expects from the variety. Attractive raspberry/blackberry aromas, along with liquorice, sweet spices, and dark chocolate, lead to a palate crammed with red/black fruit flavours. Chalky tannins with the consistency of cocoa powder and vibrant acidity add a mouth-coating texture and juiciness, with a long, succulent, refreshing finish. This wine can be enjoyed now, but it will age well over the next 3 to 5 years. Red meat would be an ideal match, as well as traditional tapas-style dishes. Drink now to 2031.
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels ‘The Gimblett’ 2024
Gold Medal and Trophy – Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Predominant Blends
The beauty and perfume of Cabernet Franc is complimented by the sophistication and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. Petit Verdot offers freshness and brightness to the palate. Complex aromas of brambly blackcurrants, plums and coffee grounds intermingle with hints of dried herbs, chocolate, and sweet spices. The palate is intense and generous, framed with fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity, which combine to produce a succulent, supple, textural wine with the structure and capacity to develop further complexity over the next 10 – 20 years. Drink from now to 2045. Enjoy with Beef Bourguignon.
About the Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards:
The Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards is New Zealand’s longest running regional competition and the event is proudly owned and managed by the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society.
The awards honour the incredible talent in Hawke’s Bay winemaking and are crucial to our region’s winemaking community and reputation. By identifying, promoting and celebrating excellence in the industry, we acknowledge the contribution winemaking makes to the economic, cultural and social wellbeing of Hawke’s Bay.
Hawke’s Bay has been announced as a Great Wine Capital of the World, confirming the region’s reputation as New Zealand’s Food and Wine Country.
The full list of results from the 2026 Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards is available from the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society.
