Clearview Estate Winery owner Tim Turvey says an informed person hosting wine tastings is the most important ingredient for a successful cellar door.
"Somebody that knows what they are talking about and is a winemaker or has a winemaking degree," he said.
Having accolades with a good story behind the wine also helped at the cellar door he says is the busiest cellar door in Hawke's Bay "by a long shot", he said.
"It's not fantastic wine because we say it is - it is a fantastic wine because others say it is."
Clearview has 30 styles of wine "so that adds complexity to the tasting".