Kiwi winemakers Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron have been shortlisted for a Wine Enthusiast Award in the category Wine Person of the Year. Photo / Supplied
Kiwi winemakers Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron have been shortlisted for a Wine Enthusiast Award in the category Wine Person of the Year. Photo / Supplied
The founders of Te Kauwhata-based wine brand Invivo & Co, Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, are on cloud wine after being yet again recognised on a world-stage.
As the only New Zealanders, the partners in wine have been nominated for a Wine Enthusiast Award in the category Wine Persons of the Year.
The annual awards, which are now in their 23rd year, are hosted by New-York-based media company Wine Enthusiast Media. There is no award entry as the judges select winemakers they see as most deserving.
Cameron, Invivo's winemaker, says it was "an absolute honour" to be nominated for the award.
"We're a wine company from the corner of the world, punching above our weight when it comes to global recognition and impact. We're thrilled that the work we've done with Invivo made a mark on the industry and has continued to be recognised."
Invivo launched in 2008 and has since partnered with Graham Norton and Sarah Jessica Parker to develop their own unique wine blends.
In 2015, they became New Zealand's first equity crowdfunded wine company. They also launched a collection of sell-out NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
For their wines which include Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé, Invivo uses grapes from Marlborough, Central Otago, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne as well as working with growers and wineries from South Australia, Italy, Argentina and the south of France.
Invivo's wines are made in one of New Zealand's oldest wineries in Te Kauwhata, north Waikato, and have won numerous national and international awards including a gold medal at the New Zealand International Wine Show and a silver medal at the Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition.
Invivo's range of products include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, Shiraz and Prosecco. Photo / Supplied
Lightbourne, director of Invivo, says they wanted to create a wine company that sets itself apart from the saturated alcohol market.
"We've developed a business that takes a fun approach, different from the pre-established refined wine industry that we knew. From protesting shipping delays in a dinghy to launching the world's first winery airline, it's this mindset that piqued the interest of celebrity partners [and] saw us grow in popularity with consumers."
Wine Enthusiast editor Adam Strum says Invivo's "refreshing approach to wine marketing" has caught the eye of judges.
"We are pleased to nominate Invivo's Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron as 2022 finalists in the Person of the Year category.
"The annual awards honour the most influential members of the global wine, spirits and beverage industry, and this nomination recognises the innovative approach from both New Zealand winery co-founders," Strum says.
The other Wine Persons of the Year nominees are Californian-based Catherine Bugue (Napa Valley Wine Academy), Jeff O'Neill (O'Neill Vintners & Distillers) and Pat Roney (Vintage Wine Estates) as well as Oregon winemaker David Adelsheim.
There are a total of 15 award categories including Winemaker of the Year, Innovator of the Year, Wine Region of the Year, European Winery of the Year and New World Winery of the Year.
Other New Zealand Wine Enthusiast Award nominees include Central Otago winery Two Paddocks which has been nominated in the category New World Winery of the Year, the Marlborough region which has been nominated in the category Wine Region of the Year and Helen Masters from Ata Rangi in Martinborough (south Wairarapa) which has been nominated as Winemaker of the Year.
The award ceremony will take place at the end of January in San Francisco.
