Martinborough's Murdoch James Estate winery has won the 2013 regional Silver Secateurs competition.
The annual event, sponsored by PGG Wrightson and Bahco Tools, was held at the Nga Waka vineyard in Martinborough on Wednesday last week.
Sixteen teams were entered in the competition, which rewards skills in vineyard pruning based on speed, quality of work and tidiness.
Estate spokeswoman Nicola Belsham said pruners were marked against strict guidelines, including expertise in selecting the best canes for production of the best fruit.
"Winning team members were Chris Shaw, pruner at Murdoch James Estate since 2008, Daniel Phillips ... who joined the Murdoch James team in 2010, and Neil Bennett, usually found at Cellar Door, but who has been getting his hands dirty in the vineyard since 2012."
