NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER
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Y 2014
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THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS
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DE CE MB E R 2013 / JA NUA RY 2014
you want it? we got it.
PER SONA LIT Y OF THE Y E A R ✽ A IR NZ W IN E AWA R DS ✽ N E W A PPELL ATION ✽ S W NZ U PDATE
O-I NZ has dIVerted OVer 1.6 mIllION tONNes Of glass frOm laNdfIll O-I NZ created New ZealaNd’s fIrst glass recyclINg prOgram IN 1973, pre-datINg legIslatION by mOre thaN 30 years. we kNOw sustaINabIlIty Is ImpOrtaNt tO the New ZealaNd wINe INdustry aNd we share that gOal.
O-I NEW ZEALAND TEL: 0800 263 390, +64 9 976 7100 EMAIL: sales.nz@ap.o-i.com w w w. o - i . c o m
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CONTENTS
ISSUE 83
9 R E GUL A R S
4 Editorial
10
Tessa Nicholson
Philip Gregan
6 Regional Viewpoint Richard Flatman – Nelson
News From Around the Country
14
Cameron Douglas MS
50 Bob’s Blog Bob Campbell MW
Legal Matters
20
Wine Happenings in New Zealand
63 Research Supplement The latest science and research projects funded by NZWinegrowers
Research stories from the past 12 months Front Cover Lake Forsyth Vineyard, supplied by NZWingrowers
Preparing for the Future
Welcome to a New Appellation Peter Saunders takes a closer look at the growth of a new appellation in Hawke’s Bay – Crownthorpe. A number of New Zealand’s larger companies are making their mark in this area, ensuring it will be one to look out for.
61 Calendar
72 Index
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The world of agri business is changing, and this will have an impact on the future of New Zealand wine. Corporate retailers, their influence on consumers, the increase in population numbers and a growth in the number of middle class purchases are all areas the industry needs to be prepared for.
38 Sommelier’s Corner
58 Not On The Label
NZWinegrower Personality of the Year Each year NZ Winegrower recognises someone who has played an influential role in the New Zealand wine industry. This year we recognise a couple who have changed the way winegrowers look at organics and biodynamics – James and Annie Millton.
5 From the CEO
8 In Brief
FEATURES
30
The Sound of Wine We are used to looking, sipping, tasting and spitting when it comes to wine. But how about listening to it. Jo Burzynska has been investigating the impact sound has on the taste of a wine, with some fascinating results.
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E D I TO R Tessa Nicholson tessa.nicholson@me.com
FROM THE EDITOR TESSA NICHOLSON
CO R R E SP O N D E NTS Auckland: Joelle Thomson jthomson@xtra.co.nz Gisborne: Christine Boyce christineboyce@gmail.com Hawkes Bay: Mary Shanahan maryshanahan173@gmail.com Nelson: Neil Hodson neil@hodgson.net.nz Canterbury: Jo Burzynska joburzynska@talk21.com Central Otago: Max Marriott max@maxmarriott.com
ANOTHER YEAR PASSES US BY
A DV E R T I SI N G Sales Manager: Ted Darley ted@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 07 854 6292 Mobile: 021 832 505 Upper North Island: Stephen Pollard stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 09 913 9637 Mobile: 021 963 166 Lower North Island: Mark Macfarlane Ph: 04 234 6239 Mobile: 021 453 914 South Island: Kaye Sutherland kayes@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 03 376 5552 Mobile: 021 221 1994
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Published by Rural News Group Ltd under authority of New Zealand Winegrowers (jointly representing Wine Institute of New Zealand Inc and New Zealand Grape Growers Council Inc). Unless directly attributed, opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Rural News Group and/or its directors or management, New Zealand Winegrowers or its constituent organisations. Published every second month. One free copy is mailed to every member of the Institute, the Council, the New Zealand Society of Viticulture & Oenology and the New Zealand Vine Improvement Group, and to such other persons or organisations as directed by the owners, with provision for additional copies and other recipients to be on a subscription basis.
ISSN 1174-5223
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have changed the way industry personnel s we come to the end of another in New Zealand view both organics and year, it’s appropriate to reflect on bio-dynamics. They have readily shared what has been and what is ahead their knowledge with countless people and of us. As you will see from Philip organisations, and have been instrumental in Gregan’s comments, it has been a far more the incremental growth of such practices. satisfying 12 months, than in previous years. In terms of James, he has been Although having said that, it doesn’t mean instrumental in establishing COWNZ everyone is happy. Wineries are still reeling (Certified Organic Winegrowers of New from the impact of the New Zealand dollar, Zealand) he is the current Chairman of and the lack of substantial price increases in OWNZ (Organic Winegrowers of New our most important markets. But at least the Zealand), was until earlier this year a signs are that market prices are not heading member of the New downwards, even if Zealand Winegrowers they aren’t moving Board, he has been a up at any significant “We are crazy. But now it member of the Biospeed. seems everyone wants to be Growers have had crazy too and it’s just what this dynamic Farming and Gardening Association a far better 12 months, planet needs.” and has been a wine judge as prices for fruit at a number of influential increased, along with shows. On top of that he has been making yields and the weather prior to vintage was high quality wines, without any assistance some of the best in recent memory. from synthetic chemicals or additives for Now it’s time to look ahead. Firstly to nearly 30 years. get through the flowering period without When the Milltons established their significant periods of cool weather. Secondly vineyard back in 1984, there were very few in to stave off disease threats such as powdery the country that understood, let alone saw mildew, that always tends to raise its head during the Christmas holiday period. Thirdly, the benefits of bio-dynamics or organics. Fast forward to 2013, when OWNZ has more it will up to everyone to manage yields, to than 150 members, many of them having ensure there is no blow out back to over been directly influenced by the work of the supply. Milltons. This issue we look even further ahead, In a press release a few years ago, James with Ian Proudfoot from KPMG. What had this to say; are the issues that will impact on the wine “In 1984 they thought we were crazy. industry in the next five, 10, 15 years and how We’ve just spent the last 28 years proving to can you as a grower or winery make the most everyone that they were right. We are crazy. of those changes? But now it seems everyone wants to be crazy Wine Personality of the Year too and it’s just what this planet needs.” This issue we also celebrate a remarkable So thanks James and Annie for all couple that have had a major impact on your hard work, for not giving up and for the wine industry in this country. The not letting the pressure of others change NZWinegrower Personalities of the Year for your beliefs. You are both so worthy of 2013 are James and Annie Millton. being named this year’s NZWinegrower As one of the 10 original biodynamic Personalities. ■ winegrowers in the world, the Milltons
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
FROM THE CEO PHILIP GREGAN
THE YEAR IN NUMBERS With the year nearly over I thought it might be a good idea to review some key numbers from the past year … all of course with an eye on next year.
47% and 87% 47% of our members completed our Members Survey this year. We were very pleased with this level of participation but will look to get above the 50% mark in 2014. Of respondents to the Survey 87% said the business outlook was ‘okay’ or better. The sentiment across growers, wineries, exporters etc was overwhelmingly positive. After the tough times since 2008 this is a very positive sign of the turnaround in the industry.
$1,668 and 23% The average grape price from vintage 2013 as recorded in the recently released data was $1,668 per tonne, up 23% on vintage 2012. The increase in grape prices is likely one reason growers have a slightly more optimistic view of the business outlook than did wineries in the Members Survey. The increase in grape prices has helped to return profitability to the grape growing sector of the industry and is a sure sign of some welcome tension in the supply demand balance.
3% and just 0.1% Exports of packaged wines have grown 3% in the past year (to October) despite the smaller 2012 vintage. Package wine growth has been strongest to the USA with shipments to that market up 13% in the past
year. By contrast packaged wine shipments to Australia are down 1% for the same period. However the average value per litre of exported packaged wine has grown just 0.1% in the past year (12 months to September) and is still well below levels recorded in previous years. The high value of the New Zealand dollar has something to do with that of course (see below).
$374 million New Zealand wine exports to North America are now valued at $374 million, up 10% on the previous year. USA and Canada have been identified as major growth opportunities for the sector so the continuing strong growth into these markets is very positive.
£7.22 The average price for New Zealand wine in the UK sold in off-premises for the 12 weeks up to mid-August 2013 was £7.22 per bottle, up 13% on the previous year. This is positive news for the industry in a market where profitability has been a struggle in recent years, what with the exchange rate and ever increasing taxes. Less positively, the volume of sales was down 25% in the same period.
$3.90 and 22% The average value of bulk white wine exports in the past 12 months is $3.90 per litre,
up 22% on the previous, a very similar increase to the lift in grape prices in the past year. In recent months the average price has been tracking at just over $4.00 per litre so the yearly average price still seems to have some upside in it. Like the lift in grape prices this is an indicator of the improved supply/demand balance in the industry.
largest 6.5 and a total of 5,333 quakes in all according to the Geonet website. Little wine was lost in the quakes but there has certainly been quite some damage to tanks which needs to be repaired. For everyone’s sake let’s hope 2014 does not bring any more significant quakes in the region or any other part of New Zealand.
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345,000 tonnes
The number of sustainability stories lodged on the nzwine. com website sustainability pages since their launch now totals over 90. These make compelling reading so please upload more – it does not cost anything other than a little of your time.
Vintage 2013 came in at 345,000 tonnes for the industry. While it is our largest ever crop most industry members seemed comfortable with the vintage size given the strong growth in export volumes in the past few years.
77.23
The unknown number
As measured against a basket of currencies the New Zealand dollar was valued at 77.23 on a trade weighted index basis at the end of October. This is one of the highest levels in the past 15 years and is a real headwind for wineries trying to extract value out of export markets. Some weakening in the New Zealand dollar in the year ahead would be a real benefit for profitability in the industry but who knows how long it may be before that happens.
The unknown number is, of course, the size of vintage 2014. By the time the Christmas break is over flowering will be done and growers and wineries will have a much better feel for the size of the harvest. From a supply/demand perspective what is required is a vintage that is neither too small nor too big, but the final decision on how many grapes to harvest rests with individual growers and wineries. All we can say is remember the lessons – both quality and supply/demand balance – out of the past five years. Have a safe and happy festive season! ■
6.6, 6.5 and 5,333 Earthquakes have rattled the Marlborough region in recent months with the largest quake measuring 6.6, the next
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 5
REGIONAL VIEWPOINT
BRANDING REVIEW UNDERWAY Richard Flatman
R I C H A R D F L AT M A N CHAIR OF NELSON WINEGROWERS
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s I write this there is a real feel of summer in the air. We have had the right amount of rain and sunshine so all the vineyards are flat out growing. Flowering has started and the long range forecast is good. However I have been doing this job for long enough to know not to say too much until harvest is over and the grapes are happy fermenting. Nelson wineries like the rest of New Zealand are currently feeling optimistic about the future. Contract growers have a few different choices of companies wanting to purchase their grapes. Even the prices seem reasonable. We seem to be very lucky here in Nelson we don’t appear to have too many problems getting casual vineyard workers which is great for the local economy and of course the vineyards.
As for what is happening in Nelson Winegrowers – there is loads going on. Looking forward, we have decided to review how we brand and sell the Nelson wine region. We have appointed Colin Bass and Craig Wilson to be our consultants. In the first instance they will interview 30 key stakeholders from Nelson, New Zealand and some from outside New Zealand. From here we will decide if we need to re-brand or not. As a region, Nelson is small but we also produce some amazing wines over many different varieties so this whole exercise will be a good one and timely. The first part of the process should be completed by Christmas and from there we can look at the marketing required in the future. The committee that has been formed to run this has put in many hours and I would like to send my
thanks to them all. It is a big task and the have all work exceptionally hard on it. Having a strong regional brand benefits the entire local industry, from the owners of wineries right down to the growers supplying them. Nelson WineArt has also started thinking about and organizing the next Aromatics Symposium. While this won’t take place until February 2016, that time will roll around very quickly. We intend concentrating on Pinot Gris and Riesling this time round. It is likely we will have guest speakers from Alsace and Australia, so make sure you pencil this period of time in your calendar. It will be worth it. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the New Zealand Winegrowers team for all their hard work. They are often
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
overlooked which is a shame, because what they provide the members is truly professional and world class. I was looking through the website last week which I must admit I have not actually spent that much time on and was amazed at the amount of information there. It is a great resource to have. I find the factsheets excellent material for training my tractor operators and vineyard supervisor’s. This in conjunction with the Grape Days make for well trained staff, which at the end of the day makes my life easier. On that note, on behalf of everyone in the Nelson wine industry, I wish you all a great season ahead. May the sun keep shining! ■
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IN BRIEF
NATIONAL Leadership Confirmed Steve Green has been re-elected as Chairman of the NZWinegrower’s Board. As has deputy, John Clarke. Green is proprietor of Carrick, a boutique Central Otago winery, has been involved in the Central Otago grape and wine industry since 1994, has previously served as Chair of Central Otago Winegrowers and has been on the New Zealand Winegrowers Board since 2005. Clarke is a Gisborne grapegrower with over 30 years’ experience in the grape and wine industry, has previously served for ten years as the Chair of Gisborne Winegrowers and joined the New Zealand Winegrowers Board in 2006.
breweries and distilleries. The company was set up by the owner of Turanga Creek, Wayne Allen, who has also secured exclusive import rights to the Los Angeles based Green Bar Collective range of spirits, which include Bar Keep organic bitters, Crusoe organic rums, Fruitlab organic liqueurs, IXÁ organic tequila, Slow Hand organic whiskey, TRU organic gin and vodkas.
Why Waiheke
Sauvignon.Com – Searching For NZers If the phrase Sauvignon.com sounds like a Marlborough initiative, think again. This is the brainchild of South African Sauvignon Blanc specialist Thys Louw; sixth generation family winemaker at Diemersdal in the Durbanville Hills –west of Cape Town. The winery (wine farm, in South African parlance) hosted its own Wild Wild Sauvignon Fest in October this year. Louw is looking for a New Zealand winemaker to work with on other Sauvignon Blanc initiatives. www.diemersdal.co.za
Upgraded Wine Fire Winery Manager The new release of the Wine File Winery Manager continues the software’s focus on making recordkeeping easy for Wine makers. The new Fruit planning module enables wine makers to plan the receival and processing of fruit at the winery and provides visibility of the expected workflow. The laboratory instrument interface enables wine and fruit analysis to be loaded into Wine File directly from the instrument significantly improving the speed and accuracy of analysis recording. While Wine File has always had a strong costing capability, the new release provides the ability to analyse the costs of individual operations on batches of wine.
Broadcaster and wine writer John Hawkesby and photographer Duncan Innes have collaborated on the new book, Waiheke An Island and its People, published by Penguin (RRP $45). Hawkesby lives on the island where he divides his time between growing grapes, freelance writing and hosting events. His previous books are Save The Last Dance For Me (1997) and Vintage: A Wine Journey (2006).
How To Act Like An Expert Green Distributor
Carlee Atkin with Loic Parola of Greendrop.co.nz
A new wine, beer and spirits distributor launched in New Zealand in September this year with a focus on certified organic products. Green Drop represents 10 labels from family owned and operated vineyards,
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Champagne author Fritz Gubler has produced a new book - How to Act Like a Champagne Expert (RRP $29.99), published by Arbon. It’s a fun take on the old how-to theme. It’s packed with facts on glassware, champagne and the world’s other sparkling wines also get a mention, including Prosecco, high quality method traditionelle styles of bubbles and even some carbonated fizz. There’s also a generous sprinkling of interesting quotes from writers and drinkers, including the late great Mark Twain who preached moderation in all things – except Champagne. How to Act Like a Champagne Expert by Fritz Gubler is published by Arbon, distributed by New Holland NZ, $29.99.
MARTINBOROUGH Kiwi’s First Egg Winemakers Lance Redgewell and Bridie McKenna of Cambridge Road Winery in Martinborough have imported a 675 litre ceramic egg to introduce into their winemaking. The egg arrived in October this year and coincides with the launch of their production of preservative free salamis and meats.
MARLBOROUGH Ballet Troupe Among the Vines Members of the Royal New Zealand Ballet got such much-needed time out in Marlborough, during their TOWER Tutus on Tour. With Nautilus Estate being one of the company’s sponsors, the dancers were treated to a tour, tasting and luncheon at the winery. They also got to taste the specially produced Nautilus Sparkling Rosé released earlier this year, to commemorate the ballet company’s 60th anniversary. Nautilus Estate have been sponsoring the ballet for the past two years and have just renewed their sponsorship through until 2015.
WAIPARA New MD for Pyramid Valley Well known Caine Thompson has joined Pyramid Valley Vineyards in Waikairi, North Canterbury, as its first managing director. Thompson, formerly viticulturist with Mission Estate Winery in Hawke’s Bay, is a previous winner of the national Young Viticulturist award and the over-arching New Zealand Young Horticulturist competition. With a strong expertise in organic grape growing, and a soon to be completed MBA under his belt, Thompson, will be working closely with owners, Mike and Claudia Weersing to raise the profile of the biodynamically-managed vineyards and the select range of wines, both nationally and internationally.
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 9
INDUSTRY PROFILE
NZ WINEGROWER PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR James and Annie Millton C H R I S T I N E B OYC E
T
he planet Saturn may be more than a billion kilometers away from Earth but according to biodynamic ideology, the effect it has on living organisms here is rather profound. James Millton – co-founder of New Zealand’s first biodynamic and certified-organic wine label, Millton Vineyards and Winery – is a firm believer in the influence of Saturn as it makes its 28-year rotation around the sun, describing this cycle as the template for everything they do. “Some people say this lunar business is a crock of shit – I’m sorry, but it’s not,” he says. “When you’re born, this planet makes a print on you, and 28 years later it happens again; a period of selfanalysis and transition.” At the age of 28, James was
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given the opportunity to grow wine. He was living in Germany at the time, learning the craft of artisan winemaking, with loose plans of staying on there or returning to France to continue his studies in winegrowing. “I didn’t set out to do what we do, it was an intuitive response. When I was seven I wanted to grow vegetables, when I was 14 I wanted to ferment them, at 21 I was learning the craft of an artisan winemaker, and at 28 we were given the opportunity to do what we do now. So here we are.” “We” is James and wife Annie. As the winemaker, often much of the attention is directed at him but he is very clear to point out it is a 100-percent a team effort. “It is Annie and me. We may have a bit of a tempestuous rela-
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
tionship, but you find another business, enterprise or product in the hospitality industry that is exported to quite a few countries and world, where it is a husband and wife team . . . it’s fairly exceptional. Maybe this is part of the relationship of this ying yang, husband and wife team, is the leveling effect of tempering this degree of what could be ridiculousness which then leads to mistakes. We work together pretty well.” By his own admission, he’s a dreamer, while Annie brings him back down to earth when need be, offering a pragmatic voice of reason. Together they have built the Millton name into the globally successful and respected brand it is today, always with a focus on taking their time and doing things right. They didn’t get into business
James and Annie Millton PHOTO STRIKE PHOTOGRAPHY
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 11
to make mistakes, James says. When they started the business in 1981 they were paying 22 to 23 percent on start-up loans; they didn’t have much to put into the business but they had a great opportunity. The decision to go organic and biodynamic was not so much a conscious decision, James says, but rather an intuitive response and the only way they felt comfortable going about winegrowing. “The process of certification is the best business plan any business can do. Once you’ve achieved it you have a license to trade where the gatekeepers try to keep everyone out. “The certification could be considered a little bit green or ecobureaucratic; that they are having to cartel with the requirements of the international market, but it’s a pretty profound thing they are
doing,” he says. “Being organic is a long-term commitment – don’t think you’re going to get more money for it, don’t think it’s a short term solution to a product oversupply or a perceived market advantage. “At the end of the day, the market is becoming more and more discerning, so the wine has to be good, if not excellent. To make good if not excellent wines, you have to work in the vineyard and for Mother Nature to repay you, you need to be prepared to standby and do your apprenticeship for seven years. During that time she will offer you three ups and three downs. You have to have the ability to ride that out.” The Milltons’ have enjoyed their share of “ups” over the years; their wines have won prestigious trophies around the world, they have grandstanded one of their signature varieties Chenin Blanc,
and last year James become a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the wine industry. But when asked about his proudest moments, he says it’s simply having survived in business for this long. “After 30 years we’re still here - I’m just proud to wake up in the morning. Gisborne is an amazing place . . . it’s certainly not the mirrored-wall disco scene of other parts – by comparison we have a slow waltz, but man, can we make a twirl. “We’ve enjoyed the highs, the recessive period when the big greedy corporations came and went and we’ve had to stop and think about what we’re doing. The pride will be in the future when they realize Gisborne is one of the most dynamic winegrowing areas in the country. We have freedom – we don’t have to use a whole lot
of irrigation or frost control, and we have this tempering sea breeze wind off the South Pacific ocean which lends a salinity of character and friendliness.” James finds satisfaction in seeing the development of organics in New Zealand; that more winegrowers are taking a more sustainable approach with greater respect in leaving a minimal footprint on the soil that provides so much. “One would assume 20-percent of vineyards will be certified organic by 2020, which was the challenge we laid down to winegrowers many years ago. And given the rate of change it is happening, we are going to be well exceeding that. Does that mean more competition for those of us who have been doing it for so long? Maybe. But we deal with diversity and cooperation. The consumer will get greater wines and the result to us: with more
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Agrecovery is proudly supported by: competition is that we have to be better and better, so we are continually lifting the goal post.” His advice for those wanting to become certified organic is to get off the tractor and dig holes – understand their property as an individual organism. “Start digging holes in the vineyard and smell it, feel it and see how alive it is. Then think about how you can have the least impact
on this organism so you let it find its balance. It takes seven years to build the organism up to a balance,” he explains. “Eventually disease becomes ease, ease becomes balance. Balance becomes harmony, harmony becomes happiness and happiness becomes enthusiasm. Once you have enthusiasm, the rest is easy.” ■ christinejboyce@gmail.com
THE MILLTONS To be who James is takes a certain quality and strength of spirit. He was organic, and biodynamic, long before it was cool. In the last several years, as chair of Organic Winegrowers New Zealand, he’s generously given his energy to lead others toward organic growing -- essentially nurturing his future competitors -- because his greater loyalty is to the earth itself. He’s a pioneering and provocative thinker, always asking new questions. He has an intricate ecological understanding, and once you taste his wines you want to follow him down wherever that path he’s leading. Rebecca Reider - National Coordinator of Organic Winegrowers New Zealand James and Annie Millton are true modern day pioneers in our industry. They have remained true to their values and have provided respected, committed, inspiring leadership in the organic/biodynamic sector. The success of all their hard work can be seen in the fact that many of the ideas they have espoused have become mainstream in recent times. Philip Gregan CEO NZ Winegrowers James and Annie have been challenging convention since the year I was born. I’m pretty lucky to be living only a stone’s through away from the country’s best biodynamic producer. They are amazing people. Matt Fox – NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year 2013 Over the last 30 years James has been leading the way of making biodynamic winegrowing as an economically viable option, and this in a climate more challenging than most in New Zealand. Hatsch Kalberer – Winemaker Fromm Wines
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James Millton’s influence in the world of wine extends way beyond our shores. He is arguably the most recognisable New Zealander on wine’s world stage. The passion James has for Bio Dynamic and Organic growing has encouraged many to remove their blinkers and set forth on a new path. A great motivator, orator and raconteur James is a delightfully, inquisitive friend who doesn’t suffer fools and flies the New Zealand flag with pride. Our industry is much richer by having him in our midst. Bart Arnst
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 13
LOOKING AHEAD
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE TESSA NICHOLSON
N
ew Zealand’s isolation at the bottom of the Southern Hemisphere has both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to our agri business sector. Advantages include; being free from many of the pests and diseases that run rampant through our export markets, our relatively stable climatic conditions, and our natural assets in terms of water and land. Disadvantages include; cost of routes to market, and being such a small player in the world scheme of things, that we have little leverage. Ian Proudfoot, Head of Agribusiness & Lead Partner, Consumer & Industrial Products KPMG New Zealand, believes all agri business including the wine industry should be focusing on our advantages to ensure future viability.
That may mean looking at business models in a different way. Take the world of global retailing for example. Proudfoot says the world’s 10 largest retailers between them operate in 50 countries and “pull up a trillion dollars in business.” It is important to work alongside these retailers as they steadily become bigger. All 10 are multi format, all have an everyday low price proposition, they all have strong themes regarding sustainability and they are very focused on home brands. “That’s not just the basic cheap bulk standards. If you look at the major retailers they have home brands across at least four levels, from low to very high end products, including wine.” For wine producers, that may be one of the biggest challenges he says, to work in with that shift
to corporate brands. “You need to be able to work with these retailers and on how you create a story for them. There is real opportunity in being a successful corporate brand supplier.” Those large retailers are also concentrating on all parts of the sustainability equation, from environmental, to impact on local communities. “It is the retailers that are driving it (sustainability) on the basis of what they believe the consumer believe it to be. The decisions they make are all about how they are going to market themselves. You can’t afford to overlook the fact that you have lost the argument from a sustainable perspective that is based on science. It’s very much now based around marketing.” With the world’s population
expected to increase from 7 billion to date, to 9 billion by 2050, there will be a significant change in the socio economics of many countries. Proudfoot says by 2030, the estimates are that 3.5 billion people in the Asia/Pacific regions will rate themselves as middle class consumers. That is important for the New Zealand wine industry, given wine is viewed very much as a discretionary product. “The term middle class is open to interpretation, but the way it has been defined is that a consumer has the ability to make discretionary choices over what they will consume. They are no longer buying food purely to survive, they are buying food to enhance their lifestyle. It creates huge opportunities, but it is important to note that the opportunity will be very carefully fought for.”
New Zealand has 75.6 million litres of freshwater per person, yet 96% of it goes unused out to sea. Ian Proudfoot (inset)
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
With China expected to add more than its fair share to that growing population, Proudfoot says it will become vitally important for targeted development by New Zealand wine. “To be successful you need to invest in local knowledge. We aren’t spending enough on local domestic knowledge with the countries we are trading with.” In terms of our country’s natural assets, water is the one that offers the most advantages. New Zealand currently has close to 75.6 million litres of fresh water per person in terms of a renewable water supply. “That is our most important strategic equity asset we have in this country. But at the moment 96 percent of that water goes out to sea unused. We need to address that because we actually have something that is so scarce in the rest of the world, they would dam
it, catch it export it if they had the opportunity.” Compare New Zealand’s 75.6 million litres per person with the following; India – 1.6 million litres China – 2.1 million litres Africa – 5.6 million litres, Europe – 10.4 million litres Australia – 22.5 million litres Alongside protecting our fresh water supply, Proudfoot believes New Zealand has to start protecting suitable agri business land from urban encroachment. “At the moment we are probably seeing a decrease in the best available land around Auckland, Christchurch and Lincoln. Land that is available for agri business is being converted into urban or lifestyle use. That places pressure on our land supply.” Spending on research and development will play a major role for all agri business in the future,
IAN PROUDFOOT’S TOP 10 TIPS • Work in with the shift to corporate brands • Avoid being all things to all people • Target development in Asia • Identify and lead the next big things in terms of wine styles • Understand the impact the agricultural development will have on the wine industry • Ensure wineries are
Proudfoot says. That is something New Zealand is not leading the way in. “The major global players in seed production, fertilizer management and bio tech are all spending in excess of 10 to 20 percent of their revenue on R and D. I don’t see that level of spending in New Zealand agri accounts. That is a real risk to our industry. We
sufficiently profitable to support the use of land as a winery • Grow the role of wine in attracting premium tourists to New Zealand • Invest in technology • Research and prove inherent health benefits of wine • Maintain the integrity and reputation of the product
need to have more of an innovative culture. Rather than just letting things happen which we take advantage of, what we want is a really buoyant pipeline of innovation that consistently delivers great success, year after year.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com Ian Proudfoot was a guest speaker at this year’s Romeo Bragato Conference.
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 15
AIR NZ WINE AWARDS
CHAIR OF JUDGES REPORT M I C H A E L B R A J KOV I C H M W
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his year we saw a total of 1379 entries, which is slightly up on the 2012 competition. 8% of entries were awarded Gold Medals, and 47% of all entries received awards. 2013 was a very good grapegrowing season across the country, and it was very exciting to see such a strong lineup of outstanding Sauvignon Blanc wines from this vintage. These wines have very fine and fruity aromas, and the very best all have the weight, texture, length and balance befitting the Gold Medal standard. The best examples show a balance between very ripe and slightly edgy mineral characters which give these wines both depth and vibrancy. They appear to be drier this year, and with less obviously sweaty volatile thiol aromas. Once again the showing of Chardonnay in this competition is very strong indeed, and indicates what can be achieved from a range of regions when the grapes are ripe, and the use of oak is carefully balanced with the fruit elements of the wine. The boundaries are continuing to be pushed with Chardonnay, with some very attractive and edgier reductive styles competing with the full, rich and weighty types. The wonderful aromatic qualities of Riesling shone through this year, and its suitability as a medium-sweet wine style is clearly evident among the Gold Medal wines. The dry styles at their best are also very impressive, although the acid profile can be somewhat challenging to many consumers. Pinot Gris is an important
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grape variety in the New Zealand wine sector, and with the quality of the 2013 vintage we have seen a big step up. It can sometimes suffer from overcropping and flabbiness, but the best wines from 2012 and 2013 are florally scented with concentration and rich textures, balanced with the clever use of residual sweetness. The Gewürztraminer class was a little disappointing this year with only two Gold Medals. As in last year’s competition Viognier showed some very impressive aromatic profiles across the range, with richness and textured phenolics in this strongly flavoured variety. Albariño repeated its success of last year with a very attractive example. Sparkling Wine should by rights be one of New Zealand’s very strong categories, and the Gold Medal wines this year
Michael Brajkovich MW
focussed Pinot Noir fruit aromas and flavours, with an intensity that is hard to find elsewhere. The winemaking techniques and maturation methods are sympathetic with the attributes that come
With 22 Gold Medals, Pinot Noir is once more the most successful varietal class in the competition. The top wines are truly outstanding and are becoming an international benchmark for the variety. showed what great results can be achieved when elegant refinement meets aged yeast autolysis complexity. This is an exciting class, and bodes very well for the future. With 22 Gold Medals, Pinot Noir is once more the most successful varietal class in the competition. The top wines are truly outstanding and are becoming an international benchmark for the variety. They are characterised by
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
from the vineyard, and the result is a very complex and stylistically mature array of exceptional wines. The fuller bodied reds produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are continuing their steady improvement. These classes are dominated by producers from Hawke’s Bay, where warm ripening conditions, well suited soils and improved viticulture are yielding grapes with a riper
fruit profile than in the past. In the hands of careful winemakers the resulting wines have great flavour richness, balanced tannins and length, and are clearly very age worthy wines for the future. Pleasingly, there was a very low incidence of microbiological problems in red wines in the Awards. This is testament to our very high level of technical expertise, and in a world wine market where many producers from traditional wine regions still struggle with problems such as Brettanomyces, we in New Zealand are producing red wines that stand up and get noticed because of their absolute quality rather than their historical reputation in the world of wine. The Dessert Wine classes this year highlighted some absolute gems, with beautifully ripe concentrated fruit characters often augmented with Botrytis Cinerea noble rot. Amazingly complex, the top wines are a rare treat. ■
WINE AWARDS AIR NEW ZEALAND WINE AWARDS 2013 TROPHY WINNERS ■ Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show Nautilus Cuvée Brut NV ■ O-I New Zealand Reserve Wine of the Show Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2012 ■ Label and Litho Limited Champion Sauvignon Blanc Boundary Vineyards Rapaura Road Sauvignon Blanc 2013 ■ Rabobank New Zealand Limited Champion Chardonnay Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2012 ■ Guala Closures NZ Champion Pinot Gris Lake Chalice Marlborough Pinot Gris 2013 ■ Plant & Food Research Champion Riesling Highfield Riesling 2012 ■ ICIB Gold Medal Insurance Champion Gewürztraminer Not Awarded ■ BDO Champion Other White Styles and Rosé Coopers Creek SV Gisborne Albariño ‘Bell-Ringer’ 2013 ■ Wineworks Champion Sparkling Wine Nautilus Cuvée Brut NV ■ Stuff.co.nz Champion Dessert Wine Riverby Estate Noble Riesling 2012
■ JF Hillebrand New Zealand Ltd Champion Pinot Noir Greystone Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2012 ■ Fruitfed Supplies Limited Champion Syrah Elephant Hill Syrah 2012 ■ Coast FM Champion Merlot, Cabernet and Blends Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2010 ■ Fairfax Media Champion Other Red Styles Not Awarded ■ New World Champion Open White Wine Lake Chalice Marlborough Pinot Gris 2013 ■ Liquorland Champion Open Red Wine Church Road McDonald Series Merlot 2011 ■ Waitoa Free Range Chicken Champion Exhibition White or Sparkling Wine Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2012 ■ Business World Travel Champion Exhibition Red Wine Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2010
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 17
HAVE FAITH IN THE VINES Swedish Master of Wine Madeleine Stenwreth is impressed with wine quality and the trust placed in New Zealand vineyards. She explained to Joelle Thomson what the highlights were of judging at this year’s Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
PINOT NOIR “There’s no way to generalize about any region in New Zealand today as we could 10 years ago. What I now see in North Canterbury is a big eye opener. And there are also some fantastic Pinots from other parts of the Wairarapa, not only from Martinborough but I think this region is too small to fight in two different camps and they should use their muscle to promote the entire region. Central Otago’s Pinots are becoming increasingly impressive as the styles move towards more finesse and layers rather than a block of impressive dark fruit. Marlborough Pinots have recently started to become more interesting as the variety and its vineyard sites have been shown more respect.” Stenwreth was impressed with the distinction between wines from producers within a stone’s throw of one another, proving different viticultural and winemaking approaches and philosophies – as well as the notion of terroir playing a part. “In these past 10 years you’ve come a really long way with Pinot and now it’s escalating in terms of quality and personality. Producers now trust their vineyards a lot more and I think the influence of the winemaker has been less heavy handed than around the world. I
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see more elegance and honest fruit expression coming through, even in lower priced wines. It’s a very good thing, especially to see winemakers put so much trust in their vineyards.”
CHARDONNAY Solid purity. These two words sum up New Zealand Chardonnay for Stenwreth. She was delighted to see wines which stood on their own two feet without added bells and whistles, such as oak, even in lower priced, obviously more commercial styles. “You have such a great climate you don’t need to help the wines with acid or mask the wines with oak to get great taste.”
METHODE New Zealand’s best bottle fermented bubbles are raising the bar for New World sparkling wines, Stenwreth says. And on the establishment this year of Methode Marlborough, she was also enthusiastic: “It’s daring to be a little bit cocky and I think it’s a fantastic thing to do. Many other countries would find it difficult to have such a good standard across the board with their bubbles.”
SAUVIGNON BLANC “There are fantastic Sauvignon Blancs which have an incredible
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Madeleine Stenwreth
personality and charisma and are an honest expression of the variety grown in a perfect place.”
Then there are some which are screaming too loudly for attention. “I think New Zealand Sauvi-
gnon goes overboard sometimes and I find it difficult to understand why producers want to push flavours so hard,” she says. “The Sauvignon Blanc styles were my biggest headache because I think that some winemakers in New Zealand forget that this wine should be pleasant to consume. It’s like a competition of who can produce the most pungent of any styles.” The answer is to put more faith in the variety – “Instead of trying to fiddle with the tools to dial up its aromatics so high.”
HAWKE’S BAY SYRAH AND MERLOT Hawke’s Bay Syrahs in ripe enough years can be outstanding examples of the variety but the consistency in quality is so vintage dependent. Beware of prolonged hang-time that results in over concentrated fruit characters that are
perceived to be necessary at the flag ship level. Elegance is worth a lot more. “The risk of the very lean white peppery Syrah is that its austerity can be just too much a caricature of the variety and it is not under-
can be risky as most consumers might try Hawke’s Bay Syrah for the first time at a more reasonably priced level, and might be scared to give it another go Co-fermentation with Viognier can add silky charm and fragrance
Madeleine Stenwreth was delighted to see wines which stood on their own two feet without added bells and whistles.
stood as a style by the consumers. Maybe it’s a fun wow in a blind line up but going too lean gives too little drinking pleasure. This relates often to the issue of declassification in years where the ripeness has not been perfect, and the lusher fruit that adds the necessary flesh on the bones is reserved for wines up the brand ladder. This
to these wines. Overall, this category – Syrah – has enormous promise for New Zealand, as does Merlot. “There are stunning Merlots from Hawke’s Bay which is contributing layers, perfume and freshness to blends with inky, very ripe Cabernet in good years.”
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AROMATICS This category includes beautiful Rieslings and Gewurztraminers but lots of patchy styles, which promise the world on the nose without always following through on the palate. “Some Pinot Gris have been beautiful, especially given that they are made in a commercial style but there’s more personality in some wines than others,” she says. “There are very few other Pinot Gris producing regions in the world which are taking the variety seriously due to its potential to be a short term cash cow. So with the quality approach that I saw, New Zealand could be the next generic Pinot Gris stop for the consumers who are willing to trade up from origins which have too long taken it for granted and treated it with lack of respect.” ■ jthomson@xtra.co.nz
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 19
REGIONS HAWKE’S BAY
WELCOME TO A NEW APPELLATION PETER SAUNDERS
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f it was sad to see Waitaki Valley decline in numbers so noticeably, it is a joy to welcome a new New Zealand appellation in Hawke’s Bay. Crownthorpe Terraces is the new sub-region of Hawke’s Bay, ‘new’ in the sense that it has found popularity with companies like Pernod Ricard, Morton Estate, Constellation and Delegats. There are now almost 1000 hectares, more than Gimblett Gravels, of planted vineyard in this district and now the name is appearing on some labels and in even more
Hawke’s Bay blends. Call it inland Hawke’s Bay, elevated in the hills and near the upper reaches of the Ngaruroro River. Find the turn-off coming down Highway 50 from Napier at the little village of Fernhill, not far past the Crossroads winery. Then a few kilometres inland, towards Taihape (via Gentle Annie and the Ruahine Range) the vineyards start. What is surprising is that this sub-region has grown to this extent without coming onto the radar. Some wine companies
like it that way. There are little in the way of cellar door facilities for wine tourists after all. This is vineyard territory. Thought of as ‘too cool’ at first in Hawke’s Bay with the elevation, in fact the day time temperature average over ripening is higher than a lot of traditional Hawke’s Bay grape growing sub-regions. It is the nights which are cooler at Crownthorpe, and this gives the wider diurnal variation favoured by many grape growers and winemakers. This diurnal appeal and the
more cynical idea that ‘there are not many other places left in Hawke’s Bay to plant a decent sized vineyard’ has brought attention from larger winemakers. Certainly such a motive in Marlborough sent wineries further afield. When Rapaura and Wairau started to fill up and the land became expensive, Awatere and Waihopai were discoveries. It was cheaper to buy there too! Talking on the Crownthorpe diurnal variations, Michael Ivicevich from Delegats speaks of ‘the profound influence on the flavour The latest sub region from Hawke’s Bay – Crownthorpe. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY DELEGATS.
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
the Kikowhero Stream lending the name. This Crownthorpe site has an extra advantage in being relatively close to the company’s Highway 50 winery where the grapes are processed. Thus we see that Sauvignon Blanc is one company’s direction at Crownthorpe while another heads for Merlot and Chardonnay. Each manages their vineyards according to the needs of the specific varieties. And the bets are on that a Pinot Noir and Albarino will emerge before long from this subregion also. So while Crownthorpe Terraces may be a name that sends many to the road atlas to locate, it is consolidating and making its mark without any sign of false hopes being dashed. The extent of planting may be surprising but the confidence of the winemakers involved shows in both enthusiasm and in the quality of wine. ■ winecast@xtra.co.nz
(previously Castalia). They have 22 ha, principally in five varieties and have succeeded in producing wine carefully to reflect ‘a sense of place’ – the terroir of Crownthorpe. Then the larger companies moved in. Delegats for example, has 120 hectares under Crownthorpe vines with more to be planted. ‘We have no trouble ripening fruit here’ says Ivicevich. He speaks especially of Merlot and Chardonnay used in the new-look Delegat range (the ‘s’ has been dropped on the Delegat label). There is a contribution from here also to the Oyster Bay Merlot label. Pernod Ricard also has indulged at Crownthorpe and includes grapes from the region in several of its blends including some in the Church Road range. ‘Cool enough to suit the right varieties’ says Patrick Materman ‘but we can get them ripe and flavoursome’. Church Road winemaker
Crownthorpe Terraces is the new subregion of Hawke’s Bay, ‘new’ in the sense that it has found popularity with companies like Pernod Ricard, Morton Estate, Constellation and Delegats.
Chris Scott goes further. ‘There is some magnificent fruit coming from Crownthorpe’ he tells us. Morton Estate is here too, Chardonnay in particular featuring for them including a contribution to their sparkling wines. Owner John Coney expresses delight in the Crownthorpe investment and credits his team with ‘spotting’ the potential of the site. He thinks Crownthorpe may be seen on the Morton front label but leaves the options open for the winemaker to use the resources with the Riverview vineyard as he (the winemaker) sees fit. Constellation have an allSauvignon Blanc block called the Kikowhero Partnership Vineyard,
development and natural acidity in the grapes’ this brings. He also tributes the site for its terraces, the soil and for the pure water the Ngaruroro River brings Crownthorpe was planted first by Evert Nijzink, who sold his wine under the Settler label. ‘I am a settler in New Zealand from Holland’ said Evert who has cut his producing vineyard from four hectares to three and with a day-time job for half the year as a Hawkes Bay winemaker, then half a year making wine in Europe, Crownthorpe has to fit in. Keen to follow were Emma Lowe and Marcelo Nunez (the latter from Chile) who make wine under the Monowai label
Phone (09) 3729155 Email : rsf@rd2.co.nz Web: www.rd2.co.nz Available through all good Ag retail stores
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 21
RESEARCH NEWS
WORLD-LEADING WINE RESEARCH N
ew Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has secured approval for funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Primary Growth Partnership for a world-leading research and development programme for high-quality, lower alcohol and calorie wines. Described by NZW as ‘Lifestyle wines,’ the category comprises premium wines that can be naturally produced using sustainable viticultural techniques and native yeasts – providing an important point of difference to existing laboratory processing methods. The programme, entitled ‘Shifting the sweet spot,’ distinguishes between the NZW goal of natural production and the category of lower alcohol wines currently available, which have typically been diluted with water (and often sugar) or else had alcohol removed through manufacturing processes such as reverse osmosis. The NZW programme aims to grow New Zealand wine exports by NZ$60 million by 2024 and estimates that the broad economic
Shifting the sweet spot’ is the largest research and development programme ever undertaken by the NZ wine industry and is designed to position New Zealand as number one in the world for premium Lifestyle wines. benefits deriving from the Lifestyle wine category will reach NZ$285 million a year, also by 2024. The programme, first reported on page 42 in the August/September issue of this magazine, will develop a range of viticulture and winery tools to naturally produce the high-quality Lifestyle wines sought by a growing number of consumers. The project will also demonstrate the commitment of the New Zealand wine industry and government to social responsibility and the safe and healthy consumption of wine. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has approved government investment of NZ$8.13 million over seven years, with project milestones staged to occur from 2014 through to the end of 2020. The total invest-
ment for the project is NZ$16.97 million over the same period, with the balance coming from industry partners as a mixture of cash and in-kind contributions. “The project has the potential to continue the exemplary 20-year growth of the New Zealand wine industry, through world leadership of the Lifestyle wines category,” said Justine Gilliland, MPI’s Director Primary Growth Partnership. “We’re proud to be working with NZW on this exciting project.” ‘Shifting the sweet spot’ is the largest research and development programme ever undertaken by the New Zealand wine industry and is designed to position New Zealand as number one in the world for premium Lifestyle wines. “Given the reach and depth of wine company involvement,
we can fairly say that the entire industry will benefit from the programme outcomes,” said Dr Simon Hooker, NZW General Manager Research.
Partners for ‘Shifting the sweet spot’ currently comprise: • MPI • New Zealand Winegrowers • Pask Winery • Constellation NZ • Forrest • Giesen Wines • Indevin Partners NZ • Lawsons Dry Hills • Lion • Moana Park Winery • Mount Riley Wines • Mud House Wine Group • Pernod Ricard NZ • Spy Valley Wines • Villa Maria Estate • Whitehaven Wine Company • Yealands Estate Wines NZ W’s Lifestyle wines programme is able to accept additional industry partners. Interested parties can contact Dr Simon Hooker, General Manager Research – simon@nzwine.com. ■
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
VINEYARD NEWS
UNDER VINE OPTIONS TESSA NICHOLSON
T
he first year of a threeyear project aimed at determining the effect of under vine management on soil, vines, grapes and wines has thrown up some interesting results. Dr Mark Krasnow is part of the research team, comparing the effects when management is changed from using herbicide, to either cultivation or mowing. In Hawke’s Bay the research is based on Merlot and Syrah, while in Mar-
lborough it’s based on Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. In terms of why the under vine management is important, Krasnow says anything that competes with the vines for water and nutrients, has to be taken seriously. “Weeds can grow so tall they can actually get into the bunch zone and you end up with a micro climate conducive to rot and not conducive to quality. Anything that is growing up under your vine is potentially competing.”
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researchers monitored water potential for all treatments. “What we saw were very subtle differences between the treatments, which, in general were not statistically significant. We saw the canopies were much smaller in the mowing treatments, but it is due to only very subtle differences in the water potential.” Nutrition was gauged in each treatment via leaf petiole and soil tests. “We found no consistent dif-
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The trials used randomised block designs, with buffer bays within the rows and buffer rows between treatments. There were six replicates for each treatment per site. In terms of Merlot, it was obvious early on that the areas where mowing was undertaken resulted in less vigour within the canopy when compared with herbicide and cultivated plots. To ensure that the canopy differences weren’t due to water stress in the mowing sites, the
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
ferences in all three treatments. There were differences in sites, but we never saw mowing treatments with less nitrogen. These findings suggest that the observed vigour differences were not due to competition for water or minerals, or due to very subtle competition for water and minerals.” Photos and leaf areas from the three different treatments showed the herbicide treated rows had the most leaf area, cultivation was second and mowing third. “We saw a huge difference in percentage gaps in Merlot where there was the mowing treatment. It was a much more open canopy. Certainly for a red wine, in a season when there is more rain, this would be a huge benefit.” Soluble solids showed no discernible differences, but when it came to berry size in Merlot, the mowed treatments resulted in a reduction.
“It is quite clear there is a difference in how the vines in our Merlot site responded to the other treatments compared with mowing. Mowing had a greater effect on the growth of the vine and the size of the fruit,” Krasnow says. “This led to a significant reduction in yield at harvest. In Merlot in Hawke’s Bay, manual crop thinning is a very common thing to do. So what we have here is a way to manage your yield without having to pay for a crew to come in and do it. Potentially that will impact on your bottom line.” Given the trial was undertaken in an “ultra premium vineyard” the results from the first year of the trial are likely to be greeted with enthusiasm. “Remember, smaller berries mean more open bunches and less of a potential for rot in a season that isn’t as spectacular as 2013 was. In a more typical season,
The under vine area on the left front The underherbicide vine areatreated, on the left has been thefront area has in been herbicide treated. The areaisinmowed. the background has been mowed. the background Notice the Notice the in difference in canopy size. difference canopy size.
those small berries and open canopies could be a godsend.” The impact of each of the treatments on final wine quality is the
next step in the process, prior to a second year of research within the field. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com
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REGIONS GISBORNE
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THE YOUTH OF GISBORNE It is one of the oldest wine regions in New Zealand and less than 20 years ago, it was the powerhouse of the country’s wine industry. With the emergence of Marlborough, it has slipped down in the rankings in terms of size, but nothing can take away from Gisborne the ability to produce an array of stunning wines. It is also home to a number of young viticulturists and winemakers who are helping secure the quality of the region for the future. This month we find out about three of those Young Guns. How long have you worked in Gisborne? I have worked for the last 11-years at Millton What brought you to Gisborne? I am a born and bred Gisborne lad Where have you travelled in wine to get here? I have worked for Cullen in Western Australia and I have done three stints working for Masut in Mendocino County, Northern California What do you enjoy most about your job? I love working not only with the vines, but being on a biodynamic estate. I am also working with animals on a day-to-day basis which I really enjoy. The biodynamic side of things I find really interesting, from the making of all the preparations to watching the way the vines respond to things you are doing at certain times of the month related to the position of the moon. What do you enjoy most about Gisborne? Gisborne is an amazing place with its beaches for surfing, fishing and diving, to driving 30 minutes inland and you’re in beautiful native bush on walking tracks or hunting. When you’re not making wine or growing grapes? I have just brought a property of my own so this is taking up most of my spare time at the moment. But otherwise I am either at the beach fishing or diving or catching up with family and friends, or every
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now and again out on the golf course. But usually you will find me out in the vineyard somewhere, as I love being out there. It sucks when…. The last day of harvest comes around as we have to wait for another year to taste our years’ work coming out of the press.
Which wine region excites you most right now? Gisborne excites me. I think there are some amazing wines coming out of here and there are a lot of new plantings of new varieties starting to happen around the region that are going to be very interesting to see how they go.
Your favourite wine? I can’t think of a favourite wine off the top of my head right now. But after working alongside James and Annie for so long I have a huge respect for a good glass of Chenin Blanc as I know the effort that has to be made in the vineyard to get it just perfect.
Future aspirations? Continue to work alongside James and travel around the world doing vintages in as many places as I can. Then maybe one day, get a vineyard of my own. This will be a few years down the track yet though as I still have so much to take in.
RORY GRANT AGE: 29 T I T L E : V I T I C U LT U R I S T A T M I L LT O N V I N E YA R D A N D W I N E R Y
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
How long have you worked in Gisborne? Just one year in the wine industry. What brought you to Gisborne? I grew up here and it’s a cool little town, worth sticking around for a little bit longer I think. Where have you travelled in wine to get here? I studied it for a year at EIT in Gisborne last year. What do you enjoy most about your job? Working alongside Andy and Tim at Hihi, they’re very knowledgeable about wine and there’s always something to learn off them - they’ve been an awesome team to work with for my first vintage. Most aspects about the job itself are enjoyable - not just wine tastings. What do you enjoy most about Gisborne? Gisborne is real chilled out and there’s a nice vibe about it. Really nice weather and really nice beaches, that’s all anyone says about Gis, but it’s actually true.
When you’re not making wine or growing grapes? Jamming with mates and watching live music is always a good time, traveling in and out of town and right now my new hobby is being on crutches. It sucks when…. You prune a vineyard. Your favourite wine? I’m yet to have a favourite... I like all wines for different reasons. Lately I’ve become a bit of an Albarino fan. Which wine region excites you most right now? Gisborne actually, it was a really good vintage for Hihi and many other wineries in the region that have produced some promising wines. I think Gisborne will bounce back and get more recognition in the future. Future aspirations? Next vintage I want to try to work in Martinborough then maybe do some vintage work overseas, at this point I’m just going with the flow.
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LEVI SCOTT AGE: 21 TITLE: CELLAR HAND FOR HIHI WINES
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 27
M AT T H E W F O X AGE: 27 T I T L E : V I N E YA R D M A N A G E R F O R D . W. B R I A N T LT D
How long have you worked in Gisborne? In my current position, just under a year What brought you to Gisborne? I have always lived in Gisborne apart from when I was studying or traveling, it’s an awesome place to live and work but the life style was a big pull for me Where have you travelled in
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wine to get here? I had spent the two year previous to my job in Gisborne vintage hopping between Australia and France. Before I studied I went and did a vintage in Canada and was fortunate enough to win the Bragato scholarship and go and have a look around Italy What do you enjoy most about your job? The day-to-day challenges and the team that I
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
work with, I love being outdoors so my job ties in perfectly. What do you enjoy most about Gisborne? The lifestyle, the weather, the people and the opportunity that is here for me. It sucks when… It’s raining in the middle of flowering!!!!!!! Your favourite wine? Would have to be Viognier and Chardonnay
Which wine region excites you most right now? The Gisborne region, there’s a lot happening here at the moment with a bunch of enthusiastic people trying new things, watch this space. Future aspirations? I hope to have a successful vineyard and winery operation of my own within the next couple of years and just keep doing what I’m doing.
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WINE TASTING
SOUNDS TO TASTE BY TESSA NICHOLSON
W
hen drinking a wine, sight, smell and taste all play vital roles. But what about sound? How does that impact on the way a wine appears? NZ Winegrower writer, wine critic and sound artist, Jo Burzynska (aka Stanier Black-Five) has been investigating the synergies between wine and sound over recent years. Her findings are not only breaking ground, they are convincing a number of sceptics that all of the senses play a part in the final taste of a wine. It is Burzynska’s involvement with sonic art (which she describes as “experimental music”) that has led to the findings. “Basically it is art where the
sound is the main medium, as opposed to visual art. It’s more abstract and it will fall within the bounds of music, but it might not be what people would consider to be music. It’s not so much about entertainment and melody and harmony. It’s about using sound to explore ideas and pose questions.” So while some sonic artists may include musical instruments within their piece, Burzynska prefers to use recordings of the natural environment. Last year she gained a residency in Southern Italy, where she recorded the sounds of the winery and vineyards, and created a piece of art that was then the backbone of a sound installation accompanied by a tasting of local wines. The
Jo records the sounds of a vineyard.
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
sounds are not just the obvious ones. Using high quality microphones her recordings delve deep within the winemaking process. “I have a contact mic which picks up vibrations and I buried it within the soil. So you can hear the crunching and crackling. And the sounds of the wind going through the canopy, or the wind picking up the wires. I also have a hydrophone which can be submerged in liquid. So I dropped that into fermenting vats of wine, much to the amusement of the winemakers. It is quite a powerful recording.” At the completion of her twoweek Suoni dal confine residency in Italy last year, Burzynska’s sonic art work premiered at Tufo, a classic traditional wine making town.
She admits to being initially concerned at how the local community would react to the concept that sonic art would influence taste. The reaction though was more than positive. “I could see people were taking time to listen and taste, which are the things that people don’t normally tend to do. Bringing the two things together meant there was a lot more active appreciation of what was going on. People were really tasting the wines, taking time to think about them and listening. The feedback I got was people did feel something happening and the soundscape I had created was enhancing the positive characters within the wines.”
And while sonic art impacts on the taste of a wine, so too do more traditional forms of music. Burzynska has been running workshops across the country, utilising a range of musical genres, to gauge varietal impact. “I basically play lots of different genres from folk, to blues, electronic to classical, to show how different musical forms can quite powerfully affect your perception of what you’re tasting.” Even the sceptics were impressed. Particularly when it came to sound impacting the way aromatic wines tasted. “They get affected in quite an extreme way. I start off by showing how you can remove the aromatics from a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. I play a really quite abrasive heavy rock piece, which almost closes down the nose and the acidity becomes much harder in contrast to a lighter poppy piece
of music that brings the aromatics out. People got to see it working, and it’s like; ‘Oh my goodness, there is something in it.’ People have walked away from the workshops realising it is real, not gimmicky.” Burzynska is now taking that experience further, and is working on what is believed to be a world first – a wine bar where the drinks are matched to an accompanying sound installation. The Auricle is due to open in Christchurch early in the New Year. With every sonic art installation, a dedicated wine list will be curated by Burzynska, with the wines selected on their compatibility with what will be playing in the gallery. “There may be a joker wine as well, one that doesn’t go with the music. So if people want to experience the impact, they can do so.” While it is believed to be the
only bar of its kind in the world, Burzynska doesn’t believe it will remain so. “I think people just haven’t grappled with the fact that music in the background will impact on taste. It definitely has an effect on mood and atmosphere. But the fact it impacts so much on taste, means I think we will see more of these in the future.” She is also keen to develop
a new wine and sound project, focusing on the wine regions of New Zealand. “Next year I would like to create a piece from the sounds of the region that’s designed to enhance the enjoyment of one their key wine styles. For example, Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough or Pinot Noir in Central Otago.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com
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SWNZ UPDATE
CHANGES SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING NZ TESSA NICHOLSON
R
esults from this year’s member survey, undertaken by NZWinegrowers, showed Sustainable Winegrowing is the number one issue concerning both growers and wineries. Most of the concerns relate to the information required within the scorecards. That is something the board is keen to rectify as soon as possible. Forty-seven percent of NZW members participated in the survey, which the board believes is a very good response, given they were told to expect something like a 30 percent return. Of those that replied, 475 were growers, (61% of the total respondents), with 307 wineries
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(44%) and overall 457 were SWNZ members. Steve Green, Chairman of the Board, said the number of SWNZ members replying was important, given the results. “Overall (SWNZ) had a fairly negative or okay assessment. While 63 percent of you said we were okay or better, there was a strong divergence of opinion. “That gave us a very clear message that we had to do something about it.” CEO Philip Gregan said as a fundamental, the Board considers sustainability an important part of the New Zealand wine story. But it also accepts that a considerable portion of the industry is dissatisfied with the current system and recognises change is needed.
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
“That change has got to address concerns around cost, compliance, value and culture.” The scorecard was one of the issues raised by members, with many labelling it time consuming, out of date in certain aspects and irrelevant at times. Gregan says the board and industry members have taken a long hard look at the current scorecard and accept things need to change. “We are looking at clear separation between the core elements of the scorecard and the voluntary, add on, value added stuff,” he says. Wineries and growers can decide for themselves if they want to provide the added value material – but it will not be compulsory to do so.
A thorough overview will see areas of duplication, irrelevant and unnecessary questions removed. “Hopefully what you will get is a slimmed down, relevant and easy to complete scorecard. We are working very hard to remove the concerns members have expressed regarding the scorecard, the time it takes and the difficulties.” The new look, finished card should be operative in 2014. While the scorecard itself was a major concern, the software system being used to complete it was another area NZWinegrowers has carefully looked at. The current software, according to Gregan, is a “huge source of frustration for growers, wineries, SWNZ and NZWinegrowers.” An alternative software package is currently being trialled by 30 growers and wineries, with KPMG independently auditing the planning for implementation, to ensure all potential risks and issues are assessed and considered. “Not only from New Zealand Winegrowers Sustainable Winegrowers perspective but also from the growers and wineries perspective as well.” The board will make a final decision, based on the trials and audit, on December 5. If approved, the new software will be up and running by April 2, next year. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com
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SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS SARAH THORNTON C O M M U N I C AT I O N S M A N A G E R , N E W Z E A L A N D W I N E G R O W E R S
S
ustainability is a widely recognised term in the UK, with government, media, and consumer advertising campaigns using it frequently, according to the Chair of NZTE’s European Beachheads programme and renowned expert in sustainability, Dr Mark Wade. As a result the word is part of the common lexicon and the top-line concept is understood by the vast majority.
“Government makes it clear that sustainability is about economic growth, social equity and environmental management, but consumers often have a less comprehensive take on the definition” Wade says. “The first thing that comes to mind for most consumers is environmental responsibility.” He says the concept of sustainability resonates with consumers and crucially, it effects their pur-
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chasing decisions. “Consumers in the UK and Europe want to buy products they can feel good about. There’s a growing appreciation that we live in a small world and we need to treat it with respect. However, it is near impossible for consumers to make a judgement on the credentials of each and every product. So they look to trusted retailers to do their homework for them.” Consumers expect retailers to offer products that have authentic sustainability credentials, and in turn retailers – particularly in the UK – are battling to be the greenest suppliers in the marketplace. The Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certification meets their needs enabling them to feel confident in putting New Zealand wine on their shelves. Sustainability is an integral part of many retailers strategy across Europe, particularly in
Germany and Scandinavia. It is common knowledge that the multiple retail chains in Europe have an emphasis on their own sustainability credentials and sourcing of responsible products. But are the smaller, independent retailers following suit? “Independent retailers are trying to find something different to justify the higher price and an authentic story helps with this” said Wade. Although sustainability credentials and an authentic story can help New Zealand wineries gain shelf-space in the Independent channel, his view is that for most consumers in this market segment, the brand story is a secondary consideration after a quality drinking experience. He believes New Zealand has done well in proving the wine industry’s sustainable credentials to retailers through wide partici-
pation in the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme. And although the SWNZ certification ticks the box for many buyers and helps access much sought after shelf space for the category, Wade sees potential in communicating the sustainability story directly to consumers. ‘Being sustainable’ does not necessarily make the wine in the bottle better but it does have quality cues.” He says recent market research in the US found that sustainability equates to high quality in the eyes of the consumer. Even though the research was carried out across a wide range of sectors, the findings can be applied to wine - and here lies the opportunity for New Zealand. “If the two product attributes of ‘quality’ and ‘sustainable’ are linked together to promote the concept that ‘New Zealand wine is quality and tastes
fantastic because it was produced sustainably’, you have a simple yet powerful message for consumers”. One of the most effective ways to communicate directly with consumers is via the label and it is alarming when many businesses opt out of putting their sustainable accreditation logo on the bottle. “It’s a missed opportunity to differentiate your brand” says Dr Wade. With an increasing emphasis on communicating the industry’s sustainability credentials, encouraging consumers to ‘look for the logo’ as a mark of quality and traceability is a simple and effective message for New Zealand wine. He observed that the certification mark has to compete with many other elements on the label and it would be worth exploring how to make this more eye catching and indicative of quality. ■
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 35
RESEARCH NEWS
SHINING A LIGHT ON THIOLS MARY SHANAHAN
R
esearch undertaken by Lily Stuart is likely to impress winegrowers wanting to know more about why New Zealand’s celebrated Sauvignon Blanc is
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unique. Stuart dovetailed Graduate Diploma in Oenology studies with her role as a research technician at Plant & Food Research in Marlborough in undertaking a viticultural
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
research project. Her marker, EIT senior lecturer in viticulture Dr Petra King, says the results are of considerable significance to the industry. The distinctive character of
Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc wines is due to the presence of high concentrations of sensory chemicals called thiols. There is interest in understanding the importance of manipulating the levels of thiols – the higher the levels, the better the perceived quality of the wine. Stuart’s study examined the effects of fruit harvest time and skin contact duration on the levels of thiols in the resulting Sauvignon Blanc wines. Her investigation considered the impact on thiol levels of both the time of day grapes were harvested and the time that elapsed between harvest and pressing the fruit. As part of her project, Stuart considered the published literature, which largely centres on thiol precursors in Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay must. During the winemaking process, these precursors are transposed into thiols, although the relationship between the precursors in the grapes and thiols in the wine is still unclear. The grapes for the research were sourced from a commercial vineyard in Marlborough and were hand harvested at different times on the same day – at 6am, noon and 6pm. The fruit was crushed and de-stemmed, followed by different durations of skin contact before pressing. The juices were then fermented locally. The research found that wines made using grapes that were pressed immediately after harvest – so having a short skin contact time – resulted in the highest thiol concentration in the wine. Harvest time of day seemed to
play no role in thiol concentration, nor was there any effect of harvest time-skin contact interaction. The findings suggest that, in terms of wine quality, a short turnaround time from the vineyard to crushing, de-stemming and pressing the grapes may help to make wines with higher thiols. Plant & Food, which funded the research, is continuing the project next year to expand and validate the results obtained. Growing up in a Chinese Malaysian family in the large town of Sibu in Sarawak, Stuart could never imagined a future working in the New Zealand wine industry. Because universities in Malaysia set a very high entry bar for non-Bumiputra students, her parents decided to send her overseas to further her education. When she moved to New Zealand for a seventh form at Christchurch’s Cashmere High
School, the plan was that she would return home after completing degree studies. Visiting her host mother’s family farm in Menzies Bay on Banks Peninsula, she found herself drawn to agriculture and decided to enrol at Lincoln University. It was while undertaking a practical for her Bachelor of Agriculture that she met kiwi husband-to-be, Glenn Stuart, then managing a dairy farm on the West Coast. “We ended up in the dairy industry at Kamaka, east of Greymouth, for a few years. Then we sold our farm to move to Marlborough, with Glenn working as an engineer for Wither Hills.” These days, he is selfemployed, growing grapes for Delegat’s on the couple’s 3.4ha vineyard. Initially, however, the couple weren’t sure what they were going to do after moving to
Blenheim. “It was 2002,” she says. “We were renting a house and it was our bank manager who suggested we grow grapes. We bought a bare block and planted Sauvignon Blanc. It was before the price of land peaked so we were really lucky with our timing.” When they started growing, the Stuarts knew little about wine and even less about grapes. But after a few harvests, she found herself wondering what happened next to the fruit. She took up an industry contact’s suggestion to work a vintage and enjoyed the experience at Brancott Estate so much she decided to do another vintage, this time at Omaka Springs Estates. Then Stuart spotted an advertisement for a research technician in Plant & Food’s Blenheim research winery and applied for the job. She loves the work and,
encouraged by manager Claire Grose, enrolled for the graduate diploma programme. “I asked myself whether that was what I wanted to do again,” the mother of two adult children says. She finally decided why not, and is already thinking ahead to what she might do after graduating. “I have travelled in Southeast Asia,” she says, “but not in Europe, and I’ve been offered the opportunity to work a vintage in France.” Her husband can join her, she laughs, although he probably won’t work the vintage. Asked what she might do after that, Stuart simply shrugs and smiles. But it seems a thirst for knowledge will continue taking her places she – and the wine industry – might never have imagined. ■ maryshanahan173@gmail.com
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 37
SOMMELIER’S CORNER CAMERON DOUGLAS MS
ANOTHER MOUNTAIN CLAIMED
N
ew York City is a tough nut to crack when it comes to establishing a successful Restaurant, and even tougher when trying to establish a fine New Zealand wine presence in the fiercely competitive marketplace of Manhattan. Creating the perfect harmony between food, wine and customers can take many years to perfect, and may be reliant on favourable write ups in well respected publications and social media to get the reservations diary looking healthy.
talent and classical (chef) background. Matt and Barbara also wanted to carry through the New Zealand influence with the wine programme. I was tasked with assembling an appropriate list. The Musket Room quickly accumulated a fan base with regular accolades. After only four months of trading it received its first Michelin Star – an astounding accomplishment. Earning a Michelin Star will usually takes years to achieve those who follow the Michelin Guide will know how difficult
The Michelin Guide organisation have full-time professional inspectors who anonymously visit restaurants and hotels (to ensure they do not receive any preferential treatment) while they identify high-quality establishments across a broad range of budgets and styles. Several [NZWG magazine] issues ago I mentioned the opening of the Musket Room in New York’s Manhattan Island by New Zealander Chef Matt Lambert and his wife Barbara. Matt has developed a reputation for fine cuisine while working at a number of renowned New York establishments. When the opportunity came to open his own dining room he was committed to preparing and presenting his menu of ‘modern New Zealand Cuisine’ in a way that would showcase his creative
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it can be. The Michelin Guide organisation have full-time professional inspectors who anonymously visit restaurants and hotels (to ensure they do not receive any preferential treatment) while they identify high-quality establishments across a broad range of budgets and styles. Evaluations involve repeated ‘test’ meals to assess the quality and reliability of the experience. An obsession with quality and reliability makes the Michelin Guide arguably the best source for recommendations for
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
those seeking excellence. Part of the Musket Room success is the formula of the wine and beverage programme. As the writer/curator of the wine list, it is immensely rewarding to see food and wine ideas come together. This would not be possible without high quality product - by this I mean the raw food product (much of which has a Kiwi background) and New Zealand wine that is made available on the East Coast of the USA. With a goal of staying at the top in food and wine in New York I am looking forward to seeing more New Zealand wine available to the Musket Room. At the time of writing, I am packing for my next trip to the Big
Apple, where I will be ‘working the floor’ at The Musket Room with their Head Sommelier Erin B. Scala, and adjusting the winelist for the winter weather that is fast closing in on Manhattan. Expanding the New Zealand Methode Traditionnelle section is high in my sights. There are many difficulties facing winemakers and those of us keen to showcase the very best of what we do here in the New Zealand wine industry. But the excitement and interest generated by such notable success shows we are headed in the right direction – and I will be continuing the push to show we are more than just our fabulous aromatic varieties. ■
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REGIONS CENTRAL OTAGO
CENTRAL PINOT NOIR MAX MARRIOTT
I
n January 2014, Central Otago celebrates Pinot Noir. Big time. The longest running event of its kind in New Zealand, the Central Otago Pinot Celebration first began in 2000 and has since occurred two out of every three years, with the forthcoming event marking the tenth anniversary. A “celebration” by definition, the festivities span three days and all are welcome: the innocent Pinot lover, the besotted Pinot geek and all who appreciate fine food and wine. The international wine media audience will include the likes of Tyson Stelzer and Gary Walsh from Australia, Jamie Goode and Olly Smith from the UK, Jon Rimmerman and Michael Jordon MS from the USA and local legends Jane Skilton MW and Bob Campbell MW. In addition to the 20-odd wine media specialists, the region will be graced by the presence of none other than Aubert de Villaine, co-gérant of the world’s most famous winery, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. A man who commands enormous respect and reverence from the world of wine, it will be a once-in-a-life-
Central Otago Pinot’s special guest Aubert de Villaine.
time opportunity to not only rub shoulders with the man in such an intimate, convivial atmosphere, but to hear him speak about Pinot. He will be attending the Celebration largely on the back of his relationship with Nick Mills, who has worked at the Domaine previously, but also as part of a delegation seeking UNESCO World Heritage approval for the vineyards of the Cote d’Or. Of Aubert de Villaine, Mills says, “He is one of the most erudite, articulate and respected figures in the wine industry, yet what strikes you most, and almost immediately about his character, is the warmth and humility with
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
which he approaches his craft and the people around him.” Jen Parr, Chair for the Central Otago Pinot Celebration, adds “Aubert de Villaine is a tremendous inspiration to us all and his desire to visit Central Otago and participate in our signature event is an incredible way to mark our 10th Celebration and is a great testament to how far Central Otago has come in the international Pinot Noir community in such a short space of time.” The program begins on Thursday afternoon (January 30th) with a Masterclass that Blair Walter of Felton Road is coordinating. “We are now beginning to see several
factors like increasing vine age, increasing viticultural experience, and several more, that are really starting to influence wine styles and quality in Central Otago. The Masterclass will examine and discuss these in detail and will include a tasting of recent vintages”, says Walter. Delegates will then have an opportunity to socialize afterwards. Friday morning sees the official welcome and Grand Tasting at Northburn Station, where participants will have an opportunity to taste Pinots from 40 Central Otago wineries, looking at both current and older vintages. Various vineyard lunches will follow, with a winemakers party that evening. The third and final day begins with the Formal Tasting in Queenstown: a discussion surrounding a common theme of some rare and exquisite wines from Burgundy. Lunches at Queenstown’s finest restaurants satisfies the die-hard foodies and, after a brief afternoon siesta, everyone gears up for the Grand Dinner, held at the Skyline Restaurant. A (now infamous) charity auction follows and is always guaranteed to draw plenty
PREVIEW of bids and a riot of laughs. For the stayers, the party continues in Queenstown until the wee hours of the morning.
Full details and the last of the tickets are at www.pinotcelebration. co.nz. ■ max@maxmarriott.com
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PINOT CENTRAL SPRING RELEASE
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his year’s Central Otago Pinot Noir Spring Release Tasting saw COPNL (Central Otago Pinot Noir Limited) showcase 58 wines from three vintages (2010, 2011 and 2012) over four hours to 10 writers, bloggers and tasters at Northburn Station in September this year. One of the stand out wines was the 2012 Aurum Pinot Noir Madeleine, made by Lucie Lawrence of Aurum. Just two barrels were made using 100% whole bunches; left to macerate for 12 days pre-fermentation. They were then left in barrels (all two of them) for
10 months. The result is an extremely silky, delicate tasting Pinot Noir from fruit off the relatively small Aurum site at Lowburn; five minutes from Cromwell. The 2012 Aurum Madeleine will be released just prior to Christmas this year and Lawrence describes Madeleine as the cherry on top of their production. Needless to say, it doesn’t sell to the wine trade. No wines from the 2013 vintage were on display at the spring tasting this year, but winemakers have been effusive about vine health, lack of disease and relatively positive yield sizes this year too. ■ jthomson@xtra.co.nz
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VINEYARD NEWS
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ROOTSTOCK TESSA NICHOLSON
W
hether you are developing a new vineyard or replanting an older one, consideration to which rootstock you choose is an important task. It is one of the many decisions to be made prior to any planting, according to Nick Hoskins, Consultant at Vine Managers Ltd. You also require a good understanding of what you are wanting to achieve in your vineyard. What are your soils and site like? What about climate, variety choice, future management, vine density and clones? They all play a large role in any final decision about rootstock. But perhaps the most important aspect of all, is the end product you want to achieve. Understand all of that and you will be well on the way to making an informed decision on which rootstock you should obtain. At Bragato this year, Hoskins outlined the pros and cons of three rootstock families, Riparia, Rupestris, and Berlanderi.
The following is a summary of each of the differing rootstocks.
Riparia x Rupestris Riparia Gloire - Least vigorous of this group tolerates moist clay soils 3309 - Performs very well across a range of soils good fruit set and even maturity Schwarzmann - Most vigorous of this group improves fruit set. 101-14 - Advances ripening, issues with Black foot. 3306 - Very similar to 3309, graft incompatibility with Merlot 481.
Riparia x Berlanderi SO4 –More vigorous than Riparia Rupestris group subject to
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
magnesium deficiency , less planted than 5C because of miss-identification. 5C – Very similar to SO4 5BB – Tolerant to moist clay soils not widely planted 420 – Lime tolerant low vigour stock 161-49 – Lime tolerant stock. Berlanderi x Rupestris
Richter 99 – Vigorous Line tolerant stock (later maturity) Richter 110 – Vigorous more drought tolerant than Richter 99, poor compatibility with Pinot Noir Paulsen 1103 – Vigorous and drought tolerant adaptable to cool Moist soils Ruggeri 140 – Extremely vigorous drought and lime tolerant stock In summary, Hoskins said ensure you know what the long term goal of your vineyard is – what are you aiming for with your vines? Have a good understanding of the soil composition and climatic conditions in the region. Will the conditions support your aims? Check out what those around you are planting. What works well in the area and what should be avoided? And ensure that the clone you choose along with the rootstock will be able to fufill your aims. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com
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REGIONS MARLBOROUGH
CELEBRATING DIVERSITY TESSA NICHOLSON
N
o promotion of Marlborough could progress without the mention of Sauvignon Blanc in all its forms, or Pinot Noir. But at the fourth biennial Marlborough Wine Weekend, it was 24 hours before either one of those varieties was offered to the 100 invited guests. Instead the focus for the first day was two of the region’s bestkept “secrets”, Chardonnay and Sparkling wine. The term secret is used tongue in cheek, given Marlborough is no stranger to either of these styles. It’s just that with the hype sur-
rounding both Sauvignon and Pinot, they tend to get lost in the crowd. Which given the recent national and international awards for Chardonnay in particular, (Matua Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2011 and 2012, Jules Taylor Chardonnay 2012 and Marisco The King’s Bastard 2012 to name a few) is a shame. The Marlborough Wine Weekend’s focus is on highlighting the evolution of the region, from viticultural practices through to the winemaking techniques. Writers and trade from Australasia and the UK were present and spent
Tom Stevenson
the three days at the beginning of November seeing that evolution first hand. Renowned and prolific writer
Tom Stevenson, who is also a guru when it comes to Champagne, said he realised back in 1990 that Marlborough had the ability to
MÉTHODE MARLBOROUGH Capitalising on the ability of Marlborough to produce sparkling wines of high quality, a new initiative has emerged. Méthode Marlborough was launched in September and has already attracted 11 local members. While most of those producers are small in terms of sparkling production, two of the larger companies of Lion (Daniel Le Brun) and Brancott Estate are also founding members. Chairperson Stephanie McIntyre says the initiative has two main objectives. One is to celebrate the quality and diversity of sparkling wine styles produced in Marlborough. “We are proud of the quality of sparkling wines produced in this region. A superb cool climate, extensive sparkling winegrowing experience, the right clones in the
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right places and a group of skilled and quality minded producers has led to a local tradition of premium wines.” Secondly she says the group wants to educate consumers on how sparkling wines differ from other styles. “Variations in sparkling wines are the result of tangible winemaking techniques. “For example all Méthode Marlborough wines are made in the traditional method which means the second fermentation is in the bottle, followed by the intricate riddling and disgorging process. This produces the finest and most persistent bead. Additionally all these wines are aged for a minimum of 18 months before disgorging takes place. This allows complete flavours
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
to develop, balancing fresh and fruit driven character with savoury notes of toast and brioche.” There is a criteria for members wishing to become part of Méthode Marlborough. The wines need to be 100 percent grown and made in Marlborough, they must be made by the traditional method of production, 100 percent made from the three traditional varieties of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier either individually or as a blend and they must be aged on lees for a minimum of 18 months. Regarding being made from the three traditional varieties, McIntyre says while there are other styles of sparkling wine, using this trio is internationally recognised as a benchmark style by sparkling wine producers throughout the world.
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produce sparkling wines of “real classic status.” He said the initial wines made by Daniel Le Brun in the late 1980s and early 90s proved the wines were not just one offs, but instead there was something special about the region. Given the ability to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it’s not surprising that Marlborough can also produce world-class Sparkling. The climatic conditions ensure full fruit ripening, without the need for any added sweetness. Marlborough’s Sparkling founder, Daniel Le Brun, said the conditions that occur nearly every summer are the sort that Champagne growers long for. “The summers we have and the ripening conditions we have in late summer are basically what the growers of Champagne would pray for. They get those conditions once in a blue moon, but basically we get them every year. Marlborough is the perfect district to make a fantastic Sparkling wine.” And while no region anywhere in the world can counter the cachet of the term Champagne,
Stevenson said there was no shame in the label Sparkling. “It is no longer a derogatory term. A lot of people, especially in the States began using the term Champagne because the term Sparkling wine seemed cheap. But now you can get Sparkling wines that are being produced and sold for £75 in the UK. So the idea that Sparkling wine as a term, somehow brings the product down, no longer exists.” Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas said while there has been a dearth of New Zealand product in the past, that is clearly changing, as is the acceptance of locally produced Sparkling wines. “It is always going to be compared with Champagne and it’s always going to be a quality versus pricing argument. But I think we are on the plus side of that with New Zealand wine. In terms of quality, I think we stand shoulder to shoulder with our French counterparts. But at the moment in the most part, our pricing is a little bit more competitive.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com
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REGIONS HAWKE’S BAY
PUSHING INTO CHINA MARY SHANAHAN
H
awke’s Bay is embarking on a major push into China, drawing on a $500,000 war chest to promote the regional wine story and grow its exports over the next three years. “We see China as the primary market for Hawke’s Bay’s wines,” says James Medina, executive officer of Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers, which is spearheading the campaign. Fifteen wineries have committed to the initiative, and their financial contribution is being matched dollar for dollar by Agmardt, an agri-business trust. The Hastings District, which Medina says is always very supportive of the region’s wine industry, is also contributing to the fund. The initiative is aimed at building Hawke’s Bay’s reputation as New Zealand’s premium fullbodied red wine region and using the full-bodied red wine platform to tell the story of Hawke’s Bay’s sub- regions and all its wine styles. The wineries signed up as of mid-November were Abbey Cellars, Alpha Domus, Babich Wines, Crossroads, Elephant Hill, Mills Reef, Moana Park, Ngatarawa Wines, Paritua Vineyards and Winery, Pask Winery, Robbie Bird, Sileni Estates, Te Mata Estate, Trinity Hill and Vidal Estate. More are expected to commit as the campaign gains momentum. Medina says the marketing strategy, which came to fruition in recent months, is for a pro-
gramme of seminars and tastings to educate the trade, media and consumers on the Hawke’s Bay wine region and participating winery brands. Some nine events will be held each year over the next three years. Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou have been identified as “first tier” cities for the campaign, while “second tier” cities are still to be confirmed. In pinpointing cities, Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers considered consumer demand and areas where participating wineries were seeking distribution. The public education push will be supported by an external
communications programme consisting of media releases and the development of social media and a website. Business development support will be provided for participating wineries seeking distributors and looking for opportunities to grow their export markets in China. New Zealand Winegrowers does an excellent job in promoting this country’s wine, Medina says, but Hawke’s Bay wineries want to tell a regional story in building its brands. They also want to take ownership of doing that. “It’s a fantastic story, great for the region and the Hawke’s Bay wine industry. It’s an initiative
James Medina
which shows the power of collaboration. China is a big market but we are competing with other wineproducing nations for a share of that. We need to collaborate to compete with them. “This is something the region can hang its hat on. It’s creating a lot of energy around our neck of the woods.” ■ maryshanahan173@gmail.com
Elephant Hill Holdings Ltd, photo supplied by NZW.
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 47
REGIONAL WINE SHOWS
HAWKE’S BAY S
yrah and Chardonnay were the stars of this year’s Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayley’s Wine Awards, winning the two champion wine of show titles and nearly half the gold medals. Vidal Estate shone too, claiming the competition’s three top trophies. The Hastings-based winery was awarded Champion Wine of Show for Vidal Reserve Series Chardonnay Hawke’s Bay 2012, Reserve Champion Wine of Show for Vidal Legacy Series Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2010 and the Winery of the Year title for achieving the highest number of points across the categories in which it entered wines. Chairman of Judges Rod McD onald said 2012 was
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probably the toughest vintage experienced by Hawke’s Bay but that hadn’t impacted on the quality of wines entered in this year’s competition. A total of 216 medals were
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
awarded over 14 classes of wines, 34 of them gold. The Syrah class attracted eight golds and Chardonnay seven. Wines, comprising at least 85 percent Hawke’s Bay fruit, were
entered by 90 percent of Hawke’s Bay’s wineries, which included multi-nationals with vineyards in the region and elsewhere. McDonald pointed out challenges facing top-performing varieties. It was a great shame, he said, that in recent times Chardonnay had been targeted by a “strong and vocal consumer group who dislike the varietal with a passion”, finding the wines too high in alcohol and overly oaked. However, Hawke’s Bay had the climate and soils to make Chardonnays of great finesse and complexity. The region also produced outstanding Syrahs, and the challenge for marketers was to achieve prices that reflected that quality.
MARLBOROUGH I
nto its third year, the 2013 Marlborough Wine Show was the largest so far, attracting 530 wines from the region. Family companies dominated the awards with Giesen, Johanneshof Cellars and Villa Maria winning nine of the 14 awards presented. In addition to 12 class trophies, there were two new awards – The Marlborough Wine Show Award for Vineyard Excellence which was presented jointly to Ara Wines and Villa Maria for their Seddon Vineyard and the Marlborough Museum Legacy Award which was presented to Johanneshof Cellars for their Gewurztraminer, vintages 2006, 2010 and 2012. Given the dominance of Sauvi-
gnon Blanc, followed by Pinot Noir in Marlborough, it was a much less popular variety that took out top honours. The Villa Maria Cellar Selection Dry Riesling 2013, was judged Champion Wine of the Show, much to the delight of Senior Winemaker Jeremy McKenzie. “It’s often to the despair of winemakers that Riesling seems to be the poor cousin of Sauvignon Blanc; it’s a great varietal that I’d love to see more people enjoying.” Villa Maria took out four trophies, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Vineyard Excellence and Champion Wine. Chief Judge, Jeff Clarke, Chief Winemaker for Ara Wines described the aromatic wine
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classes, (Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris) at the Wine Show as terrific, showing very distinct varietal characters. “There were wonderfully lifted aromatics.” He believes these quality aromatic wines are often under appreciated by consumers, because of a lack of understanding, exposure, and knowledge. “Sauvignon Blanc is the benchmark for Marlborough. The challenge for us is to broaden that appeal to these aromatic varieties.” One of the other big winners at the show was Giesens, who collected four trophies. The com-
pany’s Fuder range, where wine is fermented in large 1,000 litre German oak barrels (Fuders) was the main recipient. The 2012 Fuder Single Vineyard Selection Matthews Lane Sauvignon Blanc won not only the trophy for Sauvignon 2012, but also the trophy for Sauvignon Blanc Emerging Styles. The Fuder 2011 Chardonnay was another winner, while the Botrytised Sauvignon Blanc won the trophy for Sweet Wine. ■
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BOB’S BLOG BOB CAMPBELL MW
Burgundy battling a bit We stayed for a couple of weeks in Puligny, a solidly affluent town in the Cote du Beaune. I’d planned to overlap the beginning of vintage and to prepare a photographic essay called “Vintage in Puligny Montrachet”, but cool, wet weather delayed vintage to the point where I had to abandon the project.
2013 has been an unlucky vintage for much of France if reports are true. Like winemakers everywhere the French are putting a brave face on it. “Small, high-quality 2013 wine vintage” shouted the headline from Bordeaux in a vintage review that admitted to violent storms and the coldest spring in more than 25 years. I can only speak for Burgundy and Champagne where the vintage was mediocre at best. Powdery mildew, botrytis and a lack of ripeness were evident in the vineyards I visited in both regions.
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On several occasions I got up at first light and circumnavigated the Montrachet vineyard, a 7.99-hectare plot of land which produces the world’s most expensive Chardonnay. Different ownership was evident in the wildly different viticultural methods evident in adjoining rows. Three vine rows might feature a tangle of weeds indicating an organic approach while their immediate neighbours had adopted a scorched earth policy. The condition of fruit just before harvest varied wildly, suggesting that the quality of white burgundy in 2013 will be equally diverse. As one winemaker commented, “I seem to make my best wines in challenging vintages. Perhaps I am too complacent when the harvest is easy?” I asked an owner of several Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards how much I would have to pay to acquire a hectare of Montrachet vineyard. He explained that it is hard to put a value on land that is seldom offered for sale. “However”, he added, “a small parcel measuring 400 square meters recently sold for two million Euros.” By my calculation one hectare at the same rate would fetch NZ$85 million. That makes the price of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc vineyard look like a bargain, although Marlborough Sauvignon doesn’t retail for $1000 a bottle. I visited a number of highly rated producers and tasted their wines. The largest, Domaine Vincent Girardin, was also one of
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
the best. When I returned to New Zealand I hosted a tasting of white Burgundy and New Zealand Chardonnay for groups of winemakers in Marlborough, Martinborough and Hawke’s Bay. Girardin’s 2010 Puligny Montrachet was the cheapest wine in the French flight of four and yet was consistently voted best wine. Girardin is imported by Glengarry Hancocks. Jean Chartron is a smaller producer with a winery in the town of Puligny. I was mightily impressed by three wines tasted in his winery – power Preparing the barrels and purity at Chartron. personified. Glengarry Hancocks is the importer. Ventured into Pinot Noir country to taste the wines of a small, biodynamic producer with a cult following, Domaine Arlaud. Winemaker/owner, Cyprian Arlaud, is an inspiring man. Tasted 14 barrel samples – all taut, high energy, perfumed Pinot Noir that I found totally enchanting. He doesn’t have a bottle to sell although I understand that Maison Vauron are about to take delivery of a small shipment of Arlaud wines. I will be first in the queue.
A light lunch
Hong Kong Cough
Accepted an invitation to “a light lunch” at Bollinger. Although it was a 750 km round trip I was keen to check out vintage conditions and Marion wanted to visit the area for the first time. We toured the underground “caves” stacked high with cobwebby bottles and struggled up steep slopes to Bollinger’s highest vineyards. The lunch was five generous courses, each accompanied by old vintages of Bollinger. I did the responsible thing and spat out all of my wine samples under the mildly disapproving eye of our host.
I blame Air France for delivering me to Hong Kong with a cold. Why do we meekly accept the fact that we will contract coughs and sneezes when we fly long haul routes? I hosted a Kiwi dinner at a casino in Macau without too much trouble but a couple of days later the cold reached its peak shortly before a two-day lecture on the finer points of New Zealand wine to a roomful of mostly very wine-wise locals. Dosed myself with exotic herbal remedies and wore a surgical mask for the first day. It seemed to work, we got a healthy pass rate from a fairly challenging exam involving written answers and a tasting. By the time I did a luncheon lecture to a group of sommeliers on the top floor of the Ritz Carlton (Hong Kong’s tallest building) I was almost better. After a sprint to the airport and a 12-hour flight to Auckland my cold returned with a vengeance. I couldn’t taste wine for another three weeks.
Wine on TV It is gratifying to see the enormous success of Masterchef and a multitude of other cooking shows. We usually watch a cooking show as we cook. It whets the appetite while encouraging us to enjoy a more adventurous diet. I’d like to see similar shows devoted to wine. I don’t have Sky TV so haven’t seen Yvonne Lorkin’s apparently excellent wine program. Why aren’t there more? Cue TV had a 10-week Wine Show at the fairly peak hour time of 8:30pm on Friday. I played a small part in the production which was funded in the latter stages by Michael Jemison, owner of wine importer/distributor Macvine International. If New Zealanders are hungry for food shows I’m pretty sure they’re also thirsty for television that will entertain and educate them about wine.
Don’t drink and type After writing off two laptops with spilled wine I bought an extension keyboard and mouse. During a recent tasting of sparkling wines half a bottle of Quartz Reef 2009 bubbly frothed over my extension keyboard and into the distant laptop. I’ve now got a shiny new laptop and open sparkling wine in another room. I’ve also got a lovely bottle of Taittinger champagne from Quartz Reef owner, Rudy Bauer, who’d heard about the accident and knew that it was my birthday shortly. Thanks Rudy.
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PADDY BATTERSBY
HOWS YOUR WORK LIFE BALANCE? W
e’ve all heard the expression “work/life balance” – the concept that allows employees to feel as though they are balancing the time they spend on all the important aspects of their lives. Generation Y expect it, having grown up with the concept, and as some employees age, they realise they should have addressed it sooner. It used to be that those employees who worked more than they played did so at the behest of the employer. These days, however, smartphones, laptops and easy access to communication channels mean employees are choosing to work “after hours”. Any employer expects employees to work hard, long hours and occasional weekends – from time to time. There will be certain times when this is required, such as to meet a product release, attend trade shows, export market visits or harvest. It won’t be long before the 2014 harvest kicks in, where some employees are required to put in long hours over this period. Fatigue is a workplace hazard and with employees rostered on shifts, 7 days per week, wineries should be ensuring those employees have had adequate leave before vintage so they can enter this period rested and refreshed. Employers can assist by providing policies,
procedures and expectations to support employees to easily obtain more balanced lives. Businesses must not confuse engagement, dedication and commitment with 60 – 70 hours worked weekly. In our fast paced world the key is adapting to change using time management techniques to ensure employees get the time away from work they need. Managers should lead by example – they retain good employees for whom work-life balance is important, allowing them to split their time and energy between their work and time for family, friends, community participation and other personal activities. The line between work time and life (home) time is no longer distinct as technology has bought new challenges with some employees being connected to the business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While generally phone calls and online use for personal reasons during work hours is discouraged, some employers do recognize that some personal online use is offset by the employee who responds to emails late in the evening or makes overseas phone calls to meet zone differences. The balancing act of one’s work and private lives can be very challenging for some. To manage this myriad of demands on one’s own time one has to become disci-
Make sure there is a work life balance this Christmas period.
plined and also have clear guidelines as to the expectations of the position’s real work hours. Speaking of which, Christmas is around the corner and many are looking forward to a well-earned break. But how many times a day will we hear, “I’ll just check my
emails to see if anything needs responding to”. The aim of annual leave is for rest and recreation, that all-important re-charging of the batteries. How can that happen if employees are checking phone and email messages, never really leaving
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work behind? Before you go on leave how about setting some policies – either as a company or as an employee - about how accessible people are to be, how often or whether at all emails are checked and responded to, using email auto
responses etc. Manage the business so that everyone has a proper break away from work. We wish you a very happy Christmas and a relaxed break. Looking forward to catching up in 2014. ■ paddy@battersbyhr.com
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54 //
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
REGIONS NORTH CANTERBURY
MARKETING TOGETHER JO BURZYNSKA
A
fter a quiet period in its regional marketing, Waipara and the wider North Canterbury region have burst back onto the scene with a recent group event in Auckland and the re-establishment of the marketing arm of Waipara Valley Winegrowers. In recent months, nine prominent North Canterbury vineyards banded together to promote their wines. Pegasus Bay, Bellbird Spring, Greystone, Muddy Water, Mountford, Black Estate and Tongue and Groove from Waipara, along with Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley from Waikari hosted a the event at Auckland’s Northern Club in November, which showcased the wines of North Canterbury along with local food. “It was an amazing crowd,” commented the event’s organiser, Penelope Naish from Black Estate on the success of the evening: “engaged,
interested, highly knowledgeable, keen to learn more.” This was the first time the nine wine producers had joined together to present their wines, but given the success of the evening, the group say that it is unlikely to be the last. “We came together principally because we are all friends and share the common aim to make interesting expressive wines from small family owned vineyards in North Canterbury,” explained Naish. At the time of creating the nine-strong group, a marketing arm for Waipara Valley Winegrowers was not in place, she said. However, since those plans were put in place, a marketing entity for Waipara Valley Winegrowers has been established. This involves a sizeable group of North Canterbury wineries, encompassing those from the Waikari.■ joburzynska@talk21.com
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NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 55
OVERSEAS NEWS
SOUTH AFRICA – RISING WINE STARS JOELLE THOMSON
A
sk Sue van Wyk to name the biggest surprises in South African wine today, after two decades of revolutionary change, and she immediately responds: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. And Pinotage too, but not as we normally know it. Van Wyk is the Cape Wine Master and for the past 17 years she has worked as the organiser, chief judge and coordinator of the Michelangelo International Wine Awards with show owner Lorraine Immelman. The pair founded the awards to provide a strong international benchmark for South Africa’s rapidly changing wine industry “South Africa is transitioning from being largely a producer of
entry-level wines to a serious, large wine producing nation that can offer good value and quality at all price points,” says Van Wyk. The fine-tuning includes grape clonal selection, trellising techniques and vineyard sites to oak, closures and cultural ethics. Screwcaps now predominate as the closure of choice.
South African Sauvignon Blanc Many of the best Sauvignon Blancs come from Durbanville Hills, 20 minutes’ east of Cape Town. This relatively cool climate area benefits from sea breezes and elevation but even in this promising area, vineyard choice has become a hot topic. “We have been harvesting Sau-
vignon Blanc from many vineyards for 20 years but now we’re asking ourselves: is that really the best location. When we can’t say ‘yes’, we are making changes,” says Albert Gerber, managing director of Durbanville Hills Wines. “When I started out 15 years ago the public said South African wines had a stalky, vegetative aspect. Going back to older wines now, I can pick that up. We were in denial for a while, thinking it was about something else. But all of a sudden with the changes we’ve made in the vineyard and the winery we can see the proof in the pudding.”
Barista… the coffee Pinotage
coffee-styled Pinotage have produced a dramatic growth in Pinotage’s popularity in South Africa and overseas. In the wine lake of sameness, these varietals stand out,” says Van Wyk. The arrival in New Zealand this year of the Barista Pinotage proves why its creator, Bertus Fourie, has earned the dubious moniker ‘Starbucks’ for his creation of coffee Pinotage; made from adding coffee-steeped planks in tanks of the wine. What began as a collaboration between Fourie and the Vinimark Wine Company - South Africa’s largest independent wine wholesaler - has become so popular in South Africa that it’s spurred an entire new category of Pinotage.
“Recent innovations with
Top reds The top South African reds are made from relatively more classic varietals; Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and blends of both, such as the GSM styled blends from Svartland, among other areas. Like Australia’s best GSMs and the great wines of the Southern Rhone, South Africa’s old vine GSM blends are reds which walk the tightrope of softness and approachability for early drinking and have the structure to age.
Judges from this year’s Michelangelo International Wine Awards.
56 //
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Sue van Wyk – Cape Wine Master
Ethics and South African wine Upgrading clonal selection, eradicating diseased vines and replanting suitable grapes in cool climate locations are one thing, but the uncomfortable question of South African ethics is another. It now has a palatable answer. Durbanville Hills is a Wine of Origin area (WO) in South Africa and also the name of a winery in this WO, whose wines are produced in a joint venture by Distell (the largest wine and spirit company in South Africa) and nine member grape growers. Like many South African companies today, Durbanville Hills is 5% owned by a workers’ trust, the owners of which are the employees on the shareholder vineyards; the wine farms. “We aim to better the lives of the farm workers and families. The trust is very active in education so we have programmes in place to raise literacy, numeracy, budget planning, child care and education in schools,” says Gerber.
South African wine history “As trade and sport sanctions took hold, post the 1981 Spring-
bok rugby tour to New Zealand, South Africa’s wine industry was forced to concentrate largely on the domestic market. “At this time modern winemaking techniques and marketing practices were transforming the Australian and New Zealand wine industries but South Africa was left behind in winemaking,” says Cahnbley. “Until 1994, when the new ANC government came into power, South Africa’s wine industry, for the most part, was stuck in out-dated approaches to winemaking, viticulture and marketing. Once sanctions were dropped, a flood of South African wines entered Europe, largely targeted at the cheaper end of the market. That has now changed and is continuing to.”
The Kiwi-South African connection The winning wine at this year’s Michelangelo International Wine Awards was Syrah – the South African, 2010 Boschkloof Syrah – and the Best International Entry was the 2009 Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2009. ■ jthomson@xtra.co.nz
Peter Iremonger Trading Beneden-Leeuwen HOLLAND Ph/Fax: 03 3181 344 perfect@vanwamel.nl Mobile: 027 645 1894 E-mail: pitrading@xtra.co.nz www.vanwamel.nl
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 57
NOT ON THE LABEL LEGAL MATTERS WITH MARIJA BATISICH SENIOR ASSOCIATE, AND NATASHA GARVAN, SOLICITOR, BOTH AT BELL GULLY
KEEPING THE GLASS FULL: FRESHWATER REFORM
T
he Government has recently released proposed amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2011 (the NPS) following recommendations by the Land and Water Forum (as discussed in a previous issue of NZ Winegrower) that a national instrument should establish a national objectives framework under which regional councils set freshwater state objectives at a regional/catchment scale. The main proposed amendments are briefly discussed below.
Accounting for all water takes and contaminant discharges It is proposed that councils will be required to establish and operate a water quality and quantity accounting system either based on measurements, modelling results, or estimates. The information is to be recorded at the level of the management unit which can be set as large or as small as councils consider appropriate (for example multiple catchments or part of a catchment). The information must be updated at least every five years for water quality and annually for water quantity. The accounting information must be available when setting or reviewing limits. The rationale is that making good decisions on limits and how to manage within them requires good information on existing resource use, with an assessment of all water takes and all sources of relevant contami-
58 //
nants including diffuse discharges and those permitted by regional plan rules.
Establishing compulsory national values in regional plans
Including restricted grounds for exceptions to ‘bottom lines’
Establishing a national framework to support communities setting freshwater objectives
The Government has determined that some values are so important to all New Zealanders that they are likely to apply to all water bodies. These are ecosystem health and human health for secondary contact recreation. The framework sets out a number of proposed attributes for these values in terms of numeric states (such as E. Coli and nitrate toxicity) but it is intended more attributes will be proposed for the next few versions of the framework.
It is suggested that a regional council would be allowed to set a freshwater objective below a national bottom line in narrowly defined situations (after public input during the planning process including submissions and hearings). It is stated that exceptions are needed to recognise circumstances where it is not feasible or possible to improve water quality to the required level. The exceptions are where a freshwater management unit is contaminated from natural processes or it has been subject to historical activities that have created lasting impacts on water quality and the reversal of those impacts is not reasonably practicable, either physically or ecologically, even in the long term. The Government also proposes that it will be able to decide after applying criteria if an exception should be made where water quality is affected by significant existing infrastructure. For example, hydroelectricity generation. Submissions on the proposed amendments close at 5pm on Tuesday 4 February 2014. Please contact Marija Batistich or Natasha Garvan of Bell Gully if you would like assistance with drafting a submission. You can provide a submission by emailing watersubmissions@mfe.govt.nz or writing to Water Submissions, Ministry for the Environment, PO Box 10362, Wellington 6143. ■
It is proposed that the national objectives framework be included in the NPS to provide councils with scientific information and a process for setting freshwater objectives. The framework includes: a set of freshwater values and uses with narrative descriptions of each; a set of attributes associated with some of the values and uses including ranges of numbers that represent different states that the attribute may be managed for; and a process for setting freshwater objectives at the chosen attribute states to provide for the chosen values of freshwater management units. As part of the freshwater objective setting process, councils and communities must consider all of the values and uses of water bodies and decide whether they apply in each freshwater management unit. The framework assists in ensuring that the values are achieved to a minimum level (for example, the water body being fit for swimming). Leading scientists from across New Zealand have been involved in developing and testing the technical information in the framework, so by including it within the NPS this prevents unnecessary duplication and cost.
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Introducing national ‘bottom lines’ for ecosystem and human health It is proposed that the NPS defines minimum acceptable states called “national bottom lines”, for each of the attributes for ecosystem health and human health. These bottom lines set the minimum level at which the compulsory values are provided for. The Government considers that the quality of most water bodies is already above the proposed bottom lines, but where these are not currently met, freshwater objectives would need to be set at the bottom of what is described as the “C state” or better for all attributes relating to ecosystem health and human health for secondary contact recreation unless the criteria for an exception can be met as discussed below.
INDUSTRY NEW
THERE’S NO ALTERNATIVE TO BARRELS
U
se of oak alternatives and adjuncts is popular among winemakers searching for ways to reduce the cost of wine production. Most adjuncts introduce oak flavour compounds to wine at a lower cost than that of using traditional barrels. But there are trade-offs for this lower cost, particularly in texture and the way tannins and other polyphenols react over time. The result can be pithy, grippy, hard or even bitter tannins and the additional cost and effort
of ameliorating these, most often with micro-oxygenation techniques. Phoenix Barrel Rejuvenation from Vintech Pacific Wine Technologies provides a proven way to reduce the cost of imparting oak influence to wine, while retaining all the benefits of barrel fermentation and maturation, without compromising wine quality. The oak flavour profile and phenolic texture in wine from a Phoenixed barrel is similar to that
from a good, once-filled barrel. O2 permeability is arguably slightly greater in a Phoenixed barrel when compared to a new barrel the staves are somewhat thinner – but in practice, a well-topped Phoenix barrel behaves in a very similar way to your other barrels. If it is a wine you wouldn’t microoxygenate if it was matured in barrel, you won’t MOX it from a Phoenixed barrel either. But chances are you would when using an oak adjunct or alternative. And Phoenix offers advantages
at all levels of wine quality. For early-release styles, a Phoenixed barrel sho ws quite early integration of oak flavor into the fruit and a positive influence on texture and mouth-feel early on. In mid-range wines Phoenix brings all the positive benefits of barrel fermentation and maturation but with the advantage of significantly lower cost. And at the top-end, Phoenix offers an additional tool in the winemaker’s kit, that comes without compromise to quality. ■
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 59
WHERE
EVENT
ATTENDANCE
AUDIENCE
UK
THREE WINE MEN (LONDON)
NZW
T, M, C
DECEMBER 7 & 8
UK
ANNUAL TRADE AND CONSUMER TASTING (LONDON)
W, A, NZW
T, M, C
JANUARY 21
IRELAND
ANNUAL TRADE AND CONSUMER TRADING (DUBLIN)
W, A, NZW
T, M, C
JANUARY 23
JAPAN
NEW ZEALAND WINE FAIR (TOKYO)
W, A, NZW
T, M, C
FEBRUARY 17
JAPAN
NEW ZEALAND WINE FAIR (OSAKA)
W, A, NZW
T, M, C
FEBRUARY 19
AUSTRALIA
REGIONZ BY THE GLASS (MELBOURNE)
W,A,NZW
T,M,C
FEBRUARY 24
AUSTRALIA
REGIONZ BY THE GLASS (SYDNEY)
W,A,NZW
T,M,C
FEBRUARY 26
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND SHOWCASE BRISBANE
W,A,NZW
T,M
MARCH 3
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND SHOWCASE – PERTH
W,A,NZW
T,M
MARCH 5
T,M
MARCH 23-25
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M=Media T=Trade C=Consumer
W,A,NZW M
Y
CM
MY
CY CMY
EVENT DATE 2013/2014
K
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Composite 60 // NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Auckland@jfhillebrand.com
CALENDAR DECEMBER 7: Christchurch/South Island Wine and Food Festival – Christchurch
JANUARY 2014 4: Cromwell Wine and Food Festival – Cromwell
30 – Feb 1: Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration – Central Otago
FEBRUARY
8: West Coast Wild Foods Festival – 25th Anniversary – Hokitika
15: Gibbston Wine and Food Festival – Central Otago
15: Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival – Wairarapa, Gladstone
23: Waipara Valley Wine and Food Festival – Waipara
APRIL
8: 30th Anniversary Marlborough Wine and Food Festival
16: Brightwater Festival Nelson
22: 0cean and Orchard Wine and Food Festival – Kerikeri
MARCH
4 – 6: The Food Show Christchurch Christchurch
5: Forrest GrapeRide, Marlborough – full details at www.graperide.co.nz
8: The Dog Point/Logan Brown Classic Kiwi Picnic, 12 noon – 4.30ish. Dog Point Vineyards, Blenheim. Tickets picnic@ dogpoint.co.nz NZ WINEGROWER JUNE/JULY 2012 // 61
STATISTICS
MAJOR NZ VINEYARD AREAS PRODUCING HECTARES
PRINCIPAL EXPORT MARKETS Exports up again
Region (Actual)
2012
2015 (forecast)
% of Total
Marlborough
22,587.3
23.017.7
66%
Hawkes Bay
4,841.4
4,938.5
14%
Otago
1,786.7
1,791.9
5%
Gisborne
1,616.5
1,586.2
5%
Waipara
1,034.5
1,082.2
3%
Wairarapa / Wellington
941.9
943.5
3%
Nelson
962.6
1,015.4
3%
Auckland / Northland
319.77
315.7
1%
Waikato / Bay of Plenty
16.1
10.2
0%
National Total
34,269.5
34,952.8
Exports for the 11 months to the beginning of September 2013 (Moving Annual Total)
Country
USA
43,928
294,953
$6.71
$6.36
Australia
50,005
372,682
$7.45
$7.33
7,479
79,493
$10.63
$10.98
4,171
28,314
$6.79
$5.93
0.784
5929
$7.56
$6.18
Ireland
2228
16,283
$7.31
$7.41
Japan
1,218
14,526
$11.92
$12.49
Germany
1,960
11,114
$5.67
$5.44
China
1,863
22,919
$12.30
$11.79
Hong Kong
1,430
18,875
$13.20
$11.79
Singapore
1,383
17,934
$12.96
$12.65
Finland
0.206
1,791
$8.68
$9.53
Norway
0.209
1,601
$7.66
$6.47
Sweden
1.614
13,548
$8.39
$8.19
Others
5,263
50,944
$9.68
$10.07
171,852,421
1,234,958
$7.19
$6.79
Netherlands
2015
% producing area
Sauvignon Blanc
19,929.8
58.2
20,214.7
57.8
Pinot Noir
5096.4
14.9
5175.1
14.8
Chardonnay
3120.9
9.1
3164.0
9.1
Pinot Gris
2396.2
7.0
2399.7
6.9
Merlot
1195.9
3.5
1245.4
3.6
Riesling
719.0
2.1
746.2
2.1
Syrah
354.1
1.0
400.6
Gewurztraminer
331.3
1.0
311.4
0.9
Cabernet Sauv
284.8
0.8
323.7
0.9
Viognier
160.8
0.5
146.5
0.4
Malbec
130.2
0.4
143.9
0.4
Cabernet Franc
111.6
0.3
108.9
0.3
1.3
572.7
1.6
All other varieties
438.7
Total
34,269
1
34,952.9
PRODUCING AREA IN HECTARES BY SIZE - NUMBER OF VINEYARDS Region
0-5
5.01-10
Aklnd / Nthlnd
60
13
Canterbury
10.01-20
20.01-50
3
0
50.01 and over
16
6
2
0
1
20
30
25
13
7
Hawkes Bay
75
56
57
32
21
Marlborough
190
291
210
181
100
Nelson
45
37
12
6
3
Otago
80
61
26
15
3
2
1
1
_
_
Waipara
12
16
3
6
4
Wairarapa / Wgtn
61
16
10
8
3
561
527
349
261
143
National
62 //
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Denmark
$5.22
1
Gisborne
Waikato / BoP
Average $/L 2012
284,046
New Zealand’s total producing vineyard will increase by only 0.5% over the next 2 years. This table shows the variation for major varieties (in Ha), with % change and percentage of total in 2012. % producing area
Average $/L 2013
48,104
Canada
2012
$ FOB
United Kingdom
MAJOR VARIETIES IN MAJOR AREAS
Variety
Litres (m)
Total
*(npr = not previously recorded separately) *n.c. = no change
RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT Information and Updates on NZ Winegrowers Research Programmes. Associate Editors: Dr Simon Hooker, General Manager Research and Innovation
A regular feature at the back of each issue of WineGrower to inform industry people about research projects being undertaken for their benefit. Newly approved projects (when available) are briefly summarised in the first section ‘Introducing New Projects’. Longer reports in the section headed ‘Progress Reports’, will describe what has been achieved so far. Scientists in charge of each project have been asked to make these reports reader-friendly rather than to follow the usual format of scientific papers. When completed, each project will be reported in full detail, with references, on the website: http://wine.nzwine.com/members/research/research-reports/
LIST OF PROJECTS Quality Wine Styles for Existing and Developing Markets Literature review of grape and wine anthocyanins and phenolics to give viticulturists and winemakers knowledge Lincoln University (Roland Harrison) Preliminary investigation of factors responsible for variability in tartaric acid additions to Pinot noir Lincoln University (Roland Harrison) Manipulation of methoxypyrazine (MP) levels in Sauvignon blanc wine through leaf and rachis additions Plant and Food Research (Claire Grose) Influence of juice pH on thiol production Plant and Food Research (Claire Grose) Identification of natural genetic variation in grapevine contributing to pathogen resistance Lincoln University (Chris Winefield) Sensory effects of defoliation timing and method on Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) (Mark Krasnow) Chinese consumers’ preferences and attitudes to wine: Review of literature including Chinese Language Publications Plant and Food Research (Roger Harker)
Pests and Disease
Cost Reduction/Increased Profitability
Sustaining vineyards through practical management of grapevine trunk diseases South Australian Research & Development Institute (Mark Sosnowski) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund Implementation of Virus Elimination Strategy Various (Nick Hoskins – Project Manager) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund
New opportunities for sustainable grape thinning Plant and Food Research (Mike Trought) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund Reduced berry size and Botrytis tolerance through trauma to the vine Plant and Food Research (Mike Trought)
Botrytis decision support (BDS) industry training & botrytis sampling protocols Plant and Food Research (Rob Beresford)
Sustainability/Organics Organic Focus Vineyard Project Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (Rebecca Reider) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund
Effects of undervine vegetation management on grape quality, vine performance, grape composition, and soil properties Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) (Mark Krasnow)
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 // 63
PROGRESS REPORTS
Tools for manipulating Sauvignon Blanc wine flavour and aroma: Harvest and processing of grapes 11-118 - part 1
Grose C, Martin D, Trought M, Agnew R, Stuart L, Pineau B, Beresford M, Haycock S, Gunson A The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Marlborough Wine Research Centre, Blenheim Marlborough Sauvignon blanc wine is characterised by a distinctive balance of tropicalpassionfruit (from thiols such as 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH), 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA)) and green-herbaceous aromatics (from methoxypyrazines, especially 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP)). These Marlborough wines have more intense green capsicum, tropical and passionfruit flavours than those produced in other countries, and the balance between these green and fruity flavours is essential to their typicality. Methoxypyrazines are found in the grapes and appear to transfer into the wine with little or no biochemical interactions. The volatile thiols, on the other hand, exist in the grapes only at very low concentrations, and the actions of yeast enzymes during fermentation affect the subsequent concentrations in the wine. Grape harvesting and handling processes before pressing can have a substantial influence on aroma and flavour. We already know that thiol precursors are concentrated by the cumulative effects of longer skin contact time and the amount of pressure applied. Our current project aims to determine the extent to which harvesting method and fruit processing
64 //
technologies affect the sensory profile, overall complexity and the typicality of Marlborough Sauvignon blanc wines. It builds on our efforts to quantify the effects of harvesting methods on juice and wine composition, allowing for faster delivery of information to industry. An additional vineyard site was added to the existing core-funded GWRP Harvest Technologies research in 2012. This extra site has expanded data collection for the 2012 vintage, providing increased scientific robustness and validating results from previous experiments. There were two winemaking trials, undertaken in collaboration with Saint Clair Family Estate. Sauvignon blanc grapes were sourced from a site predicted to deliver high thiols (Dillons Point, located in Lower Wairau) in 2011 and 2012, and a potentially lowthiol site (Benmorven, located in the Southern Valleys) in 2012. The first winemaking trial compared five grape harvesting and processing treatments. Grapes were either (1) hand harvested-whole bunch pressed, (2) hand harvested-crushed and destemmed and given three hours of skin contact time, or (3) machine harvested. These three treatments were pressed in a small-scale 8-hL commercial airbag press. The fourth treatment, using the Marlborough Wine Research Centre (MWRC)
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
standard processing protocol, was pressed in a 200-L hydro press. For the fifth treatment, grapes were commercially processed and a juice sample taken from St Clair Family Estate winery tank after pressing and cold settling, and returned to the research winery for fermentation using the MWRC’s standard Sauvignon blanc winemaking protocol. The influence of fruit processing on juice was as expected, with whole-bunch pressed grapes producing juices with higher titratable acidity (TA) and lower pH.
TA was lower and pH was higher in the machine-harvested and commercial winery tank-lots. Total yeast available nitrogen (YAN) was strongly influenced by season. Methoxypyrazine concentrations were generally very low in Marlborough in 2011. Thiols are concentrated by fruit crushing and juice-skin contact time (Figure 1). Thiol concentrations were similar at the Dillons Point site for vintages 2011 and 2012, indicating, at least for the years studied, that vintage has a small effect on
Figure 1. The effects of harvesting and processing technologies on thiol concentrations in Sauvignon blanc wine for Dillons Point 2011, 2012 and Benmorven 2012 vineyard sites. (black=Benmorven 2012; red=Dillons Point; green=Dillons Point 2012).
Figure 2. Spider plot of average sensory intensities measured in the five Dillons Point 2012 Sauvignon blanc wines made using different harvesting and fruit processing technologies.
Figure 3. Spider plot of average sensory intensities measured in the five Benmorven 2012 Sauvignon blanc wines made using different harvesting/fruit processing technologies.
thiol concentration, and vineyard site has a much larger influence. Harvesting and fruit processing method had a greater influence on thiol concentrations at the high thiol site (Dillons Point) than at the low thiol site (Benmorven) - suggesting that the ability to manipulate thiol production is greater when the thiol potential is high. Sensory evaluation was undertaken by a panel of Marlborough wine industry professionals in December 2012. Over both sites in 2012, harvesting and processing had significantly larger effects than vineyard. On average, ‘Wholebunch’ wines were significantly less intense in passionfruit and boxwood flavours, significantly
Point fruit were perceived as significantly better examples of the sensory concept of Marlborough Sauvignon blanc than wines made using Benmorven fruit, although both had similar complexities. The second winemaking trial, studying the Influence of juice oxidation, is described in a following article. This current work, and previous research from the Grape and Wine Research programme (GWRP), has shown that grape processing methods can elevate or reduce the intensity of thiol and methoxypyrazine-related flavours in the finished wine, indicating that these methods can be used to manipulate the thiol:methoxypyrazine ratios to alter the target wine style. Our
less full-bodied and less rounded than ‘Tank-sample’ wines. Conversely, they had similar tropical flavour intensities and were of similar astringency (Figures 2 and 3). Note. Sensory intensity was measured on a scale anchored at 0=absent/poor and 100=extreme/ very good Note. Sensory intensity was measured on a scale anchored at 0=absent/poor and 100=extreme/ very good Harvesting and fruit processing significantly affected both the overall complexity and the typicality of wines from both sites. The ‘Whole-bunch’ wines were judged significantly less complex and less typical of Marlborough Sauvignon blanc. Wines made using Dillons
vision is that industry will use harvesting and processing technologies as additional tools to achieve product specifications and brand needs.
Acknowledgements This work was made possible by funding from New Zealand Winegrowers. The work is part of the New Zealand Grape and Wine Research programme, a joint investment by Plant & Food Research and New Zealand Winegrowers, NZW 11-118. Saint Clair Family Estate for providing the sites, fruit and juices used in this project. Marlborough winemaker panel for sensory analysis Colleagues at Plant & Food Research.
11-118 - part 2
Grose C, Martin D, Trought M, Agnew R, Stuart L, Pineau B, Beresford M, Haycock S, Gunson A The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Marlborough Wine Research Centre, Blenheim Corresponding author: claire.grose@plantandfood.co.nz Marlborough Sauvignon blanc wine is characterised by a distinctive balance of tropicalpassionfruit (from thiols) and green-herbaceous aromatics (from
methoxypyrazines). These Marlborough wines have more intense green capsicum, tropical and passionfruit flavours than those produced in other countries, and the
balance between these green and fruity flavours is essential to their typicality. As described in an earlier article, methoxypyrazines in the
grapes transfer into the wine with little or no biochemical interactions, but the amounts of the volatile thiols are influenced by the actions of yeast enzymes dur-
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Figure 1. Villa Maria winemaker, Michaela Rush, during sensory evaluation of wines at the Marlborough Research Centre sensory facility.
ing fermentation. We also know that varying antioxidant regimes and the associated degree of oxidative browning have the potential to disrupt the formation of thiol precursors, and thus the subsequent thiol concentrations in the wine. Our second winemaking trial in this project, undertaken in collaboration with Saint Clair Family Estate, investigated manipulating wine flavour and aroma by managing exposure of juice to oxidation during harvest. Sauvignon blanc grapes were sourced from the same high-thiol site (Dillons Point, located in Lower Wairau), and low-thiol site (Benmorven, located in the Southern Valleys), as described in our previous article about the first winemaking trial. Three antioxidant regimes were added to gondolas after grapes
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were machine-harvested: (1) low potassium metabisulphate (PMS)/ high ascorbic acid (25 ppm and 100 ppm respectively), (2) high PMS (65 ppm) and (3) standard Saint Clair Family Estate PMS/ascorbic acid additions (tank sample). Grapes were then transported to the Saint Clair Family Estate winery, where each treatment was commercially pressed separately. Because of vintage pressure and tank availability, treatments could not be kept separate after pressing. We collected free-run and pressed fraction juices during the press cycle and reconstituted juice samples representative of the press load for PMS and ascorbic acid additions (treatments 1 & 2). Juices were then cold settled and fermented at the research winery. Tank sample (treatment 3) juice
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
was taken from the winery tank at Saint Clair Family Estate after cold settling and returned to the research winery for fermentation using the MWRC standard winemaking protocol. Larger (18-L) and smaller (700-ml) wines were made in triplicate, and chemical and sensory evaluations made in December 2012. Compared with PMS-only addition, the PMS plus ascorbic acid addition to machineharvested grapes resulted in an increase of thiols in the largervolume wines. Wines from the PMS-only treatments at both sites had low thiol concentrations. Antioxidant additions had no obvious effects on the similar methoxypyrazine contents in wines from both sites. Wine made from grapes receiv-
ing the high PMS addition at harvest exhibited significantly less intense passionfruit and boxwood flavours and was significantly less smooth and full-bodied than the wine made with low PMS/high ascorbic acid additions at harvest. Wines with low PMS/high ascorbic acid additions at harvest were perceived as significantly more complex by the panel of Marlborough wine industry professionals than wines with high PMS added at harvest. Conversely, the PMS plus ascorbic acid additions at harvest did not significantly affect the resultant wines’ typicality as ‘Marlborough Sauvignon blanc’. Press fractions (free-run or press) were fermented either separately or combined. Fractions fermented separately have
higher total theoretical thiol content in the wines than fractions fermented together. This is supported by results from other experiments in the Harvest Technologies area of the Grape and Wine programme. From the combined results of our two winemaking trials, there are practical considerations for winemakers: Volatile thiol concentrations were strongly influenced by site, much more so than by season, at least for the 2011 and 2012 years of this study. Wine thiol concentrations were also strongly influenced by grape harvesting and processing methods, and by antioxidant regimes, and these effects can be additive. Manipulating thiol production at a high potential thiol site, through choice of harvesting and
fruit processing method, had relatively greater effect on wine thiol concentration than at a low potential thiol site. In the absence of any crushing before pressing, whole-bunch pressed grapes produced wines with greatly reduced (7-20 fold) volatile thiol concentrations. Free-run juices extracted after crushing and skin contact regimes, and in particular when treated with the low PMS/high ascorbic acid treatment, gave rise to wines with the highest thiol concentrations. Conversely, press fraction juice benefitted from the high PMSonly regime, as presumably there is greater protection from oxidation late in the press cycle. Oxidative browning has the potential to disrupt the formation of thiol precursors and subsequent volatile thiol concentrations in the wine.
When free-run and heavy press fractions were fermented together, the total thiol concentration was reduced relative to the proportional sum of the concentrations when the press factions were fermented separately. We do not know what happens to the total thiol concentration if the separate fractions are subsequently blended after fermentation, and this warrants further investigation. Harvest processing and antioxidant addition treatments had very little influence on methoxypyrazine concentrations in wines, with by far the greatest influence coming from season. Grape harvesting and processing methods can have a substantial influence on Sauvignon blanc wine aroma and flavour. Harvesting and processing methods can be used by industry to manipulate the
thiol:methoxypyrazine ratio to produce a desired wine style that meets product specifications and brand needs; these methods represent some important tools for manipulating aroma and flavour in Sauvignon blanc wine.
Acknowledgements This work was made possible by funding from New Zealand Winegrowers. The work is part of the New Zealand Grape and Wine Research programme, a joint investment by Plant & Food Research and New Zealand Winegrowers, NZW 11-118. Saint Clair Family Estate for providing the sites, fruit and juices used in this project. Marlborough winemaker panel for sensory analysis Colleagues at Plant & Food Research.
How does CMC behave in NZ wines? NZW 11-125
Dr Tina Tran & Dr Eric Wilkes The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) The AWRI is a member of the Wine Innovation Cluster based in Adelaide. Tartrate crystals can form in wine which is undesirable as consumers might be deterred by the glass-like appearance of the crystals (Figures 1 and 2 over page). Wine naturally has a high loading of tartrates (mostly potassium and occasionally calcium salt) which can form crystals under some conditions. Winemakers use various methods to stabilise wines to avoid cold instability. The traditional method is to seed with potassium hydrogen tartrate (KHT) to induce crystal formation, in an attempt to decrease the tartrate loading in the wine. This method requires
chilling of the wine for extended periods followed by racking. While effective, this method alters the pH and subsequently the sensory properties of the wine, and incurs significant labour and operational costs. Also, long-term cold stability is not a certainty since natural crystal inhibitory molecules in wine might change over time as wine ages. More recently, cold stabilisation systems and additives have become available that provide an alternative to traditional methods. Amongst these are electrodialysis, nanofiltration and mannoproteins. One of
the most recent alternative cold stabilisation options available is sodium carboxymethylcellulose, more commonly known as CMC.
What is CMC and how does it work? CMC has been used as a food additive (code E466) for decades however its application in Australian and NZ wines was not approved by FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) until 2011. Various CMCs have been widely applied to European wines since 2009 as a cold stabilisation aid and have been shown
to be effective in preventing tartrate crystal formation. CMC is thought to bind to tartrates in the wine which can act as a seed and cause crystal formation. It is also considered to have the advantage of providing longer-term stability in wines, compared to some other crystallisation inhibitors available on the market, due to being a cellulose-based highly stable molecule. Application does not require refrigeration and the acidity of the wines are unaffected in contrast to traditional tartrate seeding methods. A limitation of CMC is that suppliers only rec-
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Figure 1: Microscopic image of tartate crystal in Sauvignon Blanc.
ommended its use in white wines since it has been shown to strip colour and other compounds from red wines.
The AWRI CMC Benchmarking Trial In 2012, The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) launched the CMC Benchmarking Trial. This trial involved a consortium of Australian and NZ wineries, as well CMC suppliers, to determine the comparative performance of various commercially available CMCs on a variety of white wines. The main goal of the trial was to assess the impact of CMC dose on cold stability performance as well as determine the impact of the optimal dose on physical properties such as colour, turbidity and phenolic content. In this trial, saturation temperature was also used as an indication of instability, however, the Brine method (chilling wine at -4°C for 72 hours) was used to determined cold stability performance since this method is considered the industry reference. Cold instability level was rated at three levels: level 1- small number of crystals (might be considered stable by some users); level 2 – small crystals seen under reflective light;
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and level 3 – large crystals seen by naked eye. The overall performance of CMCs was rated by the level of stability observed once treated.
CMCs and NZ Wines There is much interest from wineries in New Zealand in the application of CMC as a cold stabilisation aid. Few formal studies have been published on the effectiveness of CMC in NZ wines and any ‘side-effects’ which might occur. New Zealand Wine has participated in the AWRI CMC
Figure 2: Tartrate crystals in bottled wine.
Benchmarking trial submitting 20 NZ wines from various origins and varietals. The initial stages of the trial involved screening a wide range of wines by analysing basic chemical parameters such as pH, alcohol content, potassium levels etc. and then grouping the wines. Laboratory-scale experiments were then conducted to compare the cold stabilisation performance of four commercial CMCs and the impact on physical properties. The comparative performance assessment included treatment of wines with three
different doses of CMCs: low (half that recommended by the manufacturer); medium (recommended); and high (maximum allowable) doses. An example of performance is shown in Figure 3 where a Sauvignon Blanc wine was treated with CMCs 1-4 (colour coded) at low (L), medium (M) and high (H) doses. The untreated wine was highly unstable before treatment. All CMCs were able to stabilise the wine, however, the minimum dosage level required varied among the CMCs. That is, CMC 2 performed best given that
Figure 3. NZ Sauvignon Blanc wine treated with four different CMCs at low, medium and high doses
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CMCs. This indicates that the performance of CMC is highly wine dependent and dosage should be optimised for each wine. All four CMCs tested were able to stabilise all NZ wines included in the trial when the recommended or maximum allowable dose is applied. The impact of CMC treatment on colour, turbidity and phenolic content was negligible. This work demonstrates that CMC are able to cold stabilise NZ wines without affecting acidity and other physical properties of the wine.
To be continued…
Figure 4. Four different NZ Sauvigon Blanc wines treated with CMC 3 at different doses
half the recommended dose was able to stabilise the wine, followed by CMC 4 which required the recommended dose and CMCs 1 and 3 where the maximum allowable dose was required to stabilise the wines. Performance of CMCs also varied among wines of the same
variety. Figure 4 shows the performance of CMC 3 on four Sauvignon Blanc wines (SB1-4); the untreated instability levels of all wines are identical. When treated with varying doses of CMC 3, the minimum dose required varied, in particular SB1 required the maximum dose to stabilise the wine; in
contrast SB4 only required half the recommended dose to stabilise the wine. There was no apparent correlation between wine variety, origin or chemical properties with performance of CMC i.e. no particular CMC performed better in any particular variety compared to other
The long-term impact of CMC treatment is unknown. The remainder of this trial will include assessment of performance six months post-CMC treatment; representative wines will be used to determine the impact of CMCs on filterability, sensory and longterm stability. Full report available to New Zealand Wine members and participants only; for further information please contact corresponding author tina.tran@awri.com.au
Harvesting method and grape processing affect bentonite required for protein stabilisation of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc NZW 12-103
Bin Tian1, Roland Harrison1, Jim Morton1, Marlene Jaspers1, Claire Grose2, Mike Trought2 1 Faculty of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln; 2 The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Marlborough Wine Research Centre, Blenheim. Protein stabilisation of white wine is a process whereby proteins which may later give rise to a haze are removed prior to bottling. This
is normally achieved by fining with bentonite, a clay material that has a strong affinity for proteins and other larger molecules. It is now
well-established that the proteins mostly responsible for haze formation are so-called pathogenesisrelated (PR), meaning that they
are produced by grape berries in response to disease pressure. In a previous study, we demonstrated a strong linear cor-
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Figure 1. Total protein concentration (mg/L) in Sauvignon Blanc juice from Dillon’s Point (2011 and 2012) and Benmorven (2012) vineyards
relation between total protein concentration in the juice of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and bentonite requirement. We have now extended this work in a second study in which we investigated common harvesting and processing techniques in order to determine how they influence protein concentrations in juice. Grape harvesting and processing are known to influence important flavour-related components and our expectation was that they would also influence protein concentrations in juice. Studies were carried out at two vineyards: Benmorven (southern valleys) and Dillon’s Point (lower Wairau valley). Five treatment combinations were investigated. These included machine harvesting versus hand harvesting; and, whole bunch press versus de-stem, crush and skin contact before pressing. Most treatments involved the use of a small, commercial 8 hL airbag press. Some samples were also collected using a 200 L hydro press.
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These results (Fig. 1) showed that, in addition to large differences between sites and vintage, there were consistent effects of harvesting method and grape processing. Protein concentrations were significantly (P < 0.01) lower in juice obtained from machineharvested as opposed to handharvested grapes. The effect of grape processing was less clear cut but overall whole bunch press with no skin contact resulted in significantly lower (P < 0.05) juice protein concentrations compared to destem, crush and 3 h skin contact before pressing. The results for wine were similar as were those for one specific group of PR proteins, chitinases, which are probably the most important in terms bentonite requirement. These findings strongly suggest that, in addition to site and year variation, method of harvest and grape processing also influence the amount of bentonite required for protein stabilisation of wines. The fact that machine harvesting reduces bentonite require-
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ment is intriguing. This has not been much investigated and the only published information (Pocock & Waters 1998; Pocock et al 1988) suggests that mechanical harvesting coupled with long distance transport could be expected to increase juice protein concentration and therefore bentonite requirement. Of course, that work was relevant to Australian conditions which are considerably different to those experienced in New Zealand. One possibility might be that differences in juice yield were responsible. In our experiments there were consistent differences: juice yield for the destem, crush and 3 h skin contact treatment were 63-70% for machine harvested fruit and 71-73% for hand harvested fruit. However, there were no significant differences in the concentrations of protein in the juice obtained from different press fractions (free run, 0-0.8 bar and 0-1.6 bar) for these treatments. Nor were there significant differences for individual press
fractions (0-0.4, 0.4-0.8 and 0.81.6 bar) when these were investigated for the Dillon’s Point 2012 samples. For the destem, crush and 3 h skin contact treatment, the concentration of protein in all press fractions seems to be similar, in which case differences in juice yield might alter the total amount of protein extracted but not the concentration. A second possibility was that proteins interact with other components during the harvesting and processing, and that subtle differences in this interaction are responsible for modulating the juice protein concentration. Pocock and co-workers suggested that increased extraction from grape skins was responsible for higher protein concentrations in juice after mechanical harvesting and long distance transport. We also found small but significant increases in protein concentration during skin contact in some model studies: roughly 15% in the first three hours and perhaps another 15% after 24 hours. But in our experiments, the time taken for machine harvesting was relatively short and both machine and hand harvested grapes had the same 3 hours of skin contact after crushing; we would suggest that in our New Zealand conditions, this period is perhaps more important than the longer periods associated with transport in some Australian situations. In other experiments we have investigated the effect of different extractants on solution composition. Generally, we found that very little protein was extracted from skins but significant amounts of phenolics, including tannin, were solubilised. We also found that the inclusion of BSA, a protein, in the extractant reduced the amounts of tannins and phenolics extracted, and that the greatest concentrations of proteins in solution were obtained when the extractant contained lesser concentrations
of tannins and phenolics. The precipitation of tannins by proteins (and therefore vice versa) is, of course, a well know phenomenon; indeed it forms the basis of the Harbertson-Adams assay for tannin in red wines. So it shouldn’t really be a surprise that this interaction might be important in modulating juice composition during grape processing. In fact, the Australian work also considered the possibility that phenolic oxidation and polymerisation in juice during transport might affect protein concentration. Despite the fact that some tannin appears to be relatively easily extracted from Sauvignon Blanc skin, concentrations have invariable been below detection levels in all the juice samples we investigated in this study. This strongly suggests that tannins and possibly other phenolics are removed from solution during juice processing, very likely precipitated by proteins. Unfortunately, we found no significant difference in the concentrations of phenolics between machine and hand harvested treat-
ments. However, we might speculate that additional plant material is incorporated into the sample during machine harvesting and that this might be an additional source of tannin and other phenolics. The similar final concentrations of phenolics and lower protein concentrations in juice for machine and hand harvested treatments, respectively, might therefore come about because of higher phenolic extraction from the machine harvested sample. So how does this fit with the observed lower protein concentrations in whole bunch pressed versus destem, crush and 3 h skin contact? Juice extraction was less for whole bunch pressed (56-62%) compared to destem, crush, 3 h skin contact and pressed (63-70%) treatments. As when comparing hand versus machine harvesting, there was no evidence that of any significant differences in protein concentrations between press fractions for whole bunch versus destem, crush and skin contact treatments. However, there were significant differences (P < 0.01)
in total phenolics concentrations. First, total phenolics concentrations were consistently less in juice obtained from whole bunch pressed (171-227 mg/L) compared to destem, crush, 3 h skin contact and pressed (224-274 mg/L) treatments. Second, there was a consistent trend of pressure on total phenolics concentrations in juice: average values for individual press fractions (0-0.4, 0.4-0.8 and 0.8-1.6 bar) for the Dillon’s Point 2012 samples were 257, 249 and 283 mg/L. These results for total phenolics concentrations are consistent with existing ideas of phenolic extraction from berries: i.e. initial release of phenolics from the pulp (predominately hydroxycinnamic acids) with greater pressures and or maceration required to release phenolics (predominately flavonoids) from skin (and ultimately seeds). The lower protein and phenolics concentrations for the hand harvested and whole bunch pressed treatment therefore probably represent the minimum possible extraction (from the pulp) of
these components and relatively little interaction between them. The greater concentrations of both protein and phenolics for the hand harvested and destem, crush, 3 h skin contact and pressed treatment suggests additional extraction of these components. It seems likely that during this process interaction between them might lead to some loss of both from solution. And the lower protein and similar phenolics concentrations for machine versus hand harvested treatments with destem, crush, 3 h skin contact prior to pressing suggests a greater degree of interaction between extracted proteins and phenolics.
Acknowledgements This project was made possible by funding from New Zealand Winegrowers. The support from Marlborough Wine Research Centre is appreciated for material and staff support in carrying out the trials. Financial support from Lincoln University is gratefully acknowledged.
Sustaining vineyards through practical management of grapevine trunk diseases NZW 13-100
Mark Sosnowski South Australian Research & Development Institute and Dion Mundy The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited The grapevine trunk diseases eutypa and botryosphaeria dieback, caused by fungal species of the Diatrypaceae and Botryosphaeriaceae families can kill vines and have a major economic impact in wine regions worldwide. In New Zealand, they are becoming prevalent and threaten the sustainability of the $1.6 billion wine
industry, which is heavily reliant on the highly susceptible variety Sauvignon Blanc. Trunk pathogens infect vines through pruning wounds, colonise woody tissue and cause dieback of cordons and trunks, with cankers observed as dark wedge-shaped tissue in cross-section. Eutypa lata produces toxic metabolites which
are translocated to the foliage, causing stunted shoots, necrotic and distorted leaves, reduced bunch size and uneven ripening. Management of trunk diseases is based on removing infected wood material and preventing infection through pruning wounds. Protective treatments are currently limited to paints and pastes
which must be applied by hand. The development and adoption of efficient methods of protecting pruning wounds in New Zealand will prevent the significant losses experienced in other countries. A New Zealand Winegrowers project led by the South Australian Research & Development Institute in collaboration with Plant &
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Applying pruning wound treatment to cane-pruned Sauvignon Blanc vines using a recycle sprayer.
Food Research, which commenced in July 2013, has already seen the establishment of four field trials. To generate data for registration of wound treatment fungicides, cane-pruned Sauvignon Blanc vines in Marlborough were treated with a number of different rates of Folicur® (tebuconazole), Chief® (carbendazim), Gem® (fluazinam), Dithane™ (mancozeb) or Megastar™ (flusilazole), applied using a paint brush. In addition, a number of different types of tractor-driven sprayers, including air-shear, tangential, recycle and modified weed sprayers were used to apply Chief® to spur-pruned Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Hawke’s Bay and cane-pruned Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough. To determine the effects of pruning time on susceptibility
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of wounds and fungicide efficacy, Sauvignon Blanc vines were cane-pruned in early, mid- or late winter and were either untreated or treated with Chief®. To mimic natural infection, wounds in all trials were inoculated with fungal spores of E. lata and Neofusicoccum luteum following treatment. Treated canes will be removed in winter 2014 and assessed in the laboratory for the efficacy of the treatments. Preliminary results will be available in late 2014 and trials will be repeated in 2014/15. Further experiments using pruning wound treatments at varying disease pressures are being initiated in the greenhouse, using a detached cane assay. These trials will include nonfungicide alternatives and will also provide information on the critical
NZ WINEGROWER DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
timing of fungicide application. In the coming summer, surveys are planned for Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough to record the extent of trunk disease in vineyards. This will form the basis of an economic analysis of trunk diseases in New Zealand. In conjunction, Trunk Disease Management Workshops will be held in Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough on 6 and 13 December 2013, respectively. The workshops will provide a report of the surveys as well as the latest information on effective management of eutypa dieback, botryosphaeria dieback and black foot diseases, and progress of current New Zealand Wine research. This research aims to deliver recommendations for practical application of a range of pruning wound treatments using tractor-
driven sprayers. Economic analysis will provide decision support for growers and encourage adoption of practices for the benefit of the wine industry. The project will also build scientific and technical capability in New Zealand for grapevine trunk disease management.
Acknowledgements This project was made possible by funding from New Zealand Winegrowers and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF 13-071). We thank Villa Maria and Pernod-Ricard NZ for providing vines and technical assistance, along with the various agrochemical companies that have committed to the outcomes of registering products for control of trunk diseases.
RESEARCH INDEX
Research-related articles published in New Zealand Winegrower in 2013, issues 78 to 83 78 – February/March 2013 79 – April/May 2013 80 – June/July 2013 81 – August/September 2013 82 – October/November 2013 83 – December 2013/January 2014
Aroma & Sensory (also see Wine Research) The Nature of Perceived Minerality in White Wine: Preliminary Sensory Data [10-115], Wendy Parr, Jordi Ballester, Dominique Valentin, Dominique Peyron, Rob Sherlock, Brett Robinson, Jason Breitmeyer, Philippe Darriet and Claire Grose ..........................78:71-74 Biosecurity The Threats of the Future [Pests].................................................. 82:10-13 Botrytis (also see Pest & Disease Management) Do Tendrils on Retained Canes Increase the Risk of Botrytis Cinerea the Following Season? [11-103], Dion Munday....... 78:76-77
Grapevine Leafroll Diseases (also see Pest & Disease Management) The Citrophilus Mealybug, Groundcover Weeds and Grapevines: Assessing a Dynamic Relationship [11-107], Vaughn Bell, Lyn Cole, Rachael Horner, Peter Lo, Nandita Sharma and Jim Walker................ 78:79-82 Leafroll Virus Versus Magnesium Deficiency.......................... 79:22-24 How Do Plants Signal Virus Attack? [11-100], Kieren Arthur and Robin MacDiarmid..................................................................................... 81:120 Grapevine Trunk Diseases (also see Pest & Disease Management) Evaluating Pruning Wound Treatments for Management of Eutypa Dieback in Grapevines [11-105], Mark Sosnowski and Dion Mundy........................................................................................................ 79:67-69 Do You Have Life Insurance for your Vines? [Trunk Diseases], David Jordan................................................................................................... 81:16 Silent Assassins [Trunk Diseases]................................................. 82:20-22 Sustaining Vineyards through Practical Management of Grapevine Trunk Diseases [13-100], Mark Sosnowski and Dion Mundy................................................................................................................ 83:71 Mechanical Harvesting/Thinning
Reduced Berry Size and Botrytis Tolerance through Trauma to the Vines [12-106], Mike Trought......................................................... 80:64
New Opportunities for Sustainable Grape Thinning [Winemaking Trials] [11-101], Claire Grose, Sue Neal, Dion Mundy, Mike Trought, Benedicte Pineau, Michelle Beresford, Anne Gunson, Andrew McLachlan and Mark Allen..................................................................... 80:63
Understanding Causes of Slip Skin [11-119], Rob Beresford, Dion Mundy, Peter Wood and Monica Holland................................ 82:79-80
Reduced Berry Size and Botrytis Tolerance through Trauma to the Vines [12-106], Mike Trought......................................................... 80:64
Botrytis Decision Support (BDS) Training and Botrytis Sampling Protocols [11-120], Rob Beresford.................................................. 82:81-82
New Opportunities for Sustainable Grape Thinning, Relative Trash Content of Bunches Post Machine Thinning [11-101], Dion Mundy, Sue Neal and Mike Trought...................................................................... 81:121
Battling Botrytis – A New Summary.................................................... 80:8
Climate Change More Vines as Temperatures Rise....................................................... 80:24 Environmental Management (see Sustainability) Events Romeo Bragato Conference 2013............................................... 80:54-55 Grape Days.................................................................................................... 80:55 Romeo Bragato Conference 2013....................................................... 81:60 Fertilisers & Nutrition Potassium Nutrition in the Vineyard: Implications for Grapevine Development and Wine Composition [11-108], Mike Trought, Christopher Winefield and Anne Gunson................................. 78:78-79 Frost Protection After the Frost............................................................................................... 81:30 Grapegrowing Preparing for Next Vintage, Damian Martin, Jeff Bennett and Mike Trought.......................................................................................... 81:24
Nutrition (see Fertilisers & Nutrition) Organics and Biodynamics Organics Focus [The Organic Focus Vineyard Project]... 78:48-54 Pest & Disease Management Do Tendrils on Retained Canes Increase the Risk of Botrytis Cinerea the Following Season? [11-103], Dion Munday....... 78:76-77 The Citrophilus Mealybug, Groundcover Weeds and Grapevines: Assessing a Dynamic Relationship [11-107], Vaughn Bell, Lyn Cole, Rachael Horner, Peter Lo, Nandita Sharma and Jim Walker...................................................................................... 78:79-82 Leafroll Virus Versus Magnesium Deficiency.......................... 79:22-24 Evaluating Pruning Wound Treatments for Management of Eutypa Dieback in Grapevines [11-105], Mark Sosnowski and Dion Mundy........................................................................................................ 79:67-69 Battling Botrytis – A New Summary.................................................... 80:8 Reduced Berry Size and Botrytis Tolerance through Trauma to the Vines [12-106], Mike Trought......................................................... 80:64 Do You Have Life Insurance for your Vines? [Trunk Diseases], David Jordan................................................................................................... 81:16 Powdery Mildew – Early Intervention Vital...................................... 81:28 CONTINUED OVER PAGE
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New Registered Fungicide [HML 32]................................................. 81:89 How Do Plants Signal Virus Attack? [11-100], Kieren Arthur and Robin MacDiarmid..................................................................................... 81:120 The Threats of the Future [Pests].................................................. 82:10-13 Silent Assassins [Trunk Diseases]................................................. 82:20-22
Tools for Manipulating Sauvignon Blanc Wine Flavour and Aroma: Harvest and Processing of Grapes – Part 2 [11-118], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Mike Trought, Rob Agnew, Lily Stuart, Benedicte Pineau, Sharlene Haycock and Anne Gunson........................................................................................ 83:65
Decimating Grubs [Grass Grub Beetles].................................. 82:38-40
Sustainability & Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ)
Understanding Causes of Slip Skin [11-119], Rob Beresford, Dion Mundy, Peter Wood and Monica Holland................................ 82:79-80
Winery Energy Efficiency [SWNZ update].............................. 78:56-57
Botrytis Decision Support (BDS) Training and Botrytis Sampling Protocols [11-120], Rob Beresford.................................................. 82:81-82
Industry Benchmarking [SWNZ update].................................. 82:54-56
Sustaining Vineyards through Practical Management of Grapevine Trunk Diseases [13-100], Mark Sosnowski and Dion Mundy................................................................................................................ 83:71 Powdery Mildew (also see Pest & Disease Management)
Dashboard – The Complete Package [SWNZ update].............. 81:66 Under Vine Weeds - Under Vine Options ..................................................................... 83:24 Varieties, Clones & Rootstocks (also see Sauvignon Blanc)
Powdery Mildew – Early Intervention Vital...................................... 81:28
Ampelography [Jean-Michel Boursiquot, Laurent Audeguin]...................................................................................... 81:52
Rootstocks (see Varieties, Clones & Rootstocks)
Using Mobile DNA to Increase Grapevine Diversity [Darryl Lizamore]........................................................................................................ 81:90
Sauvignon Blanc Tools for Manipulating Sauvignon Blanc Wine Flavour and Aroma: Harvest and Processing of Grapes [11-118], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Mike Trought, Rob Agnew, Lily Stuart and Sharlene Haycock................................................................................. 79:70-72 Grapevine Leafroll Disease a Serious Problem for Winemakers[12-100], Nick Hoskins............................................... 79:73-74 Manipulation of Methoxypyrazine (MP) Concentrations in Sauvignon Blanc Wine through Leaf and Rachis Additions [12-107], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Jeff Bennett and Lily Stuart.........................................................................................................80:65
Chardonnay Driven By Site [NZSVO Conference 2013].... 82:36-37 Vineyard Machinery (see Mechanical Harvesting/Thinning) Vintage Reports From the CEO Philip Gregan, Déjà vu or Not? ..................................81:5 Stocks Replenished...................................................................................... 81:22 Wine Research The ‘Tannin Sweet Spot,’ Rod Chittenden................................ 78:46-47
Influence of Juice pH on Thiol Production [12-108], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Abby Albright, Sharlene Haycock and Lily Stuart.............................................................................................. 80:66
Wine Quality and the Wine Show System, Rod Chittenden.................................................................................... 79:38-40
Adding Complexity Naturally to Sauvignon Blanc..................... 81:104
How Does CMC Behave in NZ Wines? [11-125], Tina Tran and Eric Wilkes................................................................................................................ 83:67
The Impact of Harvest and Processing Techniques on Flavour Creation in Sauvignon Blanc [11-118], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Mike Trought, Rob Agnew, Lily Stuart and Sharlene Haycock................................................................................. 82:77-78 Influence of Juice pH on Thiol Production [12-108], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Abby Albright, Sharlene Haycock and Lily Stuart........................................................................................ 82:78-79 Tools for Manipulating Sauvignon Blanc Wine Flavour and Aroma: Harvest and Processing of Grapes – Part 1 [11-118], Claire Grose, Damian Martin, Mike Trought, Rob Agnew, Lily Stuart, Benedicte Pineau, Michelle Beresford, Sharlene Haycock and Anne Gunson................................................................................................ 83:64 Photo: Seifried Estate, supplied by NZ Winegrowers.
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Aiming for the Best Low Alcohol Wine............................................. 81:42
Harvesting Method and Grape Processing Affect Bentonite Required for Protein Stabilisation of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc [12-103], Bin Tian, Roland Harrison, Jim Morton, Marlene Jaspers, Claire Grose and Mike Trought........................................... 83:69 Yield Estimation Preparing for Next Vintage, Damian Martin, Jeff Bennett and Mike Trought................................................................................................... 81:24
O-I NZ has dIVerted OVer 1.6 mIllION tONNes Of glass frOm laNdfIll O-I NZ created New ZealaNd’s fIrst glass recyclINg prOgram IN 1973, pre-datINg legIslatION by mOre thaN 30 years. we kNOw sustaINabIlIty Is ImpOrtaNt tO the New ZealaNd wINe INdustry aNd we share that gOal.
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