New Zealand Winegrower December 2023 - January 2024

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NEW ZEALAND WINE INDUSTRY

Business Forum

Timely brand aid

Regional View

Haere Ra 2023

Decarbonising Wine

Building a road map

DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 ISSUE 143

Sparkling Success Bubbles on the rise

DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 / ISSUE 143

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The keys to the TANTALUS are for sale

ou only have to stand at the entrance to Tantalus Estate, with its elegant gates and distinctive cross keys symbol, to realise that one of the Top Wineries of the Year New Zealand 2020-2023 was created with three guiding principles in mind: the exceptional, the bespoke and the hand-crafted. Over the last 10 years the owners have transformed 8.3ha/20 acres in the heart of Waiheke Island’s Onetangi Valley to create a state-ofthe-art winery producing exceptional Bordeaux and Rhône style wines, the Alibi boutique craft beer brewery, a world-class restaurant and a premium wedding and events venue.

Famed as it is for its outstanding wineries, there is arguably nothing on Waiheke Island to match Tantalus. The combination of breathtaking location and meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the operation has made the difference.

The vineyard, for example, comprises 3.7ha of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and 1.8ha of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Viognier, Malbec, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

With their emphasis on excellence, the owners planted one block with the FPS29 – Coppola clone Cabernet Sauvignon (originally from the Napa Valley, California and dating back to 1887). The winery itself, designed to blend into the hillside of the valley, so that all stages of production are gravity assisted, makes use of innovative technology. Square wine tanks save space, and three unusual South American ‘concrete eggs’ help to create Tantalus’s unique expressions of Syrah, Chardonnay and Merlot.

The main hospitality building with its iconic bell tower was designed by creative genius Nat Cheshire and his team at Cheshire Architects. One of the most remarked upon features in the 160 seat restaurant and found throughout the building are the sparkling chandeliers, crafted from old Sauvignon Blanc vines. The salubrious Alibi Brewery bar is equally noteworthy, featuring intricate brickwork and hand-carved beer taps and towers. Bespoke hand-painted tiles in the private dining room on the ground floor are further evidence of Tantalus’s inimitable appeal. In that luxuriously appointed ‘Decanter Room’ the inspiration for the estate’s name is revealed – a unique collection of Tantalus cases. A Tantalus is an elegant antique case for displaying the best drinks in the house and to keep them secure. That’s why each tantalus has a special lock and key.

The most outstanding Tantalus of all though, as any viticulturist, winemaker or other astute person in the wine industry will have realised, is the Estate itself. It is now being offered for sale by tender. This is a rare opportunity to acquire an existing, successful and premium vineyard, winery, restaurant and events venue on Waiheke. It’s not even a question of recognizing the potential here but of simply capitalising on what has already been painstakingly established. The successful buyer will be able to walk in and continue trading without spending years in development.

There is nothing quite like Tantalus in existence on Waiheke, nor frankly would you be able to find and secure land in such a prime location on the island’s main vineyard and tourist route.

For full details of the sale, whoever is authorized to pick up the keys to Tantalus needs to know that the key person to contact is Matthew Smith.

Tender Closes 4:00pm, Thursday 15 February 2024.

Matthew Smith

021 924 435 I matthew.smith@raywhite.com rwwaiheke.co.nz

Waiheke Real Estate Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)

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ISSUE 143 – DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

Regulars 6 Editorial Sophie Preece

the CEO 8 From Philip Gregan Series 41 Provenance Two Terraces

Profile 42 The Jane De Witt in Wine 44 Women Alena Kamper

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of View 54 Point Dr Mark Krasnow

Update 58 Sustainability Dr Edwin Massey

Features

Business Forum 16 Wine The New Zealand Winegrowers

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Wine Business Forum provided timely discussions as wine companies face market headwinds in New Zealand and abroad.

Oz Clarke, David Downs and Lulie Halstead, among others, emphasised the value of a consistent and strong brand.

Ra 2023 20 Haere As 2023 draws to a close,

winegrowers and makers around the country reflect on the good, the bad and the awesome of the year.

Zero Road Map 48 Carbon EECA (the Energy Efficiency and

42 COVER PHOTO Méthode Marlborough members Stewart Maclennan from Saint Clair Family Estate, Claudia Yanez from Nautilus, and Patricia MirandaTaylor from Wither Hills. Photo Jim Tannock

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Conservation Authority) has co-funded a trio of energy transition plans as part of the Wine Decarbonisation Programme.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Winegrowers has announced a partnership with EECA to develop a Carbon Zero Road Map for the New Zealand wine industry. See page 58 for more, in Winegrower Magazine’s new Sustainability Update.

EDITOR Sophie Preece sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz CORRESPONDENTS Wellington Wine Country: Joelle Thomson mailme@joellethomson.com Hawkes Bay: Olly Styles oliverstyles@hotmail.com Canterbury: Jo Burzynska jo@joburzynska.com ADVERTISING Upper North Island: Stephen Pollard stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 021 963 166 Central North Island: Lisa Wise lisaw@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 027 369 9218 Lower North Island: Ron Mackay ronm@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 021 453 914 South Island: Kaye Sutherland kayes@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 021 221 1994 CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Carolina Paiva carolina.paiva@nzwine.com 027 700 0740 New Zealand Winegrowers PO Box 90 276, Auckland Mail Centre, New Zealand PUBLISHING & PRE-PRESS Rural News Group PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Ph: 09 307 0399 Location: Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Publisher: Brian Hight Managing Editor: Adam Fricker Production: David Ferguson, Rebecca Williams Published by Rural News Group Ltd under authority of New Zealand Winegrowers 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 Inc. or its constituent organisations. Published every second month. One free copy is mailed to every member of New Zealand Winegrowers Inc, 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.

ISSN 1174-5223

From the Editor After years of virtual gatherings, remote tastings, and ‘new normal’ caution, New Zealand’s wine industry has been making up for lost time. In the past few months there’s been a flood of sold-out events to educate, celebrate and connect the industry, from the Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium in Hawke’s Bay to the New Zealand Winegrowers Wine Business Forum and Altogether Unique celebration in Christchurch, and the Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Evening in Marlborough, which also honoured 50 years of wine in the region. “It’s remarkable what has happened in 50 years,” said viticulturist Ivan Sutherland on the night. “You wouldn’t have imagined in your wildest dreams that there would be 30,000 hectares [of grapes] in this valley.”

It’s a dream that wine legend Oz Clarke encapsulated in his talk to attendees at the Business Forum, reminding them all how New Zealand wines shocked and amazed the world when they landed on its stage. “New Zealand’s wines tasted of a somewhere that had never existed before,” he said. “It started from scratch on land that had never grown a grape. Everything to play for. Everything to prove. Absolutely no need to copy anybody.”

All of these events, as well as many others that occurred in the past few months, including the National Wine Awards of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the inaugural New Zealand Wine Centre Scientific Research Conference, are evidence of the connected strength and collegiality of the industry.

It’s strength that will be required as companies face a slowdown in New Zealand wine exports. In an email to members in mid-October, New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan said several factors are playing into that shift, including bumper sales in the lockdowns of 2020, a light vintage in 2021, and pipeline refilling in 2022.

That’s in a wider context of high inflation, high interest rates, and economic uncertainty in key markets. “Wineries are unsure how this is going to impact demand.”

On the upside, this edition looks at the growth of New Zealand sparkling wine, and its potential to make even greater strides. It seems a fitting way to end a year that was jammed with celebrations and to start a new one packed with potential.

Sophie Preece EDITOR

Contributors

Joelle Thomson “I felt very humbled interviewing Philip from Petane Wines,” says wine writer Joelle Thomson, whose passion for wine was lit while working as a flambé waitress in the Shetland Islands.

Joelle explores the inspiring resilience of Esk Valley vintners.

Go to page 23

Stephanie McIntyre Sommelier and wine communicator Stephanie McIntyre has long urged wine drinkers to free sparkling wine from the confines of celebrations. In this month’s feature package, she explores the rise of bubbles as an everyday wine.

Go to page 30

Emma Jenkins MW Chardonnay might be grown everywhere in the world, but only we can grow and make New Zealand Chardonnay, says Emma Jenkins MW, who was one of the speakers at the hugely successful Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium.

Go to page 50

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FROM THE CEO

From the CEO Changing times for advocacy PHILIP GREGAN The election is done and dusted, and as I am writing this everyone is waiting for the new government to be formed. All we know at this stage is that it will be a combination of the National, ACT and New Zealand First parties, with ministerial responsibilities to be shared between them.

The change of government will bring new plans and agendas. We know there will be reversals of some of the previous government’s policies, while there will be many initiatives from the new government as well.

According to all reports, Parliament will meet before Christmas, while National Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis has indicated there will be a minibudget during that period. It is expected that parliament will get on with the business of enacting the new government’s legislative agenda early in the New Year.

Our industry is subject to, and influenced by, a wide range of legislation and regulation. Some of it is specific to the wine industry, such as the Wine Act and various trade issues. Some is specific to the primary sector, such as Freshwater Farm Plan requirements and the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, while some is targeted at products containing alcohol, such as excise requirements and the Sale and Supply of Liquor Act. Then there is more general legislation and regulation that impacts the sector, with the likes of minimum wage legislation, and the new Fair Pay rules.

This all means that with a new government about to be formed, it will be a very busy period for New Zealand Winegrowers and our advocacy team as we seek to meet the new MPs and Ministers and get our views across to them. We are currently preparing our Briefing to

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Incoming Ministers (BIM), as will be every industry organisation that engages with government. We coordinate with other industry organisations to ensure our BIMs align where we have shared policy interests, such as on RSE. So what will we be saying in our BIM? We will paint a picture of an industry that is making a major economic and social contribution to New Zealand and our winegrowing regions. An industry that is quality led, that is socially responsible, that is committed to sustainability, and that has a bright future.

“We want to work with the government to improve market access and to grow export value even further.”

Philip Gregan We have some specific requests of course. We want to work with the government to improve market access and to grow export value even further. We want to see increased support for industry research efforts, including those of Bragato Research Institute.

We also want to see changes to the Sale and Supply of Liquor Act to support the domestic market. Specifically, we are requesting that the new Cellar Door Tasting Amendment Bill is passed and that the recently passed Community Participation legislation is amended so as not to create barriers to the successful operation of cellar doors.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

We also want an on-going commitment to sustainability. In this case our requests relate to funding for the proposed, and critically important, new Post Entry Quarantine facility, which will help assure our biosecurity border, and support for Freshwater Farm Plan requirements to be integrated with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand in order to ease the compliance burden on growers.

We won’t be including in the BIM all the matters in which we have an interest.

The broader range of matters will be discussed in meetings we will be having with new Ministers and MPs, and officials from all those government departments and agencies we engage with – Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Ministry For The Environment, Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Tourism New Zealand, Customs, Justice, Health, and a number of others as well. Some of those meetings will be just NZW by itself. In other cases meetings will be coordinated with like-minded groups across the horticulture and primary sectors, or spirits and beer producers, other exporters, or those involved in tourism, workforce planning or the wider business community.

Formation of the new government represents a singular opportunity for NZW to engage on all those important legislative and regulatory opportunities and issues that affect growers and wineries. We are well prepared to put our best foot forward on behalf of winegrowers once the new government is formed.

Very best wishes for an enjoyable and safe festive season!

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Socially Good Wine

A Marlborough wine label created for the community is looking to grow its impact. Borough was founded in Marlborough in 2020 by Socially Good Enterprises (SGE), tapping into the generosity of grape growers, wine companies and other suppliers in the region to donate every part of the finished product, from vine to bottle. All profits are directed to the Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough, which supports child and youth development. “It was one of those ideas that, the more we talked about it, the more we realised it really did have legs,” says Lion New Zealand National Operations Director Geoff Matthews.

A refreshed brand was revealed at the launch of the 2023 vintage, produced from grapes donated by local families and winemaking services gifted by Lion and Indevin, as well as continued support from packaging suppliers, bottlers and carriers keen to support the community initiative.

Photo Richard Brimer

Chardonnay Symposium

The inaugural Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium traversed the practical and theoretical, writes Emma Jenkins MW in this edition. The October event was organised by Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers, New Zealand Winegrowers, and the New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology (NZSVO). Viticulturist Dr David Jordan, who is on the NZSVO workshop committee, was very pleased with the collaboration between the organisations to offer a technical workshop on day one, and a market focus and review of current international wine styles on day two, with “great energy and enthusiasm for collegial exchange” brought by attendees to both days. Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Executive Officer Brent Linn says the first symposium was a great opportunity to bring the national wine community to Hawke’s Bay, which he calls “the spiritual home of Chardonnay”, and therefore the rightful place to hold the national symposium.

“It was really good for the Chardonnay Symposium to have the NZSVO Technical Workshop provide us with some training wheels in the first year.” They already have keynote speakers booked for 2024, “and it’s a must-attend for anyone in the Chardonnay space”.

Read more from Emma Jenkins MW, one of the symposium presenters, on page 50.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

Ata Rangi tasting room

Ata Rangi’s beautiful tasting room has won the Hospitality award at the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.

Designed by Makers of Architecture, the stunning building emerges like a dart from deep green bush into lush organic vineyard.

“Architect, builder and client have all sung from the same song sheet and it shows in this elegant, superbly executed building,” says judges.

Black Estate

Nicholas Brown and Penelope Naish

Black Estate has won the Supreme Establishment Award at the Canterbury Hospitality Awards, following hard on the heels of the Cuisine Good Food Awards, where it took two hats and Winery Restaurant of the Year for 2023. Black Estate Owners Nicholas Brown and Penelope Naish, along with Penelope’s parents, built the lean, black building in 2011, intending it to be a tasting room on their North Canterbury vineyard. “Then it became really busy, and we got a chef, and then we got a better chef, and it’s just grown,” says Penelope, sitting on the restaurant deck, with its beautiful view of vines and valley.

“We’ve always had a real focus on organic and local produce so the food has synergy with the wines, and provides context of the region and cool climate.” They are strictly seasonal and, for example, will only serve tomatoes for a handful of weeks each year when they are available in the valley. The close relationships built with suppliers and neighbours also gives them a better understanding of their place in every season, she says, reflecting on the insights shared by local farmers, fishers and growers. “They may not work with vines, but their experiences are all relevant to ours, and it’s a great chance to be connecting with our community.”

Meanwhile, serving people delicious food without chemicals, and bringing communities together, off their screens and into nature, brings rewards of its own, she says. “It’s a total motivation for us.”

National Wine Awards

A Marlborough Pinot Noir took top honours at the National Wine Awards of Aotearoa New Zealand, while a Martinborough wine seized the Sauvignon Blanc trophy.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 5 Bull Block Pinot Noir 2021 won the Champion Wine of the Show as well as well as the Classic Oak Products Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir. Its winemaker, Kyle Thompson, also took home the Laffort Trophy for Champion Gewürztraminer. Meanwhile, the Martinborough Vineyard Home Block Sauvignon Blanc 2023 won the Guala Closures New Zealand Trophy for Champion Sauvignon Blanc. Chair of Judges, Jane Cooper, commented on the incredible balance of the wine, noting the tension between acid and fruit, calling it “a beautifully crafted Sauvignon Blanc that balances all the components with absolute precision.” Wanaka’s Sarah-Kate and Dan Dineen, from Maude, took home the Winemaker of the Year award. They also won the Auckland A&P Association Heritage

Jane Cooper, Kyle Thomson and Anne Scott

Rosebowl for the second year running, with a trio of vintages of Mount Maude Reserve East Block Riesling taking that title, as well as the Antipodes Riesling Trophy.

A new Organic Trophy was won by Loop Road Pinot Noir 2022, a wine from Quartz Reef Winemaker and organic winegrowing advocate Rudi Bauer (see page 32).

Reducing wildfire risk Fire and Emergency New Zealand is reminding winegrowers to be prepared for the potential risks associated with a return to “normal” fire season. Wildfire Investigator Jeff White says many of New Zealand’s winegrowing regions can anticipate hotter and drier weather in the El Niño summer, particularly in eastern areas. That risk has been exacerbated by good vegetation growth in wet winter and spring conditions, he says “This can lead to a build-up of fuel for potential wildfires.” Rising global temperatures associated with climate change also increase the potential for out-of-control fires. “Hotter conditions can dry out vegetation, making it more susceptible to ignition and creating

ideal conditions for wildfires to start and spread.” To mitigate the risks associated with wildfires in or around vineyards, vineyard owners and managers are advised to ensure the development of firebreaks and defensible space before conditions dry out.

Ensure ‘hot’ areas of machinery are kept clear of dry vegetation, with daily inspections part of the daily pre-work procedures, Jeff says. Any activities that could create a spark should be limited to cooler periods of the day, with a water source on-hand to quickly deal to any fire starts. And be aware of “spike days”, he adds. “These are days of extremely hot, dry, and especially windy conditions where wildfire potential is at its greatest.”

Wine Guardian

Sir George Fistonich’s new winery pays homage to the Croatian wine and viticultural pioneers who helped shape New Zealand’s wine story. Čuvar (pronounced chu-var) translates to ‘guardian’ in Croatian, with the label represented by Croatia’s national flower. “The heart of the iris is depicted in our logo and reflects our commitment to circular principles – the guardianship of people, the planet and holistic prosperity,” Sir George says, taking the latest step in his lifelong journey with New Zealand wine.

He was 21 when he gave up carpentry to lease one hectare of family vineyard in Mangere in 1961, making wines under the name Villa Maria.

The company became a globally recognised brand, and Sir George earned a knighthood for services to New Zealand wine and hospitality. Čuvar Winery neighbours the terraced vines Sir George planted in Hawke’s Bay three decades ago, formerly Esk Valley Winery. The site is not open to the public yet, but the pioneer who opened New Zealand’s first winery restaurant – Vidal’s of Hastings – in 1979, has big plans for it. “Our vision is spacious, sun-drenched patios overlooking the terraced vines and the Pacific Ocean.”

Sir George Fistonich

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 I

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Upcoming events To have events added to our calendar contact sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz

South Island Wine & Food Festival 2 Dec winefestival.co.nz

An unforgettable day of great wine, delicious eats, and live music in Hagley Park, Christchurch.

North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival

Oxin Field Day 16 January oxin.nz

Grape Growers in Hawke’s Bay have been invited to view two Oxin Autonomous Vineyard Tractors in action at a vineyard field day at a Pernod Ricard Winemakers vineyard. See page 64 for more information.

Marlborough Wine & Food Festival

3 March ncwineandfood.co.nz

10 February marlboroughwinefestival.com

The 2024 Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will build on the success of the 2023 event, described by 2023 guest chef Peter Gordon as an “international class festival”. Wine Marlborough Events Manager Loren Coffey says the new venue at Renwick Domain has allowed organisers to expand the offering, with the likes of The Lounge and The Groove Garden, where the Vinyl in the Vines DJs proved hugely popular. “It also means we can increase the number of Masterclasses, which are a really special part of the festival, allowing people to learn from a really impressive line up of winemakers and local producers.” winemakers and local producers.”

Dubbed “the coolest little wine festival”, this celebration in the heart of Waipara pays homage to the wine harvest, local produce, and the North Canterbury region, with a backdrop of oak trees and entertainment.

Paritua

Photo Andy Woods

Ripe – Wanaka Wine and Food Festival

Bridge Pa Wine Festival

20 January hawkesbaynz.com/eat-and-drink/

23 March ripewanaka.nz

On Wellington Anniversary Weekend seven wineries in the Bridge Pa Triangle Wine District of Hawke’s Bay will come together for this annual festival, celebrating one of the area’s most exciting subregions.

Chardonnay Technical Workshop 25 January hawkesbaywine.co.nz

Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers is holding a Regional Chardonnay Technical Workshop, to follow up on the success of the Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium (see page 50). The workshop will include barrel and tank sampling, benchmarking of a tasting flight, and a deep dive into clones and rootstock.

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Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival

Big Sky Wines

17 February wairarapaharvestfestival.co.nz

Provincial Insurance Brokers presents Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival, a celebration of wine, food, and entertainment. This event brings together Wairarapa’s finest wineries, high-profile restaurants, and food producers for a day of indulgence set among the stunning backdrop of ancient native trees and a picturesque riverside setting. In 2024 the festival will offer an intimate masterclass – Wine Geek 101 – to ease attendees into the harvest day.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

Internationally renowned eight-piece band The Black Seeds will headline Ripe, the Wanaka Wine and Food Festival at Glendhu Bay. Ripe showcases Central Otago’s finest wine and food producers alongside world-class entertainment, in a spectacular location offering unrivalled views of Lake Wānaka and the surrounding mountains. Event Director Nathan White says the 2024 event will be bigger and better than ever. “We’ll feature premium wineries such as Amisfield, Gibbston Valley and Cloudy Bay, alongside a range of boutique wineries and food vendors from across Central Otago, including Artisan Catering Arrowtown and The Stoaker Room Wanaka.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

Southern Pinot Noir Workshop The Southern Pinot Noir Workshop is a unique opportunity to learn from experts, confer with peers, and discuss topical issues that affect New Zealand’s wine industry. One of the highlights of the annual four-day event at Hanmer Springs Hotel is the opportunity to think tank specific wines, with attendees invited to bring along problematic batches of Pinot Noir. Through tastings and discussions, the group considers the best opportunities to get the wine to bottle in a better state.

“This is an amazing learning forum,” says organiser Lynnette Hudson. “No media, only winemakers and viticulturists. An educational open workshop, not to be missed.” The workshop offers a “room full of diversity”, says committee member Tom Flaherty. “With people from different places with different practices, levels of experience and viewpoints. All critiquing and conversing in a guards-down, constructive manner, for the betterment of New Zealand Pinot Noir.”

This year’s guest speaker is Dr Amber

Parker, a Senior Lecturer in Viticulture and Director of the Centre for Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University.

Amber completed her PhD at Lincoln University in collaboration with Bordeaux Sciences Agro-ISVV-Ecophysiology and Functional Genomics of Grapevines, France, and worked as a scientist in grapevine modelling at Plant & Food Research, before moving to Lincoln University in 2015. Amber’s research focusses on phenological modelling and

understanding environmental drivers of phenology, investigating the effects of source-sink modifications of the grapevine on phenology and asynchrony of fruit composition, and understanding impacts and adaptations for viticulture in the context of climate change. Amber also has a keen interest in developing and implementing precision agriculture techniques in viticulture.

18-21 January 2024 pinotworkshop.com

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Altogether Unique Growing the reputation of New Zealand Wine Charlotte Read

Read On

It’s a great feeling to have got to the end of an activitypacked year without a pandemic disruption to speak of. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve showcased our Altogether Unique brand platform in all our key markets culminating with an exploration of the Importance of Brand at the inaugural New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) Wine Business Forum in Christchurch (see page 14). It was so valuable to gather, connect and learn from each other, and we’re already into planning for next year’s event, with this engaging forum now an annual fixture. The new year is just around the corner and we are looking forward to more opportunities to share our Altogether Unique New Zealand wine story in our key markets. A reminder of what we have coming up and how you can be involved can be found on the brand page of the members site at nzwine.com. May you all have the opportunity to enjoy relaxing moments with your friends and family these summer holidays.

Charlotte Read is NZW General Manager Brand

The Blind Tasting

This year’s NZW Blind Tasting was held on 15 and 16 November in Hawke’s Bay. Free for all members to submit their wines, this evaluation allows NZW to continue to identify our industry exemplars to ‘put our best foot forward’ when taking our Altogether Unique New Zealand Wine story to the world. Obtaining a diverse panel is a key requirement, ensuring a mix of winemakers and viticulturists, wine business folk, trade and media, alongside an associate panellist programme for both members and trade.

Following the tasting, lead panellist Emma Jenkins MW produces a varietal summary document detailing the ‘state of play’ across our varieties. Her summaries encompass varietal development and trends, as well as regional, subregional, vintage and stylistic themes.

This year almost 1,000 wines were tasted, showing strong growth on last year. Open to all members, The Not Blind Tasting event on the final day offered attendees an unparalleled opportunity to taste their way around our regions and varietals and to connect with peers.

Nordic Events

New Zealand Wine Reception – Los Angeles

In October, NZW hosted a reception for wine trade and media at Blue Plate Oysterette in Los Angeles, a stronghold for New Zealand wines sales in the United States. The aim was to showcase the diversity of what the New Zealand wine industry has to offer, and 17 wines were shared, including eight varietals from eight different regions. The event targeted an influential group, including beverage managers and retail buyers, as well as high profile New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey. All attendees were impressed with the range and quality of the wines, and NZW looks forward to increasing the frequency of tasting and education initiatives in the Los Angeles area.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

For the first time in the Nordics, an exciting collaboration between Wine Australia and NZW saw 500 wines from 43 regions across Australia and New Zealand showcased to more than 750 wine trade and consumers in Denmark and Sweden.

The October event was the first time the organisations have run Wine Australia/New Zealand Winegrowers tastings in the region since the pandemic. In each city a trade tasting, masterclasses, and an evening consumer tasting took place, giving local wine trade and consumers the opportunity to discover new wines, revisit the classics, meet the makers, and catch up with importers. Wineries and importers could also connect with the monopoly buyers, distributors, restaurants, sommeliers, media and educators to help drive their businesses forward.

ALTOGETHER UNIQUE

IT WOULD BE STINK IF THESE GOT INTO NEW ZEALAND

Anna Flowerday

Pinot Noir NZ

The brown marmorated stink bug is a pest that

Pinot Noir New Zealand 2025 will be held in Ōtautahi Christchurch on 11 to 13 February 2025.

Committee member Anna Flowerday gives us a taste of what’s to come.

infests homes, ruins gardens, stinks when crushed,

I am… Co-owner and Winemaker at Te Whare Ra in Marlborough, a member of the New Zealand Winegrowers Brand Committee, and a massive advocate for the quality and depth of the New Zealand Pinot Noir offering. A 6th generation winegrower, I first fell in love with Pinot while working with fruit from the Yarra Valley and Tasmania. I knew that wherever I went next, Pinot had to be part of the plan. I am loving being part of the Pinot 2025 production, working alongside a passionate group of Pinot advocates from our industry, reconnecting New Zealand Pinot with each other and the world.

to keep it that way. So if you see one,

and is almost impossible to get rid of. It could also destroy our fruit and vegetable industries.

It’s not in New Zealand yet, and we want don’t kill it. Catch it, take a photo, and call us on 0800 80 99 66.

Look for black & white banding on the antennae

For more information (including how to identify the bug) visit biosecurity.govt.nz/stinkbug

Look for black & white banding on the sides of the abdomen

Our committee… is really excited by the programme we are putting together for Pinot 2025. It will be a chance to welcome the world back to Aotearoa, to reconnect with them, and to give them a deep dive into all the latest Pinot Noir happenings from this part of the world. The themes of Pinot 2025 delve into the intrinsic values of our industry, from our place and our people, and how this crafts our Pinot.

Our latest news is… we are 90% of the way into firming up the programme and speakers. We are confident that we have put something together that holds true to the vision of the Pinot Noir Bunch and all the work they put into the plans for Pinot 2021, while taking account of where the landscape for New Zealand Pinot will be in 2025. The programme aims to have something for everyone, with an inspiring line up of Kiwi and international visionaries. We have crafted three days of intellectual discussion and plenty of tasting to stimulate the senses.

We hope to see you there!

Stink Bugs not shown actual size. (Actual size approx. 1.7cm long)

New Zealand Pinot is… world class!

MPB0160

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ALTOGETHER UNIQUE

Business Forum

Good timing for industry brand aid SOPHIE PREECE The Wine Business Forum provided timely discussions as wine companies face market headwinds in New Zealand and abroad.

“While not the perfect antidote for tough times (which they really are) it did provide some necessary reenergising,” says Lawson’s Dry Hills General Manager Sion Barnsley of the forum, with its theme on the importance of brand.

“New Zealand’s wines shocked and amazed the world, and they still should.”

Oz Clarke Held in Christchurch Ōtautahi on 1 November, the New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) forum included a rousing talk from wine legend Oz Clarke, over from the United Kingdom to “bang the drum” about New Zealand wine, and the Sauvignon Blanc that proved a revelation to him when he first tasted it in 1984. It was a “brash interloper” in a wimpy world, that “snatched the baton away from so-called wine experts”, he said, delivering his poetic presentation with trademark charisma.

Thirty years on, Oz remains devoted to “this brilliantly green, pungent, acidstreaked, exotically ripe wine”, that revealed itself as describable and recognisable in a world of wine obfuscation. “New Zealand’s wines shocked and amazed the world, and they still should. Not because they tasted of nowhere. They tasted of somewhere no one knew and that’s because New Zealand’s wines tasted of a somewhere that had never existed before. And that’s the story that you tell.”

New Zealand Story Group Chief Executive David Downs discussed the value of “our New Zealand-ness”, and the power of a common brand platform for New Zealand industries. With a population of 5 million, New Zealand is too small to head out to the world with multiple messages, he warned.

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Oz Clarke speaks at the Altogether Unique Celebration, following the NZW Business Forum. Photo Richard Briggs

“The wine industry needs to support the meat industry, needs to support the technology industry, needs to support the education sector. The messages need to be consistent among all of us.” It may be small, but it is also mighty, with New Zealand’s brand value one of the highest in the world, valued at $US280 billion, David told the audience. “The brand value of New Zealand as a country of origin is massive.”

The sold-out Business Forum included insights from wine strategist Lulie Halstead (see page 17), Rob McMillan, founder of the Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division and one of the top wine-business analysts in the United States, and from Mike O’Sullivan, Founder and Executive Creative Director of Many Minds, who helped develop the New Zealand Wine Altogether Unique brand.

Giesen Group General Manager Kyle Skene gave an engaging description of Giesen’s diversification into low and no alcohol wine, as well as the gin and alcoholic lemonade made from the ethanol byproduct, and Countdown Wine Category Manager Haydn Jones discussed what’s trending on supermarket shelves, and what’s not.

The collection of speakers and topics complemented one another, with messages that proved a “timely reminder”, Sion says.

“Oz Clarke’s message of ‘be yourselves, don’t try to emulate old world producers, tell your story of purity, cleanliness, uniqueness, and embrace the values that are special to us,’ really did resonate with me.” That message

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

was driven home by David, who outlined four common values used as a platform for the New Zealand Story, with Manaaki, hospitality, care and reciprocity; Tiaki, intergenerational care for the environment; Pono, acting with integrity, honesty, and transparency; and Pōtikitanga, representing New Zealand’s curious, ingenious and adventurous spirit. “There couldn’t be a better platform for all New Zealand exporters,” Sion says of the concepts.

NZW General Manager Brand Charlotte Read says she threw out the original programme for a Covid-cancelled 2021 business forum, and used the opportunity of a do-over to look at the foundations of the Altogether Unique brand, amid a wider conversation on brand work in the industry.

Marisco Vineyards owner Brent Marris says the timing of the forum was “excellent” given the challenging sales climate, nationally and internationally. “Sales and marketing should be on everyone’s minds.”

Wine companies following a marketing program to build brand awareness would have found the business forum “very reassuring as the messages were consistent and strong”, he adds.

A highlight for Brent was Rob McMillan’s analysis of US sales statistics, “defining price point and potential vulnerability”, and Lulie Halstead’s “outstanding” market research.

“Marketing a brand and staying relevant is all about using all the channels available to us to get to consumers – not just one thing, but a combination.”

ALTOGETHER UNIQUE

Consumers care less than you think SOPHIE PREECE One of the biggest mistakes wine marketers make is in assuming consumers are as passionate and knowledgeable about wine as they are. That was one of the key messages from wine business strategist Lulie Halstead at the New Zealand Winegrowers Business Forum in Christchurch in early November.

“We assume consumers think, feel and behave the way we do.”

Lulie Halstead “The reality is – and I have had 25 years of direct experience of consumers of wine around the world – they do not care as much as we would like them to,” the Wine Intelligence founder told attendees in a virtual presentation from England.

Marketers are prone to projecting their own views, knowledge and desires onto the consumer, “and that gives us a real problem. Because we assume consumers think, feel and behave the way we do”.

That passion-projection was one of a handful of mistakes Lulie warned against, including a common misunderstanding of the components of wine marketing, which begins with knowing the consumer, creating a strategy, and developing tactics, before the final steps of communications and PR.

Another misstep is a belief that focusing on quality alone will lead to meaningful differentiation, she said, reflecting on the common refrain: “I grow wine in a special place; it comes out really high quality; and therefore I am different.” Wine producers across the globe can make the same claim, she said. “That’s not differentiation.”

Lulie advised wine companies to invest in marketing actions that will help drive a profitable wine business, staring with “true consumer understanding”. Operators may be fearful of the cost of consumer research, but there are plenty of ways to gain insights through time and effort, such as deciphering existing data and how it pertains to a specific business, or getting out and taking notice of consumer behaviour. Sit in a bar and observe what people are buying and drinking, she suggested. Or invite the likes of friends, colleagues, and people in your sports club to come around for lunch, and talk about wine. “Lots of people really like doing that”.

She also advised companies to be “tough” on their positioning. “Positioning for wine is not, ‘I am sustainable; I am good quality; I come from a unique place.’

That is not tough positioning.” Instead she gave examples of two major companies – Dove, which is “absolutely positioned about real beauty in everything they do”, and Cadbury, for which everything is about generosity. “If you have one word for your wine business, for your positioning, to truly differentiate yourself, what would it be?”

Nurtured and distinctive brand assets were also “super powerful”. Once those things are in place, “think very carefully

before you start changing stuff ”, she said, cautioning against people new to the industry or a role thinking they need to change everything. “A lot of academic research says you can keep the same positions – the likes of generosity; real beauty – for 30, 40, 50 years in an organisation. I would advocate, let’s stop changing stuff and let’s focus on clear positions, clear distinctive assets, and reiterating the messaging.”

Finally, Lulie advised companies to look at “attitude not age” lamenting wine’s obsession with generations, from Millennials 10 years ago to Zeds today.

While it’s necessary to look at changing drinking behaviours, the industry needs to shift its attitude to recognise that attitude can trump age in the industry.

People over 50 invest more in travel and premiumisation, but are increasingly ignored, based on demographics, she said.

Lulie sold Wine Intelligence to IWSR in 2021, and is currently a Non-executive Director of the IWSR group. She delivers strategic marketing consultancy, education, interim leadership, and board advisory services to drive profit in wine and spirits businesses. Building on her 30-year experience as a business leader in global wine and an academic specialising in consumer behaviour, market research, and branding in the wine and spirits sectors, she delivers masterclasses tailored to support individual wine businesses and regional associations. She was recently appointed as the Interim Chief Executive of the Gerard Basset Foundation which to date has pledged £2.2 million to support diversity and inclusion projects globally in wine, spirits and hospitality.

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ALTOGETHER UNIQUE

Growing story and brand awareness has never been more important than now, Brent says. “When it comes to consumers, in a world full of noise, how do you get cut through and get consumers to engage with your brand?”

Anna Seifried of Seifried Estate says it was great to be in a room with so many industry leaders – many of whom have been in the industry for the long haul – and to talk about everything from frost events to ProWein plans. She says discussion of brands, and the need to tell a cohesive pan-industry story, was pertinent, while Oz’s presentation was a good reminder of what New Zealand wine has to offer. “It’s nice to hear an external voice to say what we all think, and probably take for granted sometimes.”

Charlotte says the forum was about showing the good, the bad and the ugly of the industry’s opportunities and challenges, and she hopes future business forums will include more companies sharing their individual stories. There will be a different theme each year, “and we’re looking forward to survey feedback with people giving us ideas for future forums”.

Export Update Several factors are playing into a slowdown in New Zealand wine exports, including bumper sales in 2020, a light vintage in 2021, and pipeline refilling in 2022. In an email to members in midOctober, New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan noted the wider context of high inflation, high interest rates, and economic uncertainty in key markets. “Wineries are unsure how this is going to impact demand.”

Exports for July, August and September 2023 were below the corresponding months last year, and export volume for the first quarter slipped 21% on 2022, with most markets and most varieties implicated in the decline. July and August export values (per litre) were up on last year.

Philip noted that Vintage 2023 was New Zealand’s second largest vintage, and hard to compare with other recent seasons, each of which had “special features”, from the Covid-related demand boost in 2020, to the very small harvest in

ECLAT COLLECTION

2021, followed by “exceptional demand” for 2022 wines to refill pipelines.

While exports are currently tracking well below 2022, shipments month by month are in line with pre-Covid times, he adds. “Our assessment is that, in part at least, shipments this year have been constrained by the fuller supply chain consequent on vintage 2022. What is much less clear is whether the slower shipments also represent any reduced in-market demand. Given our incomplete data sets we do not have a clear view on current in-market sales, so the jury is still out on that question. The data we have, and mixed anecdotal reports from wineries, likely reflects current market uncertainty.”

Lawson’s Dry Hills General Manager Sion Barnsley says companies are facing tough times. “I am very nervous about the headwinds coming our way over the next 12-18 months, adding to the current slowdown. Hopefully, the pessimism in me is proven wrong.”

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ALTOGETHER UNIQUE

Celebrating something Altogether Unique New Zealand’s wine industry celebrated its legends, its achievements, its resilience, and its potential at an industry celebration in Christchurch on 1 November.

Altogether Unique - A Celebration saw the 2023 Fellows of New Zealand Winegrowers acknowledged, with Neal and Judy Ibbotson, Mal McLennan, Dr David Jordan (DJ), and Peter Holley recognised for their extraordinary contribution to the industry, along with 2022 Fellows Rose and Jim Delegat. The 250 attendees also celebrated the three regional winners of the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year, who completed their national competition with a speech at the Altogether Unique event, explaining what made their own wine region so special.

The speech section and the national

Hawke’s Bay’s Alena Kamper is presented the 2023 Young Winemaker of the Year award by Sherwyn Veldhuizen from naming sponsor Tonnellerie de Mercurey. Photo Richard Briggs

title were won by 22-year-old Alena Kamper from Sacred Hill (see page 54), who ran an auction offering Hawke’s Bay to the winning bid, while selling its attributes to the crowd. Alena is the youngest winner of the event to date, and, along with fellow finalists Callum Haynes and Eliana Leal, represents the extraordinary new talent coming up through the industry. The event also saw both the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers

and Gisborne Winegrowers associations recognised for their huge efforts during Cyclone Gabrielle.

With United Kingdom wine legend Oz Clarke taking to the stage to wax lyrical about his love of New Zealand wine, as well as a talk from newly elected Director General of the Organisation of Vine and Wine, Dr John Barker, the celebration was a perfect opportunity to reflect on the past and plan for the future.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Haere Ra 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, winegrowers and makers around the country reflect on the good, bad, and the awesome of the year that was.

Auckland, Tamaki Makaurau Following one of the toughest vintages Auckland has experienced, Soljans Estate Vineyard Manager Tai Nelson was named New Zealand’s 2023 Young Viticulturist of the Year. He shares some of the highs and lows of a year of hard mahi.

The Good – Coming through a season like the one we’ve just had with anything to show for it is an achievement all on its own. The importance of adapting and preparing for the impacts of climate change was made clear. We have also seen wine tourism coming back quickly in our region, and our industry’s resilience after such a vintage is an opportunity to show the world our true mahi and spirit.

The Bad – 2023 was a vintage of rain,

rain and more rain. Here in Auckland it came at exactly the wrong times in the early season, with heavy falls around New Year’s, then of course the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle two weeks after that. What it gave us was extraordinarily high disease pressure and ground too soggy to drive the tractor on. & The Awesome – While the vintage was certainly challenging, at Soljans we had the opportunity to experiment and try new things with the fruit from our home block. The extreme weather meant we simply couldn’t bring it to full ripeness, but we have made some delicate and delicious wines from one of the hardest vintages this decade.

Tai Nelson.

Photo Amber Soljan

Waiheke Sam Taylor took up a vintage position with Man O’ War Vineyards on Waiheke Island 15 years ago, and has built his home and career on the island.

The Good – Waiheke continues to grow as a tourist destination for wine lovers. There are lots of new offerings and initiatives from the many Waiheke wineries and these continue to be well supported by the public. Casual labour was easier to come by throughout the

2023 season. Man O’ War has for some time been developing some lighter wine styles. Those were particularly helpful in the cooler vintage and helped us maintain crop levels and overall production.

The Bad – The 2023 Vintage was one of the most challenging seen by Waiheke Island growers. Persistent wet weather throughout the season lead to multiple problems. High levels of mildew,

particularly downy, was widely reported on the island – something not seen for many years. Ripening was slow and concentration hard to come by. & The Awesome – The long-term outlook for summer is hot and dry.

Wines from the excellent 2020/21/22 vintages are now hitting the market and will no doubt add to Waiheke Island’s reputation as a world class wine producing region.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

REGIONAL UPDATE

Gisborne, Tairawhiti Thirty-nine years after establishing The Millton Vineyard near Manutuke, Annie Millton reflects on the opportunities and challenges in Tairāwhiti, the first wine region in the world to see the sunrise each day.

“The Winemakers in Gisborne often collaborate and share knowledge, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the local wine industry.”

Annie Millton The Good – Gisborne is renowned for producing exceptional Chardonnay with distinct character and quality, earning international recognition and acclaim from wine enthusiasts and experts around the

world. Gisborne’s wineries benefit from a unique terroir characterised by our young fertile soils, ample sunshine, dry farmed vines and a favourable climate, contributing to the production of wines with distinctive flavours and a strong sense of regional identity.

The Bad – Gisborne’s limited economic diversification. Gisborne’s economy heavily relies on primary industries like agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which can make it vulnerable to market fluctuations and environmental changes. Gisborne’s geographic location, relatively distant from major urban centres, can pose challenges in terms of access to certain services, resources, and markets, affecting both businesses and residents. & The Awesome – Collaboration and innovation: The Winemakers in Gisborne often collaborate and share knowledge, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the local wine industry, leading to the development of new winemaking techniques and the production of innovative and exceptional wine varieties.

Annie Millton

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Ben Tombs

Hawke’s Bay, Te Matau-a-Maui Ben Tombs is stepping up to Chief Winemaker at Craggy Range, with Julian Grounds heading back across the Tasman to make wine on the Mornington Peninsula.

The New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year 2020 gives us a taste of the trials, tribulations and triumphs in Te Matau-aMāui in 2023 The Good – On the back of a very challenging vintage, there was some great recognition for the region. The inaugural Chardonnay Symposium held in Hawke’s Bay in October was a great success – a spotlight on the evolution of style and emphasis on individuality the variety can harness. How good is Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay?! The Inclusion of Hawke’s Bay as a Great Wine Capital of the World this

year has also provided some great exposure and really highlighted the strength of wine tourism within the region.

“It’s amazing to be part of such a resilient community.”

Ben Tombs The Bad – Dealing with increasingly intense seasonal volatility, highlighted by Cyclone Gabrielle hitting right at the break of harvest. The extreme season meant immense workloads in both vineyard and winery. Reducing yields, and strict selection at picking and sorting was paramount.

The shift into an El Niño cycle is welcome, but presents a fresh set of challenges, with potential drought conditions this summer.

The deviation of seasons is nothing new, but the intensity of these swings provides the challenge. & The Awesome – It’s amazing to be part of such a resilient community – the collaboration between wineries after the flooding to check in, pitch in and keep the wheels moving, along with the support from the wider New Zealand wine industry, has been incredible. There’s also a lot to get excited about at Craggy Range as we gear up to celebrate our upcoming 25th vintage.

Receiving The Real Review 2023 Winery of the Year was a fantastic highlight for the team.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Devastating cyclone pulls community together JOELLE THOMSON Cyclone Gabrielle wiped out the vineyards, infrastructure and livelihoods of Linden Estate and Petane Wines in Hawke’s Bay earlier this year. But the two Esk Valley wine brands have survived, with Linden Estate reopening at Labour Weekend, thanks to volunteers and industry support.

“Our team has worked tirelessly to get back up and running, including digging up our vines by hand, cleaning out the cellar door and hand washing 27,000 bottles damaged and covered in silt.”

Olivia WaldingKaraitiana.

Petane Wines founder and owner Philip Barber is working for Linden Estate but has been able to continue producing his own wine, thanks to the unexpected gift of grapes, wine and winemaking from Hawke’s Bay and Western Australia, all of which has humbled him, he says. “A guy called Jacob (ex-Craggy Range) from Bacchus Vineyard in Western Australia rang me up one night after the cyclone and said he had heard what had happened and wanted to send me 1,000 litres of his best Cabernet Sauvignon, which is now sitting at Linden Estate. All I had to do was pay the freight and excise. It was amazing and the wine also tastes amazing.”

This generosity was the tip of an iceberg of kindness from the wine industry, Philip says, recalling the gift of Chenin Blanc and Gamay from Hawke’s Bay grape growers Ian and Linda Quinn, from their own relatively small vineyard, Two Terraces (see page 40). “These two characters turned up when I was struggling to clean up and save about

Philip Barber on the cover of Winegrower magazine after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo Richard Brimer

12,000 bottles, which took about five days of cleaning with volunteers. They said to me, ‘look, we want to give you these grapes as we know you like Chenin Blanc and we can give you some of ours, as well as some Gamay.’ I have had so much help from others, including Rod McDonald and others who have given so much to keep us going when our vineyards were wiped out and our facilities destroyed.”

Philip would like to plant more vines but for now he is working at Linden Estate, where he is also able to store and mature his own wines. “Effectively our vineyard was completely written off so we’ve been pulling up all the vines and posts and getting rid of silt.” He began Petane Wines in 2011 with his wife Sarah, and would love to plant Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Gamay in the future.

“It was an amazing site and never got frosted, but we are too concerned to do anything else right now, as it will be a three-to-four-year delay to get any

vines. Luckily, I’m working on a full-time contract at Linden, trying to help get the place fully up and running.”

Meanwhile, Linden Estate continues its own repairs in a bid to get back to precyclone business, says business manager Olivia Walding-Karaitiana. “Our team has worked tirelessly to get back up and running, including digging up our vines by hand, cleaning out the cellar door and hand washing 27,000 bottles damaged and covered in silt. We went through a lot of masks, a lot of rags and for a long time we had no water or power.”

The winery was built in 2019 with reclaimed red beech from the West Coast, which was damaged. “It’s been a pretty big job repairing the cellar door in eight months with such a small team of five full-timers and a lot of volunteers and part timers,” Olivia says. “We are still unearthing tools and debris from the cyclone’s devastation but the main functioning basics are all back in place.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Wairarapa Jannine Rickards, winemaker at Urlar, founder of Huntress Wines, previous chair and co-chair of the Wairarapa Winegrowers Association, hunter, gatherer and inspiration to many, says the region has high hopes for 2024.

The Good – We have some really exciting and energetic wines coming out of the region this year. Bright and delicious – perfect for the predicted warm summer ahead. It is early in the season, but the local winegrowing community has high hopes and expectations for 2024, having shifted back to El Niño weather patterns.

The Bad – Certainly the weather has been challenging for the past couple of seasons, along with the ongoing effects of Covid and increased costs for small businesses.

But as a community we have banded together and supported each other through tricky times. & The Awesome – Our local Wairarapa Winegrowers committee has been uniting the region with many events and collaborations. We had a fantastic winter celebration of pioneers of the Wairarapa and Martinborough terrace in July.

There was great banter and storytelling honouring where we have come from, where we are now, and where we are heading as a region. Delicious food, wine

“As a community we have banded together and supported each other through the tricky times.”

Jannine Rickards and friends. Recently we invited Waiheke Winegrowers down to collaborate and showcase some of their beautiful wines in our cellar doors. It’s great to connect with other small premium regions and we look forward to visiting them next year. We have loads of community workshops, tastings and gatherings which is uplifting for our community.

Jannine Rickards

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

REGIONAL UPDATE

Mark and Sophie McGill at Abel

Nelson, Whakatu Mark McGill, co-founder, grower and maker of Abel Cider and Chardonnay, reflects on the year that was from the boutique and beautiful Moutere block he’s grown with his wife Sophie.

The Good – The region was very lucky to get away with what will turn out to be an excellent 2023 vintage. It was a cooler season and the rain in the first half wasn’t much fun, but towards the pointy end we were blessed with some of that famous Nelson-Tasman sunshine. Those who respected yields and did the hard yards in the vineyard would’ve seen some beautifully clean fruit. Chardonnay will again be a standout. It certainly is well suited to our Moutere clay soils, which the team at Neudorf have proven time and time again. There’s a fruit purity and intensity we can achieve here with Chardonnay that is unrivalled elsewhere in New Zealand.

As a region we need to shout more about it, both locally and internationally. New Zealand Chardonnay is on the rise and there’s certainly a seat at the table for our unique expression.

The Bad – Unfortunately for Nelson-Tasman a late frost on 28 October hit a number of vineyards. It appears our region’s ‘one-inseven-year frost’ is no longer, having had three in five years, so we’ll have to steal a few helicopters from over the hill going forward.

It’s hard to comment on the bad after what happened to our good friends up north this year. The wine industry is no cake walk.

There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that goes into making a bottle of wine, bad weather or good. Those who don’t know it and just see wine through rosé tinted glasses (thank you for your custom BTW!) should roll their sleeves up and come spend a week in the vineyard with me – that’s an invite. & The Awesome – Based on 2023 figures, Nelson-Tasman is the 4th largest wine region in New Zealand. Most people wouldn’t even know there’s a wine industry here as we’re dwarfed by the might of Marlborough, love them as we do! Next time you’re heading to Golden Bay for a holiday, just veer LEFT off the Coastal Highway and immerse yourself in some Chardonnay from the Moutere clay.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Marlborough, Wairau The founder, winemaker and namesake of Jules Taylor Wines, who was Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine’s 2021 New Zealand Winemaker of the Year, pays homage to a surprisingly splendid vintage in Marlborough’s 50th year of wine.

The Good – How great is it to be celebrating 50 years since the first commercial plantings of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc? I am so proud to have been part of this amazing region’s growth and success. And how appropriate to celebrate with a cracker harvest across all varieties after such a challenging growing season. It is testament to the viticultural talent here … we certainly played our ‘get out of jail free’ card. Being able to visit our overseas markets again has also been a highlight. Connecting with our new United States importer and old friends throughout our network has cemented my love affair with cocktails and the importance of maintaining great relationships!

The Bad – The devastation in the North Island growing regions was particularly hard to comprehend, with so many friends throughout the industry so badly affected.

Mother Nature again proved to be an incredible force. These adverse weather

events are so extreme these days – if it’s not one thing, it’s another. Market forces have been tough too with slowdowns and uncertainties contributing to a hard year for some. Life on the wine roller coaster is never dull!

“All these young, talented viticulture and winemaking folk emerging in our industry makes me think we are in great shape.” & The Awesome – The 2023 vintage wines from Marlborough taste awesome across all varieties, which is particularly pleasing after the anxiety heading into vintage. And for us, releasing our first ever organically certified wine – the On The Quiet Pinot Noir 2021 – has been fantastic. We are proud to be moving into that space and stoked with the reception from trade and consumers.

Watching from afar the success of other

Jules Taylor. Photo Lisa Duncan

New Zealand wines around the world also gives me huge pleasure. And all these young, talented viticulture and winemaking folk emerging in our industry makes me think we are in great shape.

Awatere Valley Foley Wine’s chief Marlborough winemaker Stu Marfell grew up on a farm in the Awatere Valley, and has seen the area transformed by grapes over the past 40 years. The Marlborough Wine Show Judge explores the Awatere.

The Good – It’s so great to see people travelling again, and to be visiting our markets and hosting trade and visitors.

We have missed telling our stories and showing off all that is great about the Awatere. Fifty years of Marlborough wine this year is an amazing milestone. I feel very lucky to have lived through this history in the Awatere Valley. We have gone from dusty dryland sheep farming, to producing high quality bottled wine, sold around the world. We all owe so much to the original pioneers for their courage, foresight, and drive for excellence.

The Bad – My biggest worry is losing the quality focus across Marlborough. The legacy created 50 years ago is immense, and it’s up to this generation not to lose it.

It was disappointing to see some vineyards harvested at very low brix and very high

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crop levels this year. Brand Marlborough is very strong, but only if we are all paddling the same waka; we must all strive to make the best wines possible across all price points, and can’t just cash in on our reputation. We need real leadership and courage to drive the next 50 years. & The Awesome – The Awatere was such a standout this year. The sun came out at just the right time and we had some outstanding fruit, with concentration and elegance. It took some patience getting ripeness, but our 2023 Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc is one of our best ever. Judging the Marlborough Wine Show this year was such a thrill, with so many great wines and the introduction of three subregional trophies. There were so many wines that were exceptional, but the Awatere really showed strongly with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. It was great to see our Awatere mates Tohu win the Legacy award with their Blanc de Blanc. We are making some of the best Sauvignon Blanc anywhere in the world and we have a group of winemakers who are really at the forefront

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

Stu Marfell and Sandy

of Sauvignon Blanc winemaking, so its great to celebrate that. It was an honour to judge with Oz Clarke; he was so excited about the quality of our wines and is such a fan. I’m looking forward to a great summer, and to welcoming overseas guests to our sunny valley.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

North Canterbury, Waipara Matt Barbour of Barbour Vineyards is Chair of the North Canterbury Winegrowers Association.

The Good – Spring temperatures were slightly below average, resulting in a slower start to the season. However, conditions improved in December and January, leading to excellent flowering and overall fruit set.

The presence of an El Niño pattern resulted in a high rainfall in February, but growers had learnt their lesson from the previous season and kept their spray windows tight to allow the fruit to mature and be harvested at optimal ripeness. The 2023 vintage wines are showing a bold and lively character, with some aromatic and rosé wines already bottled, while Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are still aging in barrels.

The North Canterbury region experienced a 13% increase in production this vintage.

We eagerly await the outcome of this season, whatever it may bring.

The Bad – We have seen two of the pioneers of our region pass away suddenly. Jill Chapman and Kym Rayner were not only beloved members of our community, but true pioneers, whose impact will be felt for

years to come. The sudden loss of these two remarkable people has left a void in our hearts and in our community. It is times like these that remind us of the strength and bond within our community, and the way it has rallied together is a testament to their impact. We have witnessed an outpouring of support and love for their families, with many stepping up to help in any way possible.

“It is times like these that remind us of the strength and bond within our community.”

Matt Barbour & The Awesome – Phenomenal Growth.

Our vineyard expansion in the 2023 season has exceeded our expectations, with a significant increase in plantings. This, combined with our previous and anticipated future plantings, is a testament to the flourishing wine industry in our region.

North Canterbury is gaining recognition as

Matt Barbour

a premier wine-growing region, and we are proud to showcase our exceptional wines.

Despite inclement weather at The North Canterbury Wine and Food Festival, it was heartwarming to see the unwavering support of attendees, who braved the elements to make the most of the festivities. Tickets are now available for the 2024 event. Be a part of this year’s extraordinary festival and experience the best of Waipara’s wine and food culture.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Central Otago Matt Connell’s winemaking palette includes colours from across Central Otago, from Gibbston and Alexandra, to Bendigo and Bannockburn.

The Good – 2023 has seen good numbers of visitors returning to the various cellar door offerings in Central which has been welcome. Covid-19 greatly affected visitor numbers to the region, which relies heavily on visitors for additional exposure and income. The 2023 vintage was very solid

“Pinot Noirs in barrel look very solid and show good subregional definition, flavour and balance.”

Matt Connell

from a winemaking point of view. The white wines came though very well, with vibrant flavours and good acidity. Pinot Gris was slightly more challenging, taking longer to reach ripeness and with additional variability, possibly due to a cold snap in November 2022. The weather posed some problems for viticultural teams, with handpicking during the middle of harvest affected by rain events over a couple of weeks. The season went on to dry out, and

the majority of the fruit was in excellent condition. Pinot Noirs in barrel look very solid and show good subregional definition, flavour and balance, and I would expect some very good wines as a result.

The Bad – As with all wine production across the country, the rising costs of all inputs and increased compliance costs has been a challenge and looks to remain so for the next little while. Inflation is obviously affecting people’s spending power and this

also provides challenges for us all. & The Awesome – Our main focus outside winemaking for ourselves and a great group of clients has been reworking our cellar door to offer more curated experiences.

We now offer a range of tasting options by appointment, and the result for us as a smaller business has been fantastic, with increased engagement with our customers and the ability to also find time for ourselves outside wine.

Waitaki From Te Kano Estate in the Waitaki Valley, winemaker Dave Sutton offers insights into the year that was.

The Good – A cooler summer and long warm autumn made for elegant wines with lots of flavour concentration at lower alcohol levels.

The Bad – The usual issues around labour created a lot of challenges through the growing season, with rapid canopy growth proving difficult to get under control. This followed through to harvest, with some growers suffering significant losses due to late season botrytis and a lack of available pickers at critical times. & The Awesome – Once again, the spirit of the Waitaki shone through, with great collaboration and sharing of knowledge and resources between vineyards through the growing season and harvest. For growers who managed to get their fruit harvested in the critical window, the young wines are stunning – explosively aromatic whites and delicate, poised Pinot Noirs.

Dave Sutton

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The Focus 31 I

Sparkling success The rise of bubbles

33 I

Mumm’s the word A bright future

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Méthode Marlborough Everyday pour

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Pétillant Naturel The ancestral method

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Prosecco Stellar growth

THE FOCUS

A Sparkling Success With sparkling wine rising beyond the bounds of celebratory events, we talk to New Zealand wine companies with burgeoning aspirations for their bubbles.

Sparkling growth a threat and opportunity SOPHIE PREECE Sparkling wine is no longer tethered to formality and festivities, with consumers increasingly popping the cork for a quiet drink after work or a wine match with a casual dinner.

An IWSR (International Wine & Spirit Research) report notes that stellar growth stats in the United States might be partially down to a “pent-up demand” for celebrations after the lockdowns of Covid-19, but the trend is largely about changing attitudes, “with the drink moving away from exclusive association with formal events and special occasions, to one that can be enjoyed in more relaxed contexts and more frequently”.

Shifting sparkling to an everyday drink poses “a threat and an opportunity” to New Zealand wine, says Richard Lee, the ‘Intel and Insights’ specialist at New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW). A threat because sparkling wine increasingly competes with still wine occasions, including those when Sauvignon Blanc might typically be poured.

For example, there’s basket data evidence that Prosecco sales can take some share from Sauvignon Blanc, Richard says. “We are in the ‘share of throat’ business, and for a growing number of occasions, consumers are choosing sparkling wine.”

On the flipside, consumer research conducted by NZW in key markets clearly shows that drinkers of New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc are far more likely than average to also drink sparkling wine, “so there’s opportunity to introduce the legions of Kiwi Sauvignon lovers to quality New Zealand sparkling wines”, Richard says. In the background of the culture shift, Champagne is increasingly expensive, opening up a market space for more affordable, quality sparkling wines, he adds. “So why not from New Zealand? New Zealand has become famous for its Sauvignon Blanc and Italy for its Prosecco, therefore why not create something ‘altogether unique’ in the world of sparkling wine?”

“We are in the ‘share of throat’ business, and for a growing number of occasions, consumers are choosing sparkling wine.”

Richard Lee Pernod Ricard is certainly tapping into the potential, with its sparkling production in Marlborough almost doubling during the past five years, and some Sauvignon Blanc blocks being redeveloped for Marlborough Mumm. “From our perspective, the future is bright,” says New Zealand Operations Manager Tony Robb (see page 33).

“Marlborough méthode traditionnelle represents a very profitable alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.” Mumm Marlborough was launched in 2020 and in spring this year Pernod Ricard launched Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noir in New Zealand and Australia.

Central Otago Viticulturist Timbo Deaker, of Viticultura, says 8% of the region’s Pinot Noir crop is currently directed to bubble base, “and we expect that could double in the next couple of years”. The growth in sparkling is proving an economic boon, especially in some of the “fringe” areas of the region, he says. “It is also helping our company manage the harvest a lot better, by spreading out our workload over an eight-week period, versus a six-week period with still wine production.”

IWSR reported a 30% rise in people drinking sparkling wine in the US between 2019 and 2022. More people were drinking the style, and drinking it more frequently, with the number of monthly sparkling wine drinkers rising from 56% three years ago to 72% in 2022. There is a big shift in the number of drinkers that view sparkling wine as a “relaxing drink at the end of the day”, the report says. “Almost a quarter of respondents reported drinking sparkling wine at least twice a week.”

Photo on left. The launch of No.1 Reine Cuvée Reserve on Global Champagne Day

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THE FOCUS

Sparkling wine is the only wine segment in the US to have experienced a large growth in volumes sold between 2016 and 2021, and the market is projected to grow by more than 15% in volume terms, between 2021 to 2026.

Despite sparkling wine’s stellar performance in the US, Australia has been the star performer for New Zealand sparkling wine exports over the past decade.

Richard says export volumes were “flattish” until 2021, when “significant growth” began, mainly driven by Australia, but also in the US off a smaller base.

Haydn Jones, Wine Category Manager at Countdown, says it’s been a tough year for sparkling wine through grocery in New Zealand, with the second largest decline in volume during the past year. Sparkling wine is priced at a premium relative to still wine, and the decline is set against a backdrop of inflation putting pressure on consumer discretionary spend, Haydn says. “This has been most notable with Champagne sales, which could afford New Zealand-produced sparkling an opportunity to capture attention, given the strong quality/value offering.” He adds New Zealand producers only need to look at the continued success of Prosecco, “notably presentation on shelf ”, for inspiration. “Sparkling wine has a

Mumm Central Otago

great ability to introduce new and younger consumers to the world of wine with its approachable style. Given the long-term

trends for wine consumption and challenge from other beverage categories, this is worth championing.”

Spring bottling at Quartz Reef SOPHIE PREECE Rudi Bauer is mid-tirage when we talk, using spring’s settled weather to bottle méthode traditionnelle. “Tirage for me is more stressful than harvest,” says the Bendigo winegrowing pioneer, whose Quartz Reef label is synonymous with hand-crafted organic and biodynamic sparkling wine. “There are so many details you have to get right.”

When Rudi planted his vineyard on Bendigo Station in 1998, he was focused on Pinot Noir, with sparkling wine a pragmatic safety net, “simply because I didn’t know what to expect”. Bendigo proved the perfect place for Pinot Noir and the méthode traditionnelle became far more than a ‘plan b’ for Quartz Reef.

The first years were tough, with plenty of costs as the wines aged in bottle for 24 months. But after that, sparkling offers a more even rolling cash flow, Rudi says.

“You know what you have got in your pantry, because you have two years’ stock in house. With Pinot Noir you don’t know what you have got until harvest.” Seasonal

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vagaries still have an impact, but the highs and lows are not as dramatic.

When it comes to the sparkling market, Champagne has traditionally held a strong position due to its reputation and status.

The very nature of sparkling wine is something people share and show off, and in many cases, Champagne was deemed essential to achieve this aspirational level,” Rudi says. “ What is encouraging is that more Kiwis have discovered New Zealand méthode and are actively choosing this.”

Price increases for Champagne have also redirected more people to New Zealand options, as is the growing trend to drink sparkling for more than celebrations.

And with sparkling wine relatively low alcohol, with no tannins, and very little sugar or sulphur, it can be far more than a celebratory show pony.

As he bottles his 2023 wines, with a non-vintage brut, a rosé, and a blanc de blancs, Rudi has plenty on his mind. The base wine has been aging on lees in tank until late October with tirage starting mid-

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

Rudi Bauer riddling

November as more settled weather prevails, to reduce the risk of temperature shock at bottling. Bottles are then transferred to storage for their extended second fermentation.

The entire process, from handpicked grapes to hand-riddled and disgorged wines years later, is meticulous and costly.

But people can buy an “extremely good” New Zealand sparkling wine for $30 to $40, Rudi says. “The quality to price ratio for New Zealand sparkling wine is outstanding.”

THE FOCUS

A bright future for New Zealand sparkling wine SOPHIE PREECE Pernod Ricard’s sparkling production in Marlborough has almost doubled in the past five years, with some Sauvignon Blanc blocks now being redeveloped to help fill demand. “From our perspective, the future is bright,” says New Zealand Operations Manager Tony Robb. “Marlborough méthode traditionnelle represents a very profitable alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.”

Pernod Ricard has grown its Marlborough plantings of sparkling grape varieties – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier – from about 150 hectares 10 years ago, to 250ha now, with plans to expand further. The biggest challenge to increasing production is having enough Chardonnay to include in the blends, Tony says. “We are now actively redeveloping and re-planting some of our Sauvignon Blanc vineyards with Chardonnay, to support ongoing demand for quality sparkling.”

The company, through various owners, has been making méthode traditionnelle in Marlborough for more than 30 years, originally with Deutz Marlborough and then the addition of Mumm Marlborough in 2020. “Mumm Marlborough has accelerated the premium sparkling category and has been the most successful sparkling innovation in Australia and New Zealand since its launch,” Tony says. In spring this year Pernod Ricard launched Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noir in an extension of the Mumm Terroirs portfolio, which also includes Mumm Tasmania in Australia and Mumm Napa in the United States.

The launch of Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noir Tony says from a production perspective, sparkling wine offers a better return on vineyard investment than table wine, due to the higher yields and lower inputs. “In some regions, like Central Otago, the early harvest of sparkling grapes can eliminate late season frost risks. Disease pressure tends to be lower in sparkling grapes given the shorter season and harvesting at lower brix.”

Meanwhile, demand in the sparkling wine category has grown, particularly off the back of the pandemic, with consumers looking to enjoy sparkling wine beyond just ‘celebratory’ occasions, he says. “With an increase in global demand of Champagne, causing price increases and supply challenges, there is an opportunity to export our sparkling beyond New Zealand and Australia.”

The Mumm Terroirs range contributes to Pernod Ricard’s focus on premiumisation of products, “and accelerating our prestige portfolio”, Tony says. “Our vision for Mumm Terroirs is to build a premium sparkling and fine wine range under Maison Mumm, utilising the world’s most soughtafter Pinot Noir regions, and using méthode traditionnelle. Because this method is both labour intensive and costly, we only use it for our prestige products, knowing that we are prioritising quality over quantity.”

New Zealand sparkling is still relatively small on the world stage, but Tony notes the halo effect of a globally recognised brand. “We have seen with the introduction of Mumm Marlborough that the established Mumm brand supports recruitment of new consumers to New Zealand country of origin sparkling wine.”

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THE FOCUS

Ten years of Méthode Marlborough STEPHANIE MCINTYRE New Zealand wine enthusiasts have a deepening understanding and growing appreciation of sparkling wine, says Mel Skinner, Chair of Méthode Marlborough and co-owner of Esses in Kaikōura. “Whilst people are drinking less, they are also drinking better. And locally.”

Marlborough sparkling wine and Sauvignon Blanc have a shared demographic, and Méthode Marlborough members are noticing an increase in consumers choosing sparkling wine over their traditional pour, Mel says. “This aligns with our belief that a glass of Méthode Marlborough celebrates our everyday moments.”

Méthode Marlborough was established in 2013, with the primary goal of increasing consumer awareness of premium sparkling wine from the region, and now has 12 members and myriad wines under its umbrella.

“A glass of Méthode Marlborough celebrates our everyday moments.”

Mel Skinner Member criteria stipulates that wine is produced using the traditional method and aged on lees for a minimum of 18 months.

This is the same secondary fermentation technique used in Champagne, but it is taken a step further by increasing the time on lees requirement by three months. “Our members have always felt that 18 months on lees ensures a quality and complexity level that other sparkling production methods can simply not achieve,” Mel says.

“Most Méthode Marlborough wines far exceed that minimum, with member wines averaging around 36 months. Several sit for over seven years.”

Méthode traditionnelle is the most laborious technique available to sparkling wine producers. It is said to produce the most complex and elegant examples, with the finest and most persistent bead. The second fermentation is carried out in bottle, followed by time on lees, the intricate riddling process and, finally, disgorging

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Méthode Marlborough members Stewart Maclennan from Saint Clair Family Estate, Claudia Yanez from Nautilus, and Patricia Miranda-Taylor from Wither Hills. Photo Jim Tannock

(the removal of lees). “It is important that we keep talking about what sets Méthode Marlborough wines apart from the pack and consumers seem to be ready for more detail,” Mel says.

Méthode traditionnelle is versatile for food and wine pairing, which “Méthode Marlborough highlights in its activities, she adds. “We continue to work with restauranteurs about having a méthode section rather than narrowing their field to Champagne.” As all Champagne is méthode traditionnelle but not all méthode traditionnelle is Champagne, this seems like a natural fit. But it’s not easy. “It’s slowly

changing, but there is still an expectation by many to see a Champagne category on a menu,” Mel says. “It was interesting to read recently that American Airlines swapped out Champagne for an Italian Brut in their long-haul business class.”

The Méthode Marlborough portfolio offers consumers zero dosage, non vintage, vintage, rosé, blanc de blancs, and sec, among others. There is a Méthode Marlborough wine for everyone, Mel says. “We love sharing the diversity of our member wines – they range from youthful and vibrant through to aged and complex. It is a delicious discovery.”

Exclusively sparkling at Esses Mel and Aaron Skinner chose to exclusively produce méthode traditionnelle wines when they moved to Kaikōura 12 years ago and purchased an established vineyard with their new home, nestled at the base of Mt Fyffe. Under their Esses label they currently offer seven distinct sparklers from 1.5 hectares of vines, including a nonvintage, two blanc de blancs, three vintage expressions, and a sec, with time on lees ranging from 3.5 to nine years.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

THE FOCUS

A family commitment to Marlborough méthode STEPHANIE MCINTYRE When Daniel Le Brun first visited Marlborough in 1978, he was determined it was the Antipodean answer to Champagne.

“I knew the moment I arrived,” says the owner and winemaker at No.1 Family Estate. “The soil, the climate, the aspect. It all felt right.”

He left behind his family and their established vineyards in Champagne, with the vision of crafting his own unique expression of méthode. And during the past 45 years he and his wife Adele – both passionate founding members of Méthode Marlborough – have carved a path for new world méthode traditionnelle producers.

On Global Champagne Day (23 October 2023) the Le Brun family released a new non-vintage méthode named for Daniel’s mother, Reine Vautrelle Le Brun. The No.1 Reine Cuvée Reserve is a tribute to the family’s commitment to producing world class sparkling wine, Daniel says. “I am immensely proud of the No.1 Family Estate

team.” The “great job” began with his son Remy Le Brun and his team in the vineyard, who delivered fruit in perfect condition, “a joy for Lee Dobson and the winemaking crew to work with”.

No.1 Reine Cuvée Reserve is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir and 7% Pinot Meunier and is made using the traditional method, which requires the second fermentation to be carried out in the same bottle the wine is released in.

Following the blending of its base wine, Reine spent more than four years on lees before riddling, disgorgement and release.

Daniel planted his first New Zealand vineyard in 1980 and launched his first Marlborough méthode traditionnelle in 1985. “He truly was a pioneer,” says Patricia Miranda-Taylor, sparkling winemaker for Wither Hills. “And he continues to be a leader and mentor for fellow Marlborough sparkling wine producers.”

Daniel and Adele were recognised for

The launch of No.1 Reine Cuvée Reserve on Global Champagne Day

their significant contribution to the New Zealand wine industry in 2021, receiving the New Zealand Winegrowers Fellows Award. This year, they were further honoured with the Sir George Fistonich medal, awarded by the New Zealand International Wine Show for services to New Zealand wine.

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THE FOCUS

Black Estate – a seasoned offering STEPHANIE MCINTYRE Nicholas Brown has long had a penchant for sparkling wine. “It was always my intention to make a methodé traditional one day but an ancestral or pét nat seemed like a good first step because of its lesser requirement of additives and equipment.”

The change of tack aligned well with Black Estate’s minimal intervention ethos, and they’d soon developed a suite of pétillant naturel (pét nat) wines, with consumer demand outweighing production. Pét nat – French for ‘natural sparkling’ – is made with a single fermentation in one continuous process; winemakers bottle a partially fermented base wine which continues to ferment in the bottle to create bubbles.

The New Zealand appetite for sparkling wine has always been healthy, Nicholas says. “People were interested in our pét nat right away. The wine isn’t too technical, and consumers seemed to appreciate that it’s early drinking and fun.

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A friend and local artist designed our label and it reflects the wine’s playful style well.”

While a pét nat with no additives or sulphur continues the winery’s pursuit of minimal input wines, the sparklers do see plenty of human interaction.

Initial vintages were hand riddled and disgorged in-house to ensure freshness and stability at time of enjoyment. “By the time we reached our third release in 2018 we’d begun to refine our approach, and actually continue to do so,” Nicholas says. “Like all our wines, it’s an evolution, a progression. Refining our picking dates, pressing decisions, varieties. Everything is accentuated in sparkling wine, so it’s a delicate balance.”

Grapes destined for sparkling wine are typically harvested a few weeks ahead of table wine, as winemakers seek higher levels of acidity and more modest sugar levels. As the ancestral method used for pét nat requires wine to be bottled partially fermented, Nicholas often finds himself managing the transfer process as his still wine fruit is arriving at the winery. “It adds to the vintage to-do list as the wine is made during harvest, but it

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

has also given me amazing insights into ripeness and acidity. It is a fascinating process and I have even greater respect now for high quality méthode producers such as Huia and Quartz Reef.”

Pét nat has a reputation for bottle variation, but Nicholas says the winemaker can easily control this. “We minimise sediment through riddling and gentle disgorgement to produce wines of elegance, refinement and effervescence – as well as stability.”

Today, Black Estate produces three pét nat wines. Each is unique in its makeup and taste profile and is released according to season. “Damsteep matches the freshness of spring, Home Block’s dry and bright palate is ideal for summer,” Nicholas says. “Netherwood is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It is left on lees longer, has more complexity and suits an autumnal release.”

Nicholas was encouraged by the success of Black Estate’s first pét nat. “The overwhelmingly positive feedback we received led us to explore, and now make, a sparkling wine from each of our blocks.

This correlates with our philosophy of producing single vineyard wines.”

THE FOCUS

Tettonica – sparkling on arrival STEPHANIE MCINTYRE Bec Norton and Aaron Zuccaro established Tettonica with a “desire to produce wines of distinction”. With a shared passion for wine making and hospitality, they recognised pét nat as an exciting style of wine that was catching the eye of wine drinkers and could contribute diversity to the Marlborough wine story. “We didn’t want to return to Marlborough and make another Sauv or another Pinot,” says Bec. “We wanted to launch Tettonica with a wine that was a little bit different.”

“It’s zesty, fruity and has more fizz. It’s the style that gets and keeps people drinking pét nat.”

Bec Norton At the time of the inaugural production, Tettonica was anticipating its pét nat to be a very unique offering for New Zealand.

“It turned out to be the year a number of small producers did one too,” Bec says.

“It’s actually been great to see different approaches taken in terms of styles and varieties. We love seeing what our neighbours are doing and learning from each other.”

In 2016, Bec and Aaron were living in Melbourne, and began drinking more pét nat and experimenting with its production.

Aaron had worked at Chandon in the Yarra Valley in his formative winemaking years and developed a firm understanding of the intricacies of sparkling wine production.

Aaron also made méthode traditionelle and

Bec Norton and Aaron Zuccaro

pét nat at his father’s Six Acres winery in the Yarra, and later produced Moscato at Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander.

“After years of trial and error, we were confident to produce our own wine when we moved back to New Zealand in 2019,” Bec says. “We have made two dramatically different styles so far. In 2021, we made a pét nat from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which was fermented via carbonic maceration. The resulting wine is very dry and savoury, more effervescent than foamy – a great aperitif.”

They found the wine to be a bit polarising so decided to blend a more approachable style the following year using Sauvignon Blanc and “a splash of Pinot Noir”, Bec says.

“It’s zesty, fruity and has more fizz. It’s the style that gets and keeps people drinking pét nat.”

New Zealanders’ interest in pét nat has increased, she adds. “Six years ago, you could count the number of pét nats

available on one hand, now you can often find its own section in independent wine stores. It will never compete with traditional sparkling wine in market penetration, but we are sure pét nat will appeal to a wide drinking community once they learn what they are.”

“Tettonica wines have a target audience of around the 25-55 age mark. Our rosé, as an example, appeals to a wide range of people, whereas our pét nat, generally speaking, is selling to a younger audience,” Bec says.

“However, once our wines are tasted, they are pretty well received by all. It’s just a matter of sharing our story and getting our wine into people’s glasses.”

Tettonica works exclusively with organic grapes. “Marlborough has beautiful organic vineyards,” Bec says. “The combinations of varieties we can source and explore are endless. We will no doubt find our niche, though we may just keep exploring for a while. It’s a lot of fun!”

Mulch and Mow in

One Pass!

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THE FOCUS

Lindauer Prosecco – an Italian partnership STEPHANIE MCINTYRE “When you look at the sparkling wine sector, Prosecco has been a clear leader for growth,” says Lindauer Prosecco winemaker Jane De Witt.

Lion, which owns Lindauer, was eager to tap into that opportunity. But while New Zealand could grow Glera (the grape variety known as Prosecco until 2009), the company was hesitant to sell a Prosecco made outside Italy, or beyond the stringent regulations of the Prosecco designation of controlled origin (DOC). So Jane did tastings from Australia and Italy, to “understand what was possible”, then went to Italy in 2020 to meet with the Zonin team in Gambellara and discuss the idea of making a Prosecco together.

“Our collaboration with Zonin works very well. They are experts of their DOC and I greatly respect that.”

Jane De Witt “Zonin was a year shy of celebrating its 200th Anniversary and I was eager to learn from them. I looked around vineyards, the winery, and the bottling hall; ensuring processes were in place to meet Lion standards. I also looked through their museum – such amazing history captured with Italian pizazz. I discovered what styles of wine could be produced and blended our first Lindauer Prosecco.” The Covid-19 pandemic put the project on hold, but a year later Jane read an article on rosé Prosecco and her enthusiasm was reignited, with Lindauer’s first Prosecco released in New Zealand in 2021.

Prosecco was granted DOC status in July 2009, but its legal regulations have evolved over hundreds of years, with very precise intentions. “The Prosecco DOC is quite prescriptive,” Jane explains. “It’s not like winemaking in New Zealand, where we have much more of a free hand, and I chuckle to think the rebellion that would

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Jane de Witt

occur if these types of regulations were put in place here.” There are controls to cover most aspects of Prosecco, including designated areas where grapes are sourced, harvest tonnes, production, ageing, alcohol level, titratable acidity, and packaging, among others. “Our collaboration with Zonin works very well,” she adds. “They are experts of their DOC and I greatly respect that. They in turn respect my desire to provide specifications throughout the winemaking process and to have full control over the blending decisions.”

The Lindauer Prosecco D.O.C and Prosecco D.O.C Rosé are produced using the Charmat method, where second fermentation occurs in the tank before being transferred to bottle. Both wines

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are made with Italian fruit, with the Prosecco D.O.C exclusively Glera and the rosé incorporating 15% Pinot Noir. Once the Lindauer blend is assembled, Zonin sends Jane samples with composition and analysis details for approval. “Following sparkling fermentation, they again send me samples with a ‘wine declaration’. And, at time of bottling, I get sent another set of samples with the finished analysis and composition/additives for final approval.”

It’s been an encouraging first two years of sales, she says. “Both Proseccos are receiving excellent consumer feedback and selling out ahead of schedule. We couldn’t ask for more.”

To read more about Jane De Witt, go to page 42.

THE FOCUS

Balvonie Prosecco - giving it a nudge STEPHANIE MCINTYRE “Why not?” responds Ben McLauchlan when asked about planting Glera for Prosecco on his Marlborough vineyard, Balvonie. “Helen and I like to try new things.”

The couple weren’t deterred by being some of the first to grow Glera in New Zealand, or the evolving regulations concerning use of the name Prosecco. “We had 0.3 hectares of prime vineyard land sitting bare and I wanted to do something fun with it. So we gave it a nudge,” Ben says, with the first Balvonie Prosecco due for release in 2024.

“I worked in onpremise and Prosecco and rosé were the two sectors really gaining momentum.”

Ben McLauchlan According to Wine Intelligence, Prosecco is the fastest-growing sparkling wine category in the world. The McLauchlans noticed this trend when living in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2007. “I worked in on-premise, and Prosecco and rosé were the two sectors really gaining momentum,” Ben says. Upon moving back to New Zealand, he worked in an export role with Lion and saw the trend continuing. “When the opportunity came up to work with friends Sam and Marcus Wickham of Ormond Nursery, we thought it could only be a good prospect.”

They planted in 2021 and the Glera

Ben McLauchlan

has proved an excellent performer on the deep fertile soils of the Rapaura vineyard.

Bunch weights were up to 930 grams in 2022 and in perfect health, Ben says. “Glera has a loose architecture and we’ve seen no disease. It has a long growing season, with an early bud burst and harvest around the same time as Sauvignon Blanc.” Fruit is harvested at 18 brix and acid drops quickly after that point, but the “style accepts this”.

Balvonie is the sole source of Chardonnay fruit used to make Tohu Rewa Blanc de Blancs, a Marlborough méthode traditionnelle. Tohu Wines won the New Zealand Wine Centre Legacy Trophy at the Marlborough Wine Show in November, for their Tohu Rewa Méthode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blancs 2011, 2014 and 2016.

“It has been a very successful wine and that encouraged Helen and I to grow and

produce a sparkling wine under our own label,” Ben says. “That label’s finer details are still a work in progress – but watch this space.”

The couple manage Balvonie with sustainability top of mind, and “diversity across the property continues to be a driving force”. Today Balvonie New Zealand is an established vineyard as well as a partner with First Light Foods to finish grass-fed Wagyu beef. The name is steeped in history – the McLauchlan family settled in Marlborough back in 1859, with Ben’s grandfather establishing his own farm in 1935 and naming it Balvonie as a nod to his Scottish heritage. That parcel of land has been extended over the years and now the blocks planted in grapes are named to commemorate the family’s past, present and future.

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The People 41 I

Land Custodians Linda and Ian Quinn

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The Profile Jane De Witt

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Women in Wine Young Winemaker of the Year

THE PEOPLE

Land Custodians

Devoted grapegrowers a ‘tonic’ to Hawke’s Bay wine SOPHIE PREECE Show up at Two Terraces vineyard during harvest, and you’ll find an array of orange cones and nametags, a platter of piping hot scones, and a kaleidoscope of plans and potential.

The cones are there to ensure that 15 winemakers working with 45 parcels get the right fruit from the right place at the right time, whether it’s a half row of Chenin Blanc or Gamay from the lower terrace of the 20-hectare Hawke’s Bay vineyard, or a section of Albariño or Chardonnay from the upper one.

The scones are baked by Linda Quinn to fuel the community she and her husband Ian have built since 2015, when they bought an arid sheep farm on the Mangatahi Terraces and planted a patchwork of varieties to suit their tastes, the land, and the winemakers they wanted to work with.

Myriad varieties, styles and philosophies emerge from this place, so that the same grapes from the same block, in some cases picked on the same day, produce wildly different wines. “The last thing we want is six or seven winemakers making the same wine,” Ian says. “We actively look for winegrowers who want to do things differently.”

The Quinn’s dream was that the vineyard would be a haven for independent and unique winemakers, and that one day they’d read its name on a bottle of wine. They didn’t wait long, with the first Two Terraces single vineyard wine released after their inaugural vintage. By spring 2023 more than a dozen wines had Two Terraces front and centre on the label, and there’ll be more than 20 after upcoming releases, Ian says. “Our goal is really to continue to focus on that quality, and building the reputation of the vineyard.”

They’ve found a niche position amid a burgeoning community of bespoke wine producers in Hawke’s Bay, and are truly passionate about playing a role in every one of their wines, he adds. “They really need growers like us to be focussed on doing what we do well.”

The couple have been “a real tonic for the industry”, says Rod Easthope Of Easthope Family Winegrowers, reflecting on a traditional divide between grape growers selling fruit and winemakers seeking it. “It was always an antagonistic relationship, in terms of what you want from the fruit versus

Some of the winemakers working with Two Terraces gather for a media tasting.

Photo on facing page, Ian and Linda Quinn. Photos by Richard Brimer.

what they are prepared to do.” Two Terraces is “completely different” from that model.

“They say, ‘tell us what you want and we’ll dial it up in the vineyard’.”

Dan Brennan of Decibel Wines says it begins with the Quinn’s love of wine. “They want single vineyard wines from this place and you can’t say that for every grower.

Some are good growers, but they might not necessarily know or desire to be involved in the finished product.”

Ian took up extramural wine studies while living in Wellington, to take his mind off his work in telecommunications, and continued them in Hong Kong, where they lived for more than two years. He started with wine appreciation, followed by winemaking, then finally papers in viticulture, which he imagined was akin to gardening, “which I don’t really like”. Instead, the science of growing grapes captivated him. “I pretty quickly worked out there was easily 20 years of learning in viticulture, so we decided we would buy some land and plant a vineyard.”

The couple bought the rundown, bony block of land at Maraekakaho, where 30cm of silt loam, including some volcanic ash, lie on 30 to 40 metres of alluvial gravel laid down by the Ngaruroro River in the last ice age. The planting process, which began in 2016, was “organic” in nature, Ian explains.

“Partly based on who we wanted to work with, partly based on the suitability of the site and the climate, and really what we

enjoyed as well.”

They quickly decided that they didn’t want to grow beyond their 20ha, “which is enough to make it a full-time job and sort of run with one tractor and one operator, being myself,” Ian says. “So we really have to focus on maximising the value out of smaller blocks of grapes.”

His studies through Eastern Institute of Technology had sold him on the importance of soil heath and biodiversity, and Two Terraces is a mix of BioGro certified organic blocks and those in conversion, with plans for a 2ha regenerative organic block of Chardonnay, in coordination with the winemaker who buys that fruit.

They love such interactions with the winemakers, all of whom bring a different lens to the fruit and what can be done with it. Discussions range from vineyard management to winemaking style to labelling and marketing, with the Quinns organising tastings and gatherings for the Two Terraces network. “We don’t kick the gates shut after the fruit leaves,” Linda says.

It makes for a complicated business, and on any given day of vintage there might be half a dozen winemakers organising their pick, directed by cones and fuelled by scones.

“From a management point of view we probably don’t want to go too much more,” Ian says, somewhat uncertainly. “That said, there are still people out there I would love to work with.”

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THE PEOPLE

The Profile

Jane De Witt STEPHANIE MCINTYRE The first thing you’ll notice about Jane De Witt is her broad smile and carefree laugh.

She eschews pretension – in wine and life – while succeeding brilliantly in both.

As Lion’s Head Winemaker North Island, she leads the production of seven brands and myriad wines, dominated by sparkling production. She wouldn’t have it any other way, relishing the “art” of bubbles. “I love taking my time with the assemblage; ideally at the kitchen bench in my home, where I have the flexibility to make a blend then come back later to see how it’s evolved in the glass.”

“He told me I’d never make it in the wine industry. It certainly fuelled my fire to succeed.”

Jane De Witt Jane was brought up with strong European connections and an understanding that wine was a happy addition to an evening meal.

Her father was Portuguese, from the Azores Islands, and moved to New Zealand aged 17. Her mother is a Kiwi but had a Belgian father. “There was no pretentiousness around enjoying a glass of wine in the

Jane De Witt

Pereira household,” Jane says. She remembers her parents hooking the trailer to the car and taking the family to San Marino Vineyards (later renamed Kumeu River) to purchase wine. “My sister and I would spend the better part of the day playing hide and seek in the vineyards and around the tanks.”

Jane didn’t set out to be a winemaker, but grew a skill set that proved a natural fit. After graduating from James Cook High School in Manurewa, she started the veterinary programme at Massey University.

A year in she decided to shift into sciences, completing her science degree two years later, with a major in microbiology. Her professor encouraged her to apply to Lincoln

University’s wine science programme, but she elected to take a year off to work in the lab at Auckland’s waste treatment plant.

“It sounds rather gross, but it was fun.

As a student desperate for money, I took every opportunity to get the $50 bonus for gathering algae samples from around the property. And I met my best friend there.”

With the algae and cash collected she set off for Lincoln, where the entrance interview proved grueling. “He told me I’d never make it in the wine industry. It certainly fuelled my fire to succeed.” So, she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Horticultural Science (focused on oenology and viticulture), then worked for a couple

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THE PEOPLE

of small wineries before accepting a position with Glengarry Wines. “My global wine knowledge grew exponentially,” she says.

“My interest was piqued, and I decided it was time for an OE.” Jane travelled to Champagne, Alsace, Bordeaux, Oporto, Asti and Veneto, while also fitting in a vintage in Surrey, England.

She relished being close to so many established wine regions and decided to stay on in England to work as an au pair for the elderly. “It wasn’t glamorous, I don’t recommend this line of work to anyone,” Jane laughs. “But its structure of approximate threeweek contracts was rather convenient as it allowed for wine trips in between placements.” A standout memory was when wine writer and merchant Steven Spurrier came to lunch. “That was pretty special. The daughter of a woman I was caring for invited him over. I think her husband was the chancellor of the Bank of England or something,” Jane recalls. “Anyway, Steven Spurrier was very nice, and he generously arranged visits for me in Bordeaux and introduced me to several of his colleagues, including fellow Kiwi and winemaker Jenny Dobson.” Jenny and Jane still catch up and are both board members for the New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology.

Upon returning to New Zealand in 1996, Jane joined Corbans as a lab technician and set up robust testing systems at its International Bottling Company. Her attention to detail saw her move into a quality assurance role before being promoted to cellar manager.

In 2000, a few larger New Zealand wine companies began significant business movements. Montana purchased Corbans and in 2001 Jane moved to its site in Glen Innes as Assistant Winemaker. Next, Allied Domecq bought Montana, before Pernod Ricard bought Allied Domecq. Amidst all this, Jane worked her way up to Senior Winemaker. A decade later, Lion purchased a handful of established wine brands, including Lindauer, Corbans, Huntaway and Saints from Pernod Ricard. With an increased and active portfolio of North Island wines, Lion needed a head winemaker for the area and Jane determined it was an excellent new challenge. “I was already the winemaker for Lindauer and Verde,” Jane says. The new role would see Te Hana, and then Morton, added to her sparkling portfolio. “I changed Te Hana from Charmat production to bottle fermented pretty quickly,” she says.

“I saw a lot of potential for Lion’s sparkling wines and wanted to produce a range that over-delivered for the consumer.”

True to her word, Jane’s wines have won 26 sparkling trophies since she joined Lion, including nine Champion Trophy awards in 12 years at the New World Wine Awards and, for the third year running, the Sparkling Trophy at the 2023 New Zealand International Wine Show.

The list of medals, trophies and ‘best buys’ achieved by Lindauer, Verde and Te Hana is extraordinary. “I don’t like going on about wine awards,” Jane says. “However, as my sparkling wines are in the approximately $20 RRP category, they can suffer from not being taken seriously. Lindauer really is great quality and great value; all the Sparkling Wines I make are.”

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THE PEOPLE

Women in Wine

Taking the plunge into wine SOPHIE PREECE Alena Kamper was 7 years old when she won her first big swim race, taking the title in the 25-metre butterfly at Napier’s town pool. Fifteen years on, the 22-year-old flew across another finish line on 1 November, becoming the youngest ever Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year.

“I have so much gratitude towards swimming, because it definitely taught me that hard work makes a huge difference to everything you do.”

Alena Kamper There are links between Alena’s decade of competitive swimming and the successes in her fledgling winemaking career at Sacred Hill winery in Hawke’s Bay. Firstly, because she was well used to hard work, with four morning and five afternoon training sessions a week while at Sacred Heart College Napier. “I have so much gratitude towards swimming, because it definitely taught me that hard work makes a huge difference to everything you do,” she says.

It also taught her to control her nerves and avoid getting “sucked in” to what other competitors are doing. “It’s about staying positive in your own space and not letting the pressure get to you.”

That came in handy when up against competitors at the North Island Young Winemaker Competition in September, then again at the Nationals, held at The Bone Line in Waipara and at the New Zealand Wine Altogether Unique celebration in Christchurch, where the three regional finalists gave a speech.

They each used their time on stage to sell their region to the audience, which Alena

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Alena at the Altogether Unique celebration. Photo Richard Briggs

took quite literally by taking the role of auctioneer, showcasing Hawke’s Bay’s attributes to all prospective bidders. She did it with a smile, which is reflective of the attitude she carried throughout the competition. “Sometime when you feel a bit nervous it can knock it out of you a bit, so I kept a smile on my face.”

And she had nothing to lose, having “reluctantly” entered the regional competition in her first year in a winery job, using it to discover what she should focus on at work. Winning was “quite crazy” and, while she went on to study hard for the nationals – knowing it would be a big step up – she considered it simply a privilege to be there. Winning still feels “surreal” she says two weeks after taking the title, and very excited about a visit to the Tonnellerie de Mercurey cooperage in Burgundy, which is part of her prize package. She also won the opportunity to be an associate judge in the 2024 New World Wine Awards, and to review some of her favourite wines in DrinksBiz magazine.

It’s not what an 18-year-old Elena envisioned when a former science teacher – who was then heading up the wine and viticulture school at Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) – suggested she take a look at the course. The idea of a career that merged science and art appealed, and was sweetened by a swimming scholarship. “I

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

went into it a little bit blind,” Alena says. “I wasn’t 100% sure, but thought I’d give it a try. And it was the best decision I have ever made.”

Her first year of study was a “subtle transition” from high school, with chemistry, physics, and biology. But the second year stepped up to a wine focus, “and that perked my interest up more,” she says. In the third year they did vintage and she worked at Villa Maria, where she was completely won over. “The people I met made a huge difference. The industry is about the people you work with and it’s a real team effort. I don’t think you get it in other industries,” she adds. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else but wine. It’s a really well-rounded industry. I love it.”

Sacred Hill is a small team with specific roles, but its size also means Elena can “pester” her way into the lab, for example, and grow her knowledge. Next vintage she’ll be in a nightshift winemaking position, able to “step up and be a little bit more hands on in the decision making”, she says, noting that Sacred Hill is very supportive in giving her opportunities and experience.

As she’s learned about winemaking she’s also fallen for wine. “If you asked me that question when I first started my studies, I probably wouldn’t be as in love with it,” she says. “I had only really drunk Sauvignon Blanc and some rosé. Now I am getting

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into it, and I have so many great opportunities to try some amazing wines. I feel very lucky in that regard.”

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Alena Kamper

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At the top of her winemaking list is the Sacred Hill Chardonnay programme. “Especially our Riflemans. Working with barrels and Chardonnay is a dream, and we have awesome vineyards we source our Chardonnay from. We have some cool other things coming on, but Chardonnay has my heart.”

And so does Hawke’s Bay. The impact of cyclone Gabrielle and community strength in its wake has strengthened her devotion to her home province and its wine community, and she was delighted to make it to the Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards straight after her Young Winemaker win. “It was a great time to celebrate all of our hard work despite the Cyclone and its effects,” she says. “Now working in the industry here I couldn’t imagine myself full-time anywhere else.

It’s such a great region.”

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THE PEOPLE

Bob’s blog Genuine forgeries The world’s most notorious wine forger has served his 10-year prison sentence and is back in business, creating wine forgeries for willing customers, writes W.Blake Gray in Wine Searcher. Rudy Kurniawan was recently seen at a wine tasting in Singapore, where he joined a group of seven guests who blind-tasted a 1990 DRC RomanéeConti and a 1990 Petrus against two forgeries he had prepared. Wine fraudbuster Maureen Downey revealed on her website (winefraud.com) that most of the

tasters preferred the forged wines. She reported on similar tasting events with Kurniawan in attendance. “He talks to his big collector friends and they pull some of the biggest wines that they have out of their cellars. That guy gives Rudy the list. Rudy makes his version of the wines. They have a meal and they taste them side-by-side, blind. The man that writes the tasting notes is very good. The overall impression is that people prefer Rudy’s wines, because they’re fresher. That really speaks to the audience.”

Going topless A year or so ago I congratulated Waiheke wine producer Destiny Bay for removing capsules from their bottles. “Going topless”, as Destiny Bay owner and winemaker Sean Spratt explained, involved a certain amount of risk. Destiny Bay produces some of this country’s most expensive wines and

“People are still mystified about the purpose of capsules, which was to stop the corks being eaten by rats, cockroaches and weevils during long-term storage.”

Sean Spratt their customers are largely conservative wine drinkers. Would the loss of a capsule represent a loss in perceived value? “We were a little bit on the leading edge,” says

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Sean. “People are still mystified about the purpose of capsules, which was to stop the corks being eaten by rats, cockroaches and weevils during long-term storage. That is simply not a problem today.”

Capsules were originally made of lead but these were banned to eliminate the risk of lead-oxide poisoning. Lead capsules were replaced by tin and plastic capsules which are expensive and pose environmental risk. “We needed to educate the members of our Patron’s Club. Most came back with comments like ‘that’s a bold move; well done’, but we did get some push-back from a few of our members. Fortunately, we carried stocks of capsules and were able to apply them for customers who insisted on a ‘fully dressed’ wine.” The long-term solution involves teaching wine drinkers that topless is fully dressed, he says.

“Everywhere I travel in the world I see an increasing number of wines going topless. Once you understand the history of wine capsules and the negative benefits it is hard to justify applying them, so why bother?”

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Rudy is not doing anything illegal, because everyone knows they are dealing with forgeries, and he is showered with praise by the wealthy hosts and willing guests, one of whom labelled him as a “vinous genius.”

He’s certainly a celebrity. It wouldn’t surprise me if he expanded his market by making more affordable “Genuine Kurniawan Forgeries” in gift boxes that include an original wine to compare with the forgery. Penfolds Grange would be an obvious target.

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THE PLACES

Decarbonising Wine Wineries seek ‘clean and clever’ energy solutions SOPHIE PREECE New Zealand’s wine industry is just 26 vintages away from 2050, when it’s pledged to be carbon neutral.

EECA (The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) is helping form “concrete steps” towards that goal, including co-funding energy transition plans (ETPs) for three wine companies. In the past year the government agency, a cheerleader for “clean and clever” energy use, has collaborated with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ), along with Indevin, Framingham, and Wakatū, to further develop the Wine Decarbonisation Programme.

EECA Sector Decarbonisation Lead Insa Errey says the three companies successfully applied for co-funding for an ETP, using an external energy consultant to establish the best ways to reduce energy demand and move away from fossil fuels, where there’s a feasible option, “and to come up with a bit of a pathway as to how you would get there”.

Sandy O’Connell, Indevin General Manager Capital Developments, says EECA’s focus on energy efficiency and decarbonisation aligns well with the company’s environmental and sustainable business goals. The process of increasing efficiency and reducing reliance on fossil fuels can be daunting, with companies wondering what to do first, what options are available, and what processes exist to

Indevin

analyse those options. The EECA support meant Indevin could seek expert advice from engineering and energy consultant Deta in planning for their emissions reductions.

Their report has only recently been completed, but has highlighted a lower emissions path that will allow the decarbonisation of the winery’s process heat, with the elimination of LPG and diesel for the heating requirement of the winemaking

processes, Sandy says. “Our intention is to incorporate this into our winery master planning going forward.” They’re still crunching the economic analysis, but if fully deployed across the company’s 15 Valley winery in Marlborough, they would see a 300tCO2e/yr (carbon dioxide equivalent per year) reduction in winery emissions, Sandy says.

At the other end of the scale, small

Carbon Zero Road Map New Zealand Winegrowers has announced a partnership with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) to develop a Carbon Zero Road Map for the New Zealand wine industry. General Manager Sustainability Dr Edwin Massey says the work will start immediately, with a plan being developed to fit the challenges and opportunities the industry is likely to face “from 2024 to 2050, and beyond”.

To read more about the Carbon Zero Road Map go to Winegrower Magazine’s new Sustainability Update on page 58.

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producer Framingham has also welcomed the EECA partnership, which has shone a light on the smartest gains to be made, with benefits for the environment and the bottom line.

Framingham Viticulturist James Bowskill says the single biggest change they are likely to make from the process is addressing heating and cooling in the winery, which is mostly from the original build. The addition of solar would also be an “easy win”, with benefits to the environment and accountants.

“The way that I get it approved is by showing that it’s good for the bottom line as well as sustainability,” he says. “Hopefully it goes both ways.”

Framingham had already gone some way in its plan to reduce its carbon emissions, with an external certifier measuring the company’s footprint in 2021, providing a general benchmark. But reporting from EMSOL (Energy Management Solutions Ltd), the consultant contracted for their EECA project, is giving them detailed analysis of their machinery and a guide for prioritising changes. The ETP offers “concrete steps”, he says. “Rather than just looking at freight and knowing that it uses a lot of fossil fuels, it is a measured

approach that might say, ‘this glycol system is massively inefficient – improve this first’; or they say, ‘you guys have no solar panels and they are a quick easy win – it will reduce your electricity use by this much, and you’ll pay off your panels in this many years’; or ‘you guys don’t actually need an LPG forklift, you can use an electric one for all of your work – here’s the payback on that’. My feeling is that this is saving us quite a lot of legwork.”

James says small companies like Framingham don’t have people in dedicated sustainability roles, and without EECA’s assistance the job of growing efficiency and reducing emissions would fall to him.

“And the time that I have to spend on it at this time of year is zero, so it would have to wait until winter.” Even then it’s not core to his job. “It’s really, really important, but it’s more important for me to get grapes to the winery.”

Insa says the companies involved in the decarbonisation pathway provide a good cross section of the industry, from Indevin, the largest winegrower in the country, to small player Framingham, and iwi-owned Wakatū, “which has an amazing ethos around how they work and their culture and how that embeds in what they do”. She says it

17 2- 31# 17 2- 31#

has been interesting to see the different styles of operations, and how they pick up the information and work with it.

Reports from energy consultants are “quite comprehensive but not overwhelming”, she adds, “It’s about trying to break down the component parts and look at what you can control in Scope 1 [direct emissions controlled by a company] and Scope 2 [including purchased energy] before you look at Scope 3 [emissions related to but not controlled by the company] which is a lot harder. Let’s pull that back and look at what’s in your domain.”

EECA’s website, which has five steps for emissions reduction, has links to calculators to help companies get a handle on where they are at now, as a benchmark for future change, Insa says. “We try and make sure it’s embedded within their systems so it’s not bigger than Ben Hur; which, if you leave it for too long, it can be.”

EECA and New Zealand Winegrowers have developed a five-step pathway with tools and resources to help winemakers and growers lower their emissions and unlock business benefits. Go to eeca.govt. nz/co-funding-and-support/products/winedecarbonisation-pathway.

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THE PLACES

Chardonnay Symposium Stories from the coalface of New Zealand Chardonnay EMMA JENKINS MW The Aotearoa New Zealand Chardonnay Symposium, held in Hawke’s Bay in early October, was a thought-provoking two days that drew a sold-out crowd. The joint event between the New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology (NZSVO) and Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers (HBW) focused on the current state of New Zealand Chardonnay and where it might be heading, via a series of local and international guest speakers and tastings.

Marlborough Chardonnay vineyards are being uprooted in favour of Sauvignon Blanc ... Our dooropener might also be our roadblock.

Traversing the practical and theoretical, it was rich in stories from the coalface of New Zealand Chardonnay and peppered with well-chosen (and delicious) wines that ably illustrated the concepts being discussed. Many of the wines are currently unavailable here, and the diverse array of international examples showed brilliantly that Chardonnay might be a winemaker’s variety, but it is equally good at faithfully reflecting its place in the world.

Day One was NZSVO’s remit, a technical workshop on Australasian Chardonnay through the lens of viticulturists and winemakers. Craggy Range’s Julian Grounds and Giant Steps’ Steve Flamsteed kicked things off with a wide-ranging discussion on style as it pertains to ripeness, covering changing viticulture, winemaking, consumer and critical interest in wines. On both sides of the ditch, there has been a shift from the big, golden, more-is-more Chardonnay to what they described as “green and ripe”. But

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Dr Rebecca Deed. Photo Richard Briggs

it is certainly no one-size-fits-all dynamic, as their accompanying tasting demonstrated.

Flamsteed noted when you’re starting from scratch in a vineyard, you have to figure it all out as you go along, in terms of which variety to plant and getting the best out of it: “You’re the vineyard’s custodian, growing and evolving together.” This may seem a harder path to travel than that of established regions such as Burgundy, which have the luxury of centuries of refinement, but Julian made the good point that climate change is increasingly upending these norms – new frontiers are now to be found everywhere.

Next up was a deep dive into wine chemistry. Dr Tracey Siebert of the Australian Wine Research Institute explored the molecular drivers for flinty/struck match/smoky notes, while Dr Rebecca Deed of The University of Auckland looked at sulphur interactions with biological/yeast agents and their potential impact. They did an excellent job of distilling complex chemistry into layman’s terms, acquainting us well with phenylmethanethiols and furfural.

The afternoon session, ‘Touring New Zealand’, had eloquent, entertaining speakers from five regions. Chris Scott and Claire Pinker of Church Road gave a detailed overview of the cost implications of viticultural and winemaking choices when producing Chardonnay at three different price points; Greystone Wines’ Dom Maxwell and Mike Saunders gave thoughtful and amusing insight into their organic management (including a novel approach to trellising that looked familiar to those who saw Kelly Mulville of Paicines Ranch’s

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

session at the Organic and Biodynamic Conference in June). Mahi’s Brian Bicknell was as hilarious as he was honest in outlining the ups and downs of making wine from single vineyard sites (pro tip: avoid vineyards whose owners divorce and change their names). Neudorf Vineyards may already have 43 years of making Chardonnay under its belt, but the camaraderie and mutual respect of Todd Stevens and Rosie Finn, and their clear-eyed vision for the future, left one feeling this pioneering winery is entering its second generation in very good hands.

Paul Mason wrapped up with an honest and humorous appraisal of the benefits outside investment can bring, particularly when managing older vineyards.

The NZSVO sessions may have had a technical focus but they were leavened by the human stories that accompanied them.

Dom Maxwell summed it up well when he observed that we are increasingly in “the shift from the what to the why” – a far more interesting space to be, and one well served by the day’s discussions.

Day Two brought an international perspective. Elizabeth Kelly MW, wine buyer at Majestic, gave insightful commentary on what New Zealand producers need to be heeding when pitching their wines in this mature, possibly even slightly jaded, market.

She was positive about what New Zealand has to offer but unflinching in describing both how competitive this shelf space is, and how naive or unprepared many were when approaching it. Elizabeth gave a raft of practical advice, which essentially boiled down to: Do Your Homework – understand to whom you will be speaking, what is

THE PLACES

Jenny Dobson tasting at the symposium. Photo Richard Briggs

already on their shelves, what your wine offers that might fill an untapped niche, and have your story ready to tell. This might seem obvious, but Elizabeth was emphatic that far too many still neglect the basics.

The brilliant selection of international Chardonnays she chose to accompany her session occupy the same space in the UK market that New Zealand wines do, underscoring just how broad and deep the competition is, and how important it is to come prepared.

The energetic Wine Enthusiast writer

Chardonnay might be grown everywhere in the world, but only we can grow and make New Zealand Chardonnay.

Christina Pickard was a well-chosen bookend to Elizabeth, as while the US market might be very different, the fundamentals were very similar – “Sauvignon Blanc is still the gateway drug to New Zealand for consumers”, so the foot is in the door, but producers have to tell their stories well to get consumers to take the next step. Christina emphasised authenticity and having the courage of your convictions, leveraging any existing relationships

and using social media channels to your advantage. Being able to tell your story to the buyers who will sell your wine, and the journalists who will tell that story to consumers on your behalf, is key.

Steve Flamsteed outlined the confidence Australians have in their Chardonnay. He commented that by comparison it seemed New Zealand was well ahead in viticultural practices but around 10 years behind in winemaking, with a lot of experimentation still going on in style, and a tendency to follow trends still quite common (all three speakers were very lukewarm about the degree of reduction still seen in many New Zealand wine, seeing it as too obscuring of the fruit quality). Steve was excited by the degree of openness and collaboration within New Zealand’s industry, seeing that as a huge benefit. He highlighted models such as Two Terraces Vineyard in Hawke’s Bay (see page 40), where around 15 producers source fruit. He was also a persuasive proponent of allowing young winemakers their ‘side hustles’, outlining the benefits to both parties.

Chardonnay is currently around 6% of New Zealand’s production, but just 2% of exports. There is obvious potential, but despite the New Zealand Winegrowers presentation arguing the opportunities for growth in the US market, there are still a few headwinds in place. Sauvignon Blanc might indeed open the doors, but it’s less clear if

the consumers of those US$12 bottles will actually trade up to premium Chardonnay (or other varieties). There are also production roadblocks. For example, Cloudy Bay has a successful UK channel for their Chardonnay but can’t source more fruit to expand. Marlborough Chardonnay vineyards are being uprooted in favour of Sauvignon Blanc, and Riversun’s grafting program is currently 90% Sauvignon Blanc. Our dooropener might also be our roadblock.

But we do have fabulous raw material, clever viti and vini teams, and growing interest from international gatekeepers.

Chardonnay might be grown everywhere in the world, but only we can grow and make New Zealand Chardonnay. Our vineyards are unique and they are the path forward.

Andrew Jefford once wrote it was important to “spend less time thinking about grape varieties, and pay more attention to the places wine comes from and the cultures in which they come into being. All the grape variety does is present a spectrum of opportunities.”

The Chardonnay Symposium was a brilliant chance to consider these topics, and it is exciting that HBW intends for this to be just the start of a conversation - two more annual events are planned. NZSVO will also host the 2026 International Cool Climate Wine Symposium (ICCWS), a future opportunity for Chardonnay to shine.

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THE PLACES

Reshaping the Vine Marco Simonit’s ‘gentle pruning’ aiding vine longevity TONY SKINNER In the world of winemaking, where tradition often collides with innovation, Marco Simonit’s pioneering techniques in vine pruning are transforming how growers approach vineyard management. “The first goal is to put in more life, not just to remove wood,” he says.

Marco recently toured New Zealand’s wine regions to showcase his ‘gentle pruning’ technique and outline his approach and philosophy towards vine health. This centres on a new attitude to the geometry of planting and adopting pruning methods that prioritise the health and longevity of vines from the start.

Marco Simonit

“The first goal is to put in more life, not just to remove wood.”

Marco Simonit Marco’s pruning technique does not merely cut uniformly; it observes and nurtures the individual plant’s needs, extending a vine’s productive life well beyond the average 20 years.

Vine trunk diseases, a pressing issue that has plagued vast swathes of vineyards in Italy and France, are at the heart of Marco’s work. His method is designed to fortify vines against these diseases and the adverse impacts of climate change. He focuses on building “a chronology of live wood”, fostering nutrient flow, and ensuring the plant’s longevity.

Growing up in Collio, Italy, Marco’s childhood was steeped in the rhythms of the family farm, a foundation that later saw him working with the Collio growers’ association for a decade.

In 2003, a partnership with Pierpaolo Sirch blossomed into Simonit & Sirch. The company has since expanded its reach with branches in France, the US, and South Africa, with an annual turnover nearing

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€4 million.

Marco also founded the Vine Master Pruners Academy, a digital platform teaching vine pruning with 15,000 subscribers from 14 countries. He has established a masters degree course in pruning and shoot-thinning with the University of Bordeaux.

Marco believes that many challenges facing vineyard managers today have stemmed from the adoption of Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) trellis systems. The precision and uniformity demanded by VSP systems often lead to a more mechanical approach to vine cultivation, prioritising efficiency and control over the natural disposition of the vine.

According to Marco, this change has inadvertently escalated the prevalence of pruning-related issues, as the strict spatial restrictions can stress the vines, potentially worsening susceptibility to diseases and affecting longevity.

While the technical aspects of Simonit’s pruning methods - what to cut and where are relatively straightforward, the challenge lies in integrating these into a sustainable, long-term process.

By respecting the vine’s structure and dynamics, growers can achieve homogeneity in shoot development and fruit ripening, reducing the incidence of disease and

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

extending the vine’s lifespan – a tactic that significantly slashes costs over the long term.

Mart Verstappen, Membership Manager for Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative (MGGC), which hosted Marco and his team during their visit to the region, said this approach would require a mindset change. However, he says this is a conversation MGGC is keen to facilitate, given the number of growers currently contemplating replanting to ensure past mistakes are not repeated.

Marco says his techniques also allow vines to mature more harmoniously with their terroir, expressing the full spectrum of their genetic potential in the glass. His general observations in New Zealand mirror his global experiences – a universal trepidation among viticulturists of losing control over their vines.

However, in his conversations around the country’s vineyards, Marco says that most are open to the concept of understanding and adapting to the vines’ natural growth, respecting their sap flow, and avoiding damage to the trunk. “We need to have a more respectful, more gentle approach with the vines to try to find the best way and solutions for the short, medium and long term to develop the structure of the vine, according to the space you have available.”

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21/11/23 10:00 AM

THE PLACES

Point of View Vineyard irrigation scheduling DR MARK KRASNOW Most vineyards require irrigation at some point. Deciding when and how much is required is a powerful management tool that directly affects fruit production, disease pressure, and even operational passes.

With forecasts calling for a hot, dry summer, irrigation is top of mind for many managers. Ensuring vines receive enough water, without wasting any, is essential as water rights are tightened and minimum river flows for irrigation cutoffs are increased. It is therefore critical for managers to have an irrigation strategy that meets vine and production requirements, while staying within consent. To help with this, there are several monitoring tools to help schedule irrigation.

“The stomatal openness on any given day, and thus the photosynthetic rate, is affected by light, humidity, temperature, and vine water status.”

Dr Mark Krasnow Soil probes are ubiquitous due to their ease of use and limited input requirement once set up. They measure soil moisture around them relative to field capacity at various depth increments, typically to around a metre deep. Most newer probes have telemetry, providing real-time monitoring. Probes excel at measuring soil moisture content and visualising how water moves through the soil. Understanding water movement helps inform how long an irrigation set should run, and how long the soils can hold onto the water. Most systems also allow users to set ‘stress’ thresholds, which are intended to help visualise a critical soil moisture beyond

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Fairhall Downs

which vines begin to experience stress, allowing managers to schedule irrigation to manage water relative to such stress.

This is where soil probes need a little help. To accurately set stress thresholds, probes require thoughtful placement, because they are limited to measuring the area immediately surrounding the probe.

Reviewing normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), topography, and soil maps can help determine the optimal location to install probes. Even after installation, it is still critical to calibrate any ‘stress’ threshold. Soil probes are limited to reading a set depth, so direct vine water status assessments need to be used to validate when stress occurs relative to the surface soil moisture reported. This also means that the ‘stress’ point for blocks change as they age and the vines grow, both above and below ground.

Technology that directly measures vine water status is probably the best way to assess water requirements. Because they measure vines, these provide a higher level of certainty around whether or not a block needs irrigation. The oldest method to measure vine stress is called a pressure chamber, and has been used in scientific research (and vineyards) for decades, meaning scientists have had a long time to assess stress thresholds using this tool.

Leaves are removed from the vines and xylem tension is directly measured by the chamber. The drier the vines, the more tension.

Another tool co-opted from research is called a porometer, which measures stomatal water loss via a small leaf clip.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

During photosynthesis, leaves absorb CO2 through pores called stomata, which can open and close depending on the vine’s needs, allowing regulation of transpirational water loss when it’s dry. The stomatal openness on any given day, and thus the photosynthetic rate, is affected by light, humidity, temperature, and vine water status. Well-watered vines function with fully open stomata. However, as water becomes limiting, stomata close to reduce losses, which comes at the expense of CO2 entry, so photosynthesis also slows down.

When used properly, irrigation can help ensure photosynthesis continues at a rate that matches production goals, and so that photosynthate partitioning within the vine can be better directed. An American colleague of mine almost exclusively uses porometers to schedule irrigation. He works in ultra-premium red wine vineyards that are targeting levels of water stress at specific points in the season. Porometers are excellent for this.

Measurements of xylem sapflow are also used to assess water use. As stomata on vine leaves close to conserve water, the daily transpirational flux through the vines slows, decreasing sapflow. Other technologies have in-field units that measure the canopy temperature relative to air temperature.

As stomata close, leaves are less able to evaporatively cool themselves, and heat up. Sapflow and temperature sensors allow a real-time, indirect measure of stomatal conductance. Trunk tensiometers, allowing for real-time monitoring of xylem tension, are the technological improvement on the pressure chamber, but are expensive and

THE PLACES

New Zealand’s Vintage Winery Engineers

Dr Mark Krasnow

not widely used yet. Like probes, the placement of these tools is also critical.

Given these options, what should a grower choose? The ideal choice would be to have a mixture of all options – as they each offer valuable information. However, that’s not an option for most.

The real time monitors (soil probes, sapflow, canopy temperature sensors) provide easy data collection and reporting, but are fixed in place, and so are ideal for blocks that have uniform soils and grow few varieties. Probes also require ground-truthing to validate stress points. Handheld options, like the pressure chamber and porometer, allow mobility around the vineyard, but are limited to the midday measuring period, and require labour. Nothing on the market is perfect, unfortunately, and it’s horses for courses depending on your aims.

“Nothing on the market is perfect, unfortunately, and it’s horses for courses depending on your aims.”

Dr Mark Krasnow As a consultant and recovering academic, I use the pressure chamber and porometer for my irrigation recommendations and to ground-truth soil probe stress points. I am confident in their data because of their long history and because of my experience using them. However, limitations on my and my employees’ time mean that I look forward to real-time monitors I trust as much as these time-tested tools. I am currently involved in studies comparing new technologies to pressure chambers and soil probes. Watch this space for an update.

Dr Mark Krasnow runs Thoughtful Viticulture Ltd: thoughtfulviticulture.com

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THE PLACES

Wine Weather

What’s been going on?

JAMES MORRISON El Niño is continuing to strengthen and is showing signs of being with us well into 2024. Westerly winds arrived with a real vengeance from late September and into early November, with 200km/h gusts recorded at several weather stations in the North Island and South Island. Frost has been a mixed bag through spring 2023, but vineyards felt the touch of frost right into the middle of November. This wasn’t unexpected as the cold southwest changes that often follow the northwest gales bring dry, clear air to eastern regions. I would expect that there is a slight risk of frost right up until Christmas this year, particularly over the lower South Island.

A quick look at the stats show that air frosts have been recorded from Hawke’s Bay to Central Otago this spring. Parts

of the Heretaunga Plain recorded air frosts in early September and a number of mornings have seen temperatures fall close to 1C since. Southern Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa have been colder, with temperatures dipping close to 0C in Martinborough and Masterton as late as 10 November. Marlborough has seen fewer frosts, with three recorded at Fairhall and Wairau Valley by mid-November. Moving south, the frequency of frost increased, with weather stations in North Canterbury recording one November frost and at least seven other air frosts across the region since the start of September. Central Otago has been the frostiest region, with six air frosts in September and three in October.

There was also one morning where snow was falling on the vines! Another air frost in early November shows that growers will need to be on guard for any late cold snaps, probably until the end of the year.

Mean temperatures have been running above average in spring. This is punctuated by an exceptionally warm September where much of the upper North Island and Central Otago saw near record warmth for the start of spring. Mean temperatures eased through October and have been much closer to the long-term average since.

Rainfall has been quite reasonable across much of the country and on recent trips to Central Otago I have been presented with an unusually green landscape.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

THE PLACES

El Niño in the South Pacific Much has been made about 2023 lining up to be the warmest year in recorded history and probably the warmest year for centuries. Sea surface temperatures are running above average across much of the world’s oceans and land temperatures have been following suit with records broken across dozens of countries on an almost weekly basis. The warming effect of El Niño will start to have some impact on global temperatures as we near the end of the year, but it is in 2024 that the full force of a strong El Niño is likely to be felt.

It could be that worldwide 2024 will be warmer than 2023. The anomaly to this is that the southwest Pacific where we live can often be colder under El Niño. Under the classic El Niño setup, prolonged westerlies buffet New Zealand much as they have this spring, there are often cold southwest changes that follow these winds, and temperatures are dragged down at times.

Mild sea temperatures are likely to temper some of these cold outbreaks and may lead to increased rainfall along the west coast of the South Island and the lower South Island.

Eastern regions traditionally become very dry under a strong El Niño and this is a real

possibility for early 2024. Temperatures are expected to become warmer and run above average across the entire country right through into autumn.

frequent northwesterlies. There is a risk of some strong winds at times. Rainfall may be close to average west of Motueka, but dry spells could increase in January.

Outlook for December and January:

Marlborough/North Canterbury Mild and stronger than average winds, with more frequent north westerlies once again. There is an increased chance of hot 30C days through early summer and into January. Marlborough may see some rain under strong north to northwest flows, but overall rainfall is likely to be below average with an increased chance of prolonged dry spells.

Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay Westerly winds are likely to continue into mid-summer and daytime temperatures should run above average, with a number of 30C days. Nights could still become cool under clear skies, so a larger diurnal range is likely. Rainfall totals are expected to drop and long dry spells are possible.

Wairarapa West to northwest winds will remain strong at times through December but may ease in January. Temperatures should start to run above average by early summer and 30C days arrive in January. Rainfall totals may vary with dry periods but some spill over rain from strong northwest gales is possible.

Nelson Expect average to above average temperatures across the region with more

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Central Otago Temperatures are likely to be remain near or above average. There is still a risk of cold mornings that approach freezing up until Christmas. Northwest winds and cooler southwest changes will still buffet the region from time to time through December.

These may become less frequent for a time in January. Rainfall totals could remain near average with spill over from the west coast under strong northwest conditions.

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Sustainability Update Demonstrating our commitment to the future

Dr Edwin Massey

Developing a Carbon Zero Road Map for the wine industry Climate change mitigation – upholding our global reputation New Zealand Wine is highly regarded for its sustainable winegrowing credentials, being the only country in the world to have a unified member programme. Globally, we have built a reputation as a premium cool climate wine producer. With El Niño expected to have a significant impact on 2024 weather conditions (drought to the north-east and possible flooding to the south), it is timely to reaffirm the work New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) is doing behind the scenes to provide members with tools to help mitigate the impacts of climate change.

In 2020, the New Zealand wine industry announced its goal to be a carbon neutral industry by 2050. To help us reach that target, NZW has partnered with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) to develop a Carbon Zero Road Map for the New Zealand wine industry.

Work starts immediately, and over the next six months we will be collaborating with members to ensure the plan is tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities that we anticipate facing from 2024 to 2050, and beyond.

In June this year, NZW’s partnership with EECA produced the Emissions Reduction Opportunities review, assessing decarbonisation innovations for the wine industry and we are looking forward to working together on this next project.

Where are we now?

Through Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ), our members measure and report a large range of emissions associated with the production stage of wine. The emissions data collected through SWNZ covers approximately 80% of the emissions associated with the production of a bottle of wine. At a national level our industry is unique amongst key wine producing countries in being able to make that claim. Vineyard and winery members receive individualised emissions reports annually, which allows them to compare

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Yealands

performance against regional benchmarks and inform their strategy for improvements.

At a whole of industry level, this is another world first. The recently released National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2022, based on the data gathered through SWNZ, gives us a good indication of where we are now. Estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, resulting from wine production to the winery door, were 131,768 tonnes CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) for the 2022 vintage, equivalent to 258g CO2e per bottle of wine.

• Vineyards accounted for 41% of these emissions • Winery packaging accounts for 44% of total emissions • In the vineyard, diesel use produces the most GHG emissions at 720 kg CO2e/ha We know that these numbers aren’t the full story as SWNZ does not account for emissions associated with wine distribution or the sunk emissions in vineyard and winery infrastructure; but it’s an important start.

A roadmap to the future It’s clear that we have a long way to go and

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

further guidance is required to help us on our climate change journey. Where do we need to be in the intervening years between now and 2050? What are the best options for our members to reduce their emissions? Who are the partners that can help? And how do we adjust the SWNZ programme to guide and incentivise change?

Consistent with our plan, the Carbon Zero Roadmap will help us take the next step to better enable members to make informed decisions. Furthermore, it will also help us to communicate our intentions and our focus to key stakeholders in New Zealand and overseas and demonstrate our high level of commitment to the future, reducing emissions as much as possible and as fast as possible.

If you are particularly interested in sustainability and climate change, and want to be involved in the Roadmap journey, please get in touch.

Dr Edwin Massey is NZW General Manager Sustainability, Edwin.massey@nzwine.com

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Biosecurity Update

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Protecting the places that make our famous wines Sophie Badland

been residue implications for nearby vines and disruption to day-to-day vineyard operations while eucalyptus spraying was carried out.

Eyes open for biosecurity pests and diseases

Foot and mouth disease could also impact vineyards Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) questionnaires show that almost 50% of New Zealand vineyards use sheep at some stage in the year, for winter grazing or leaf plucking in the summer. With the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia, and Australia on high alert, NZW members grazing sheep in vineyards are advised to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease, which affects all cloven-hooved animals.

Symptoms of FMD can include depression, fever, blisters or lesions around the hooves or muzzle, lameness, drooling, difficulty eating, and sudden death of young animals.

The disease is less obvious in sheep and goats but often causes small blisters just above the hooves.

Every year, the New Zealand Winegrowers biosecurity team is sent an increasing number of images from members of suspected grapevine pest insects and disease symptoms, evidence that a high level of biosecurity awareness is building amongst the industry.

As well as focusing on the vines themselves, New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) encourages members to be aware of the wider vineyard surroundings and any changes that may be taking place; a new pest or disease establishing on nongrapevine vineyard plantings or surrounds could also negatively impact vineyard operations.

Bronze Bug in Marlborough Earlier this year, Thaumastocoris peregrinus, also known as the ‘bronze bug’ (not to be confused with the bronze beetle, Eucolaspis brunnea) was found in Marlborough. A defoliating pest of eucalyptus, the bronze bug was first detected in Auckland in 2012 during routine biosecurity surveillance undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Further surveillance revealed it was likely already widespread in the Auckland area, and eradication attempts were likely to be futile, given the spread and a lack of effective tools. A decade later, it is widespread on eucalyptus in Marlborough,

Sophie Badland

and the Marlborough District Council (MDC) has already had to undertake tree removal in some areas. The bug reproduces relatively quickly, and adults and nymphs can be found on eucalyptus leaves in large numbers. Their feeding turns the leaves from silver in colour to a rusty red. In severe infestations, branch dieback occurs, and severe defoliation over several years can lead to tree death. Populations could grow particularly large during the upcoming summer – bronze bug tend to do well when it’s warmer and are likely to thrive in the forecast El Niño/drought conditions this summer, while eucalyptus trees will be water stressed and less able to cope with bronze bug infestation.

Eucalyptus trees are common across Marlborough’s rural landscape and are often found around vineyards. MDC are not planning to undertake any pest control, as the bug is already widespread and well established, and good control tools are not readily available. However, cases like this highlight that it’s not just grapevine pests that could cause biosecurity issues for vineyards. If a chemical treatment programme had been put in place, for example, there could have

Cases like this highlight that it’s not just grapevine pests that could cause biosecurity issues for vineyards.

Should FMD be confirmed in New Zealand, the Prime Minister will declare a National Biosecurity Emergency, and the Ministry for Primary Industries would initiate a national livestock standstill as part of the FMD Response Plan, to help find, contain and control the disease. This means all movement of susceptible animals must stop as quickly as possible.

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The bronze bug is a defoliating pest of eucalyptus

If a livestock standstill were to occur while sheep and other stock were grazing in vineyards, they are likely only to be allowed to be moved if it is a low-risk movement and a permit has been obtained. Animal welfare would need to be monitored, and the availability and delivery of additional feed would need to be planned for during a standstill period. If livestock in a vineyard were found to be infected with FMD, the animals would need to be culled and disposed of under the direction of MPI officials.

Additional hygiene measures or movement controls may be required for any machinery, equipment, vehicles, and people moving on or off-site.

NZW has produced a factsheet for vineyards grazing stock with more detail about FMD, which can be accessed on the nzwine.com website, or requested by emailing us.

If you see anything unusual, remember to catch it, snap it (take a photo), and report it to the Biosecurity NZ hotline on 0800 80 99 66, and email it to the NZW biosecurity team (biosecurity@nzwine.com).

Early detection the best chance of eradication The earlier a new pest or disease is detected, the less opportunity it has to build up a damaging population level and spread around the country, and the more likely an eradication response will be successful. While the vines themselves are a key area of focus, other plants or animals in and around vineyards can also be affected by biosecurity issues, which can indirectly impact vineyard operations. Some actions that all members should consider making part of day-to-day operations for vineyards and wineries are as follows: • Regular inspection of vines and other vegetation for pests and diseases, with recorded results • Regularly check all buildings, structures and other potential habitat for unwanted pests and diseases • Inspect new vines and amenity plants for symptoms of disease prior to planting • Remove any amenity plantings that show signs of disease • Remove anything that may compromise vineyard biosecurity or attract pests, for example old vines/prunings, other harvested fruit • Regularly check on the health of stock grazing in vineyards • Ensure staff are aware of potential biosecurity threats and the process for reporting

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On your behalf Advocacy on matters of vital importance to the industry

Nicky Grandorge

Connect. Inform. Change.

Where better to hold a Women in Wine national networking event than Kate Sheppard House? On 2 November 2023, members from around the country congregated at this historic villa in Christchurch to focus on women working in our industry.

There was a very special atmosphere that morning. The pristine, white villa sits in a beautiful garden hedged with bright pink rhododendrons, and pale purple wisteria winds its way around the veranda. It was incredibly peaceful and hard to believe the hustle and bustle of the city was just a stone’s throw away. It enabled attendees to pause, take a breath and think. Think about themselves and think about each other, as well as think about the role and status of women in the past, present and future. It

was both powerful and empowering.

It was also humbling to walk in the footsteps of Kate Sheppard and her team of driven women – and men – who worked tirelessly to make New Zealand a fairer, more balanced and progressive country. To see the very table where they had pasted together pages and pages of signatures for the 270-metre-long petition rolled out in Parliament, was incredibly inspiring.

Women were finally given the vote on 19 September 1893.

So why, 130 years later, do we need a Women in Wine initiative in New Zealand?

In short, because we’re still not quite there.

Compared with some other countries, we are in a pretty good place. However, for women working in our industry there are still gaps to be closed. Women should have equal opportunities, equal pay and be able to progress their careers with full support, as

well as enjoy a healthy work-life balance and comfortable retirement.

Kate Radburnd, Chair of Women in Wine New Zealand, talked passionately about the need to close the gender pay gap. Following a recent research report commissioned by Women in Wine, it was established that the New Zealand wine industry has a median gender pay gap of 7.8%. Although below the median national average of 9.1%, it nevertheless exists and needs to be closed.

The gap is, in fact, much larger in certain roles, including chief and senior winemakers (combined) at 23%.

Closing this gap is a team effort.

By regularly reviewing payrolls and making changes for fair and equal pay as appropriate, the change can happen.

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THE PLACES

Women in Wine national networking at Kate Sheppard House

is also a means to closing the gap. Feeling equipped and confident to negotiate pay rates from the start will ensure women achieve equal pay and secure a more equally fair and comfortable retirement fund. Attendees also enjoyed an interesting presentation about Kate Sheppard’s life as well as a tour of the house from historian Helen Osborne.

There was a panel session with Kate Radburnd, Meg Soper and Rachel Tonk, all at various stages of their careers, who discussed why they love working in the wine industry, and shared their achievements to date, who inspired them, their goals and what support they might need to reach them. The mentoring programmes were highlighted as a strong support as well as networking events, which are important for sharing ideas and building confidence.

Women in Wine plans to commission another gender pay gap report next year to include all roles within the industry. It is hoped we can see the gap close in the future and lead the way as an industry to reach zero first. Since the launch of Women in Wine in 2017, diversity and inclusion

is now certainly on more people’s radar.

Organisations are checking there is balance around the table, that there are women on wine judging panels and moving into senior roles if they wish to. It’s positive to see progress, but there is still work to be done.

Women should have equal opportunities, equal pay and be able to progress their careers with full support, as well as enjoy a healthy work-life balance and comfortable retirement.

Male champions can also play an important part of making this change happen. Kate Sheppard had men to support the women fighting for change. Apart from her husband’s support and using their home as her base, she needed men to roll out the petition in parliament and push for the amendment to be signed.

This year ‘how to close the gender pay gap’ was a speech topic for the Young Viticulturist and Young Winemaker competitions. This is indeed progress, endorsing its importance as a hot topic, front of mind. Nick Lamain from VinLink used the opportunity to rally the men in the Marlborough audience and received a resounding applause as he concluded his rousing speech. “And men, we can be proud of our past contributions while also being excited for a more inclusive future. That’s the vintage we should all strive for – a wellbalanced, matured, and equitable industry for all.”

Kate Sheppard gave us a huge platform from which to grow, so let’s continue to connect, inform and change, so our industry can be a leading example of equal opportunities, and highlight the extra strength and success which comes with that.

Nicky Grandorge is Leadership and Communities Manager at New Zealand Winegrowers. Find the Gender Pay Gap report at nzwine.com/members/industryreports-statistics/gender-pay-gap-report/

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Nuts and bolts

Mark Daniel’s updates on machinery and technology

Strong as an Oxin Grape Growers in Hawke’s Bay have been invited to view two Oxin in action at a vineyard field day in January. For the past five years, Pernod Ricard Winemakers has invested in the development of the world’s first Autonomous Vineyard Tractors (AVT), working with Blenheim-based Smart Machine to customise the Oxin for its Marlborough vineyards.

The cutting-edge technology has been tailored to target labour-intensive tasks such as mowing, mulching, and defoliating, growing vineyard efficiencies and addressing the challenges posed by ongoing labour shortages in the wine industry.

Pernod Ricard Winemakers recently integrated two Oxin into Hawke’s Bay, and will invest in custom innovation with Smart Machine to ensure the AVTs can be leveraged for the region, and for other growers.

“The more tasks we can do at once, the less time the machine has to travel up and down the rows.”

Kate Lattey David Allen, Viticulture Transformation Manager at Pernod Ricard Winemakers, says the company is proud of its continued investment in the ATV technology, seeing first-hand how it can “revolutionise” the viticulture landscape. “In just two weeks, we were able to complete all the required block mapping, network set up and operator training, ready for the arrival of the Oxin AVTs at our Matapiro Vineyard - a large

and fairly remote Hawke’s Bay vineyard.”

Kate Lattey, Transformation Director at Pernod Ricard Winemakers, says they are always looking at ways to reduce carbon emissions and their impact on the soil.

“From the beginning, we discussed how many tasks could be done simultaneously in a single pass. The more tasks we can do at once, the less time the machine has to travel up and down the rows. The next step is to “optimise” the use of AVTs across operations, as well as introducing smaller, fully electric machines, she says. “We’re also working on converting the AVTs to green energy and expect the first green energy prototype to be built in 2024.”

For information on the open day email kate.lattey@pernod-ricard.com.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

NUTS AND BOLTS

Stellar support for Cropsy New Zealand-based agritech startup Cropsy Technologies has raised $1.7 million in an extended and oversubscribed capital raise, including support from United States investor Seraph Group.

“We invested because this is the way of the future, and the founding team exhibits the commitment to see this through,” says Seraph Group’s Founder and Chief Executive Tuff Yen. Cropsy’s capital raise also received continued support from existing investors, including Angel Investors Marlborough, NZGCP, Icehouse Ventures, and K1W1.

Cropsy has developed cutting edge crop monitoring technology that combines automated, continuous, and GPS-tracked high-definition image capture with AIenabled software.

Each Cropsy scanner analyses over 30,000 vines per day in real-time, integrating with growers’ existing tractors to profile critical aspects of a vineyard – leaves, shoots, fruits, canes, and trunks – with no extra labour. The scanners ensure

accurate details like colours and textures are preserved, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

“We’re extremely efficient simply because of where we’re based. It’s a distinct advantage.”

Leila Deljkovic The technology is currently crafted specifically for vineyards, including the ability to localise disease presence in its earliest stages, track missing and dead vines, analyse pruning status, and count buds, inflorescences and bunches for yield estimation – all on a per-vine level.

Lead investor, Tracy Atkin of Angel Investors Marlborough, says it has been an extremely tough year for capital raising in a post-pandemic and recessionary environment. “For Cropsy to not only reach their target but exceed it is a

testament to their team and technology. It is a fantastic achievement and one I was proud to support as lead investor for their second round on behalf of Angel Investors Marlborough.”

Cropsy Chief Executive Ali Alomari says 2023 has shaped up to be a “momentous” year for the company. “We’ve reached our first international customers in the US and France, and the support of Seraph Group aligns perfectly with our attention on the US as a key market.” Earlier in 2022, Ali mentioned that Cropsy’s internal milestone is to scan 10 million vines by the end of 2023. “We’ve passed 6 million new vines right now, and at this rate, we’ll reach our target of 10 million new vines by the end of this year.”

Chief Operating Officer Leila Deljkovic says New Zealand is a “character-building” place to grow deep tech companies like Cropsy. “We’re extremely efficient simply because of where we’re based. It’s a distinct advantage.” cropsy.tech

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9/11/23 9:27 AM

Research Supplement A regular feature to inform and update the wine industry on research projects being undertaken for their benefit. Newly approved projects when available are briefly summarised. Ongoing projects have longer articles that describe progress and what has been achieved so far. When completed, each project report will be shared in full detail in the Research Library on nzwine.com.

BRI Research Winery

Current research projects Bragato Research Institute conducts research in-house or collaborates with research organisations throughout New Zealand.

The main research providers for each project are listed. Updates are provided on the highlighted projects in this supplement.

Vineyard Innovation Improving remedial surgery practices to increase vineyard longevity Linnaeus, SARDI Long spur pruning as an alternative to cane pruning for Sauvignon blanc Bragato Research Institute Evaluating water use efficiency and drought tolerance of various rootstocks grafted to Sauvignon blanc Bragato Research Institute Potential applications of nanotechnology for wine growing in New Zealand University of Auckland Weevils in New Zealand vineyards Bragato Research Institute

Genetics for winegrowing Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme Bragato Research Institute, Plant & Food Research, Lincoln University

National Vine Collection Virus Eradication Bragato Research Institute Tuned Vines Bragato Research Institute

Winemaking Innovation Exploring reductive aromas in Pinot noir University of Auckland Precipitation of calcium tartrate and other compounds in wine University of Canterbury Lab on a Chip: Developing diagnostic devices for the wine industry University of Canterbury Prevention of quercetin instability in bottled wine Indevin The importance of green: understanding ‘green’ and ‘herbaceous’ characters in Pinot noir wine and their role in driving judgements of perceived quality Lincoln University

Sustainable Winegrowing Microbial community and vine responses to increasing temperatures in the New Zealand context University of Auckland Development of an anaerobic chainelongation bioprocess for grape marc valorisation University of Auckland Evaluating ecologically sustainable ways to disrupt the weta-vine association Plant & Food Research

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

Ground wētā in the Awatere Jessica Vereijssen, Mette Nielsen, Roger Wallis, Richard Hunter, Stewart Graham (Plant & Food Research), Mary Morgan-Richards, Nyasha Chikwature, and Steve Trewick (Massey University)

The endemic ground wētā, Hemiandrus bilobatus (Figure 1), lives in burrows in the soil. Its presence can negatively affect wine grape production, especially in vineyards in the Awatere region of Marlborough.

Vine growth in early spring provides the ground wētā with a buffet of fresh buds to feed upon, which causes damage detrimental to vine growth and fruit yield. The current ground wētā management tool sees plastic sleeves wrapped around vine trunks to prevent wētā from accessing the cordon. However, the sleeves are costly to install and maintain, resulting in a significant waste-management issue.

Vine growth in early spring provides the ground wētā with a buffet of fresh buds to feed upon, which causes damage detrimental to vine growth and fruit yield.

This project, which started on 1 July 2022, seeks to understand the wētā–vine association and develop environmentally sustainable solutions where vineyards and the ground wētā can co-exist.

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Figure 1. The ground wétá Hemiandrus bilobatus out of its burrow at night

It is funded by New Zealand Winegrowers and led and managed by the Bragato Research Institute (BRI). It also brings together Plant & Food Research (PFR) and Massey University scientists. The wider project team includes grower representatives from local wineries to ensure that any proposed solutions are practical and financially sustainable.

Progress over the past year Engaging with mana whenua We engaged with mana whenua and growers to get to know them, introduce the project, and find suitable trial site locations.

Engagement with mana whenua was not straightforward, as the Awatere area had no permanent Māori settlements, only seasonal ones, and was mainly used as a pathway.

We engaged with Māori to write a piece about Mātauranga Māori, Te Ao Māori, and Te Aitanga Pepeke, the world of insects. We learned that the wētā existed approximately 190

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

million years ago. Kupu Māori spoke of tokoriro, punga, motu, and wētā.

The name taipo (wētā) was also used as a definition, meaning the devil that comes out at night.

The Kaikōura coastline provided a pathway north and south through easy beach access. Maara kai sites were developed and located on the lower seaward terraces, Clarence/ Kekerengu. Rangitane ki Wairau at Te Para Hou (Grassmere) and Ngai Tahu/ Ngati Rūnanga o Kaikōura at Waiharakeke (Ure River) were resting places when travelling north or south. Maara kai e noho and papakāinga were not located in the Awatere, possibly due to dry, wind-blown loess soils unsuitable for sustainable gardens.

Under cultivated or maara kai situations, wētā would not have been a concern. If located, wētā would have been disposed of as a “possible” prime source of kai. Māori were pragmatic, turning ‘pests’ into resources for other purposes. This

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

Figure 2. Surveying for Hemiandrus bilobatus during the day by digging up wétá burrows.

suggests that hōhā riha (nuisance pests) were experienced and managed differently from today.

Understanding wētā in vineyards Our work addressed two main research areas. The first was conducting interviews to understand the breadth of the problem and identify possible solutions. Eleven inperson interviews were undertaken to assess wētā distribution, the extent to which wētā are a problem, what the people had observed in their vineyards, what differences they had observed within the Awatere, and any control solutions people were thinking of or had trialled. From the interviews, we could not identify a situation or variable that made vineyards prone to wētā damage. The discussions have, however, given us insights into possible solutions

and provided a research focus for year two.

The second main research area was the survey of selected vineyards during budburst (in September and October 2022 to capture the early and late budburst varieties) and outside the budburst period (February 2023). Surveying for H. bilobatus in vineyards was conducted during the daytime (Figure 2) and in the evening (from just after sunset till about 10:30 pm), and specimens were collected for diet analysis.

Despite low temperatures, wētā were active (i.e., out of their burrows) early in the evenings during the budburst surveys. A marked increase in activity and numbers of juvenile and adult wētā were observed in the February 2023 survey (Figure 3).

Deliberate removal of wētā guards in a vineyard over four weeks during

budburst clearly demonstrated the potential severity of damage by the wētā at budburst, with over 70% of the buds destroyed and an additional 24% of the buds damaged to some degree.

A PhD student joins the team In December 2022, Nyasha Chikwature started her PhD studies within this project. She joined the Massey team in the field in Wairarapa in December and the PFR team in Awatere in February and collected the first ground wētā for her studies.

Nyasha has conducted a literature review to understand the ecology of endemic insect species that have become horticultural and agricultural problems in New Zealand. She also analysed the diet of ground wētā species related to H. bilobatus living in their natural forest habitat: H. electra, H. ‘disperalis’, and H.nox from

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RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

the St Arnaud area. The results of the studies showed that H. ‘disperalis’ and H. electra had 80% plant material in their guts and 20% invertebrate material, while H. nox had 80% invertebrate material and 20% plant material. Overall, the results showed that although the three species were collected from the same traps and at the same time of the year, the basic constitution of their diets differed.

Nyasha presented her results at the New Zealand Entomological Society Conference in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in August 2023.

Deliberate removal of wētā guards in a vineyard over four weeks during budburst clearly demonstrated the potential severity of damage by the wētā at budburst, with over 70% of the buds destroyed and an additional 24% of the buds damaged to some degree.

Related research Three related areas of research worth noting are: • Field surveys in the Wairarapa in December 2022 showed H. bilobatus was found in native regenerative bush but not in vineyards. Night observations of H. bilobatus at Tora (near Martinborough) in the native regenerating forest during January 2023 confirmed foraging activity close to the ground and climbing tree trunks. We observed wētā eating grass seeds and collected specimens for diet analysis to compare with H. bilobatus foraging in vineyards in the Awatere.

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Figure 3. Wétá foraging at night on a weed in the vineyard in February 2023.

• We responded to information on wētā damage to vines outside the Awatere area. Wētā burrows were confirmed, and species were collected from Waipara and the Wairau Valley. The Waipara specimen is still unknown; the Wairau Valley specimens were identified as H. taygete. This is the first time evidence of related ground wētā damaging vines had been collected.

• We conducted laboratory trials that showed that H. bilobatus males and females preferred high soil moisture levels (60-80% of field capacity) and less compacted soils (0.9 to 1.0 g/cm3 bulk density), with the males choosing the more compacted soil. This is in line with what was observed in the vineyards, with most burrows located from right under the drip irrigation lines about 300 mm away from the drip lines, independent of vineyard location and grape variety.

Focus for this year With the project team, the BRI project management team, and industry partners, we reviewed and discussed the results for year one of

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

the project and prioritised research to go forward in the project’s second year. The main research topics for the team are to investigate 1. the use of deterrents to manage ground wētā damage, 2. the effect of cover crops and RollHacke roller weeder (under vine cultivation) on wētā presence and damage, and 3. the effect of subsurface irrigation on wētā presence in vineyards.

About the project This three-year project is funded through the New Zealand Wine Futures Fund, managed, and launched in 2021 by BRI to bring new and novel ideas to levy-funded research. It is funded through New Zealand Winegrowers’ levies and project-managed by BRI. The wētā project has co-funding from Indevin, Pernod-Ricard, Yealands, Constellation, and Hortus to support the Massey University PhD student. The science team is led by PFR, with significant in-kind contributions from Massey University.

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

Garden weevil

Weevils in New Zealand vineyards Dr Paul Epee (Bragato Research Institute), Sophie Badland (New Zealand Winegrowers) The garden weevil is an insect pest native to South Africa and was first established in New Zealand in 1893.

Recent reports of weevil damage in Marlborough vineyards came from the Rarangi area in late 2020. The Garden weevil species (Phlyctinus callosus) was identified as the main culprit.

Garden weevil chewing damage is relatively easy to identify, particularly on leaves, which typically show a ‘shotgun’ pattern of tiny holes.

These damage reports continued over the following years prompting Bragato Research Institute (BRI) to investigate the matter on affected sites in Marlborough and other regions (Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa), develop a weevil monitoring protocol, and publish a factsheet (available from bri.co.nz). Over the 2022-2023 growing season, a survey was carried out by BRI and the New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) biosecurity team to determine the presence and spatial distribution of Garden weevils across the Marlborough region.

BRI extension staff Dr Paul Epee and Yuichi Ando, along with NZW

biosecurity advisors Jim Herdman and Kerrie Hopkins, worked with Dr Scott Hardwick, an entomologist at AgResearch, to develop a methodology for sampling weevils in vineyards. Eighteen vineyards across Marlborough were randomly chosen and sampled for weevils. Using

The weevil species of interest in this study, the Garden weevil, was only present in one vineyard located in Rarangi, and in relatively low numbers.

two separate modified blower vac machines, the biological material (dry grass, insects) found in the midrow sward was sucked up over a 20 metre distance. The collected material was placed in labelled bags and stored in a chilly bin, then sent to AgResearch Lincoln for weevil identification.

Sampling was conducted monthly during the period when adult weevils were most active in vineyards and their populations had peaked – November 2022, December 2022 and February 2023.

Weevil species composition and spatial distribution Across the Marlborough region, eight weevil species were identified (listed here alongside their relative proportion over the whole period): Clover root weevil Sitona obsoletus, 72.5% (1255 weevils); Argentine stem weevil Listronotus bonariensis, 20.1% (348 weevils); Vegetable weevil Listroderes costirostris, 5.14% (89 weevils); White fringed weevil Naupactus leucoloma, 0.98% (17 weevils); Fullers rose weevil Pantomorus cervinus, 0.64% (11 weevils); Garden weevil Phlyctinus callosus, 0.52% (9 weevils); Black vine weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus, 0.06% (1 weevil); and Lucerne weevil Sitona discoideus, 0.06% (1 weevil).

The Clover root weevil was not only the most abundant but was also the most widely spread, occurring in 16 vineyards out of 18, and was followed

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Weevil Species

Argentine stem weevil

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Black vine weevil Clover root weevil Fullers rose weevil Garden weevil Lucerne weevil Vegetable weevil White fringed weevil

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Figure 1 Spatial distribution of eight weevil species across the Marlborough region. The circle size represents the total number of counted weevils at a location and a sector in the circle the proportion of a weevil species relative to the total number of weevils at that location.

by the Argentine stem weevil (10 vineyards), the White fringed weevil (nine vineyards) and the Vegetable weevil (six vineyards) (Figure 1).

Garden weevil, Lucerne weevil and Black vine weevil only appeared in one vineyard at a time, located respectively in Rarangi, Hawkesbury and South-West Seddon in the Awatere Valley (Figure 1).

Although Clover root weevil and Argentine stem weevil were the two most numerous and widely spread weevil species across the region, they do not constitute an immediate threat to winegrowing because they are not potential grapevine pests.

However, Vegetable weevil and White fringed weevil were respectively the third and fourth most numerous and widespread weevil species.

These two weevil species are also potential grapevine pests. The Vegetable weevil was found in Lower Dashwood, Woodbourne, Seddon and Hawkesbury. That weevil species is a polyphagous pest of vineyards as it can feed on buds, leaves, and berries.

Larvae and adults live above ground and are active during the autumn, winter and spring when they cause

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the greatest damage to the vine. The White fringed and Vegetable weevil followed a similar spatial distribution except for the Wairau Valley, where the White fringed weevil was present and the other weevil absent. The White fringed weevil was imported from South America, discovered in New Zealand in 1940, and is a pest of establishing vineyards. Therefore, in areas where these two weevil species were detected, it is recommended to closely monitor their population and activity between November and February.

Garden weevil limited spread across the Marlborough region and implications The weevil species of interest in this study, the Garden weevil, was only present in one vineyard located in Rarangi, and in relatively low numbers. Moreover, no other weevil species was found in that vineyard.

This result seems to show that Garden weevil is not widespread in Marlborough but rather located in limited isolated pockets such as Rarangi. Considering that Garden weevil is a wingless insect, its dispersal occurs mainly through

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vineyard machinery, transportation of soil and other biological materials (plant materials, grape and grape products), footwear and clothing.

Thus, by following good biosecurity practice and restricting movement vectors (movements that potentially displace Garden weevils), the spread of this pest across the region could be contained. It is recommended that further work is done to monitor the regional spread periodically (once every two- or three-year period) to ensure that it does not suddenly and unexpectedly get out of control.

Vineyard owners/managers located in the Rarangi area should be alert and closely monitoring their vineyards for Garden weevil presence and activities.

Although there is currently no registered insecticide for the control of Garden weevil on grapevines in New Zealand, following the foregoing prophylactic measures will help to contain the problem within isolated blocks. The BRI factsheet on Garden weevil monitoring is a useful tool in setting up a monitoring strategy.

Additionally, there is work being done by agrichemical companies to test and register new products to control weevils in vineyards.

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

Immigrants Vineyard

Microbial community and vine responses to increasing temperatures due to climate change and potential consequences for New Zealand wine styles Sarah Knight (University of Auckland) and Amber Parker (Lincoln University) Microbial communities are essential to produce quality agricultural products, with measurable effects on nutrient availability and plant disease resilience.

Additionally, the wine industry is particularly dependent on microbial communities for fermentation, transforming grapes into wine, and their contribution to the quality and style of the wine produced. Given microbial communities respond to environmental changes such as temperature, could these vine and wine-associated microbial communities, and the wine styles they contribute to, be at risk of change in response to climate change?

Previous research supported by New Zealand Winegrowers and the Bragato Research Institute was the first internationally to demonstrate that regionally differentiated communities of yeast can contribute to regional

distinctions in wine chemistry – a microbial aspect to terroir! This was first demonstrated in Sauvignon blanc, focusing on genetically distinct populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from different wine growing regions around New Zealand.

Subsequent experiments expanded on these findings to include regional communities of yeast and tested mixed species ferments of Pinot noir, again demonstrating a clear link between the region the yeast communities were collected from and the chemistry of the wine.

Thus, microbial communities now have a place alongside traditional components of terroir (such as soil, topography, and climate), reiterating the importance of understanding microbial biodiversity and the implications these communities can have on the quality and style of wines.

Wine is produced along a wide latitudinal range in New Zealand, spanning from approximately 34°S to 47°S. While generally considered a cool climate wine growing nation, there are significant temperature differences from north to south, resulting in distinct climate ranges in each region, although differences in each region’s proximity to the ocean and the diverse topography also play important roles in between – and within – region climate differences.

In the context of climate change, the mean annual temperature for New Zealand increased approximately 0.1°C per decade from 1941 to 2010. Given that New Zealand has experienced three of the four most substantial heatwaves on record in the past five seasons (2017/18, 2018/19 and 2021/22), wine production in a warming climate is now a reality.

Modelling projections indicate

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“Individual vine frames designed to heat the fruit zone. Frames are placed on either side of the treated vine, sitting directly under the fruit zone and the sides are enclosed. Air below the frames is warmed by solar energy and channelled into the fruit zone, without interfering with UV light reaching the fruit. These were piloted over the 2022/23 season at Puriri Hills Vineyard in Auckland.”

that some growing regions may experience warmer conditions in the future, leading to potential changes in cultivar suitability and the balance of metabolites in grapes that are important for wine quality; however fine-scale climate variation will play an important role going forward given the diversity of mesoclimates in New Zealand.

While temperature is known to affect the composition and activity of microbial communities generally, the effects of sustained temperature increases, such as those predicted under various climate change models, on microbial communities of significance for wine styles are unknown. We predict that sustained increases in temperature will change the composition of microbial communities in New Zealand’s vineyards. These changes may alter microbial interactions with vine physiology and fermentation performance, and may vary between regions, ultimately affecting regional wine characteristics.

A combination of field and

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laboratory-based experiments will be devised to evaluate aspects of microbial community ecology and population biology to understand how temperature shapes microbial communities associated with vines and winemaking, and how these differences might affect wine chemical composition. Given the importance of fruit-derived yeast communities for fermentation, we aim to artificially heat the fruit zone of selected vines within commercially operating vineyards from véraison to harvest, to test if the sustained increase in temperature over this period results in a shift in microbial communities on the fruit. This will be done using an open-top heating system designed in Australia, where they were able to increase the maximum daytime temperature of the canopy and fruit zone between 2 and 4°C. There are opportunities to complement this approach with lab-based growth chamber experiments where temperature can be more finely controlled. Vine phenological and fruit composition data will be collected alongside microbial samples to understand both the response

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of the vine to sustained increased temperatures, and any potential changes in microbial interactions.

Finally, the consequences of any changes observed on wine attributes will be experimentally tested using controlled lab fermentations.

By understanding potential changes in microbial communities and plant phenotypes in response to climate change, the New Zealand wine industry will be better prepared to implement strategies to adapt to potential changes to their regional wine styles because of it. Thus, using these results, we aim to provide valuable information for growers and winemakers regarding the potential effects of climate change on vineyard ecosystems and the quality of the wine deriving from these changes.

About the project This project is funded by a PhD scholarship from the Bragato Research Institute and research funding from the University of Auckland and Lincoln University.

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SPRAY SMARTER WITH BA Since 2020, one of country’s leading wine companies, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, has partnered with BA Pumps & Sprayers to trial innovative technology, implementing a threerow BA Smart Sprayer with canopy spraying technology, the first to do so in New Zealand.

Being a leading company in the wine industry doesn’t happen without hard work, attention to detail and the right equipment to ensure their crops are the best they can be.

Pernod Ricard Winemakers strive to reduce environmental impacts and overtime have an ambition to reduce and target pesticide application, in part using technology to support precision viticulture, enabling application only at the right moment, in the right place.

to investigate more and continue our trials of the technology.”

With over 2,000 hectares of vineyard in New Zealand, Pernod Ricard Winemakers were the first in the country to trial the technology, and now operate three sprayers with the Smart Apply system to help manage the risk of disease. David said: “We ran comprehensive comparison trials over the past two growing seasons to understand how the Smart Apply system compares to our existing sprayers Over the Vintage 2023 season, in the field tests using the three-row sprayer showed an impressive +30% reduction in chemical usage compared to conventional sprayers. Other impressive benefits included a reduction in spray drift,” added David.

Since the project began BA and Pernod Ricard Winemakers have worked closely to integrate feedback and learnings from the trials to create a sprayer which is suitable for New Zealand vineyards.

“The support from BA has been great and it has very much been a joint project the whole way. As well as the technology side we’ve been really impressed with BAs engineering, especially for the three-row sprayer which needs a lot more modification and setting up than a two row. We also liked the attention to detail. Their commitment to health and safety features for operators has been outstanding.

For example, the sensors can be lowered for cleaning rather than having to climb up to reach them.” David said.

“We are very pleased with the results and have ordered three more Smart Apply systems for the Vintage 2024 season.

Our testing will continue to monitor the performance of the sprayers throughout their life so we can get a fuller picture of their effectiveness.” He continued.

The BA Smart Sprayer applies the easy to use Smart Apply USDA-based LiDAR sensor technology to sense and detect the canopy and assess foliage density, before adjusting each spray nozzle to ensure it only applies pesticides where required. The result is reduced drift, reduced chemical use and less waste than conventional sprayers.

- DAVID ALLEN, TRANSFORMATION MANAGER FOR VITICULTURE

Transformation Manager for Viticulture, David Allen, has been leading the project at Pernod Ricard Winemakers. David said: “The role of the Transformation Team is to explore the adoption and integration of new technology.

We are always looking at ways we can reduce our impact and nurture our terroirs. The LiDAR-based control from Smart Apply fits well with our strategic goals so we were keen

The introduction of technology can help viticulturalists operate more efficiently, while also appealing to new generations of talent by embracing innovation. “With the Smart Apply system it’s easy to set up and operate.

The system controls the entire spraying function including turning on and off at the start and end of rows simplifying operations making it accessible for all to use.”

“Over the Vintage 2023 season, in the field tests using the BA Smart Sprayer has showed an impressive +30% reduction in chemical usage compared to conventional sprayers.”

To find out more and to book a free, no obligation demo, contact BA Pumps & Sprayers on 0800 833 538.

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0800 833 538 | www.bapumpsandsprayers.co.nz