New Zealand Winegrower Feb - Mar 2014 by Rural News Group

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 84

48 R E GUL A R S

Editorial

Pre Vintage Report

Tessa Nicholson

While there are still a number of weeks to go before vintage starts in New Zealand, the individual regions have their sights set on a bumper harvest of high quality. We look at how flowering, fruit set and the start of summer has treated them.

From the CEO

Philip Gregan

Regional Viewpoint

Rob Meredith - Waiheke Island

In Brief

News From Around the Country

20 Multi Sprayer - New Technology

34 Bob’s Blog

Bob Campbell MW

Not On The Label

Legal Matters with Bell Gully

Sommelier’s Corner

Cameron Douglas MS

Wine Happenings in New Zealand

Research Supplement

The latest science and research projects funded by NZ Winegrowers

Front Cover Mishas Vineyard, Central Otago - supplied by NZ Winegrowers.

Having to spray to prevent disease is part and parcel of growing grapes. But it’s not always easy to get those sprays on at the perfect time. Hence a new spray unit, that allows two sprays at once to be applied. One to the canopy, the other to the bunch zone.

30 Central Otago Vineyards

58 Calendar

FEATURES

To make great wine, you must have great grapes, as the saying goes. This issue, we look at Central Otago Pinot Noir from the vineyard perspective. What is it about this region that constantly produces some of the most memorable fruit in the country?

Glyphosate Resistance

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and currently makes up 20 percent of all New Zealand herbicide sales. But there is resistance growing and this issue we look at why, and how to prevent it.

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

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

C I R C U L AT I O N & SUBSCRIPTIONS Lorraine Rudelj lorraine@nzwine.com Ph: 09 303 3527 Fax: 09 302 2969 New Zealand Winegrowers PO Box 90 276, Auckland Mail Centre, New Zealand

PUBLISHING & P R E - P R E SS Rural News Group PO Box 3855, Auckland 1140 Ph: 09 307 0399 Location: Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Publisher: Brian Hight Managing Editor: Adam Fricker Production: Dave Ferguson, Rebecca Williams

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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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

WELCOME 2014

f the ferocity of the wind on January 1st, (where I was) was anything to go by, 2014 blew its way into existence in style. Goodbye to the past 12 months, and welcome to the next. Truth be told, 2013 wasn’t that bad a year for most. While winery profits struggle, the Deloitte’s wine industry survey points out that optimism is higher at the moment, than it has been for a number of years. The bountiful and near perfect vintage of 2013 has certainly helped with that optimism, as have the prices being paid to growers for their fruit. Now if we could just get the New Zealand dollar down, we would be close to satisfying the majority of the industry. That may be a pie in the sky dream – although it is election year, and stranger things have happened in election years. Maybe we should be encouraging the MPs to meet over a wine, rather than a cup of tea, when discussing policy. Apart from being an election year, 2014 promises some major changes. The Sale of Liquor reforms came into being in December, and they will impact on all aspects of the industry. From promotions, to cellar doors, everyone needs to be extra vigilant as we move forward. This is a major priority for NZWinegrowers. Just how the new reforms affect you, is explained in detail by Marija Batistich from Bell Gully on page 38. Major research to help New Zealand become the world leader in the production of high quality, low alcohol/low calorie wines also begins this year. With Government and industry support this research project into Lifestyle Wines, will see close to $17m spent to achieve that goal. There is likely to be even more consolidation within the industry itself.

What began as a trickle of land sales at the end of 2012, has now morphed into an all out restructuring of the New Zealand wine industry. Some of our larger companies are expanding their vineyards, replanting existing blocks while many of the mid sized companies are purchasing more vineyards to shore up their long-term supply. On top of that, for the first time in a number of years, vine nurseries are being inundated with orders for grapes. Much of this has come on the back of a smaller than expected 2012 vintage, that saw a shortage of wine for the first time since 2008. It has been helped by the increase in exports along with a stellar 2013 vintage that has had only positive reviews around the world. Which brings us to vintage 2014. A “bumper” crop is the way most regional spokespeople have described it. Near perfect flowering and fruit set conditions, with timely spells of rain to ensure strong vine health, has set the country up for what looks like a positive vintage. There is a long way to go yet, but with most regions being between 10 days and two weeks ahead of last year, the countdown to harvest is likely to be shorter than we are used to. Less time for unwanted weather events – more time for ripening. Growers have been busy since prior to Christmas dealing with vines that have at times grown like triffids. Leaf plucking, fruit thinning, canopy management and disease monitoring have been vital as the industry works to ensure quality is not overlooked. While no one wants to count their chickens before they’ve hatched, the New Zealand wine industry is looking forward to an event free vintage, with another bountiful, worldrenowned crop to lead us forward. Wherever you are in the country, I hope that wish comes to fruition for you. ■

FROM THE CEO PHILIP GREGAN

THE EXPORT FUTURE

am writing this as I set out to attend New Zealand Winegrowers’ 2014 Annual Trade Tasting in London. This event has been a key feature of the New Zealand effort in the UK for over 30 years, and once again this year I expect there will be a very strong attendance of trade, media and consumers. Setting off to London got me thinking about our export achievements to date and our export future, particularly as I am coming back through Hong Kong, where our office, in partnership with NZTE, is very strongly focused on developing the China market. The past year has seen two very significant export milestones. First, in volume terms, New Zealand wineries now sell more wine in Australia (52.6 million litres for the 12 months to December 2013) than we do in our own domestic market (51.1 million litres for the 12 months to November 2013). The emergence of Australia as the major market for our wines has been one principal story in the development of the industry over the past decade, and certainly that market and the WET rebate received from sales there helped carry the sector through the difficult times post 2008. The other significant export milestone of 2013 was the emergence of the USA as our second most valuable export market. For the November 2013 year, exports to the USA totalled $296 million up 12% on the

previous year. This performance enabled the USA to leap frog the UK where sales were down 7% to $277 million (due to reduced bulk wine sales). The strong US export data comes despite the challenges in that marketplace, notably the complicated distribution structure and the current $US

past $300 million dollars. Further with sales to Canada now valued at $78 million this means the North American market for our wines is likely to be valued over $400 million by the time 2014 comes to a close. The potential to grow significantly beyond that is also very clear. China was the other key

The opportunity in 2014 and beyond is to continue to invest in that reputation so as to build a profitable long term future. As a first step, as always, we need to ensure that the coming vintage is up to the mark once again. weakness. The fact wineries have continued to grow sales into the US reflects the strategic importance of the market for many wineries. The continuing strong performance of the US as an export destination is confirmation (if it was needed) of the priority placed on that market in the 2011 PWC review. The PWC review identified the USA as one of the top growth markets for our wines through to 2016, and urged a greater focus. Since June 2011 exports to the USA have grown by over $60 million (27% in value) and 39% in volume, a great result at a time the USA economy has been struggling with the lingering effects of recession. This value growth is nearly half the total wine export value growth since 2011. The year ahead seems certain to see exports to the USA surge

market for export growth identified in the 2011 PWC review. Since that time NZW and NZTE have launched the high impact programme in China and we have opened our office in Hong Kong. At June year 2011 China exports were valued at $16.9 million. The story since then has very much been an up and down one. Exports grew strongly through to $31 million for the 12 months to February 2013 but have since slipped back to $22 million. While the recent decline is frustrating, the current level still represents growth of 28% since 2011. The exact reasons behind the recent export decline to China appear to be multifaceted. A growing shortage of wine from New Zealand (particularly from Hawkes Bay), the anti-corruption drive and trade tensions with Europe, have all been cited

as possible causes. However this recent down should not distract the industry from the significant long term opportunity that exists in the China market. All the data strongly suggest there will be continuing and strong demand for wine over the coming decade and beyond. To capitalise on this long term opportunity NZW and NZTE have put in place an extensive programme of activities in the China market. Much of the focus is on education and information provision, including in-bound visits to New Zealand, and we are sure this is the right mix of activities to support our long term wine ambitions in that market. Beyond the markets mentioned above New Zealand wine continues to perform strongly in many others. While the overall UK numbers may be down, performance of our packaged wines into the UK have held up well in the past year. Additionally there are good stories in countries as diverse as Singapore, Ireland and Germany and many others. Underpinning that success is our reputation for quality and the distinctiveness that wine from New Zealand has with the trade, media and consumers. The opportunity in 2014 and beyond is to continue to invest in that reputation so as to build a profitable long term future. As a first step, as always, we need to ensure that the coming vintage is up to the mark once again. Good luck for the vintage. ■

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 5

REGIONAL VIEWPOINT

WAIHEKE – ISLAND OF WINE R O B M E R E D I T H – P R E S I D E N T, WA I H E K E W I N E G R O W E R S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N

aiheke Island, with its long, sandy beaches, rolling hillsides and extensive networks of walking tracks through unspoiled native bush, is perhaps one of the most naturally beautiful wine growing regions in New Zealand. Being an island it is also the most clearly delineated region, as the sparkling waters of the Hauraki Gulf clearly define its boundaries. With its ocean buffered maritime environment, Waiheke enjoys a warmer and drier climate than Auckland proper. Mean temperatures during the growing season are comparable to much ‘hotter’ regions but without the extremes and, critically, these moderate temperatures extend longer into the early autumn ripening period of March and April, allowing later varieties to ripen fully over an extended period. Geology also plays a role, and Waiheke’s heavy clay soils are thought to aid mouthfeel and structure in Merlot, Chardonnay and Syrah, with low-fertility, highly mineralised soils being generally conducive to flavour in wine. As a wine tourism destination Waiheke is perfectly located on the doorstep of the largest metropolitan area and foremost international transit hub in New Zealand. This presents great opportunities for the more than 30 growers on the island, most of which have their own wine brand, with the majority of those

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brands having tasting room and cellar door operations open to the public. However, the small size of the region in terms of hectares under vine means that Waiheke’s funding allocation from New Zealand Wine is tiny compared to the region’s visibility, reputation and role in

our members at first! However, the timing helps to support wine tourism activity in the slower “shoulder” season, and is the only way we can provide visitors with the opportunity for a truly immersive wine tourism experience. We’ll be offering people the chance to tour our vineyards

From a regional perspective, it gives us further opportunities to educate our local customer base and our international visitors about the diverse range of varietals cultivated in New Zealand. representing this country’s wine industry to our many overseas visitors. It means we have to do more with less, so creativity plays a large part in our success. This year we’re launching the first version of what we hope will become a major annual event; the Waiheke Island Vintage Festival. This event, running from March 29 to April 6, 2014, is timed to coincide with our busy harvest period, which certainly raised some concerns among

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

and pick some grapes, to visit our wineries and participate in barrel tasting and blending, and to really get involved with some behind the scenes parts of the winemaking process. All of this will be supported by a comprehensive programme of musical events, gourmet dining experiences, art events and nature walks. We owe many thanks to the efforts of a dedicated group of WWA members who have donated their time and exper-

tise to organising this event in collaboration with our Marketing Manager, Jenny Holmes. As a result of their efforts we have secured commercial sponsorship from numerous regional and national businesses, providing a sound financial platform on which to base our planning and budgets. It is through events such as this that we can truly engage the public, and get people involved in the inner workings of the exciting and inspiring industry that we all love. From a regional perspective, it gives us further opportunities to educate our local customer base and our international visitors about the diverse range of varietals cultivated in New Zealand. While we do grow a little Sauvignon Blanc on the island, we’re better known for our Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. And fully two thirds of our plantings are red grapes, building on the original foundation of Bordeaux varietals, but with a substantial amount of Syrah now garnering international acclaim, and recent successes with other Mediterranean varieties such as Montepulciano and Tempranillo. Let me close by wishing everyone a very successful and prosperous 2014. On Waiheke we’ve seen an excellent start to the year, with early ripening and strong fruit set – let’s hope that continues through the season for everyone! ■

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

KEEPING IT GREEN AND STAYING OUT OF THE RED

ew Zealand enjoys a global reputation for being clean and green even if some practices don’t live up to that lofty standard. Yet, despite foibles and failures, New Zealand Winegrowers stand alone in their commitment to protecting the planet. More than ninety percent of the fifteen hundred members invest time and money in programmes with one aim: reduce the harmful effects of farming on the environment. However, financial relief for this unwavering commitment to protecting the planet has been elusive. The wine industry’s economic engine has stuttered and stalled. Over the past decade, premium packaged wine prices have eroded from just under $11 per litre to just over $8 per litre. In the words of one small winegrower, “it is hard to be green when you are always in the red.” There is no question that New Zealand makes critically acclaimed wines of almost every variety. But accolades and comparative product advantages are not enough to shift perceptions and drive demand that will stimulate higher prices. We need to motivate end customers to seek out New Zealand wine without thinking twice about the price. To do this we must speak to their hearts not just their heads. Not warm or fuzzy feelings, but powerful emotions that jolt the limbic system and make a person sit up and take notice. But what story can we tell that will provoke a visceral reaction from end customers? Fortunately, a potent emotional argument has been around us for decades.

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In January 1979 a nuclear powered submarine from the most powerful navy in the world entered Auckland harbour. It was not greeted warmly. Many will recall dramatic pictures of fearless people swarming over the deck of the USS Haddo surrounded by a flotilla of tiny boats protesting the threat of nuclear annihilation. For decades, long before it was fashionable, New Zealanders have stood tall against mighty corporate and national interests to protect the planet and its inhabitants. Whether interfering with offshore oil drilling, stopping the slaughter of marine mammals, or taking to the streets to keep New Zealand nuclear free, Kiwis have united around common purpose. Protecting the planet is in our nature. Preserving the land is more than a slogan to New Zealanders. We demand environmental commitment from our industries. Our winegrowers lead the world in ecofriendly practices. More of them invest in organic, sustainable and biodynamic grape growing than any other country. Anywhere. Naturally, it is going to cost more to make and buy our wines. But then, protecting the planet is worth it. New Zealand Wine. Because protecting the planet is worth it. This distinctive and compelling proposition has the potential to shift New Zealand wine from a comparative shopping choice to an emotionally driven purchase. Enjoy our wines because they are good, but seek them out and be willing to pay more for them because protecting the planet is worth it. The time for tinkering with the

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

edges of our industry profitability problems is over. It is time to change the story about New Zealand wine and remind the world that no one makes fine wine with the same commitment to protecting the planet as we do. There is a way for you to help. The Board of Directors of New Zealand Winegrowers has one purpose: Protect the competitive position and support the profitable growth of wine from New Zealand. If you agree that “protecting the planet is worth it” is a proposition we should promote, let the Board know. They care. They want

Mike Spratt

to do the right thing. They need to hear from you. Take a minute and make a call or send a message. ■  Mike Spratt, Destiny Bay Vineyards

BOARD CONTACTS • Fabian Partigliani, Pernod Ricard, fabian.partigliani@pernod-ricard-nz.com • Joe Stanton, Constellation Brands New Zealand Ltd, joe.stanton@cbrands.com • Jim Delegat, Delegat’s Wine Estate Ltd, jim.delegat@delegats.co.nz  • Fabian Yukich, Villa Maria Estate Ltd, fabiany@villamaria.co.nz  • Dominic Pecchenino, nzyanks@xtra.co.nz  • James Dicey, Mt Difficult, jdicey@gmail.com  • Chris Howell, prospectvines@slingshot.co.nz  • Steve Green, Carrick, wines@carrick.co.nz  • Paul Dunleavy, Te Motu Vineyard, paul@temotu.co.nz  • Peter Holley, Mission Estate Winery, peter@missionestate.co.nz  • Mike Brown, Kono Beverages Tohu Wines, mike.brown@kono.co.nz • Blair Gibbs, Spy Valley Wines, blair@spyvalley.co.nz  • John Clarke, bawjclarke@gmail.com  • Rex Sunde, Artisan Wines Ltd, rexsunde@gmail.com and sunde5@xtra.co.nz • Richard Rose, kvl@silkweb.net.nz • Xan Harding, Black Bridge Estate Ltd, xan.harding@xtra.co.nz  • Gwyn Williams, gwynwilliams@xtra.co.nz  • Doug Bell, Bell Vineyard, bellvine@xtra.co.nz  • Alan Knight, Vigneto Ltd, al@vigneto.co.nz  • Christine Kernohan, Gladstone Vineyard, christine@gladstonevineyard.co.nz

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IN BRIEF

AUCKLAND WineWorks Opens Auckland Office For the first time WineWorks has an Auckland presence, revamping the previous Portavin New

Zealand site. The new facility is the latest development for the company, which in October last

year purchased Wine Bottlers in Marlborough. With two filling lines in Auckland, WineWorks

HAWKE’S BAY Replanting and New Winery Signs of Optimism Hawke’s Bay is being swept up in a wave of optimism as plans for new planting, replanting and a good-sized winery take shape. Delegat’s proposal for a new winery is in the pipeline, with the Hastings District Council working through the company’s application for a plant to be built on the corner of the Napier-Hastings expressway and Everden Road on the north-western outskirts of Hastings. The plan is for a winery that will handle perhaps 5000 to 10,000 tonnes of grapes coming off Delegat’s vineyards in Crownthorpe and the Gimblett Gravels as well as fruit supplied by the company’s contract growers. In spring, Villa Maria completed the replanting of 25 hectares on its Te Awa site near Roy’s Hill and a further 40 hectares is to be replanted next spring. Further west on Highway 50, the company has also redeveloped a chunk of its famed Keltern vineyard, replacing Pinot Gris and red varieties with Chardonnay. Adjoining that area, Constellation has added a further 40-50 hectares to its plantings on its Corner 50 vineyard.

now has a total of nine, with five in Marlborough and two in Hawke’s Bay.

MARTINBOROUGH A source says it’s significant that such large companies are reinvesting in Hawke’s Bay. There was also interest from businesses actively looking for Hawke’s Bay land to plant as a very real shortage of Bordeaux varieties, Chardonnay and Syrah fruit has started to play out in higher prices being paid for fruit.

Air New Zealand Wine Awards The staging of next year’s Air New Zealand Wine Show in Hawke’s Bay will be a great opportunity for the region to showcase super premium wines from the outstanding 2013 vintage, says James Medina, executive officer of Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers. Medina believes the event will also boost the region’s tourism industry, drawing in a great many visitors to Hawke’s Bay.

Martinborough Wine Centre on Market Change is afoot at the Martinborough Wine Centre. Owners Amanda Ritchie and Simon Groves have put the business on the market to allow them time to pursue Groves’ new winemaking responsibilities in the region. Over the five years that the pair have run the store, they have built up a loyal clientele in the region and increasingly tapped into Martinborough’s growing tourist visitor numbers too; thanks to blackboarded tastings held informally during the day and organised events. They stock a wide range of both Martinborough and northern Wairarapa wines as well as a small selection of top quality Italian wines, which they import. Timeframes for the sale are flexible. Their hope is that someone within the region will take the store forward to continue the tastings, talks and to champion the local wines.

Resurrection Villa Maria is resurrecting Te Awa’s Kidnapper Cliffs’ branding – a development which has been hailed by wine columnist Raymond Chan. The calibre of Kidnapper Cliffs wines prompted Chan to choose Te Awa as his “Winery of the Year” in 2011. Villa Maria confirmed its purchase of Te Awa, in the Gimblett Gravels west of Hastings, in September 2011.

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MARLBOROUGH Two Wines Make Spectator It was the best Christmas present Astrolabe Wines and Greywacke Wines could have hoped for – to be recognised in Wine Spectator’s TOP 100 list. The Greywacke Pinot Noir 2011 was ranked as 48th, while Astrolabe’s Pinot Noir 2010 was ranked 60th. They were the only New Zealand wines to be named on the American leading wine journal’s prestigious list. The Wine Spectator TOP 100 selection criteria rank and reward wines on several parameters – quality, value, availability and an all important “X-factor” that equates to what the magazine describes as “excitement”.

Biking Through The Vines Wine tasters who are looking for a little more excitement than a cellar door can offer, can now tour Brancott Estate by bike. The guided tours began late last year and cover close to 4km of cycle track, which has been specifically created. Riders get to travel among the vines, between rows, along pathways, around the Wine Marlborough Festival site and past wetlands that are home to a myriad of native birds. They not only get the opportunity to see first hand a working vineyard, but also get to taste the Brancott Estate wines on the ground. During the one and a half hour tour, they are treated to four tastings, two premier Sauvignon Blanc, and two Pinot Noir. Brancott Estate is the oldest vineyard in Marlborough, with the first plantings going in in 1973.

Valentine’s Night Under the Vines Clos Henri are once again planning to make a romantic night of it on Valentines day, with an outdoor French movie set among the vines. Nuits Romantiques, (which even though in French speaks for itself) will begin with canapés and a glass of wine, before the French movie is screened on the winery’s chapel lawn among the vines. The team at Clos Henri are hoping for the most romantic conditions of all - perfectly clear skies and balmy weather conditions.

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 11

VINTAGE PREVIEW

STAFF REPORTERS Vintage 2013 was the largest ever in New Zealand’s history. On the back of some stunning summer and autumn weather, the quality was also high. Warm conditions back in December 2012 meant the potential for higher bud numbers in 2013 was on the cards. That is exactly what happened. Combined with warm, settled conditions throughout New Zealand during spring and early summer, flowering throughout for all regions was basically stress free. GISBORNE After what has been described as a beautiful spring,with lots of moisture and warmth, Gisborne growers experienced near perfect conditions for flowering, which should result in a “solid crop”, according to Gisborne Grape Growers President Doug Bell. While there was a smattering of hail during December, and some minor damage around the region, it was inconsequential in the scheme of things.

“We had a good many electrical storms over a week in December as well, which is like nitrogen from the skies for the soil, so we have had very good canopy growth,” Bell says. All those components have created perfect growing conditions, although it has meant a lot of canopy thinning for growers, as they battle against disease pressure from powdery mildew. “We are leaf plucking, trimming, spraying and there are sheep in the vineyards, so we are

working hard to keep the canopy under control, and open it up.” John Clarke says across the board, flowering was pretty good, although some cooler weather has resulted in patchy fruit set in some varieties. The region has experienced some hot conditions, which has seen the growing degree days for 2014 up to 10 days ahead of last year. Both Bell and Clarke believe the first grapes (for sparkling wines) will be harvested towards the end of February.

A common sight throughout the country as growers drop fruit, after near perfect flowering and fruit set.

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

HAWKE’S BAY Hawke’s Bay winegrowers have the season’s ups and downs well in hand and are cautiously optimistic about how the 2014 vintage is shaping up. The season got off to a great start with no frosts to threaten the budding vines. Sileni Estates spent thousands of dollars fighting frosts in 2012, says group viticulturist Stephen Bradley, but got away virtually frost-free this spring. Flowering went quickly and well across the region’s many subregions and Mal McLennan of Maimai Creek says the very heavy crops throughout the region needed thinning to achieve ripeness and quality in the fruit. “No-one is going to be short of fruit this year,” he enthused. Once flowering was over in late November, Hawke’s Bay was hit with some unwelcome weather events —successive days of heavy rain, several thunderstorm and even hail, all interspersed with warm sunny days. The climatic conditions conspired to create some disease pressure, and there were a few reports of powdery mildew. Growers were also keeping an eye out for any signs of botrytis triggered by the humidity. As the season’s progressed, McLennan says the key word has

been vigilance – ensuring spraying equipment was working well and responding appropriately to infection periods. The warm wet December boosted foliage growth, keeping growers busy with tucking and thinning. Some were faced with an extra trim and mow. Bradley says the heavy rain events late last year were localised – some of Sileni’s vineyards recorded 80mm while others got just 14mm. “Despite the rain, we are just starting for required irrigation.” The company’s 25ha vineyard at Haumoana sustained some hail damage in early December, affecting Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Overall, expectations are high for a second successive good vintage, particularly as wineries across the region are running low on stock.

MARLBOROUGH Another region not affected by spring frosts, Marlborough also benefitted from some stunning late spring and early summer conditions. Temperatures were above the long term average in December, rainfall was down and sunshine hours were just below average. These conditions helped create the perfect environment for flowering and later fruit set. Delegat’s spokesman, Dr Rengasamy Balasubramaniam (Bala) described flowering conditions as “excellent.” “It is looking like a bumper harvest,” he said. “Certainly it is better than 2012.” Rain that fell towards the end of December and into early January has ensured the canopies are looking healthy, although it has meant a lot of judicious thinning has been required

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throughout the region. Mahi Wines owner Brian Bicknell said flowering was over very quickly compared with previous years. That in itself was a good sign for the upcoming vintage. “Because it all happened so quickly, there is little variation within the bunches. They are all quite even and that will be much better for us when it comes to picking decisions in the future.” While the periods of rain dampened many holiday makers spirits, Bicknell said it hasn’t caused any major disease issues at this stage. “While we had some humid days and some rain, we also had some good windy days as well, which was a bonus. It dried the bunches and canopies out fairly quickly.” Agreeing with Bala that the crop early on looked like being better than average, Bicknell said

there was a lot of thinning going on. “Many growers who laid down four canes, in case of a spring frost event, are now removing a single cane after flowering. So the quality levels look in place.” For Wine Marlborough Board member and Caythorpe Vineyard’s owner, Simon Bishell, controlling the canopy growth has been the major issue. “They are growing much quicker than normal because of the spells of rain we have had. There is some canopy manipulation going on. I am already on to my second trim on the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir,” (early Janaury). All agreed that the season was ahead of average at the time of Winegrower going to print, although whether that remains the situation will depend greatly on weather conditions between

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now and harvest. And while there has been some powdery mildew pressure, Bishell said the emphasis placed on that issue at NZW events such as Bragato and Grape Days, has ensured growers have been well prepared. “I think more people have taken note of the potential for disease and therefore the spray programme has been extremely good throughout the region. We

are benefitting from those sprays now.”

NELSON Nelson is one of New Zealand’s most popular summer holiday destinations with a reputation for plenty of sun, sandy beaches, kayaking in the Abel Tasman and meeting new friends at the many camp grounds in the region. It does however also rain quite regu-

With bumper crops throughout most of New Zealand, machine thinning is one method that has been utilized to ensure balanced crop levels.

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

larly during December and early January upsetting holidaymaker’s sunny plans. Nelson grape growers expect this rain and plan accordingly so when the region experienced significant rain events during late November and early December 2013 they were prepared. In general everyone was on top of spraying regimes so disease issues are very minor. Fortunately these rain

events, while significant, were also sporadic so had very little effect on fruit-set at flowering. The result is a full crop across every variety; some vineyards are reporting very high crop levels with dense berry set on individual bunches, a “monster” crop according to one winemaker. The rain and cropping level have created more work in the vineyards; warm weather accompanying the

rain has resulted in plenty of vigour in vineyards meaning the need for more mowing, vine trimming and early leaf plucking to maintain airflow around the fruit line and to keep the canopy under control. With a long range forecast for warmer temperatures than average, less rainfall and lower soil moisture levels than normal, vineyard managers are balancing the need to open up the canopy with the need to avoid leaving the fruit exposed to sunburn in later months. Vineyards in the Nelson region expect to need increased vineyard management for this vintage, dropping fruit to maintain a balanced crop, but with a positive long range weather forecast are also hopeful of a great vintage.

CANTERBURY & WAIPARA Summer finds Waipara Winegrowers feeling positive about the coming vintage, with crops appearing to be slightly above average and the weather not throwing too many curve balls this season. Despite easterly rain during flowering, the region’s wineries seem happy with flowering and fruit set. “The growing season has so far been consistently warmer on average than the previous one,” reported Claire Bisso of Dancing Water. “We’re expecting a slightly greater than average yield in some of our vineyard blocks and high quality.” “The crops are more consistent than heavy,” observed Andrew Moore from Southern Boundary Wines. “All the varieties have set well. There’s going to be a lot of crop getting dropped.” With four inches of rain over the Christmas period combined with warm weather, the main issue the region is currently facing is keeping canopies under control. However, disease would not appear to be a major

pressure as yet. “We’re currently tracking 10 to 14 days ahead,” noted Nick Gill of Greystone, who compared the bunch configuration to that of 2010. “It’s looking like an early start to the vintage. Things are looking promising overall, but anything could still happen.” Further south in Canterbury, frosts caused some winegrowers on the flats to lose a little crop. “A slight frost in October meant we lost some of our first shoots, but given the good weather that followed, the second set largely came up,” said Tresillian’s Graeme Lindsay. “Crops will be down slightly, but things are looking good.” “A very good flowering season from early to mid-December, typified by hot still days, ensured a strong and even flower set,” reported Burnham Vineyard. This was echoed by Tussock Hill, which described it as the best flowering and fruit set the Huntsbury vineyard had ever seen. As in Waipara, Canterbury winegrowers are currently managing the growth prompted by the rain that fell throughout the holiday season, but share a similarly upbeat feeling about 2014.

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CENTRAL OTAGO Central Otago escaped relatively unscathed from frost pressure this spring. However, the frosts of the previous year do seem to have impacted on fruitfulness for some vineyards. Flowering began early, initially with ideal weather conditions, though vineyards with later flowering met with some unsettled weather. Needless to say, crop levels look good. Some vineyards will need more aggressive fruit thinning than others. With a fair amount of rain in the month following flowering, this may impact on bunch sizes, though at this preliminary stage the outlook looks just above average. ■

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ECONOMIC NEWS

OPTIMISM GROWS FOR INDUSTRY TESSA NICHOLSON

n its eighth annual survey of the New Zealand wine industry, Deloitte’s financial benchmarking survey has shown signs of new optimism, following years of supply imbalances, high external debt and the impact of bulk wine sales. The survey was sent to all members of New Zealand winegrowers last year. Thirty-five participants responded, accounting for close to 45 percent of the industry by litres of wine produced and 48 percent by export sales generated. Deloitte partner Paul Munro says there was a change in the participants this year, which he believes has created the most even spread across categories in the past eight years. The five categories highlighted are; $0-$1.5m, $1.5-$5m, $5-$10m, $10-$20m and $20m+. The category showing the greatest profitability was the largest, $20m+, which returned an average profit of 16%, compared with a 2012 profit of 11.1% and a

2011 profit of 14%. In contrast the smallest of the categories - $0-$1.5m recorded a loss of 4.4%. (Although that is an improvement on 2012, when the same category recorded a loss of 5.5%). Breaking it down into the five categories, the following are the salient points.

Up to $1.5m This category reflects the lowest average profit/(loss) before tax over the last two years running. It is easy to observe the significant earnings volatility that this category has experienced in recent years. This category actually improved their profitability before interest cost this year (6.5% of revenue compared with 1.2% last year). However this promising improvement was wiped out by much higher interest costs. Although showing an accounting loss in 2013, on average participants achieved a small cash positive position before

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capital expenditure. Compared with other categories, participants typically have lower selling and administration costs but higher depreciation and interest costs as a proportion of revenue.

ment in average profitability in this category when compared with 2012, increasing to 9.8% from 7.3%. This category also recorded the highest gross margin (at 42.1%) of all the categories, giving sufficient buffering to absorb overhead costs and remain profitable.

$1.5m - $5m Profitability for this category decreased in 2013 to an average loss of 0.5% from a profit of 6.5% in 2012. The report says the revenue mix of this category is more in line with the three larger categories, than with its smaller counterpart, albeit weighted slightly to lower case and bulk wine sales and slightly higher grape and contract wine sales. The overhead costs as a proportion of revenue are generally comparable to the larger categories, but administration costs within this category were proportionally higher than any other.

$5m - $10m There has been an improve-

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$10m - $20m There was a decrease in profitability in this category, from 17% in 2012 to 12.4% in 2013. This is attributed to decreased gross margins and increased selling costs. The sales mix of case sales and export bulk wine sales is broadly similar to 2012 and is consistent with the other larger category. Interest costs as a proportion of revenue were lower in this category than any other, which suggests a lower level of reliance on bank debt funding.

in profitability, from 11.1% in 2012, to 16% in 2013. It makes it the most profitable category of all. There was a higher level of case sales in the past 12 months and a lower level of domestic and export bulk wine, when compared with the previous 12 months. Participants in the survey have on average recorded a significant decrease in selling costs when compared to the previous year and this is the primary driver of the increase in profitability.

Costs and Margins $20m+ This category as mentioned earlier saw the greatest increase

There were only two categories that recorded an increase in revenue price per case in the

past 12 months. They were the $0 - $1.5m and the $10m to $20m. Participants in the $20m+ category recorded the largest decrease from an average of $105.78 in 2012 to an average of $78.22, which Munro attributes to the changing participant mix this year. The lowest packaging costs per case ($9.51) were recorded by the $5m - $10m category. This is contrary to the general trend that these costs decrease with scale. It was the largest category that recorded the highest packaging cost per case of $17.55. Gross margins per case in relation to category has also seen some turnarounds. In 2012, the $20m+

category had the highest gross margin at $59.97 per case, while in 2013 it has dropped to a margin of $35.16, (again due to the changing participant mix Munro says). It was the smallest category of $0 - $1.5m that saw the highest gross margin - $58.03. While it might be expected that the largest category would also record the lowest selling expense per case, that has not been the situation in previous years. The $20m+ category had the highest expense in both 2011 and 2012 – ($24.85 and $26.98 respectively). This year those costs dropped to $10.62, making them the lowest of all categories. The smallest

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 17

category had the highest selling expenses in 2013 - $16.17 per case.

Sales There has been a shift away from exports towards domestic sales in 2013, which Munro says is a “surprising observation that goes against the trend observed in all previous surveys. “It is not entirely clear what the cause of this observation is, but it is likely to be largely as a result of a change in participants.” The survey shows that in two categories less than 50% of all sales are being exported. The two smallest categories have the highest percentage of exports, with 73% and 57%. The remaining three larger categories have exports sitting between 42% and 50%. Each of the categories appears to have a reliance on a different export market. For example the $20m+ participants are more reli-

ant on the UK, the $10m - $20m are reliant on the USA, the $5 - $10m are reliant on Australia, the $1.5m - $5m participants have diversified exports on average, with Australia being the most dominant and the smaller categories also focus on Australia. “(That) makes complete sense given the proximity that would make it more cost effective, as well as the presence of the WET rebate,” Munro says. While a lot of emphasis has been placed on China and Asian markets, the survey shows they are still at the small end of the spectrum, making up only 3.7% of total exports.

fourth year in a row this particular issue has ranked as number one, with the other top two being marketing product overseas ranked as second with excise and other levies coming in as number three. Grape supply (too little) remains the fourth most important issue overall this year, which Munro says is somewhat surprising given the record Vintage 2013 harvest. “However it possibly relates to longer term forward planning. The importance of this issue appears to increase with winery size and varies from being ranked ninth by the $0 - $1.5m category to number two for the $20m+ category.” The biggest mover this year is Labour supply/cost which has moved from an overall ranking of ninth in 2012, to sixth in 2013.

Issues Facing the Industry Not surprisingly, the exchange rate is the number one issue participants believe is facing the New Zealand wine industry. It is the

The Next 12 Months The financial benchmarking

survey has once again raised the issue of profitability based on the size of the winery. According to the report, the widening gap between small and large opens the door for increased mergers and acquisitions, as well as interest in the industry from wealthy overseas investors. “If a smaller winery is considering selling a stake or seeking addition external investment in an attempt to become more sustainable, it would be prudent to select the party carefully and ensure due diligence is undertaken,” Munro says. “Overseas investment can be useful provided the investor’s interests are aligned, and they have a level of emotional engagement and skills to bring other than just money. As industry returns tend to be moderate and variable, a ‘real’ interest in wine is important as opposed to someone investing for purely financial returns.” ■

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NEW TECHNOLOGY

MULTI SPRAY UNIT TESSA NICHOLSON

etting the right chemicals onto vines at the right time is a headache for all growers. There are often small windows of opportunity, especially given the variable nature of our weather in New Zealand. Botrycides need to be sprayed at definite times – flowering, pre bunch closure and veraison. But in amongst those sprays the vines also require sulphur or other chemicals to prevent powdery mildew. As the size of the vineyard expands, so too does the length of time it takes to apply the sprays and if weather conditions interfere, the repercussions of not being able to spray multiply. Those very factors were behind the development of a multi spray unit, developed by Aspiration Holdings – the developers of the Quantum Mist spray unit. The new unit, which allows two separate sprays to target either the canopy or the bunch zone has been trialled at Ara Vineyard in Marlborough over the past two seasons. . With 425-planted hectares, the logistics of getting the right sprays on in a short time frame has been an on-going issue, according to viticulturist Anne Escalle. “Cap-fall and pre bunch closure need to be done at a special moment, when it’s the right time. It can’t be done before or after,” she says. “The issue is that in certain seasons, you don’t have the time to come back in between and put the normal sprays on that the rest of the canopy requires. If the season is slow, it’s alright. But if the weather packs up, we can miss the opportunity to spray that all important coverage on the top canopy.”

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She discussed the matter with the late George Eady of Apsiration Holdings, and David Manktelow from Agribusiness. Would it be possible to develop a unit that could spray one chemical onto the bunches and another straight onto the canopy? Manktelow says he and George discussed the practicalities of such a unit that could be used on harvest-mounted sprayers. “They lend themselves brilliantly to putting on different chemicals because they have two spray tanks, they straddle a row and one tank sits on each side of the row,” he says. “When we looked at the economics of chemical savings from doing a single application with two different chemicals, it should pay for itself in the first season. “A single application of a botrytis fungicide is around $180 a hectare. So if you put 70% of that rate, just to the bunch zone and you still put on your powdery mildew brew to the whole canopy, you are looking at a 30 – 40% saving per hectare. That’s quite a lot of money.” For Escalle though, the ability to ensure the job is completed in half the time, is one of the greatest advantages. “It is the efficiency to do the job when it needs to be done, not having to think about starting it early to ensure we finish on time. This is magic because this vineyard takes four to five days to spray. But if you have bad weather, or if you are having to spray different varieties over different times, it gets very complicated and you can end up pushing extremes.” In Ara’s case, if they were

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

spraying just one row at a time, the distance travelled to complete the entire vineyard would be 3,000 kilometres. Once you start adding the number of sprays required over a season, (7 or 8) then weeding, mowing, mulching, stripping, trimming and plucking, the kilometres start to add up. If the company was only doing one row per pass, all of the above passes would equate to approximately 81,000 kilometres – that’s twice The multi purpose spray unit that delivers one spray to the canopy and another to the bunch zone.

the circumference of the earth? Understandable then why the company has embraced the new technology that allows two jobs to be completed with one pass. Using an over row Pellenc harvester, with specialised tilting booms attached, means both sides of two rows are sprayed at the same time. The canopy gets its powdery mildew controls, and the bunch zone receives it botrytis sprays. It has cut costs in labour,

diesel, compaction and importantly, the amount of spray used, Manktelow says. “If your botrytis infection pressure is only in your bunches, then there is a strong case for only directing the spray to those bunches. But for big corporate vineyards, where it takes more time to get round the vineyard, they don’t have time to physically put on an application to bunches and then go through and apply the whole canopy for powdery mildew. It’s not economically viable or practical. So they often have to spray the whole canopy, even if they don’t need to.”

While the new units are working well, Manktelow says there is still a “lot to learn about what brews are going to be the most successful for doing just the bunch line. But for me, it’s the start of something really interesting.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

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SPRAY RATE CALCULATOR TESSA NICHOLSON

alculating how much chemical spray is required to ensure adequate coverage for vines has never been easy. The end result of getting it wrong can lead to poor coverage or over spraying; both of which can have serious financial repercussions. The problem with many chemicals is they advocate a per hectare rate, which is all well and good for most crops. But vineyards have a number of variabilities which make the per hectare rate an inadequate formula to work from, including: • The size and density of the target canopy • The height of the canopy • The size of the bunch zones • The row spacings Utilising research undertaken by New Zealand Winegrowers, (NZW) Zelam Ltd has produced a spray calculator app for smart phones that allows individual growers to work out what suits their own vineyard.

Gordon Harris, Technical Services and Development Manager said changes in canopy management in the past 30 years means there is probably less of a target requiring spraying. “Back in 1985 when I was doing my first grape trials on Chenin Blanc, it was all about tonnages. Therefore there were bigger yields, tighter bunches, more bunches and lots of leaves. Now canopies have changed and they may be planted more densely, but they tend not to be as high or the rows anywhere near as thick. The per hectare rates just don’t cut it anymore.” When Zelam Ltd first introduced Nexus without the per hectare rate, they soon discovered it was hard to get growers on board. “The per hectare rate was historical and people were used to using that to calculate.” With the advent of smart phones and tablets, the company thought there could be advantages in developing an app that would

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

help to get the story across. Available in three formats – Windows, iPhones and androids, the app is free to download. Harris said it is easy to find by searching Zelam in the respective online store and that it is easy to use. “You go to the first screen, chose the product, then put in the measured parameters. You need to have a look in the vineyard before you do that. How tall is the canopy that requires spraying? How dense is it? What is my row spacing? Then it gives you a theoretical dilute spray volume per 100 metres of row. Or effectively how much water you would need for dilute spraying. (To the point of run off ). Then it calculates the product rate per hectare and how much product to put into the tank based on your actual calibrated water rate. It works equally well no matter what that is, dilute or concentrate. “Years back, most canopies would have required a minimum of 1000 litres of water to spray

dilute. Now it’s between 500 and 800 litres. What we are saying is that you don’t need a minimum rate per hectare. In some, in fact a lot of canopies, you can reduce and still get good coverage. The proviso is of course that your sprayer technology still provides at least as good a coverage as you would have achieved at high water volumes.” All the research that has gone into the calculator has come from NZW. The information available on the app, comes from the Chemical Application Rate Setting and Sprayer Calibration for Winegrapes factsheet, available on the NZW members website. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

SWNZ NEWS

NEW SYSTEM GETS GO-AHEAD

s reported in the last issue, major work is underway to improve the efficiency of the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand scorecard system. A new easy-to-use system that takes less time to input data and provides rapid reporting back to Sustainable Winegrowing NZ members has been identified and tested. The decision to move to this new system has been made by the Board and a smooth transition is a priority for New Zealand Winegrowers. Current plans are to get the new system up and running by the middle of the year. A series of workshops will be

held in the regions to ensure all members are fully aware of the changes and comfortable with the new system nearer to the live date. What are the benefits of the new scorecard system? • Functional: web-based with a single (NZW) login, easy to access and use, uncomplicated forms, supported by good user guides. • Relevant: The Scorecard data collection will only include relevant activities the individual member is undertaking, e.g. switch off sections where they respond N/A. • Efficient: reduce time and cost of audits, providing a single

collection point for documentation; improve management of corrective actions, and generation of audit reports. • Remove duplication: where appropriate allow pre-population of the Scorecard with existing data (including data previously submitted to SWNZ, NZW, or selected external sources). • Streamline audit time and process: provide single collection point for documentation; improve member’s management of corrective actions. The new system will also add value to Sustainable Winegrowing NZ members through

improved reporting on individual sustainability performance. Relevant benchmarking reports will include: • Comparison to own practices year on year • Relative performance; relevant comparisons within region, and in the future, comparison with producers of similar size • Access to established (or standard) reports • Multiple sites, will be able to compare relative performance across sites National level reporting will also be enabled to monitor trends and impact analysis. ■

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REGIONS CENTRAL OTAGO

WORLD HERITAGE SITE? C

entral Otago winegrowers are encouraging the government to support a nomination by an influential group of French winegrowers from Burgundy to list their region as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Climats of Burgundy delegation, spearheaded by one of the world’s most pre-eminent winegrowers, Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, met with government leaders late in January to present their case for nomination. (After NZWinegrower went to print). To gain UNESCO World Heritage Site status the vineyards must show their contemporary relevance and their universal value

to the world today. The benefits New Zealand, particularly Central Otago’s Pinot Noir region, has gained from its relationship with Burgundy is testament to proving this. The delegation, invited here by the winegrowers of Central Otago, attended a reception in Wellington hosted by the French Embassy to which a number of senior politicians were also invited. They then flew to Central Otago to join the region’s winegrowers and their guests at the Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration. Wanaka winegrower, Nick Mills, organiser of the visit and founder of the Central Otago Burgundy Exchange, says support for

the nomination will bring significant international recognition of the quality of New Zealand Pinot Noir. “Following many years of experimentation, Central Otago realised its own potential to grow Pinot Noir, just as it was nurtured and developed long ago in Burgundy. “Whether we were conscious of it or not, the Burgundian model has helped germinate and shape something beautiful here, on the other side of the world.” To strengthen and maintain this relationship, an educational and cultural exchange has been fostered between the two regions since 2006. Through joint exchange pro-

jects the regions have shared tradition and experience, with freedom and a fresh approach he says. President of the Central Otago Winegrowers Association, James Dicey, believes the visit serves to reinforce those fraternal ties. “An immense depth of empirical knowledge, meaningful tradition and rich cultural heritage has been generously offered by the Burgundians to Central Otago winegrowers over the years. We are therefore both gratified and privileged to have them here in Central,” he says. “We’re delighted to support their World Heritage bid for, as the balance of the exchange has clearly shown to date, their win is also ours.”

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

2006 Inox Terma Destemmer

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2006 Vaslin Bucher Press XPF30

Central Otago’s wine region is supporting the bid by Climats of Burgundy to support a bid for a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo Wooing Tree Vineyard Ltd, supplied by NZW.

Currently therre are five wine regions listed as World Heritage sites. They are Loire – France, Bordeaux – France, Tokaj – Hungary, Douro Valley – Portugal and Middle Rhine – Germany. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) identifies cultural and natural examples

of heritage around the globe with the goal of protecting and preserving them for future generations. The organisation was founded in November 1945, just after the end of World War II, as a way to nurture humanity and heritage by developing ‘the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind’. Sites that qualify must have

‘outstanding value to humanity’. Once a site has been accepted, UNESCO offers everything from technical assistance and public awareness to professional training and emergency assistance to preserve sites. UNESCO has 195 member states, while its World Heritage Committee, which meets yearly to

select new sites and allocate funds as needed, has 21 member nations. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, a treaty that has become the foremost international legal tool in support of the conservation of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

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REGIONS WAIHEKE ISLAND

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YOUNG GUNS – WAIHEKE ISLAND The big smoke may be just across the water, but for those lucky enough to live and work on Waiheke Island, it might as well be thousands of kilometres away. This tiny island, made up of volcanic rock, steep slopes and a lifestyle that is as laid back as it can be, is home to some of the country’s most interesting wines. Helping to produce them is a core of Young Guns – some of whom we meet this issue. How Long Have You Worked In Waiheke? 1 year What Brought You To Waiheke? The idea of living and making wine on Waiheke has always rung sweet with me; and to be honest I had been keeping an eye out for job availability here for a number of years. Miraculously, while I was working in France, the little ad for this job popped up on line two days after I had decided to move to Waiheke regardless of securing a job or not. It was great timing. Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here? • Fresh out of Uni I embarked upon Sacred Hill in Hawkes Bay for my first vintage. • The southern-northern hemisphere harvest gap was filled with Sommelier work at Bambini Wine Room in Sydney. • Then on to the Okanagan Valley in Canada where wine and skiing proved a lethal and fabled combination.

Burgundy followed soon after and things really began to gain some traction. Ended up staying in Meursault for longer than planned, I loved that place. • Then it was Brokenwood in the Hunter Valley; the most generous place to opportune employment. The leading test of self and palate. • My first permanent assistant winemaking role came along while in the Hunter Valley; Tower Estate, where I lived for 2 years.

I’m probably cooking, sailing, eating something delicious, walking. It Sucks When…. The press breaks down mid cycle and you can’t get anyone out to fix it until the wee hours. Your Favourite Wine? My favourite blade of grass on the lawn would definitely probably have to be 1999 Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet.

Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now? New Zealand as a whole is rather an exciting place to me; I feel that collectively, we are only just beginning to hit our straps. And that’s saying something! There is so much growth on our horizon, in all directions! Future Aspirations? To always be inspired by, and not threatened by. To never stand still.

• A vintage at Quartz Reef in Central Otago followed by another mind-blowing stage in Burgundy was a fantastic way to land softly back in NZ, where I then moved to Waiheke. What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job? The depth of job variation. One minute you are pulling old nets filled with rats out of the back of the vineyard shed, next you are pulling samples from barrels and mind mapping blending plans. It’s brilliant.

• Another harvest in Hawkes Bay prequeled a vintage in Greece at Hatzidakis on Santorini, which was the most beautifully astounding old world experience.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Waiheke?

• Domaine de Montille in

When You’re Not Making Wine

26 //

Or Growing Grape?

Being able to swim everyday after work is pretty well up there with awesome (like mountains and rivers awesome).

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

C H LO E PA R K I N S O N AGE: 28 T I T L E : A S S I S TA N T W I N E M A K E R A T C A B L E B AY V I N E YA R D S

How Long Have You Worked In Waiheke? I have been working on Waiheke for 2 1/2 years. What brought you to Waiheke? I was looking for a new role and Mudbrick was advertising, it ticked all the boxes for me; from region to quality of lifestyle. Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here? I grew up on the family-owned Cornerstone Vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels so from a young age I was working in the vines. I completed a BV&O from Lincoln then decided to follow the harvest. After three vintages in Australia, a vintage in both Germany and California as well as working in five New Zealand wineries I decided to get a real job. I worked at Vidal’s in Hastings for four years as Assistant Winemaker before making the move to Mudbrick. What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job? I get to work across a wide variety of aspects with the business. One day I might be on the tractor in the vineyard and the next meeting with restaurant wine buyers in Auckland. What Do You Enjoy Most About Waiheke? The mild weather is definitely a plus (I don’t like the cold!), as well as the diverse range of varietals

that Waiheke can produce at the ultra premium level. When You’re Not Making Wine Or Growing Grapes? Making the most of what Waiheke has to offer with my wife and two young children. Whether that be harvesting kaimoana, relaxing on the beach or trying to cook a great meal from local produce, and when I get a chance I try to get in a surf or go for a fish. It Sucks When…. A subtropical low comes down and rains on my parade. Your Favourite Wine? Hands down German Riesling. What more could you want from a wine??? Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now? Southern Rhone Valley, in particular Chateau Neuf du Pape. Such a diverse range of soils and varieties. Both the whites and red wines are thought provoking and have the ability to age for decades. Future Aspirations? Other than to one day own my own vineyard and winery, I would like to takeover the world one vineyard at a time!

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 27

Wine To Get Here? About 15 years ago I emigrated from Zimbabwe. I started as a Sommelier in a number of high-end restaurants and then spent some time travelling through Bordeaux, Northern Rhone, and the Loire Valley. After visiting various Chateaux and tasting some of the great French wines I decided that I wanted to make a career in the wine business. At first I worked with collectors helping them acquire special wines from regions all over the world. This was a great opportunity for me to learn and to meet people in a wide range of professions B R E T T T AY L O R who were passionA G E : 3 3 ate about fine wine. TITLE: OWNER AND DIRECTOR O F G L O B A L D I S T R I B U T I O N AT It was during this D E S T I N Y B AY W I N E S time that I discovHow Long Have You Been ered Destiny Bay Involved With Destiny Bay? I and became a big fan of their joined Destiny Bay at the beginwines. After working with Sean, ning of 2009. Ann and Mike Spratt on some What Brought You To Waiheke events I realised that Destiny Island? Bay was a very special place. I still remember that conversation I was managing the private when Sean, Mike and I were havwine cellars for a specialty wine ing coffee and Mike said “Brett, retailer in Auckland when I met Sean, Ann and Mike Spratt. I was let’s just face it, you have to be part of the Destiny Bay team!” so impressed with the Destiny How could I say no to that? Bay wines that I got my best clients into their patron club. Over a few years I got to know the Spratt’s pretty well and then one day, over coffee, Sean, Mike and I realised that we should be working together full-time. No pun intended, but it seemed like it was just meant to be. Where Have You Travelled In

28 //

What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job? It is hard to say what I enjoy most. As an owner and member of the Destiny Bay family, I don’t really think of this as a “job” per se. It is more like a big adventure. Growing a globally respected luxury brand is

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

demanding, challenging and exciting. Also, the opportunity to work with a very talented team of passionate people doing something that is akin to magic (turning grapes into world class fine wine) is a dream come true. But perhaps one of the most satisfying things I get to do is share our story with our trade partners, collectors and champions. When I hear how people enjoy our wines and how our wines have made someone’s special occasion even more memorable and special, I feel a great sense of pride. Working with people you respect, making something you love for people who really appreciate it. How can you top that? What Do You Enjoy Most About Waiheke? When you get off the car ferry at Kennedy Point there is a sign that reads “Slow down, you’re here!” That pretty well sums it up. A breathtakingly beautiful island that is only a 40 minute ferry ride from Auckland. The weather is warmer, sunnier and drier than Auckland and you have beaches everywhere if you want to take a dip. We have no traffic lights, no fast food chains, and no hassles. Yes, it is true that some of our roads are a bit “rough” but seriously, did you really expect that the path through an island paradise would be paved? When You’re Not Making Wine Or Growing Grapes What Do You Enjoy Doing? I love to travel and visit fine restaurants around the world. The combination of fine wine and fine food has always intrigued me. I am fascinated by the skill of world class chefs and how they can craft a perfect combination of food and fine wine to create a truly memorable dining experience. Granted, it can often be expensive, but as a friend once told me “you

remember the meal long after you forget the price.” It Sucks When…. You get to the bottom of a great bottle of wine! Your Favourite Wine? If I was only allowed to have one last bottle of wine before I die, it would most definitely be a Chenin Blanc, I would definitely ask for a bottle of Vouvray “Le Haut Lieu” Moëlleux, Huet – 1947. Of course, if I answer that question again when I am an “old gun”, say in 50 years, I think I would ask for a 2010 Destiny Bay Magna Praemia. It is that good. Which Wine Market Excites You Most Right Now? Taiwan. The recent signing of the Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and Taiwan has opened the doors for New Zealand to promote our wines into the market without the hefty alcohol taxes they impose. Also, Taiwanese wine consumers are very sophisticated and appreciate rare and special wines. It is always a pleasure to work with customers with whom I share a common passion. Future Aspirations? As an owner of Destiny Bay, it is hard for me to think about a future that doesn’t, in some way, include our business. Long term I think we will find a way to expand what we are able to offer our customers and trade partners. Not just wine, but perhaps other artisan crafted products of uncommon quality and value. Travelling around the world as an owner and champion of a true New Zealand luxury brand sounds pretty exciting to me. Not only would I get to spend time doing what I love, but I could indulge my passion for fine food and fine wine and put it all on my expense account!

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Have been living and working on Waiheke Island since 2007. Started working at Goldie Wines (formerly known as Goldwater Estate) in 2008. What Brought You To Waiheke? Born and bred in Johannesburg, South Africa, I was immediately drawn to the VERY different lifestyle Waiheke offered. What’s not to like about a place that offers a fantastic wine and food scene, amazing beaches, great community feel and best of all…..clothes are optional…… well, at least some people (not me) think it is. Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here? Various vintages around New Zealand and Northern California. What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job? The artistry, the poetry, the challenges and struggles, being one with the land and the grapes and waiting for that once in a lifetime vintage to come around. What Do You Enjoy Most About Waiheke? Great fishing! Amazing wines! Some of the most interesting, diverse people you’ll ever meet I reckon. When You’re Not Making

Wine Or Growing Grapes? Well, like any good husband, I don’t enjoy brewing beer, fishing or sharing a glass of vino with my fellow Waiheke vintners. No sir, instead you’ll find me cleaning the house, doing the laundry, walking the dog and pruning the roses. It Sucks When…. You open a bottle of wine you’ve been cellaring for a while only to discover it’s corked! Your Favourite Wine? Chardonnay as a white and for reds, it’s a stand-off between left bank Bordeaux and Northern Rhone. Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now? Obviously Waiheke, which continues to produce some star quality wines. When the industry on the island first started back in the late 70’s, everyone was planting mostly Bordeaux varieties. Now we’re seeing plantings of all sorts, and producers are having great success with varieties such as Syrah, Tempranillo, Montepulciano and various other Spanish and Italian varieties. It’s exciting to think where the industry will be in the future.

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REGIONS CENTRAL OTAGO

PINOT CENTRAL: THE VINEYARD MAX MARRIOTT

t’s an old adage: “to make great wine, you must first have great grapes”. And it’s something extolled by winemakers with religious fervour. Granted, it’s often said in humble modesty – one cannot discount the efforts of talented winemakers – but there is great truth in not only the selection of great sites to plant grapes, but the growing of

those grape into world class wines. Vines are unique in many respects to the horticultural and agricultural world, where the object is not to farm grapes on a quantity level, but to cautiously and very carefully produce fruit that is balanced, tethered equally by concentration, sugar ripeness, physiological ripeness and a myriad of other valued qualities. After an exploration

Craig Carter of Zebra Vineyards.

30 //

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

of Central Otago Pinot from the winemakers’ viewpoint several months ago, it was time to now delve into Central Otago Pinot from the vineyard perspective. I spoke with local growers from a range of companies and subregions to shed light on how they tackle pinot in the vineyard. Central Otago, as a climate, can be quite extreme. Granted we don’t have the floods, earthquakes and fires that other Pinot-growing regions have had to overcome, but savage winds, high UV, unpredictable frosts, arctic blasts of snow, drought, spiking heat, hail and torrential downpours (that can slough away entire horizons of soil) are all part of this region’s seasonal viticulture. James Dicey, of Grape Vision (and Central Otago Winegrowers Association President), believes that the interpretation and reaction to these events is one of the most important strategies for achieving balance in Pinot Noir. “Pinot Noir is particularly responsive to its environment. We are gradually learning in Central Otago that it’s not the average of climatic factors in a particular season that’s important, but how these arrive and how they affect particular Pinot clones on particular sites. All this makes achieving the ‘holy grail’ of growing Pinot Noir extremely difficult – the concept of balance. Particularly, the balance between yield and canopy in a given year to achieve a desired quality outcome.

“A crystal ball would be extremely useful – without it we rely on knowledge of the supposed phenological reaction of the vine, observation and experience to suggest a myriad of potential pathways forward to achieve balance.” Duncan Billing, of Valli, echoes this sentiment. “As far south as Central Otago is, nature can be a stern taskmaster,” he says. “The greatest challenge is trying to walk the line of balance within any given vintage. Experience and time as we learn to farm our vineyards gives any vineyard man-

ager worth his or her salt the ability to be prescriptive or adaptive, whilst having the humility to not pre- empt what mother nature will do next.” I like Yoshi Sato’s quote, as taken from the Winefront website during an interview with Mike Bennie, where he says “We can make obvious, fruity wines, but (we) have to take care to make wines of precision: (It’s) not so easy making elegant Pinot Noir – growing grapes here is easy, making elegant wines is not.” It’s certainly dogma that has plagued the region with stigma in the past, but growers are very conscious of this and there has been a tangible shift towards Pinot management that facilitates physiological ripeness before excessive sugar ripeness. How is this achieved? “Timing”, says Craig Carter of Zebra Vineyards, “Doing a good job and getting the work done on time is as important as anything else we do. It’s about understanding the vines and what we expect

from them, whilst always striving for perfection. Pinot is very hands on.” “Given that we use a large percentage of whole bunches in our ferments, achieving ripe stems without over-ripening our fruit is a balancing act,” adds Billing. “I would rather see healthy, balanced fruit with vitality and lignified stems at harvest than pick really small bunches and berries that fail to yield an economically stable crop.” Tim Austin-Moorhouse, of Mount Edward, touches on some of their approaches, “We prune in a way that helps us reach our desired crop level but also maintain an open canopy. Our canopy management ensures good light exposure on the fruit whilst minimizing disease pressure. We try and improve vine health and stimulate vine immunity through seaweeds and organic forms of nutrients rather than an excessive spray regime. We try and improve the soil and its biology through the

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use of composts, teas and cover crops. We endeavour to use irrigation wisely balancing the needs of the vine against excessive vigour.” Within these broad brushstrokes, there are finer details employed by Central Otago’s growers on a more personal, site-specific level, according to their individual philosophies and those of the winemakers. The timing and amount of irrigation (infrequent, heavy soaks versus frequent, smaller doses), the timing and need for trimming, exposure of the fruit zone (laterals vs leaf, heavy vs light, east vs west), crop load, fruit thinning and so forth. The fragile skins of Pinot have to be protected from sunburn and excessive heat, yet those same skins require light and exposure to produce ripe tannins and avoid greenness. The fruit zone is often duly opened, but what about lateral growth above the fruit zone, in a bid to reduce canopy density and young leaf, promoting less sugar accumulation and more flavour

32 //

development from mature leaf? Does trimming height make a difference? Are higher crop loads more desirable in earlier years with larger canopies to prolong

multiple layers of complexity that you keep coming back to, rather than being sledgehammered. So some variability is acceptable, but again, it’s about overall balance,

“My personal view is that too much homogenous fruit tends to make mono-dimensional wines that may look ‘concentrated’ in their youth but fail to develop.” – James Dicey

hang time and acid retention? And what then of variability? Does it boost complexity or detract from uniformity and consistency? “I have worked for a large number of winemakers who have different tolerances to variability”, says Dicey. “My personal view is that too much homogenous fruit tends to make mono-dimensional wines that may look ‘concentrated’ in their youth but fail to develop. Pinot Noir at its optimal is about

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

and the season drives this.” Austin-Moorhouse is on the same page, exploring this concept from vine establishment, “We do see some positives in variability – we have just recently planted a block of Pinot in which three clones were mixed together at planting and when it crops will of course be fermented together – this was done on the understanding that the variability in the ripening of the clones will bring complexity.”

Perhaps the final hurdle to overcome, for all New World Pinot growers, isn’t necessarily the management of the grapevine, but a perceived dichotomy between grower and winemaker. We don’t need to pretend that we’re trying to make or emulate Burgundy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t adopt some of their great ideas, like the concept of the vigneron. If we can bridge the gap between the winery and the vineyard, where growers have a better understanding of desired wine outcome and a knowledge of wine chemistry, wouldn’t that create greater transparency and thinking on behalf of both parties? So too for the winemakers, venturing into the vineyard more to gain a greater understanding of vine physiology, in addition to the impact of staffing and other management decisions critical to the time of year. It’s a synergy that is already beginning to happen, promising more great things from Pinot Central in the future. ■ max@maxmarriott.com

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BOB’S BLOG BOB CAMPBELL MW

Gnome Decorating How big is your brand? Christmas is a good time to look back at the successes and failures in the past year and to prepare a plan for the next 12 months. One of the yardsticks I use to measure my performance is to check out my brand strength. Last year I used Google analytics to see how many times someone had searched for my name over the Internet. I compared my result with that of prominent local and overseas wine critics and was gratified to see that I had attracted more searches than Jancis Robinson. My ego rapidly deflated when my website guy informed me that there is likely to be more Bob Campbells in the world than Jancis Robinsons. A useful way to check out the strength of your wine brand is to become a Pro version member of Wine Searcher (www.wine-searcher.com), the world’s largest wine website boasting over one million hits a day.* Click on the “demand” function, enter the wine brand of your choice and see how many times users of a dedicated wine website have searched for your brand. In December Oyster Bay (1969 hits) beat Brancott (1674); Felton Road (2127) beat Ata Rangi (1267) and Cloudy Bay beat them all with 3.967 hits.

Chardonnay on the up In the closing months of last year, glass bottle maker OI-NZ invited me to organise and host four regional wine tastings for their winemaker clients. I decided on a Pinot Noir theme for Central Otago and a Chardonnay theme for Marlborough, Martinborough and Hawke’s Bay. The blind tasting was in three parts with four wines in each. The first four wines were white burgundies, the second flight was New Zealand Chardonnay/ Pinot Noir excluding wines from the home region, while the last flight was four of the best wines I could find from the home region. The purpose of the tasting was to stimulate discussion about Chardonnay styles (or Pinot Noir styles in the case of Central Otago). Opposing views on acceptable Chardonnay styles promoted lively and occasionally heated 34 //

To raise funds for Devonport’s Community House organisers invited a handful of local celebrities to each decorate a garden gnome for auction over Trade Me. I christened my gnome “Priscilla, queen of the vines” and dressed it in drag with a pink feather headdress and net stockings. I even threw in a bottle of Kim Crawford Pansy Rosé, although licence issues prevented the bonus bottle from being mentioned on Trade Me. It was described on the website as “a gnome with the wow factor”. My gnome fetched a fairly modest $92, well behind Lorde $500, Tim Finn (the musical one, not the wine one) $410, Mike Cohen (North Shore councillor) $400, Paul Ego (comedian on 7 Days) $120 and Jacko Gill (gold medal shot putter) $106. I did however beat Pipa Wetzell $51 and country music enthusiast Roger Giles $40. Probably as good a measure of brand strength as any.

debate. Before the identities of the wines were revealed I asked everyone to vote for their favourite wine in each flight. There was surprising agreement across the regions with the same wines emerging as favourites in each. Here are a few of the points that I gleaned from the three regional Chardonnay tastings.

Demand for Chardonnay is increasing. The variety seems to be clawing back some of the market share that it lost to Pinot Gris. The French white Burgundies were generally well regarded although some winemakers found them to be too reductive. The cheapest white Bur-

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

gundy, Girardin 2010 PulignyMontrachet $75, was voted top French wine in all three regions, ahead of wines worth several times its price. It is (or was) available from Maison Vauron in Auckland. While many producers acknowledged that there is a market demand for the now rather old fashioned big and buttery Chardonnay styles the majority felt that they should lead rather than follow the market and were convinced that the more modern and perhaps more Burgundian style Chardonnay is simply a better model. There was wide ranging views on the acceptability of reductive characters in Chardonnay. The most recognisable “regional” Chardonnay style was found in the four Martinborough wines, perhaps because Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay are larger regions with greater variation.

Drink up with Drync app I am now a frequent user of a clever and useful app. recently downloaded onto my iPhone (I’m pretty sure it’s also available on android phones). Drync allows you to photograph a wine label and store the wine in an index. You can rate the wine and write tasting notes if you wish. The app. then searches its database and inserts a tasting note from its own website records. It’s free, easy to use and very practical.

Christchurch Wine & Food Festival In December last year I conducted a wine workshop at the Christchurch Wine and Food Festival for the third year in a row. It’s a very civilised affair – great people in a beautiful environment with a wide choice of wines foods and lectures on offer. I certainly don’t go to every wine and food festival on offer every year but the Christchurch event now rates as my favourite. * Bob is a Director of Wine-Searcher.

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WINERY NEWS

WINE IN KEG: NEW TECHNOLOGY JOELLE THOMSON

f it’s ever occurred to you that the standard 750ml bottle was a clunky size to transport and serve wine from, then you’re in good company. Winemaker and brewer Josh Scott reckons the traditional beer keg is a superior way of storing, transporting and serving wine. Especially wine that’s destined for relatively immediate consumption in bars, cafes and restaurants. The idea of the keg as a wine container is not new. But a new size and shape is. Scott so enthusiastic about the Key Keg that he and his father, Allan Scott – pioneer and founder of Allan Scott Wines – have been importing, that he has chosen this vessel for their Scott Base wines in restaurants and bars. It is taller and narrower so it looks more elegant than the traditional keg, says Scott. And lest anyone be thinking this is a place for leftovers, Scott is keen to emphasise that this is about quality. Not low end wine.

“It’s all about premium wine. Top end is where it’s at – people want quality, not quantity,” he says. “We were the first to bring the Key Keg into New Zealand three years ago. We call it Barrel Wine and we use it for between 20 to 30 litres, although we’ve just moved to a 20 litre slimline version, which is a different shape again. The idea behind this is that the wine’s always fresh with every single pour and eliminates the risk of oxidation from opening a bottle one day and going back to it the next.” To further fuel the demand – and their own passion – for high quality wine, Allan Scott spent time overseas on a sourcing trip in late 2013 to buy wines from other countries, which will add to the diversity of the keg offering in New Zealand bars. Scott says their own wine has been so well received that they are ready to take the plunge with wines from further afield too. Furthermore, their trade customers

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like it because it dispenses with the problem of having to throw wine out, due to waste; the main type being caused by the inevitable oxidation of dribs and drabs of wine left overs from the standard 750ml bottles. The Key Keg has an aluminum bladder inside a plastic keg. Scott says this eliminates further risk of oxidation and wastage and is a really gentle way of pouring wine. Some systems of keg wine delivery use inert gases, such as argon and nitrogen, to displace oxygen. That technology is relatively old school beer technology, which Scott says doesn’t work

consistently because the gas eventually comes into direct contact with the wine. Over time this dissolves in the wine and gives spritzy wines. “There’s still a high chance of oxidation and contamination that way but we’ve found far less with Key Keg.” ■ jthomson@xtra.co.nz

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

NZW NEWS

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NEW POSITION TESSA NICHOLSON

t is a sign of the growth of the wine industry that the national body has appointed for the first time, an External Relations Manager, to be based in Wellington. As the seat of Government, the capital plays an important role in any major industry. NZW’s Dr John Barker, says the appointment of Nicola Crennan will provide some very real face-to-face liaison with the powers that be. “There are a lot of issues we need to progress with the government,” he said. “We are a growing industry and as we grow, those issues take on more importance and there are also more of them.” Crennan’s role will be to liaise with government officials and departments, on a variety of important issues including; • Working on standards, the Wine Act and the on-going review of export legislation • Social responsibility – which includes the sale and supply of alcohol • Working on the review of alcohol advertising • Pricing policies

• Geographical indications – which has been an on-going issue with the government for the past seven years. Crennan herself brings to the position a multitude of experience. Originally training as a lawyer, she worked for the Advertising Standards Authority. She was then a solicitor for the Department of Labour before being appointed to the international team where she worked for 10 years. In 2010 she moved from the Department of Labour to the Beehive, where she was Private Secretary, Labour to the then Minister, Hon Kate Wilkinson. In 2012 she became the Private Secretary, Tourism for the Prime Minister, Rt Hon John Key and also supported Hon Chris Tremain as Associate Minister of Tourism. Crennan took up the position at the end of last year, and will be based in the Vodafone Tower in Lambton Quay. She is keen to hear from the industry on the issues of importance as they see them. Especially as NZW take the position into the future. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

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NOT ON THE LABEL LEGAL MATTERS WITH MARIJA BATISTICH SENIOR ASSOCIATE, BELL GULLY

he recent “Don’t be a ‘cool’ Dad” publicity campaign was a high-profile reminder that a significant number of changes to existing alcohol laws came into effect on 18 December 2013. Those operating both cellar door sales and online ordering options will need to be aware the changes relate to more than the sale and supply of alcohol to minors. Discounts, promotions and trading hours all feature in the changes – with a new “three strikes and you’re out” policy threatening the liquor licenses of those who fall foul of the new rules. The reforms are focused on changing the way people drink, in an effort to decrease the harm caused by excessive and inappropriate consumption of alcohol. The amendments will have significant implications for both consumers and in particular for those providing alcohol in the course of their business. The changes are focussed on reducing inappropriate drinking by controlling the promotion and advertisement of alcohol. An array of promotion types are considered to be irresponsible promotion under the Act. For example, the public advertisement of alcohol which suggests a discount of 25% or more off standard retail price is (subject to some exceptions) illegal under the amendments.

This prohibits two for one offers and any similar promotions which can be seen or heard outside of licensed premises. Promotions involving an opportunity to win a prize when alcohol is bought are also illegal, as are advertisements with ‘special appeal’ to minors and anything else that is likely to encourage people to consume to an excessive extent. Fines and the suspension of licenses apply where these rules are breached. As examples of the restrictions in the real world, promotions offering a free bottle of wine or other alcoholic beverage when dining cannot be run and degustation or set menus that include alcohol will need to ensure that any discount on the retail price of wine is less than 25%. Where the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority finds that irresponsible promotion has occurred, the new “three strikes” policy applies so that licensees or managers with three negative holdings within a three year period will have their license cancelled. The Licensing Authority decision is made by majority vote following any relevant investigations and their decision may then be appealed to the High Court. The role of local authorities under the proposed changes is significantly increased, as they will now be able to produce local alcohol policies to provide guidance

as to the areas in which licensed premises may be located, maximum trading hours, and other measures to control alcohol use such as one-way door policies. Individuals and businesses will have the opportunity to submit on the draft policy and a public hearing will be held into matters raised in those submissions. Applications for liquor licenses will be made to a new body called the District Licensing Committee comprising three members (including one chairperson) appointed by the territorial authority. Objections to applications for licences may be made by those with an interest in the application which is greater than the general public. This will include neighbours to proposed licensed premises. A number of factors are considered in deciding whether to grant a licence including whether the amenity and good order of the locality would be likely to be reduced by the effects of the issue of the licence. Matters such as noise, nuisance and vandalism will all be relevant to this inquiry. Maintaining good relationships with neighbours has never been more important for those wineries with dining and function facilities. The decision of the Licensing Committee may be appealed to the Licensing Authority. In addition to these amend-

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

ments, one of the more highly publicised aspects of the new regime is the changes relating to the sale and supply of alcohol to minors. It is an offence to sell or supply alcohol to minors. For licensed premises there is an exception where the minor is accompanied by a guardian and the guardian supplies the alcohol. However it is important to remember that outside of licensed premises any person may be prosecuted for supplying alcohol to a minor. The new Act includes the requirement to obtain the express consent of a child’s parents in order to supply them with alcohol and has been the subject of some commentary in terms of how this can be communicated (ie. orally or in writing), as well as subsequently evidenced. In addition to this, anyone who supplies alcohol to minors, including to their own child or with express parental consent, must supply the alcohol in a “responsible manner”. To comply with this requirement parents should ensure that adequate supervision is provided, that non-alcoholic beverages and food are available and that provision is made for safe transport. The effect of these changes will be wide reaching for both the wine industry, and the general public. It will be some time until the reforms have fully taken effect and their success can properly be assessed. ■

REGIONS HAWKE’S BAY

TOP WINEMAKER FOR 2013 F

or Chris Scott, it has been an almost meteoric rise, from a summer holiday job back in the 90s, to New Zealand Winemaker of the Year for 2013. Scott who is the chief winemaker for Church Road was awarded the title late last year by Winestate Magazine. Ten wines from individual winemakers were judged throughout the year, with the award going to the person who achieved the highest

score overall. Scott’s passion is Chardonnay and red blend winemaking. Since becoming the chief winemaker in 2005, he has been the driving force behind Church Road TOM Chardonnay and Church Road TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. He has also been instrumental in overseeing the introduction of new wines to the range, including Rhone varieties Syrah and Viognier and he helped to evolve new

wine varietals in Hawke’s Bay including award-winning Marzemino and Sauvignon Gris. Despite being thrilled to receive the award, he was quick to credit the rest of the Church Road staff. “Winemaking at Church Road is a team effort,” he said. “Our vineyard team have an outstanding knowledge of the region and the individual vineyards and deliver outstanding fruit year after year.

Our cellar team has a dedication to wine quality that far exceeds what anyone could hope for. I know everyone at Church Road is extremely proud of the wines we make and this win reflects the passion and commitment of the entire team.” Scott has worked at Church Road since 1998 when he was employed as a cellar hand. Prior to that he worked during his summer holidays in the vineyards and cellar door. ■

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SOMMELIER’S CORNER CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

SUMMER OF RIESLING AND ROSÉ Summer and the early part of the year have brought the release of more of the acclaimed 2013 vintage wines. It is a time when reps from various distribution companies or independents emerge from summer break to begin the 2014 campaign of showing off and selling wine for their clients. Restaurateurs, Somms and wine buyers have varied needs, and react in different ways to the plethora of phone calls, cold calls and emails offering everything from special offers to the final few cases of something. We definitely want to see what’s out there and available to list, but we also want to engage with reps who have a handle on what an individual establishment is trying to achieve with their wine and food programme. A few selling techniques could be somewhat improved – not every wine in a catalogue will be ‘amazing’ and I am not necessarily going to ‘just love’ this example – and even if I do love it – it may not be right for the establishment at this time. Wine samples opened three days ago that are now oxidising rather rapidly will only provide the opportunity to see how well a wine might perform by the glass - or not. On the plus side, some wines just simply stand out, head and shoulders above the rest, something we are actually looking for - or didn’t realise we were looking for - and the opportunity to try was well timed. Two wines styles which are currently fitting this idea and gaining some traction onpremise are Riesling and Rosé. The acceptance of Riesling in general as the versatile wine

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it is (crisp, dry aperitif through to sweet course accompaniment) is growing. Although Riesling has been somewhat stuck stage left historically in New Zealand, in the shadow of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris, this is arguably no

longer the case. A knowledgeable and experienced front-ofhouse person or rep can sell the attributes, story and logic for such a wine choice. Riesling can also be a great wine choice for Asian and Fusion

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

fare – the drier styles with aromatic spices, multi-layered flavours and textures, and off-dry to sweet examples with heat spices and lush moist dishes.

The growing popularity of these cuisine types should ensure a similarly increasing focus on Riesling in a dining room. New Zealand Riesling has a reasonable level of competition from German, French, Austrian and Australian imports – this is a testament to both the level of

acceptance and age-ability of this noble variety. Rosé is another historically low-in-favour style I am noting an increasing demand for – it is really pleasing to see the examples on wine lists up from the token one or two, to four or five. This has been driven, in part, by an emerging divergence in styles tending towards dry, with more texture from tannin or lees (or both). These attributes can make Rosé significantly more food friendly. Having several examples on a wine list also allows for Rosé to be offered from a range of grape varieties, dryness levels and wine-making techniques. Rosé can be an alternative aperitif in a dry style, or the perfect transition wine between entrée and main. Current release Rosé (2013) has my vote over anything older – if the wine is more than 18 months old it can lose too much of its vitality and freshness to be effective other than as a modest complement to some food styles. I am enjoying the trend to more Rosé and Riesling on wine lists – mine, and other establishments. ■

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Castagna Vineyard, Beechworth.

EXPLORING VICTORIA MAX MARRIOTT

s far as Aussie wine regions go, the majority of my top ten – for excitement, for potential, for quality – reside in Victoria. It’s a state that has long bucked the trend of commonality, partly due to climate, partly due to desire. The proximity to Melbourne is a massive drawcard for tourists and pundits alike, the regions seemingly radiating out to varying proportions, never more than a 3hr drive away. The spread in latitude and altitude, along with a staggering variation in soils, leads to a

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broad spectrum of not just grape varieties, but wine styles as well. The trip – part holiday, part farm visits, part winery interludes – followed a loop that started and finished in Melbourne, touring north-east into Beechworth, then west to Bendigo and Heathcote, south to the Macedon Ranges and then finishing in the Yarra Valley. Gippsland, the King Valley, Mornington and Rutherglen would have to wait until next time. Like Max Allen says, “If you’re a winemaker in Beechworth, it almost seems mandatory to be

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

biodynamic”. It certainly is a hub for people employing biodynamic practices, which for me was an attraction in addition to the region’s reputation for low production, quality focused wines from estate vineyards. We had visits with Keppel Smith of Savaterre (Pinot and Chardonnay), Jan Morey of Sorrenberg (Gamay, Cab Sauv, Sauv/Sem and Chardonnay), a quick stop at Giaconda and then a couple of hours with Julian Castagna. Julian is a warm, quietly-spoken yet opinionated sort of guy,

who likes to answer questions with questions. He goes gooey over babies and speaks quite plainly about how he operates, without the pomp and embellishment you might expect from a winemaker of his repute. We tasted several vintages in barrel and tank, including wines of good quality that he intends to completely declassify and make into vermouth. “If a wine, for whatever reason, lacks the life and energy that I’ve grown accustomed to from this vineyard, I won’t bottle it under the Castagna label”.

We spoke about biodynamics, about the progressive nature of the industry at the moment, the concept of natural wines and the experimentation with orange wines. Says Julian, “I am biodynamic because I believe it is the most powerful way of allowing the vineyard to speak. If natural wine means wine without artefacts, then I have been making natural wine this whole time. But if you mean wine without sulphur, then I have no problem as long as it doesn’t leave the cellar. When someone presents me with a glass of wine which is either oxidized or volatile, and then tell me it’s “natural” and that I need to get used to it, they’re talking out of their backside. In the end, wine is food and we do not find faulty food charming for very long.” The time in Bendigo and Heathcote was brief, but there was an opportunity to visit Ron Laughton at Jasper Hill, whose wines had sold out. It was fascinating listening to Ron speak about his vineyard and winemaking ethos. He has a crew come to help with harvest, and then with pruning, and that’s it. No shoot thinning, no fruit thinning, no leaf plucking, no shoot positioning. His Shiraz vines are dry grown and essentially self-sufficient. He did admit to some yellowing off in January one particularly hot recent summer, but he is far from perturbed by the cosmetic aesthetics of the vineyard. He also runs his vineyard biodynamically, utilizing a mix of mulch and cultivation to manage his undervine area. He talks very simply about the benefits of biodynamic practices. “BD500 is just a microbe bomb - it must glean something from its horn vessel, because the horns break down over time – and we know that microbes need warm water and oxygen to proliferate.” A couple of hours down the road, Michael Dhillon of Bindi in the Macedon Ranges is a good

friend of Ron Laughton, and shakes his head as I relay the details of our visit at Jasper Hil. “Here’s Ron, with next to no canopy management and labour costs throughout the growing season, commanding $100/bottle for his wines that sell out in weeks, and here we are desperately trying to get on top of the growth in the vineyard, manipulating, controlling, using considerable labour and making far less profit at half the price he charges!” There are plans afoot to expand the modest plantings at Bindi (currently just 6ha) which are made up of Pinot and Chardonnay. The region is quite similar to many New Zealand climates, with the threat of spring frosts (there had been some damage the day before we arrived due to a frost fan malfunction) and a higher altitude (500m) resulting in significantly cooler nights. The vineyard is planted onto shattered quartz over ancient siltstone and sandstone. Whilst the Pinot is exceptional (particularly with some age), I thought the Chardonnay on the day was well suited to the quartz soils and on tasting had the drive, acidity and tautness of a cru Chablis. The final two visits were with a couple of relatively unknown producers from the Yarra (at least, I suspect, for Kiwis), but whom are fast gaining notoriety and creating some truly exciting wines. I met up with Stu Proud, the viticulturist for Thousand Candles, a new project bankrolled by an investor out of Singapore. Their first release – a blend – uses Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. Certainly strange bedfellows under the typical stylistic umbrella, but as Stu explains, they’re approaching this project without burden or boundaries. “It all began in 2010-2011 when the 1200 acre property was purchased in the Yarra Valley with the brief to ‘aim high and make

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Old Dodge and Wine Barrels, Savaterre Vineyard.

a wine of difference’. Instead of having preconceived ideas about the style of wine or reference to others, the plan was to farm the place and listen, to wait, and to see what we could product.

The wine is not about variety but meant to be a true reflection of the season it was grown in and speak of the place where it comes from.” As far as management of the

property, Stu uses a multi-faceted approach. “I’ve worked with a whole range of ideas and practices over the years and have kind of picked the best bits out of each system.

Biological diversity and numbers underpins the whole approach but having tangible ways of tracking progress is important. The key focus is soil health. A balance between structure, biology and nutrition. Working with a lot of natural products and practices means you have to be proactive not reactive. Keeping a close eye on the weather and being one step ahead is always a challenge. The healthy, balanced systems can always bugger themselves more effectively against adverse conditions.” Just around the corner from the Thousand Candles property was our final visit with Mac Forbes. The Mac Forbes label has been around for about ten years, though it wasn’t until recently that Mac obtained his own winery space and ownership in the vineyards he was sourcing his fruit from. He is a key proponent

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

of sub-regionality, an ethos that underpins his entire business, with a total of eight small parcels that they care for, across the Yarra and into the Strathbogie Ranges (higher elevation north-east of the Yarra, where they source their Riesling fruit). Unlike the Australian norm, Mac is crafting Rieslings with varying levels of residual sugar (boldly punctuated on the front label), and he is tailoring his viticulture and winemaking to produce sub-regional Pinots that are picked on acid rather than sugar. Some of these wines have just 12.5 or 13% a/v. They’re certainly the most age-worthy Australian Pinots I’ve ever tasted, with bold structures that can actually make the wines a bit hard to assess so fresh and early on. “Within the winemaking fraternity, there’s a lot of cynicism about sub-regionality”, explains

Sub-regional soils, Mac Forbes.

Mac. “I think people are entitled to their opinion, but we started working in the (historically) main areas of the Yarra, yet we’ve now found a few sites that don’t resemble anything out of the main area. I think the key thing is that we’re still scratching the surface on the most suitable and exciting sites but from a sub-regional point of

view, we’re certainly starting to identify major trends in various areas. The greatest motivation is preserving the expression of the great sites. The evolution is really exciting and we appreciate that there is still lots more to learn.” In some ways, these last two visits in the Yarra may epitomise a new frontier in Australian wine

that moves beyond the techniques of Victoria’s historically great estates. A changing of the guard, maybe. A new stylistic wave, maybe. Either way, it’s sure to keep the Victorian wine industry at the cutting edge of progress, innovation and discovery. ■ max@maxmarriott.com

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 45

VINEYARD NEWS

GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE TESSA NICHOLSON

zero in 1995. This growing resistance is of concern to all involved in viticulture, given how much of it is used and how often. Nick Pike, the Chief Executive of the Foundation for Arable Research, said ryegrass resistance is a particular concern, with New Zealand being the second country in the world to have recorded resistance in lolium multiflorum (Italian ryegrass or annual ryegrass). Removing this and perennial ryegrass from vineyards has often been a common practice, as growers attempt

to clear away competing species beneath vines. Pike said that the research being undertaken on glyphosate resistance, has been studying the impact of glyphosates on perennial ryegrass in Marlborough. “In this project the scientists grew out some lolium multiflorum plants and exposed them to different rates of glyphosates. The plants continued to grow quite happily at 4 litres per hectare. At 8 litres we still had ryegrass surviving and you wouldn’t want to be using glyphosates at that level. If we look

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lyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses known to compete with commercial crops grown around the globe. It was released onto the market in 1974 and currently in New Zealand it makes up approximately 20 percent of herbicide sales. It is used throughout our primary industries, and is perhaps the most relied on herbicide of choice. Yet resistance to glyphosate is growing, with 25 species around the world now resistant, compared with

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

at perennial ryegrass, except at 2 and 4 litres per hectare, the growth is slightly stunted and at 8 litres it’s still alive. At 16 litres there is still a bit of green there, so this variety is very tolerant to high rates of glyphosates.” See photo. In terms of how a plant gains resistance, Pike said there is generally an alteration of the translocation within the plant. “So instead of the glyphosates moving to the growing point it moves into a vacuoles and is stored. That is the early stage of resistance that has been picked up. There are two other types of resistance. The target site mutations and the gene amplification.” These resistant mechanisms don’t all occur in the same manner, but they do all come about as a result of repeat uses of glyphosates. “So that five, six or 15 years of glyphosate may take place before you see resistance

occurring.” Anywhere you are using glyphosates to create weed free strips is going to be high risk, Pike said. But there are ways to avoid resistance. “You need to make sure you are looking. If you think a plant should have been killed and it hasn’t, go back and get rid of it. That’s number one. Number two is to avoid overuse of glyphosates. Wherever you can, mix something else in that will also control the weeds. Or rotate glyphosate. Use another product. There are other options such as mowing, grazing, cultivation or rouging that you could consider.” Pike said we don’t have the luxury of saying we have these chemicals at our disposal as we move forward, if more plants become resistant. “We need to make sure we use them wisely to ensure we have the ability to use these chemicals in the future.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 47

REGIONS MARTINBOROUGH

TRAGEDY TURN TO TE MUNA SUCCESS JOELLE THOMSON P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A M A N DA R I TC H I E

olin Carruthers QC and Deborah Coddington are big names in legal and journalism circles, but their new winery is dedicated to small-scale wine production. It can’t be any other way. The couple’s Redbank Estate on Te Muna Road, Martinborough, is 11.5 hectares in total, of which 9 hectares is under vine. The quality, on the other hand, is extremely good, thanks to a run of good winemakers; Jane Cooper from Matahiwi Estate and, now, Simon Groves; a local who began as winemaker in 2013. The Te Muna site was purchased in 1996, making Carruthers the first to buy land here with the

intention of planting grapes; “I was a laughing stock,” he recalls. “I couldn’t’ go anywhere in the Wairarapa without people asking if I was mad to think of growing grapes at Te Muna.” It turned out that a family tragedy delayed the planting and subsequent production by several years. The year after he purchased the land, his son, James, passed away. The site had been chosen by James, who was going to manage the vineyard and make the wine. His name is now on the label of the wines and also on the heavy wooden entrance gate to the property; which seems like a direct euphemism for the weight of this

project. The land lay dormant for nearly four years after he passed away, until a friend encouraged Carruthers to use it. That friend was fellow lawyer and local winemaker, John Porter of Porters Pinots, who introduced Carruthers to Larry McKenna of The Escarpment Vineyard; directly across the road. Together, they advised him on grape varieties, planting the vineyard and making the wine. The first wines were made in 2004 by Jane Cooper. But the logistics of transporting the grapes, coupled with Carruthers’ desire to be directly involved in the transformation from grapes in the vineyard to wine at the winery,

Colin Carruthers QC and Deborah Coddington with dogs Hawk and Whetu.

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

made it too tough to continue. “To get what we really want, we have to be able to nurse the grapes from the vineyard into the winery, so we have built a new winery on site. The aim has always been to have a winery right alongside the grapes. Now we have it,” Carruthers says. He does indeed. The nearest vines are a mere metre from the concrete processing platform on which the grapes begin their transformative process. He also has a new winemaker. Groves took over the winemaking reigns from the 2013 vintage; a tall order on top of owning and co-managing the Martinborough Wine Centre with his partner, Amanda Ritchie. While the usual successful suspects occupy most of the 9 hectare Redbank Estate vineyard, there is a small triangular shaped corner of the site at the front of the home planted in Syrah and Viognier. This portion of land is significantly hotter than the main vineyard behind the home; though, being Martinborough, both receive more than their fair share of wind. But Syrah holds a special place in Carruthers’ heart - and in his wine glass. A framed black and white photograph of his grandmother on the wall outside his personal wine cellar is a clue to why. “She was a wine collector and I grew up knowing of her great love of wines. She didn’t have a vast collection but she had a serious one, including some of Australia’s

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 great Shirazes. It was unusual for a New Zealand woman in those days to collect wine, but she had a passion for good wines.” Carruthers and Coddington made their first trial runs of Syrah and Viognier on site in a smaller building, which now operates as a barrel hall and, on occasion, a small events venue. “The Syrah vines are from the original Stonecroft clone and the Viognier is the clone we refer to as the Millton clone,” says

Carruthers. In the larger, main vineyard, he has planted Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, including clones 5, 667 and 777; predominantly on the devigorating rootstock 101.14. Vines on other rootstock are not faring as well, even in this wind-stricken region, but as they are still relatively young vines, Carruthers will watch their progress before making changes. ■ jthomson@xtra.co.nz

THREE SHADES OF GRIS A new winery and a new winemaker can spell change but it’s business as usual for Simon Groves, with two new style departures added in for good measure - a dry Pinot Grigio and a sweet Pinot Gris. His first vintage at Redbank Estate was 2013, the first whites from which were bottled in January this year. They include the new, bone dry ‘Martinborough meets Northern Italy’ Pinot Grigio, which will be labeled accordingly, to indicate its dry taste and medium body. The house style Pinot Gris remains part of Redbank Estate’s production and is a 25 gram residual sugar, wild ferment, Alsatian-inspired wine. And the third Pinot Gris incorporates wild ferment and partial noble rot rather than full strength botrytis; this makes for a medium bodied, fresh white with flavours of grapefruit, hazlenuts and toasted macadamias. Groves says: “My aim with the dry one was to make a Martinborough meets Northern Italy wine; with the depth and character of low cropped Pinot Grigio.”

 

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   

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 

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 49

INDUSTRY NEWS

MECHANICAL HARVESTING T

op dressing pilot Chris Pask viewed the old Ngaruroro river bed in Hawkes Bay from above for many years and identified that this barren infertile land could be ideal for growing premium grapes. In 1981 he planted the first vines at Gimblett Road, beginning with the red varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. These grapes flourished in the free draining, low fertility riverbed soils. This region has since become known as the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District and enjoys

a global reputation for excellence and is now considered some of the most highly sort after vineyard land in the country. Pask Winery has continued to acquire land at Gimblett Road over many years and the harvesting of the fruit while initially all by hand, became a combination of both machine and handpicked fruit as scale grew. Winemaker Kate Radburnd joined Pask Winery in 1991. She had previous experience with Gimblett Road fruit when Chris supplied her with grapes at Vidal Winery, and they were consist-

ently high quality. Pask Winery has gained an international reputation, with gold medal and trophy success in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and Asia. But the global world of wine is competitive and cost reduction, while maintaining quality is forever a consideration. New technology for machine harvesting is always of interest, particularly when berry integrity is maintained. In 2008 the first Pellenc Selectiv’ Process Harvesters were introduced into New Zealand,

and quickly demonstrated that here was a machine which could reliably deliver fruit to the winery, already de-stemmed, clear of leaf and petiole, and in perfect condition as the winemakers required. Since then, these machines have been adopted by the contractors and larger wineries throughout New Zealand and have resulted in the further mechanisation of this element of the industry. Because of the large capital investment required to purchase a harvester, medium sized wineries like Pask continued to use the

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services of contractors. Then in late 2012 Pask invested in a new 8090 Pellenc Selectiv’ Process Harvester, which is towed and powered by the conventional tractors already used in their vineyards. This new harvester does all the same things the larger self-propelled cousins do, but at a price affordable to the midsize wineries. Last vintage Pask Wines used their Pellenc Selectiv’ Process Harvester to harvest all their own fruit, eliminating hand picking for the first time. For the vineyard staff who had never used mechanical grape harvesters of any kind before, this new machine with its electronic controls was a completely new challenge to which they quickly adapted. At the winery Radburnd found the operation worked perfectly, with the winemaking staff able to work day after day with good, clean fruit arriving in manageable

volumes at ideal ripeness, based on their own harvesting decisions. “Managing the grape intake ourselves has eliminated the

need to lock in set hectares to be harvested at not necessarily optimal times. The 2013 vintage has produced exceptional quality; we

could not have had a better season to first experience our own harvesting and we look forward to many more to come.” ■

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 51

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MYTH BUSTING AUSTRALIAN WINE JOELLE THOMSON

he organisers of the first Savour Australia last year had a lofty aim: to raise the profile of Australia as a tourist destination, using wine and food. This is not Tasting Australia; a long-standing food focused event where wine is an add-on. By contrast, Savour Australia champions the country’s wines first,

with food not merely a necessary adjunct, but an essential component. It was well timed. The event proved a perfect opportunity for the promotion of a new range of food-focussed wines by Jacob’s Creek, which are being designed to match food from different cultures around the world. One of the event’s most compelling sessions was about bust-

Steingarten Riesling at Sunset. PHOTO: JOELLE THOMSON

52 //

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

ing the myths of Australian wine; a panel discussion between winemakers, scientists and industry leaders. They included, among others listed below, Prue Henschke (Henschke Wines), Steve Webber (De Bortoli) and Bernard Hickin from Pernod Ricard.

MYTH 1: Australia only makes homogenous reds Australian winemakers pioneered low priced drinkable wine and pumped it out in quantities that sated world wide thirsts for fruit driven, clean, even luscious red wines at a low price but is that all the country can do with wine? “Australia is far from a monochromatic winemaking country today, thanks to the fast uptake of so-called alternative varietals such as Montepulciano, Tempranillo and Sangiovese,” said Dan Johnson, MD of the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). Winemaker Steve Webber of De Bortoli Wines in Yarra Valley is openly blending Gewurztraminer with Pinot Gris to enhance its aromatic spectrum and he is spearheading other unconventional wine styles. But one of the most innovative new Australian wines right now is Wah; named after the ancient name for Japan and designed specifically to match sushi. Its creation was a collaboration between winemakers and chefs. The wine comes from Jacob’s Creek, which is pioneering many such initiatives in the bottle. Wah is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc.

MYTH 2: Vineyard expression is nonexistent in Australia Increasing small batch winemaking is growing not only in small wineries but in large ones too. Jacob’s Creek is also pioneering organic wines from lesser known grape varieties. One of the best tasting to date is the Montepulciano. Watch this space.

MYTH 3: Aussie wines can’t compete with the great wines of the world Along with California, Australia has the oldest Vitis vinifera vines in the world, a high concentration of which can be seen when driving through the Barossa Valley where gnarled old vines of 85 years stand stooped in vineyards from which many of the world’s most consistently high quality Shiraz is made. The sight of these vines is staggering. These plants are nearly 100 years old and many are over that and they are still producing fruit. The wines made from old vines speak for themselves.

MYTH 4: Winegrowing in Australia is damaging a fragile environment with scarce water resources Dry countries are conducive to growing grapes with minimal intervention and disease; the reason South Australia has never had phylloxera. The country’s water shortage has led to a compulsory sustainability programme, which

has seen the government develop policies governing water use. Many of Australia’s top vineyards are managed with a dry-grow philosophy and practice, for example, Henschke’s Hill of Grace.

MYTH 5: Irrigation is a dirty word Australia does irrigate during its relatively long, relatively dry summers. But irrigation is closely monitored and governed.

MYTH 6: Australia is a New World wine country lacking heritage, culture and tradition “How old does a country have to be before it becomes Old World?” says Steve Webber from De Bortoli. “Australia has clearly some of the oldest soils in the world. The very words old world, new

world are totally outmoded. Italy and France produce many extremely modern, clean and fresh fruit driven wines while Australia – and New Zealand, South Africa, California and South America – can and do make complex wines; both red and white,” Webber says.

MYTH 7: Australia only makes two wines: heavily oaked Chardonnay and high alcohol Shiraz “This idea belongs in the Ark. We have to show and tell the world about the diversity of our wines from all over Australia; such as cool climate Shiraz from Tasmania and delicate Grenachebased reds from Barossa are the tip of the iceberg,” says Bryce Tyrrell. ■ jthomson@xtra.co.nz

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 53

INDUSTRY NEWS

MAKING HIS MARC TESSA NICHOLSON

reating a solution for the tonnes of grape marc produced every year, earned New Zealand’s young viticulturist, Matt Fox, national recognition. The winner of the Stephen Moore Markhams competition last year, Fox then went on to represent the wine industry in the Young Horticulturist of the Year. While he didn’t take out the overall title, he was placed second in the Agmardt Market Innovation Project with his grape marc project. It is an idea that has been brewing for a while for the Gisborne based young vit. “I wanted to address the rising issue of marc, which in places like Marlborough is not easy to get rid of,” he said. “The idea was to take the marc and products from several other industries and make a compost and compost teas which could then be sold back to vineyards and fruit orchards.” The problem with marc on its own as a compost, is its high acidity levels and low pH. Fox says there is a need to mix the detritus of vintage with other products that help it break down and deliver a better nutrient level to the soil. “There is an ideal carbon to nitrogen level. Ideally it should sit between 25 parts carbon to 1 nitrogen, or 30 to 1. Grape marc has a low value whereas other products have high ratios that help pull it back.” In his business plan he suggested using by products of maize (which has a high carbon ration and is also very dry), corn, tomatoes after processing, along with wood chips, sawdust and shavings, plus water resulting from dairy wash down and chicken manure.

54 //

MARLBOROUGH MARC The country’s largest wine region produces anything up to 50,000 tonnes of grape marc every year. What to do with it has been a growing concern, not only for the industry but also the local council. Grape Marc Ltd was established in Marlborough last year, to help find a solution. The entity involves the region’s largest producers, including Pernod Ricard, Constellation, New Zealand Wineries, Giesens, Delegates, Villa Maria, Indevin, Spring Creek Vintners, Saint Clair, Cloudy Bay and Mt Riley. Spokesman Eric Hughes says the company is looking at all uses for the by-

If the ratios are right, he said the resulting compost then offers far more to the soil than any one product on its own. Plus effective compost goes way beyond delivering nutrient levels back to the soil. “It’s not just a one quick fix product. It’s acting as a mulch and supressing weeds, therefore minimising the need for at least

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

product of vintage, not just composting. They are working alongside the Food and Beverage Innovation Cluster, which in turn is working with the Marlborough Research Centre and Riddet Institute whose aim is to extract maximum value from all the region’s produce, including by-products of that produce. Already New Zealand Extracts in Marlborough is utilising grape seeds to produce antioxidant products. “The decision by the wine industry to collectively find solutions and opportunities for the grape marc by product has attracted a lot of interest locally, nationally and internationally,” says Hughes.

a couple of glyphosate applications. It improves the soil health and quality, improves soil structure and minimises the amount of fertiliser required.” While coming up with the idea for an innovative project wasn’t too difficult, Fox said preparing a business plan was challenging. “I can honestly say that if I

hadn’t had to do this for the competition, I never would have got around to it. But by having to do it, I have learned so much and gained some valuable skills for the future.” Now that he has created the plan, he intends putting his theory to trial next year. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 55

INDUSTRY NEWS

TRACMAP IMPROVEMENTS T

racMap, the system, which provides simple yet effective job scheduling, 2-way sending and data reporting has proven popular with both contractors and wineries both here in New Zealand and also in Australia. “We learnt a lot from last harvest, and as with any new system there were some issues, which we acknowledged and have worked very hard to improve” says Lance Nuttall, National Sales Manager at TracMap NZ Ltd. “The first thing we addressed 1 3/7/13 11:22 AM Page 2 was theBalls communications. Chang-

ing to new improved modems and software to enhancements have made a much more reliable system in what can be very difficult conditions. “The other changes are based on operator feedback. While many absolutely loved the system they did comment they wanted a simpler start process with a reduced number of button pushes and wanted it simplified so we have gone back to the drawing board and this month released a new software version that will make the operation of the unit very simple.”

TracMap has also released its Job Scheduling tool, which is integrated into TracLink. It will provide a very simple but effective method for contractors and wineries to schedule tasks, organise machinery, and allocate jobs “We see this as being particularly effective during harvest, however it will also work well for spraying and other tasks during the growing season as well. “We have also developed what we have termed ‘Forms’. These are created to suit tasks such as post audits, irrigation and vehiC

Composite

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

CY CMY

cle checks for example,” Nuttall says. “They allow paperless data input by the operator, which is date time stamped and sent back to TracLink. We see this potentially being a huge benefit especially with audits and HES requirements.” ■

WHERE

EVENT

ATTENDANCE

AUDIENCE

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

EUROPE

PROWEIN INTERNATIONAL WINE FAIR (DUSSELDORF)

W,A,NZW

T,M

MARCH 23-25

CANADA

NZ WINE FAIR (CALGARY)

W, A, NZW

T, M, C

29 APRIL

CANADA

NZ WINE FAIR (VANCOUVER)

W,A,NZW

T,M,C

1 MAY

T,M,C

2-4 MAY

W=Winery A=Agent NZW=NZ Winegrowers

2029-08 layout_global_P 9/23/08WINE 9:32 AM Page 1 CANADA WINNIPEG FESTIVAL

W,A,NZW C

Composite

M=Media T=Trade C=Consumer

CY CMY

EVENT DATE 2014

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014 // 57

CALENDAR FEBRUARY 8:

30th Anniversary Marlborough Wine and Food Festival

15: Gibbston Wine and Food Festival – Central Otago

15: Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival – Wairarapa, Gladstone

18 – 30: Gisborne Regional Wine Awards 2014 – Call for entries. Details at www.gisbornewine.co.nz/regionalawards

23: 14:

Waipara Valley Wine and Food Festival –

Nuits Romantiques, French outdoor movie for Valentines Day - Clos Henri Vineyards -

APRIL

Waipara

Marlborough

16: Brightwater Festival Nelson

22: 0cean and Orchard Wine and Food Festival – Kerikeri

MARCH 7:

4 – 6: The Food Show Christchurch -

Last date for entries in Decanter Wine Awards 2014

Christchurch

5: Forrest GrapeRide Marlborough – full details at www.graperide.co.nz

20: Clyde Wine and Food Festival – Clyde

MAY 19: Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2014 entries open

8: The Dog Point/Logan Brown Classic Kiwi Picnic, 12 noon – 4.30ish. Dog Point Vineyards, Blenheim. Tickets picnic@dogpoint.co.nz

8: West Coast Wild Foods Festival – 25th Anniversary – Hokitika

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NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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

Gisborne

1,616.5

1,586.2

Waipara

1,034.5

1,082.2

Wairarapa / Wellington

941.9

943.5

Nelson

962.6

1,015.4

Auckland / Northland

319.77

315.7

Waikato / Bay of Plenty

16.1

10.2

National Total

34,269.5

34,952.8

Exports for the year to date to the end of November 2013 (Moving Annual Total)

Country

United Kingdom

Litres (m)

$ FOB

Average $/L 2013

Average $/L 2012

47,123

277,397

$5.32

USA

43,603

295,671

$6.78

$6.36

Australia

52,077

378,161

$7.26

$7.52

7,318

78,185

$10.68

$10.87

MAJOR VARIETIES IN MAJOR AREAS

Canada

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.

Netherlands

4,472

30,064

$6.72

$5.97

Denmark

0.837

6265

$7.48

$6.37

Ireland

2259

16,693

$7.39

$7.12

Japan

1,188

14,292

$12.03

$11.97

2,030

11,124

$5.48

$5.35

China

1,780

21,513

$12.08

$12.12

Hong Kong

1,457

19,193

$13.17

$12.57

Singapore

1,390

17,527

$12.61

$12.82

Finland

0.201

1,725

$8.57

$9.17

Norway

0.238

1,904

$7.97

$6.61

Sweden

1.597

13,430

$8.41

$8.21

Others

5,150

49,682

$9.65

$9.95

172,729,102

1,232,834

$7.14

$6.87

Variety

2012

% producing area

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

Germany

34,952.9

PRODUCING AREA IN HECTARES BY SIZE - NUMBER OF VINEYARDS Region

0-5

5.01-10

Aklnd / Nthlnd

Canterbury

10.01-20

20.01-50

50.01 and over 1

Gisborne

Hawkes Bay

Marlborough

190

291

210

181

100

Nelson

Otago

Waikato / BoP

Waipara

Wairarapa / Wgtn

561

527

349

261

143

National

Total

*(npr = not previously recorded separately) *n.c. = no change

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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) Chinese consumers’ preferences and attitudes to wine: Review of literature including Chinese Language Publications Plant and Food Research (Roger Harker)

Pests and Disease Sustaining vineyards through practical management of grapevine trunk diseases

60 //

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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 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)

Cost Reduction/Increased Profitability 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)

PROGRESS REPORTS

Critical recommedations emerging from ‘sustainable virus-free vineyards: replants and beyond’ Vaughn Bell and Jim Walker The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Havelock North NZW 12-100 Since 2009, New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) and the Sustainable Farming Fund have supported research aimed at increasing our understanding of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (leafroll virus). Popularly known as the “Virus Elimination Project”, the research endeavour has two overarching objectives: (1) to develop new practical approaches for effective virus-vector management systems, and (2) to provide sector-wide technical transfer. Leafroll virus is found only in Vitis. In New Zealand, it is the most widespread and destructive virus affecting grapevines. Virus transmission is through the use of infected propagating material (primary spread) and by insect vectors, namely mealybugs, scale insects and soft scales (secondary spread). Currently, there are no other known means by which leafroll virus can be transmitted to healthy vines. The most important vectors of leafroll virus in New Zealand are the citrophilus and longtailed mealybugs. Both species are widely distributed across winegrowing regions in the North Island, and it seems that they are also problematic in parts of the South Island. In Marlborough, recent monitoring identified one or other of these mealybugs in 101 of 105 vineyard blocks assessed. Thus, mealybugs seem to be widely distributed in Marlborough vineyards. Leafroll virus has no cure, so

Figure 1. The visual symptoms of leafroll virus as seen on the leaves of a Cabernet Sauvignon vine in Hawke’s Bay in April 2012

where virus incidence is relatively low (<20%), the best management option is to remove (rogue) infected vines. Leafroll virus affects red and white berry varieties, although the evidence suggests that for factors like yield, and fruit and wine quality, its greatest impact is on red berry varieties. In these, symptom expression is visually characterised by the dark red downward curling leaves with green veins (Figure 1). In white berry varieties, field diagnosis of leafroll virus is inherently unreliable, as changes to leaf colour as described for red varieties do not occur in infected white varieties.

In lieu of visual symptom identification, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing remains the optimal way to detect infected white berry vines accurately. However, at present, cost restricts the ability of most wineries to ELISA test on the scale and frequency needed to identify and rogue virus-infected vines annually. Therefore, unseen infected vines co-existing with mealybug vectors pose the greatest risk to neighbouring healthy vines and to adjoining blocks, whether they are white or red berry varieties. An example of this risk can be found in a candid interview with Steve Smith

from Craggy Range that was posted on “Virus-Free Vineyards – The Blog” (December 2012), located in the Research area of New Zealand Winegrowers’ website at nzwine.com. Research undertaken over the last 4 years has provided new insights into leafroll virus management. Therefore, the management strategies developed should be applied consistently and in accordance with our current understanding of best practice. In this article, we summarise the current recommendations related to mealybug and leafroll virus management in red berry cultivars, and where possible, we reference

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relevant factsheets and other supporting information found on the NZW website.

Mealybug management and monitoring Research has consistently highlighted the importance of effective mealybug control. In two Hawke’s Bay study blocks in 2009, leafroll virus incidence was 10% and 16%. Following an annual programme of visual monitoring and the roguing of symptomatic vines, virus incidence reduced to less than 0.5% by 2012. This outcome was supported by low numbers of mealybugs in the vine canopy, which equated to an average of 2-3 mealybugs per 100 vine leaves inspected. In another two study blocks where mealybug control was largely ineffective (70-170 mealybugs per 100 leaves inspected), cumulative vine loss was 37% and 46% between 2009 and 2013. With both these blocks having rapidly become uneconomic to retain, all residual vines were removed in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Further insight into these and other results are contained in our latest report to NZW, “Sustainable virus-free vineyards: replants and beyond, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough.” This can be accessed via the members’ area of the NZW website, and is filed under “Research Reports.” To assist sector stakeholders to better manage mealybugs, a new factsheet was written: “Preharvest mealybug monitoring” (NZVE111). It provides information on a suggested monitoring methodology, focused on the timing of inspections, the suggested sampling of vine leaves rather than bunches, and the use of magnification to identify mealybug crawlers (length of c. 0.5 mm). Also discussed is the need for detailed record keeping. This factsheet should be read in conjunction with “Mealybugs –

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knowing the pest” (NZVE105) and “How to look for mealybugs” (NZVE106). All the factsheets mentioned in this article are freely available in the Research area of the NZW website. Controlling mealybugs on grapevines is critical if leafroll virus and its rate of spread are to be successfully managed. In conventionally managed vineyards, we suggest vineyard owners instigate (or continue) an annual mealybug spray programme, a task that should assume priority status. Current insecticide best practice is outlined in the factsheet “Mealybug control for cropping vines” (NZVE104). Other tools designed to assist growers with leafroll virus and mealybug management are a series of short and informative videos hosted by the virus project manager, Nick Hoskins, all of which can be accessed via the members’ area of the NZW website.

Leafroll virus symptom identification in red berry varieties As mentioned, red berry vines infected with leafroll virus are visually very distinct, as shown in Figure 1. By walking or slowly riding a quad bike down the length of an inter-row, a trained assessor can use the visual cues to identify individual infected vines reliably, and tag them (with flagging tape). By repeating the process across entire blocks, it should be possible to identify all symptomatic vines so that they can be removed later in the year. When supported by effective mealybug control, such actions are expected to reduce virus incidence and its rate of spread significantly. One of the critical outcomes of this research programme relates to roguing. At the outset, growers expressed a great deal of uncertainty as to what vines should be rogued when a symptomatic

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

vine was discovered. Was virus control achievable by removing symptomatic vines only, or was it also necessary to remove nonsymptomatic (‘healthy’?) neighbouring vines? Having measured virus spread in many Hawke’s Bay vineyards for up to 5 years, we now have ample evidence that leafroll virus can be successfully controlled by removing the symptomatic vines only. In other words, it is not necessary also to remove the within-row vines on either side of the infected vine. A crucial part of the identification process is good record keeping. Firstly, this enables annual assessments of the proportion of infected vines lost from each block. Secondly, cumulative vine losses recorded from one year to the next tell a compelling story. In reviewing these historical data, vineyard owners can measure the success of control efforts, and if necessary, re-evaluate their mealybug and/or virus control measures to improve management outcomes further. It is worth remembering, however, that successfully controlling leafroll virus is very much an integrated process that relies not only on vector management, but also on a range of other factors such as the timing and frequency of visits to blocks to look for infected vines. In terms of assisting growers to identify the virus, NZW have funded an extensive collection of high-quality images depicting virus-infected vines from a range of red berry varieties. For those vineyard owners and their assessors with any uncertainty about the symptoms seen in the field, the collection offers an opportunity to compare and contrast their own leaf collections visually with those images found online. Covering varieties like Pinot noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Syrah vines, the array of whole-vine and single-leaf images provides sufficient detail to allow

users to identify leafroll virus reliably in these and other red berry varieties. In addition, there are also images depicting magnesium deficiency, which in red berry varieties can sometimes be mistaken for the symptoms of leafroll virus. We expect that for those wanting to learn more about visually identifying infected vines, this site will prove to be an invaluable visual aid. The image collection can be accessed at Flickr, the social media site for storing and sharing photographs online (flickr.com). In being able to identify symptomatic vines reliably, vineyard owners must also seriously consider the timing and frequency of visits to blocks planted in red berry varieties. In circumstances where two or more visits per block are achievable, the process of visual symptom identification should commence in late March and ideally, monitoring should continue through until mid April. Indeed, this timetable is suitable for those wineries where a single visit per block remains the only option, although it will substantially reduce opportunities to detect (and therefore rogue) all symptomatic vines within a single season. Mitigating the risk of virus spread beyond the unseen and un-rogued infected vines can be achieved by maintaining good mealybug control. By deferring visual symptom identification until April, there is always a risk of frosts. Should one eventuate, vine defoliation would quickly follow, thus severely compromising the ability of assessors to identify symptomatic vines. Until the process of symptom identification is concluded and all symptomatic vines are tagged, we recommend growers monitor weather forecasts regularly.

Conclusion Successfully controlling leafroll virus relies on the integration

of several management protocols adopted concurrently. For example, simply to identify and rogue symptomatic vines without also effectively managing mealybug populations will do little to achieve the goal of leafroll virus control. Similarly, to ensure that low mealybug abundance really does

benefit a virus management plan, it is critical that each year, symptomatic vines are identified and removed – to do otherwise simply increases the risk of virus spread to neighbouring healthy vines. To assist sector stakeholders to better understand leafroll virus, NZW have progressively developed a comprehensive reposi-

tory of science-based reports, factsheets, videos, photographic images and other supporting information, all of which are available online. This information exists with the sole purpose of assisting vineyard owners and viticulture personnel to achieve sustained leafroll virus control.

Acknowledgements This project is made possible through the on-going funding by New Zealand Winegrowers and the co-funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Farming Fund. We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of vineyard owners, managers, and staff. ■

Chinese consumers’ preference Sun-Waterhouse D, Harker FR, Clapperton BK, Gunson A 12-111 With 240% growth over 2006– 2011, the Chinese wine market is set to expand even further in the next decade. China consumed 1.9 billion bottles of wine in 2011, becoming the world’s fifth largest consumer. Sales are predicted to top $NZD160B. Even a small slice of this would expand the New Zealand wine market. At present we export c. 2.219M litres to China (NZW 2013 Annual Report), worth c. $NZD27M. China is also a large wine producer, with around 500 wineries, and local wine accounts for 95% of the Chinese wine market. With great potential for both increased consumption as well as production, China could emerge as a significant export market, or as a major threat to other producers. New Zealand Winegrowers commissioned Plant & Food Research to prepare a broadly focused review of Chinese consumers’ preferences and attitudes to wine, including reviewing publications in Chinese languages. This report was recently completed (Sun-Waterhouse 2013). The information collected provides insights into consumption statistics, consumers’ education needs, consumer segments, the

role of gift giving, advice available to the industry, and the roles of price/value on consumer choice (international v. Chinese domestically produced wines). For historical and cultural reasons, wine has never been as popular as rice spirits and beer in China, tending historically to be used by senior government officials and wealthy merchants at important ceremonial occasions. Tradition still influences who drinks wine and on which occasions. Wine is considered a luxury in China; as such, the market has

grown rapidly since its emergence in the mid 1990s. The perceived health properties of wine, together with a rise in consumption tax on their traditional grain spirits, have provided a recent impetus. The Chinese market for domestic and imported wines is developing rapidly among young, urban professionals and business people in the main cities of Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, with the vast rural market still untapped. Chinese consumer groups range from the wealthy to middle

class, and now even “ordinary” families around the dining table. China’s emerging middle class sees wine as a lighter alternative to hard spirits. While more expensive, imported wine tends to be purchased for social occasions; cheaper, domestic wine is chosen for private consumption. “Gifting” and mianzi (commonly translated as ‘face’) remain two of the driving forces behind wine sales growth in China, and Old World, especially French, red wines are preferred for this purpose. It will be difficult to break

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the Chinese clients’ long-lasting “country-of-origin” and brand loyalty. However, our research has found that Chinese consumers prefer fruity, sweet wines. So while red wine still dominates, rosé, white and sparkling wines will play increased roles. This is partly driven by the increased consumption of wine by Chinese women. While on one hand, Chinese women prefer white wines - even drinking them with soft drinks as a healthy option - on the other hand, they prefer wines from France and Italy, believing that these reflect their aspirations for sophistication, elegance and romance. Both the name and the label, as well as the presentation of the product, are important marketing factors. The word ‘white’ to describe white wine should probably be changed, as in Chinese society the colour white is associated with death. Light golden (dan jin se) and amber (hu po se) could be good choices, with their associations with precious metals and gems. Alternatively, it may be good to advise that white wine is transparent (tou ming), a positive quality to the Chinese. For label-

ling, tradition and heritage are favoured, and simple translations of the name into Chinese on the back labels are valued. Packaging that signifies status and quality is critical to success. Gold symbolises prosperity, while red is a powerful colour associated with richness, tradition, health and happiness. Cork is still the preferred closure for most Chinese consumers, who associate cork with premium, safe wines. Matching wines with food/ meals is growing in importance for Chinese consumers, with increasing advice sources in various media. A high proportion of wine consumption occurs in restaurants, hotels, bars, nightclubs and the like, and is influenced by what is supplied in those establishments. Four-star and five-star hotels, Western restaurants and upscale local chain restaurants targeting middle and upper income groups generally carry a selection of imported wines, alongside local offerings. Supermarkets play an important role in wine sales, although wines are also sold in convenience stores,

wine shops, winery shops, and via e-commerce. The “affordable” price range is $NZD5 - $12 per bottle. Affordability will especially be key for wines targeted at female beauty and health. Most sales of New Zealand wines are in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. New Zealand wines are generally positioned in restaurant wine lists at between $NZD50 and $120 per bottle, i.e. at the high end of the market. Leading distributors already carry between one and four New Zealand labels. The following recommendations are therefore made for New Zealand wine marketers: • Develop brands suitable for Chinese markets • Build extensive, good relationships with distribution channels and establish monopoly shops or exclusive agents • Position New Zealand wines as middle-to-premium products • Promote the desirable and unique New Zealand lifestyle along with the “purity” of the New Zealand image through tourism and media campaigns • Set up a novel white wine series tailored for the emerging Chinese group and/or based

on food matching/pairing approaches. In China, wine is an aspirational beverage. There is little doubt that the Chinese wine market will continue to expand, attracting interest from both Chinese domestic producers and foreign wineries, including those in New Zealand. However, the challenges related to marketing wine in China are numerous, including lack of transparency and unreliable information, dominance of the domestic producers, distribution and logistics complexity, consumer and cultural education about wine, government regulations, and the strong sense of nationalism. Choosing suitable strategies for pricing, brand building and partner dealing is critical, taking into account the challenges associated with this market. There is no such thing as an all-in-one solution for a large country like China with a unique culture, different traditions, various regional cuisines and consumers. Being open minded, combined with good communication and cooperation with Chinese partners, will be always required. ■

Grapevine trunk and root diseases in New Zealand: Our knowledge base in 2013 Mundy DC, Clapperton BK, Gunson A 12-109 Grapevine trunk and root diseases pose a threat to the longevity of vineyards and the economic production of high quality wines in New Zealand. So it is important that growers can access the latest research results about these diseases. While there has been a significant amount of research on grape trunk

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and root diseases in New Zealand in the past, much of that information is held in reports and theses that are not readily accessible to the industry. In response to this concern, New Zealand Winegrowers commissioned Plant & Food Research to locate, as far as possible, all available literature on trunk and

NZ WINEGROWER FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

root diseases in New Zealand and to assemble the key information into a single document that could be made available industry wide. The project also allowed us to identify gaps in knowledge of trunk diseases in New Zealand, and to provide recommendations for future research. The most important trunk dis-

eases in New Zealand are botryosphaeria dieback, eutypa dieback, crown gall and Petri disease. The principal root diseases are black foot, verticillium wilt, and phytophthora root rot. There have been four main areas of research: diagnostics and detection techniques, studies on nursery and potted vines,

Figure 1. Leaf Symptoms of esca, a trunk disease complex which has not been recorded in New Zealand.

life cycle studies of single diseasecausing pathogens, and management options for disease control in mature vines. Lincoln University and Plant & Food Research (PFR) have been the two groups most active in grapevine trunk disease research, including a 2009 PFR survey of vineyards around New Zealand of the incidence of diseases and the distribution of fungal species. Studies have also been conducted by the University of Auckland and Landcare Research Ltd, and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI). Several advances have been made in New Zealand regarding the identification of fungi associated with trunk disease. Vineyard surveys isolated Botryosphaeria, Phaeomoniella and Eutypa at multiple sites but also species of Phaeoacremonium and Cylindrocarpon, Acremonium, Alternaria, Cadophora, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Gliocladium, Mucor,

Penicillium, Phoma, Trichoderma, Ullocladium and Xylaria. Three new species of Phaeoacremonium (Pm.) have been identified as Pm. armeniacum, Pm. globosum and Pm. occidentale. New promising diagnostic systems include the t-RFLP database and Multiplex PCR methods. And there are also species-specific tools for identification of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and botryosphaeriaceae species. The results from studies of potted vines and nurseries have led to the provision of a set of best practices designed to prevent infection of propagation material in the field and to reduce inoculum sources in the grafting process and nursery beds, by improved hygiene and crop rotation. Life cycle studies, especially of botryosphaeriaceae, have added to our understanding of these pathogens and their relationships with their hosts and the environment. Research in mature vineyards has provided information that has

been used in the design of the 2013 New Zealand Winegrowers SFF project “Optimising management of grapevine trunk diseases”. Areas of knowledge gaps where further research is needed include in particular wound responses and healing; more rapid pre-symptom detection methods; understanding of genetic resistance to these diseases; and other diatrypaceous fungal species affecting grapevines in New Zealand. Popular articles and technical reviews are more accessible and user-friendly ways than formal scientific reports and papers to release information directly to growers and to technical staff employed in the industry. Two technical reports on grapevine trunk diseases are: “Ecology and management of grapevine trunk diseases in New Zealand: a review” ) and “Physiological response of grapevines to vascular pathogens: a review”. A substantial collection of fact sheets, images and other informa-

tion is currently available to the industry.e.g. the PFR video clip on how to identify grapevine cankers in the field, viewable at: http:// www.mrc.org.nz/marlboroughtrunk-disease-web/. (See table 1) A valuable, publicly available resource on trunk rot fungi is the Landcare Research database, containing all formal records of fungi in New Zealand, accessible via: http://nzfungi.landcareresearch. co.nz/html/mycology.asp. It contains taxonomic information, the presence/absence status of the fungus in New Zealand, relevant literature on it and its hosts, and online descriptions, images and identification keys. It allows an assessment of the status of the fungus as an unwanted organism under a biosecurity response by The Ministry for Primary Industries. Our review discussed other options for tech transfer of available scientific research findings. As well as the usual field days, focused workshops, vineyard

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Table 1

Currently available fact sheets

New sheets released by New Zealand Winegrowers

Identification of bleached canes and other diseases at pruning

Black foot in vineyards

Phomopsis stem and leaf spot

Black foot in grapevine nurseries

Effects of trunk disease on crop quality

Botrosphaeria dieback in vineyards

Re-trunking of old vines

Botryosphaeria dieback in grapevine nurseries

Fungi associated with trunk diseases in the New Zealand wine-growing regions

Esca disease in vineyards

Phaeoacremonium spp. in New Zealand vineyards

Eutypa dieback in vineyards

Vineyard hygiene and prevention of trunk diseases Glassy-winged sharpshooter walks, technical sessions such as Grapedays, and one-on-one meetings, an interactive online disease key could be developed and customised for New Zealand diseases and conditions. Interactive spreadsheets and predictive tools are becoming available. For example, the Marlborough trunk disease website already has a simple spreadsheet tool that allows the user to enter the current amount of trunk disease in the vineyard, the value and yield of the crop, and the replacement vine value. It then calculates the cost over ten years of replacing diseased vines or simply removing them. Trunk and root diseases of grapevines are in New Zealand and they need to be managed. We also included in our report an assessment of other potential disease risks, not in New Zealand, which we should work hard to keep out. Of particular concern here are three trunk diseases that should be included in biosecurity response planning. These are esca, Pierce’s disease (spread by the glassy winged sharpshooter), and bacterial blight of grapes. Of the diseases we do have, a considerable amount of work has been done in a short time, and New Zealand has been quick to use information from overseas and apply it to our way of growing grapes. We should continue to review current international research, which can provide useful direction and information. In the future, research and technology transfer will need to go hand in hand to continue to improve industry best practices with regard to trunk and root disease management. ■

Acknowledgements This project is made possible through funding from New Zealand Winegrowers.

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