Top award for Tuku Māori Winemakers Collective

Tuku Māori Winemaker’s Collective has been awarded the Kāuta Producer of the Year at the Tohunga Tūmau dinner, an annual celebration of excellence in Māori cuisine and hospitality. 

Tuku was founded in 2018 and is the world’s first collective of indigenous Māori wine producers. It comprises a group of whānau-owned wine companies: Tiki Wines & Vineyards, Tarras Vineyards, Kuru Kuru Wines, Steve Bird Wines, and te Pā Family Vineyards. Tuku co-founder and noted viticultural consultant Jeff Sinnott also accepted the award as part of the collective.

The award recognises Tuku’s commitment to premium winemaking grounded in tikanga Māori and sustainability. 

The group said it was deeply honoured to receive the Kāuta Producer of the Year Award. “To be recognised by our peers, in celebration of our kai and culture, means everything. It’s a testament to the strength of collaboration and our shared vision.”

Tuku Māori Winemaker’s Collective awarded the Kāuta Producer of the Year

Royce McKean, Owner, Tiki Wine & Vineyards, said: “Tohunga Tumau is a powerful celebration of indigenous excellence, and it’s an honour to stand alongside such talented Māori producers and chefs from across Aotearoa.

“Recognition like this affirms the values that bind us together – whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, and manaakitanga – and highlights the strength that comes from collaboration and shared purpose.

“Being part of a collective like Tuku, and of an event like this, reminds us that our greatest achievements come when we work together to uplift each other.”

W: tuku.nz