TUKU Māori Winemaker’s Collective is proud to announce it has been awarded the Kāuta Producer of the Year Award at the prestigious Tohunga Tūmau dinner, an annual celebration of excellence in Māori cuisine and hospitality.
This honour recognises TUKU’s commitment to premium winemaking grounded in tikanga Māori and sustainability. As the world’s first collective of indigenous Māori wine producers, TUKU brings together a group of whānau (family) 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. Each is rooted in a deep connection to the land and a shared values of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and whakapapa (genealogy).
TUKU put out a shared statement about the win: “We are 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.”
Royce McKean, Owner, Tiki Wine & Vineyards, says: “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.”
Last year marked five years since the formation of the TUKU Collective, a milestone that has seen the group go from strength to strength in representing Māori excellence within the global wine industry. This award further cements TUKU’s place at the table of indigenous innovation, manaakitanga (hospitality), and cultural leadership.
About TUKU
Founded in 2018, the TUKU Māori Winemakers Collective was formed to share stories of Māori identity and whenua (land) through the lens of fine wine. It is the first collective of its kind in the world.
