Small Town Winery, Big Win: Astrolabe Takes Silver at Commercial Project Awards

Astrolabe Wines’ new boutique winery nestled in the heart of Blenheim has earned a Silver Award at the 2025 Commercial Project Awards in the Tourism & Leisure category. But this win is about more than the facility itself – it’s a celebration of community, cultural connection and collaborative success.

The project, led by Apollo Projects in partnership with Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau and local stakeholders, transformed this site into a vibrant, functional space that reflects both the region’s winemaking heritage and its cultural roots. The new facility, which cleverly packs lot of functionality into a small space, features a public-facing tasting room, corporate offices and a fully serviced state-of-the-art winemaking area.

Simon Wall, Apollo Projects GM Strategy and Relationships, says that “the success of this project lay in the fact everyone involved was prepared to challenge the norm and do something unique.  With the facility now finished and fully operational those people have a shared sense of pride in contributing to such a distinctive and special development in the heart of the town”.

Cultural design elements are woven throughout the building, from etched concrete motifs symbolising ika/inanga swimming through the Ōpaoa River to tāniko-inspired patterns that honour Te Tapuae o Uenuku and the whakapapa of the Rangitāne people. These features, combined with the transparency of the winemaking process – visible through large glass doors – invite visitors to connect with the land and its stories.

Despite challenges like a tight construction timeline, the project was delivered on time and on budget. Nearly all of the construction resource was procured locally reinforcing the project’s community centric approach.

The Small Town Winery’s ’s success at the 2025 Master Builders Commercial Project Awards is a testament to what can achieved when ambition, collaboration, culture, and craftsmanship come together. It’s not just a win for the winery, but for Blenheim too.