Posted on 30th Sep 2011 @ 3:44 PM

Corks Out has been announced as the overall winner of the New Zealand Independent Wine Retailer Competition 2011; beating over 50 other retailers.  Between June and July, the focus has been on New Zealand Wine across the UK, with in-store displays, tastings, wine dinners and promotions.   

David Cox, Director of New Zealand Winegrowers commented, “each year when the judges come to assess the results of NZ promotion they are hugely impressed with the ingenuity and inventiveness that many of the UK’s independent retailers put behind promoting New Zealand wines.  We feel that they really are able to make a genuine connection with our wines and the personalities behind them and thus sell them on to their discerning and loyal customers.” 

Cox continued to say that “although the standard was again very high, nonetheless, the work of Ruth Yates and the Corks Out team tipped the scales for the judges and they were deemed worthy winners”

All the finalists were all invited to an awards lunch at The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell, London on Tuesday 27^th September 2011, where the menu was matched to a range of wines from the cellars of the New Zealand High Commission.

This year saw a good spread of entries from around the UK, leading to New Zealand wine promotions being run in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Jersey. This year’s campaign was called ‘TRY New Zealand’ and the POS was rugby themed in order to build awareness of New Zealand wines in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup. The Rugby World Cup started on 9^th September and the final will be held on 23^rd October 2011.