New Zealand Winegrower April/May 2015 by Rural News Group

CONTENTS

ISSUE 91

46 R E GUL A R S

Editorial

GIs Gain Traction

Tessa Nicholson

Nine years after the Geographical Indications Act was passed by Government – the implementation is beginning. NZW’s Jeffrey Clarke explains what happens from here on in.

In Brief

News From Around The Country

FEATURES

Young Guns

Hawke’s Bay

20 Air New Zealand Answers Critics

Bob’s Blog

Bob Campbell MW

Wineries throughout the country were up in arms earlier this year when Air NZ announced their new procurement arrangements. The company’s Chief Operations Officer Bruce Parton explains why they made the move, and how it is actually a positive one for wineries.

Could This Be An ATA Year?

Atypical Aging (ATA) is something that can have a major impact on wines. Kirsten Creasy explains what it is and whether this is a year to be on the lookout for it.

64 Sommelier’s Corner

Cameron Douglas MS

Not On The Label

Bell Gully

Calendar

Wine Happenings in New Zealand and Away

Research Supplement

The Latest Science and Research Projects funded by NZ Winegrowers

Phylloxera in Central Otago

This slow creeping, root-attacking aphid has been discovered in Central Otago. But it’s emergence is not all doom and gloom, as Joelle Thomson has discovered.

E D I TO R Tessa Nicholson tessa.nicholson@me.com

FROM THE EDITOR TESSA NICHOLSON

CO R R E SP O N D E NTS Auckland: Joelle Thomson joellethomson@vodafone.co.nz Gisborne: Justine Tyerman justine.tyerman@clear.net.nz Hawkes Bay: Mary Shanahan maryshanahan173@gmail.com Nelson: Neil Hodson neil@hodgson.net.nz Central Otago: Mark Orton seeingredmedia@yahoo.com

A DV E R T I SI N G Sales Manager & Upper North Island: Stephen Pollard stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 09 913 9637 Mobile: 021 963 166 Central North Island: Ted Darley ted@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 07 854 6292 Mobile: 021 832 505 Lower North Island: Mark Macfarlane Ph: 04 234 6239 Mobile: 021 453 914 South Island: Kaye Sutherland kayes@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 03 376 5552 Mobile: 021 221 1994

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

PUBLISHING & P R E - P R E SS Rural News Group PO Box 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: Dave Ferguson, Rebecca Williams

Published by Rural News Group Ltd under authority of New Zealand Winegrowers (jointly representing Wine Institute of New Zealand Inc and New Zealand Grape Growers Council Inc). Unless directly attributed, opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Rural News Group and/or its directors or management, New Zealand Winegrowers or its constituent organisations. Published every second month. One free copy is mailed to every member of the Institute, the Council, the New Zealand Society of Viticulture & Oenology and the New Zealand Vine Improvement Group, and to such other persons or organisations as directed by the owners, with provision for additional copies and other recipients to be on a subscription basis.

ISSN 1174-5223

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

GIVING BACK

he impact of Cyclone Pam may not have been as devastating to New Zealand as was first predicted, which is something we can all be thankful

for. But for those living in Vanuatu, the same cannot be said. At the time of writing this, there is no definitive word on how many people perished in the cyclone – believed to be the worst event to hit the Pacific in years. But the devastation was apparent to anyone seeing the photos or live coverage coming from the archipelago. On some of the outlying islands, nothing was left standing. Homes, possessions, trees and jobs have all been destroyed. For this tiny nation, and its people, the impact of Pam will last for years. New Zealand wine regions have a close affinity with Vanuatu, via the Recognised Seasonal Employment Scheme (RSE). More than 1700 workers from the islands were here in this country, at the time the cyclone hit. For each of those, the waiting for news of their loved ones was agonising. The sight of their homeland having been torn apart by Mother Nature was heart breaking. And for those employing the workers, the need to do something positive to help was anything but a knee jerk reaction. The Vanuatuans employed under the RSE scheme in New Zealand were spread around the country. In Central there were more than 550, Marlborough 450 and Hawke’s Bay close to 800. While not all of those are employed in the wine industry, a large percentage are – especially in Marlborough. While there was little any employer could do to ease the feeling of impotency felt by the workers, they have done something even more positive. They have set up fundraising projects, which will benefit the workers themselves and help their communities to rebuild. Seasonal Solutions Cooperative in Central Otago employ 440 workers from Vanuatu and within a few days had established a bank

account for donations. Spokesman James Dicey said the money raised will go directly to the men working in Central. “Some local growers are matching the earnings their Vanuatuan workers earn in a day and donating this to the relief effort,” he said. “Kiwi employees have also mentioned they will donate a day’s earnings to the relief fund.” A local winery made a $10,000 donation straight off and the relief fund team are hoping others will follow suit. The Cooperative, along with vineyard and orchard owners are collecting building materials which will be sent directly to the islands, to help with the rebuild. In Marlborough – the winegrower’s association, Wine Marlborough became the face of the regional fundraising efforts. A bank account was established with a $1000 donation from the organisation itself, while donation buckets were placed in more than 20 premises in the region allowing members of the public the chance to help out. As in Central building materials are being collected to send to Tanna, the island that was one of the worst hit. It is also home to the majority of Vanuatuans working in Marlborough. It is heart warming to see the efforts being undertaken. While nothing can alleviate the destruction – the call to arms by the wine industry to help is special. These workers have been a large part of our communities for almost a decade and now it’s our time to give something back. If you would like to donate to the relief funds here are the details. Central Otago: Bank Account number 06 0917 0088294 05. Please include the words Central Vanuatuans in the reference field and this will ensure the funds are distributed to the men based in Central Otago. Marlborough: Marlborough Winegrowers Association: Bank Account number 06-06010182903-03. Please include the words Help Heal Vanuatu. ■

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GOVERNANCE UPDATE

GETTING SET FOR THE FUTURE CHAIRMAN OF THE NZW BOARD, STEVE GREEN AND DEPUTY CHAIR JOHN CLARKE

n May this year you will be asked to decide whether the proposed changes to New Zealand Winegrowers governance structure gets the green light. This is the last step in a process that was started over 10 years ago. We believe now is the right time to complete the organisation reform. The ultimate goal is to establish NZ Winegrowers as the single, unified industry organisation to represent and promote the interests of grape growers and wineries. We want to position NZ Winegrowers as a fit for future purpose, unified, modern, flexible, efficient and effective organisation.

Although the New Zealand Grape Growers Council and Wine Institute of New Zealand have worked as one body (New Zealand Winegrowers) successfully for 12 years, the current arrangement of three organisations (NZW, NZGGC, WINZ) is less transparent and accountable than desirable. In particular, members do not directly elect directors to the NZ Winegrowers Board. To test the appetite for change, last year we sought your feedback on various governance options for NZW. John Clarke, Philip and I visited nine regions in September last year and met over 150 of you. Over 100 mem-

bers made submissions, and we received personal submissions from a number of you. As a result the Board has now developed a Proposal for the future structure and governance of NZW as a single, unified industry body. Read on for a summary of the key changes…

Changes to the way the Board is elected If the Proposal is successful, it will change the way you elect your Board members. The current system is based on representation of growers, and of small, medium, and large wineries on the Board - there are seven WINZ and five NZGGC

Directors. Under the Proposal, the distinction between growers and wineries will disappear. All levy payers will be considered ‘winegrowers’ and all winegrowers will get to vote for all directors. The Proposal requires a change in thinking regarding the electoral process. There is no guaranteed representation for any group in the industry but you will get the chance to vote for all members on the Board, unlike the current structure where you can only vote for directors that fall within your category. All members will get two votes if the Proposal is adopted. Votes will be cast in the ‘member class’ and the ‘levy class’. The Board believes that the two vote system will generate a Board representative of the industry. A direct result from your feedback is the provision to appoint up to two Boardappointed (independent or not) directors to the Board. They could be from within the industry to fill a space where there is believed to be a need for someone with particular interests, or from outside the industry to supply a specific skill set.

Regional Membership Council

Steve Green (left) and John Clarke.

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

We are proposing to introduce a Regional Membership Council to advise and support the Board. It is envisaged the Regional Membership Council will meet at least once a year or more if needed. The Council will comprise the Chair and Deputy

Chair of NZW and representatives from each regional organisation. It will be a vehicle for ensuring regional concerns can be brought to the attention of the NZ Winegrowers Board via the Chair and the Deputy Chair, and also a way for NZ Winegrowers to raise and explore matters with regional organisations. It will be a mechanism to enable regional issues to feed into our strategic planning.

Changes to the levies Three changes are being proposed to the current levy system. Those changes are: Introduction of a maximum payment under the grape levy ($150,000 per annum irrespective of the grape levy rate) Lowering the current maximum payment under the wine levy to an amount based on sales of 20 million litres per annum

Eliminating the current minimum wine levy payment of $400. Lowering the maximum wine levy will reduce the financial contribution of large wineries to NZ Winegrowers and hence will reduce NZ Winegrowers’ financial dependency on them. It will also reduce the voting power of the large wineries. The major reason behind eliminating the minimum wine levy is that there is no minimum grape levy payment and this will put wineries and growers on the same level. Over 300 wineries benefit from this proposed change.

The review cycle If the Proposal is adopted, there will be a review after four years. The four-year timeframe has been chosen because it enables the election cycle to be completed and provides enough

time for any further change to be incorporated before the next sixyearly levy vote. After the first review there will be a subsequent review every six years.

Where to from here? We will be visiting you in the regions in early May to provide more information and answer any questions you have. Later that month, you will be asked to vote for or against the Proposal. This is the last step in the process and will determine how your industry organisation is structured in the future. It is important to note that for the Board to proceed with the Proposal, the votes in favour of change must meet the criteria of the levy votes. This means we will need 60% of the levy votes and 60% of the value of levy votes to support the change for it to succeed.

Having a representative, accountable and modern industry organisation structured to best serve the present and future needs of our industry is incredibly important. We need your vote on this issue, so don’t leave it to others to decide what to do. Please be part of the process; your future may depend on it!

Thank You I would like to thank all of you who have contributed to the process to date. These issues are not to the forefront of our daily activity, and can be seen to be peripheral not only to your own business but even to your interaction with New Zealand Winegrowers. Your efforts in engaging with us is really appreciated. To find out more information on the Proposal go to: http://www. nzwine.com/members/resources/ governance-structure/ ■

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 7

WITH JAMES MEDINA

REGIONAL VIEWPOINT

EXECUTIVE OFFICER HAWKE’S BAY WINE GROWER’S ASSOCIATION

FOCUS ON MARKETING FOR HAWKE’S BAY

ver the last year the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers have been putting in place plans to place a stronger emphasis on marketing our fine wine region. The board of Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers (HBWG) made the decision to create a new brand “Hawke’s Bay Wine” to represent the organisation’s public profile. The new brand and mark would be used across all assets both digital and physical. The region had the ‘Hawke’s Bay Wine Country’ brand for a number of years. Through the evolution of what is now Hawke’s Bay Tourism in 2011, a change in marketing and branding was completed for the region. Since that time Hawke’s Bay’s wine industry has lacked its own brand identity. It was an imperative for the Hawke’s Bay to have a regional wine brand in order to fulfil our marketing mandate. The new brand is expected to launch this winter. In line with the overall marketing push, Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers have also taken on a public relations partner to help build the profile of Hawke’s Bay both domestically and interna-

tionally. We recognised with limited internal resources we needed to find strong, enabled partners that can assist us in reaching our goals. Efforts to refresh and renew our event programme are also in process. We established the Hawke’s Bay Wine Celebration to coincide with the New Zealand Winegrowers Major Events to leverage the significant influx of visitors to the country. As well, our Hot Red Hawke’s Bay roadshow events in Auckland and Wellington will see step changes in venues, programming, wine sales and promotion. From an international standpoint, the region’s China marketing programme, a collaboration of seventeen wineries, is now in its second year. In 2014, we put on 17 events in a variety of formats in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Chengdu, Xi’an and Hong Kong. This has exposed our Hawke’s Bay wine brand and our winery member’s to over 800 trade, media, key influencers and wine lovers and enabled development of business/trade and consumer relationships. For wineries that have had little exposure to the

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

China market it has provided a structure upon which they can quickly build inmarket experience and develop relationships. For more established wineries in-market it provides a platform to meet distributors and market the brand to wine consumers. We have established our presence on China social media platforms, Weibo, Weixin (WeChat) and James Medina Youku. In addition Province to Eastern Institute we have developed of Technology. Education of the Chinese section on our international students is a subwinehawkesbay.co.nz site with stantial export for New Zealand regional info, profiles of the and a great opportunity to create wineries in the programme, brand ambassadors for Hawke’s videos, etc. Bay wine. In addition, together As an outcome of our focus we will explore methods of on China and our relationcooperation and friendship with ship with Eastern Institute the aim to advance knowledge of Technology, Hawke’s Bay and practice in the areas of grape Winegrowers signed an MoU growing, wine making and wine with Shandong Vine and Wine culture. Association. The main points It is an exciting time in of the MoU is to support the Hawke’s Bay as we build the viticulture and winemaking region’s brand into one that is student exchange from Qi Lu internationally renowned. ■ University in Jinan, Shandong

IN BRIEF NATIONAL Richy Vuletich with wife Bex and baby Amelia.

Give A Little for Richy Vuletich NZWinegrower’s thoughts go out to the family and friends of Richy Vuletich, who passed away on February 17. Richy who was working at his family’s vineyard Longview Estate, and running his Apple A Day Cider business in Northland, leaves behind his wife Bex and baby Amelia who was born in early January. Friends of his have established a Give a Little page https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/ richysfight to raise funds for Bex and Amelia. Please visit and help out.

Grape Day 2015

#SauvBlanc Day This Month The 24th of April is the big day, when our most renowned variety gains international exposure via events and social media. This event is getting bigger and bigger every year. Last year for example #SauvBlanc Day had a reach of 12.7 million, exposure of 34.1 million from 6,500 contributors sending 12,000 tweets. NZW has organised events in all the major international markets, which given the different time zones will run over 48 hours. So make sure you plan something for the day and ensure all those attending tweet #SauvBlanc.

Put the following dates into your diary, as the 2015 Grape Days are coming your way soon. Designed to provide high-level summaries of research with a practical applied focus for industry members, the one-day events will take place in June, in Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and for the first time in Central Otago The dates are; Central Otago– Monday June 8 – Golden Gate Lodge, Cromwell. Marlborough – Wednesday 10 June – Marlborough Convention Centre Hawke’s Bay – Friday 12 June – Napier War Memorial Conference Centre

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NATIONAL

WAIHEKE ISLAND

Fellow Nominations

High Priced Waiheke Red

NZ Winegrowers is currently looking for nominations to honour those who have made an outstanding contribution to this country’s wine industry. Regional associations and individuals can make a nomination. The full criteria is available on the members section of NZWine.com, under Resources. Nominations must be in by April 20. Last year, NZW inducted Richard Riddiford of Palliser Estate and Herman and Agnes Seifried from Seifrid Estate.

It’s name begins with the last letter of the alphabet but Zabeel is likely to be the first word on high priced Waiheke Island wines. Zabeel is made by Soho’s Waiheke Island winemaker James Rowan and was named after the New Zealand-born, Australian thoroughbred race horse. The 2013 Zabeel is intensely purple-ruby in colour and is made from Merlot, Syrah and Malbec which were grown on Waiheke Island in 2013; “It will only be made in outstanding vintages so that the wine lives up to its name,” says Soho owner, Rachael Carter.

WAIPARA

HAWKE’S BAY Visit Inspires A party of 20 wine business students from Heilbronn University in Germany toured New Zealand’s two biggest wine regions in February. Led by Professor Bettina Merlin, the group visited wineries that included Johnneshof Cellars, Herzhog and Seresin Estate in Marlborough and Unison, Te Mata Estate, Craggy Range, Elephant Hill, Moana Park and Alpha Domus and also EIT in Hawke’s Bay. Both legs focused on meetings with business, export and export managers. The trip was a first for the university.

Inaugural Wine Celebration Twenty leading international trade and media representatives sampled some of Hawke’s Bay finest wines at the inaugural Hawke’s Bay Wine Celebration held at Napier’s Masonic Hotel earlier this year. Hosted by Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers, the event was staged to take advantage of the influx of wine industry visitors arriving in New Zealand for the Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration. After a lunch featuring Chardonnay and local seafood, the guests and local industry leaders took part in a formal tasting of blended wines led by Peter Cowley, Steve Smith and Chris Scott before a grand tasting dubbed “Icons of Hawke’s Bay”.

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

Soul from Accolade Winemaker Simon McGeorge describes himself as a lucky man when it comes to winemaking for the Waipara Hills brand, which released a new range this year called Soul. The wines were made with grapes grown last year and are only available at the Waipara Hills cellar door. The range includes a dry Riesling, a sweet Riesling, a Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir; made with grapes grown on heavy clay soils nearby. Accolade Vineyards owns Waipara Hills winery and McGeorge guesstimates that the company grows approximately one fifth of all New Zealand Riesling grapes; remaining committed to this polarising white wine style.

CENTRAL OTAGO Chard Celebrates Quarter Century It was once known by the locals as ‘bloody good merino country’, and the idea of turning it into a vineyard seemed like a tragic waste, but this year Chard Farm Winery has marked a quarter of a century of grape growing and winemaking. February saw winery founder Rob Hay host a retrospective tasting soiree and an open day, which raised over $5,000 for local primary schools. The 25 year birthday party included a vertical tasting of Chard Farm’s single vineyard Pinot Noirs spanning 12 years and also a tasting of wine from the inaugural vintage; 1989 vintage. The $5000 raised will go towards the Shotover, Remarkables, Arrowtown, St Joseph’s and Queenstown primary schools.

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NZW NEWS

GIS GAIN TRACTION TESSA NICHOLSON

hile the Government may have passed the Geographical Indications Act back in 2006, it is only now that it is gaining traction. After nine years of the Act languishing in the ether, the Government has finally given the go-ahead for its implementation, with a target of early 2016 for coming into force. But there is still a lot of work to be done, before New Zealand’s wine regions can safely announce the registration of their GIs to the rest of the world. Jeffrey Clarke, NZW GM of Advocacy says given the age of the Act, there is a certain amount of fine-tuning now required before it comes into force. “The Act was passed in 2006 and obviously some things have moved on a bit since then,” he says. “So we have been discussing with MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) officials some tweaks that we each think may be needed to ensure it works properly, and is implemented smoothly. Currently we are working with them to come up with the amendments and will also have input into the regulations that will govern it. A registry and registration regime needs to be designed, and a registrar is required, as are the rules around what information needs to be in an application, who can register, who can oppose an application, what the fees will be, and so on.” Implementing geographical indications is not so much a necessity within New Zealand, Clarke says, but it is a vital aspect in our international markets. “Geographical indications are the most effective way to protect

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the intellectual property in collective regional wine brands because they were developed for exactly that purpose. But most internaJust what will the priorities be for New Zealand’s GIs? That will be the question asked of members by NZW later this year.

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

tional markets won’t offer full GI protection unless the GI is first registered under the home country’s legal system.

“For us the advantage really comes if we want to defend our GIs overseas. If someone overseas tries to use a trademark or wine

region name that conflicts with one of our GIs, without a GI registration system we could be in for a long fight. But being able to show that the GI is registered under New Zealand law makes it almost a slam-dunk.” Back in 2008, a New Zealand wine GI summit was held, where around 25 established stand-alone GIs were identified by members of the industry as the top priorities for registration. Those formed the basis of the EU OMAR list, and will also form the starting point for NZW, Clarke says, to finalise with members the priority GIs for registration under the Act. While 25 may seem a lot, Clarke says the list doesn’t even go down to sub regions in many parts of New Zealand. Those sub regions may have to come later – because the main focus now is ensuring the priority regions are protected, so that everyone has at least one

registered GI that they can use. “The Board of NZW has said it is important for everyone to have a registered stand-alone GI for their wine, and we need to make sure we have an updated priority list that will ensure that. We will be going out into the regions in the next few months to have that discussion, and start helping regions work through the steps they will need to take to get ready for registration.” While the cost of registering a GI has yet to be advised by MBIE, Clarke says the board of NZW has decided they will pay the registration fee for the priority applications. Just as NZW did when WSMPs were introduced, NZW will also work on producing a template or exemplar application to help all regions. “We will work with one of the fairly advanced regions, one that already has agreed maps, a good description of their geog-

raphy, climate, and wine characteristics and create a template application which will tick all the boxes. We’ll make sure MBIE agrees it’s a good example, then we can use it to simplify the process for all the other regions.” But he says NZW will not be filling in those applications, as it is up to the regions to do that themselves. “We’ll be offering plenty of support and guidance, but they are the ones that know their wines, their regions and their stories better than anyone else, so they should be the ones that determine the content of their own applications.” It will be vital that each region works collaboratively on their regional GIs, Clarke says, to ensure no delays in making an application. Especially he says, as the regime will be first in first served. “Applications will be processed in the order they are received by

MBIE. So it is really important to us that all of our regions have their priority applications ready to file, if we can, on day one of the new Act.” And while some may ultimately be looking to protect a small sub region, rather than rely on being part of a larger one, Clarke encourages all members to be strategic, and focus on getting the priority applications in. “If you look at GIs around the world, the smaller the GI, and the smaller the applicant, the more protracted the process tends to be. The prize here is that we get to protect our key names that have most value in our export markets. So we really want this to be a cooperative, collaborative approach to get that base level of protection in place for our priority GIs as quickly as possible. Once that’s done, others can be added over time.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

INTRODUCING JEFFREY CLARKE With a career in corporate law and advocacy, Jeffrey Clarke is more than qualified to take over the role as NZ Winegrower’s new GM of Advocacy and General Counsel. In the position for the past six months, Clarke replaces Dr John Barker who had been with NZW for 10 years. It has been a well travelled road for Clarke to get where he is today. He began his legal career in New Zealand, then travelled to the United States, transferred to London, and came back to New Zealand where he worked for Meridian Energy. After that it was to Paris, where he was New Zealand’s Energy Advisor at the International Energy Agency. He also worked at the OECD, prior to returning to New Zealand in 2012 to work in the Corporate Advisory group of Russell McVeagh. A chance to combine his passion for wine with his legal and advocacy background, meant the job at NZW was one he couldn’t resist. “It was my wife who saw the job advertised and she said, ‘this looks like you.’ I am thrilled to find a job working in wine, I must admit.”

There has very little time to sit back and work his way into the role in the past six months. Instead Clarke has been thrown into the thick of things with the GI Act implementation, MPI’s userpays consultation, and the proposal to change NZW’s governance. “The NZ Winegrowers board has adopted a proposal for the restructuring of the organisation and we are going out to the members in May, as we want to involve all 1500 of them. We want to know how they want NZW to be governed and structured for the future. Do they want it to be a unified entity going forward or do they want to keep separate entities with separate representation? So this is an exciting time to be stepping into the industry.” With years

of experience in business law, corporate transactions and governance, Clarke should be in his element. With plenty of time spent in international markets, Clarke believes New Zealand wine is well-served by its united front. “It does seem we are unique around the world in having a single body to represent the full range of our members. That gives us both a really clear vision, and international credibility. One of my roles is to participate in the various multinational bodies that influence the rules and standards that govern our international market access – we try to make sure any changes made protect the competitive interest of New Zealand wine. To be able to do that from a single body that represents the interests of both growers and winemakers is quite special.”

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 13

VINTAGE PREVIEW

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

long, dry and hot summer has growers and winemakers excited about the possibility of a great vintage ahead, with the arrival of Cyclone Pam doing little to deter that excitement. Overall it looks as though yields will be down on last year, given frost events in spring, and cooler conditions during flowering. Powdery Mildew has been the biggest issue facing most regions, particularly with the hot conditions experienced in January and February. Only time will tell, but the following is a preview, of what the regions are expecting.

Waiheke Island Joelle Thomson Mud Brick Vineyards winemaker Patrick Newton was effusive about vintage 2015, despite the threat of a cyclone hanging over him at the time of interviewing, in mid March. And despite the wet start to the season, which led to significant vegetative growth following budburst. “The weather became dry at fruit set, which was slightly down (by about 20%) on 2014 which was the winery’s largest crop to date,” Newton reported. “The vintage was down due to less than optimal conditions at flowering and a bit of hail, which affected Chardonnay and also a little bit of the Syrah and one Merlot vineyard. It broke a few shoots but the vines returned to health with good canopies,” Newton says. Cable Bay winemaker Chloe Parkinson also found that the windy spring has resulted in lower yields than originally anticipated

14 //

but she said the quality of the fruit was more concentrated as a direct result of the reduced crop. “The whites coming in so far (as at mid March) are looking great. Compared to 2014, we are down in terms of yield but compared to 2013, we are quite similar. We are down overall by about 5%.” The Cable Bay block that was most badly affected by spring wind was Pinot Gris. This was due to the windy aspect of the vineyard rather than the variety itself; “It was a vineyard at the top of the hill where the flowering did not happen very well and the bunches were all really small, but as a result of small bunches the quality is really good.”

Gisborne Justine Tyerman

“It obviously wasn’t as bad as predicted and we don’t anticipate it will cause a significant impact on the vintage,” he said. The week after the cyclone hit, growers and wine companies were assessing individual blocks and varieties, and Knight said they were lucky there was no humidity or risk of botrytis. . Within four days he was harvesting Chardonnay and described the fruit as “fantastic. It is mind boggling how little damage Pam has caused.” A very cool spring led to slower shoot development in Gisborne, which meant that heading into flowering, growers didn’t have as strong a canopy as they wanted. Flowering in November was short and sharp due to ideal temperatures resulting in a good degree of heat. Post-flowering, the canopy

ensure protection. “Gisborne experienced indifferent weather during pre-bunch closure in late December-early January with humidity raising the potential risk of botrytis infection.” Mid-February, cropping levels were looking very balanced and about average in tonnage per hectare. At that stage, the season was about 10-12 days behind last year like other crops around the district. Brix levels jumped in the last couple of weeks of February with some favourable ripening conditions. In the second week of March, harvesting of some of the early MC (Méthode Champenoise) blocks got under way and early indications from growers showed that cropping levels were coming in according to estimates, with the fruit in excellent condition. “Taking all factors into account, the crop is looking fantastic,” Knight said.

Hawke’s Bay

The 2015 grape crop in the Gisborne region is looking “fantastic”, according to Gisborne Winegrowers’ Association president, Al Knight, even after the weather bomb known as Pam.

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

started to take off, the leaf layers becoming reasonably dense. The powdery mildew pressure through this period and into January was considered high so frequent spray applications were important to

Mary Shanahan Hawke’s Bay winegrowers let out a collective sigh of relief after Cyclone Pam came and went with what appears to have been relatively little impact on the region’s grapes. With ample warning about the advancing cyclone, big companies in particular mobilised to bring in early varieties ready for harvesting, ahead of the storm. The heaviest rain was concentrated into a few days. Mal McLennan of Maimai Creek says his company’s Bridge Pa vineyard

recorded 25mm on the night of Thursday, 12 March, and 53mm over the following weekend. However the following days brought light south-westerly breezes – ideal conditions for drying out soggy vineyards and minimising the potential for botrytis infection. In the short term, McLennan says the rain will have diluted

flavours and pushed out Hawke’s Bay’s harvest by 7-10 days. However, he remained optimistic about the quality of the vintage. “It was a short sharp event and not as bad as predicted,” McLennan concludes. And as far as such events go, he says, “it came at a good time for us, early in the harvest.” With that out of the way,

winegrowers in the region were cautiously excited about the possibility of pulling off a hat trick in what could be a third successive top quality vintage. “That would be extraordinary,” says John van der Linden, who manages Villa Maria’s vineyards in Hawke’s Bay. While experiencing no major frost events, spring’s cool conditions saw the season off to a slower than average start. Mission Estate viticulturist Steve Wheeler says flowering was a mixed bag. But while the company’s Sauvignon Blanc was down, most varieties were looking pretty good as harvesting drew near. By the time spring officially tipped into summer, most vineyards were a good two weeks behind. Early December produced a run of rainy days but temperatures picked up as the month progressed. January and February

turned up the heat and produced a good number of 30 plus degree days. That got the season back on track for most although a few said they were still running a week to 10 days late. Van der Linden says veraison was reasonably even in all varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the region’s latest varieties, and that boded well for the vintage. Growers did face a few challenges with powdery mildew in some blocks. Because the newer type of powdery mildew is more aggressive, growers are having to be alert to attacks and ready with their spraying interventions. However the incidence in Hawke’s Bay was down on last year.

Wairarapa Joelle Thomson Drought came close and botrytis was a distant memory for win-

g n i k el a m Ste w s No inles alks Sta Catw

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 15

emakers in the Wairarapa this year. At the time of writing, Palliser Estate winemaker Allan Johnston had just picked the bubbly base of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and said that cropping levels were down a little. “Overall, we are a bit below average yields this year because of our cooler than usual temperatures over the flowering period, so we got smaller bunches than we did in 2014. The weather changed in December but generally we were pretty cool during the flowering period.” Pinot Noir appeared to have been most affected by this smaller bunch weight but the windier than usual spring had also impacted other varieties. The harvest was about a week earlier than originally anticipated. “In general, we have had a warm and moderate summer, which has been very favourable for advancing the maturity between flowering and harvest, which we are seeing to some degree with some lower acids in mid March than we would normally see at this stage.” Poppy Hammond of Poppies Martinborough likens 2015 vintage to the 2001 vintage; her first in the Wairarapa. “This year the summer has been long, dry and with relatively stronger than usual winds during spring. It has also been a very stretched out and settled year with very dry conditions. It is what we think of as a classic Martinborough vintage.” The crop levels are down as a result of the dry spring, she says. “We are down about 30% on last year but I love seeing small bunches and at the start of harvest, the leaves were beginning to yellow off, which, to me, is an indication of vines that are in very good balance just at the right time. It looks like a clear indication that the vines have done what they need to do.”

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Nelson Neil Hodgson Right across the Nelson region, early vintage conditions have resulted in a crop significantly lower than last year, but only slightly down on the long term average, and the quality is described as very good. The main cause of the lower crop was a cold snap during flowering in late November and early December when some vineyards suffered significant frost damage. One vineyard will have no crop this year as a result of spring frosts while others have had small patches of vineyards affected. The biggest issue facing growers is the impact the cold had on flowering Sauvignon Blanc vineyards with most reporting an expected shortage in this variety. On the Waimea Plains Gary Neale from Brightwater Vineyards says they have a naturally lighter crop so only needed minimal fruit thinning. Rain in early March didn’t have a huge impact as significant rain events were followed by fresh breezes and warm days drying everything out nicely. Neale says the rain in fact helped keep the canopy in good nick after a very dry summer. Another minor crop issue this year is the appearance of hen and chicken in bunches across a range of varieties not normally affected, such as, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. The effect this will have on finished wines is unknown although with smaller berries scattered throughout bunches it may result in lower than expected juice quantities. The higher ratio of skin to juice may also impact on skin phenolics for those varieties that require soaking on skins before pressing. In the Moutere Hills area Tim Finn from Neudorf Vineyards says their crop is also slightly lighter than average but at a level that isn’t really of concern. Chairman of Wine Nelson and

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

viticulturist for Aoronui Wines, Jonny Hiscox, says he has had reports from around the region of record low crop levels, frost damage and in some areas low levels of powdery mildew. He says “these issues are nothing unusual as winegrowers know they have to work with different weather conditions every year. They are used to autumn rains and just get on with making the very best wine they can from the fruit harvested each year.” Hiscox also says the overall quality of the 2015 vintage in the Nelson region is looking very good as, like the rest of the country, they have experienced an outstanding summer that delivered lots of sunshine and heat.

Tessa Nicholson

not impact heavily. There were touches of damage spread across the district, but the general opinion is they didn’t impact on yields to any major degree. However a December 1 event, that saw temperatures plummet did impact on those areas that were flowering at the time. “The blocks that flowered later or even earlier than that, did well – however the middle flowering blocks were impacted,” said Stuart Dudley, Villa Maria’s Marlborough Viticulturist. The cool start to the month, followed on for another two weeks, which was the time a large number of Sauvignon Blanc blocks were flowering, according to viticulture consultant, Dominic Pecchenino. “We are finding the Sauvignon Blanc yields are lower than the

The Marlborough growing season has had a little bit of everything this year. Frosts (15 in all over the spring period), cool temperatures during the early part of flowering, an abundance of hot days from January on and drought conditions that have impacted on a number of blocks as water rights were turned off. As a result, yields are well below the highs of last season, although the region is celebrating a fantastic ripening period. The frost events, while they kept everyone on their toes, did

early estimates and in our situation we are seeing a bit of hen and chicken in the berries, because of that cool weather at bloom and set.” By the end of December, the region hit its straps in terms of fine hot conditions – and they have continued right through into March. However those dry conditions have created some issues, with Marlborough declared a drought zone in early February. (The rainfall between July 2014 and February 2015 was the lowest in 86 years.)

Marlborough

Inevitably water rights were switched off, with the Southern Valleys being the worst hit. While rainfall in early March eased that irrigation pressure, the impact of the previous months is still being felt. Nautilus winemaker and winery manager Clive Jones says the drought added to the pressures during the growing season. The more than average number of days when the temperature reached over 25 degrees also saw a number of powdery mildew outbreaks. “It has been a growing season with challenges,” he said. “The powdery mildew issue and the drought stress has meant we have had to keep on top of things. But the fruit is exceptionally clean so far and we have had no botrytis pressure.” He agreed that the yields are not only well below last years but are coming in up to 10 percent below

initial estimates. “The Sauvignon Blanc is a lot lower than last year and as we predicted they are also under our targets. The Pinot Noir we have picked is also coming in at 10 percent under what we had expected.” Describing it as more of an average Marlborough harvest, Jones said it began slightly earlier than normal and he was expecting it to be quite a compact vintage, finishing earlier than normal.

Waipara Tessa Nicholson An October frost that affected up to 80 percent of vineyard blocks in Waipara, means the 2015 vintage is going to be a lot smaller than hoped, probably by 30 percent. Which is gutting according to winemakers, because the fruit that is on the vines is superb. Simon McGeorge, Waipara

Hills winemaker says the October frost wasn’t the only damaging event for the region. “Those that weren’t hit by the frost, got hit by high winds which caused damage to the short shoots. So it was a rough start to the season.” He says there are some blocks that were so badly hit, they will produce nothing this year. “Sauvignon Blanc was very hard hit. Our Chardonnay was as well, but it has bounced back. And

the Pinot was hit hard as well. The frost was a negative one and a half, to negative two degree air flow, so it was next to impossible to fight.” He said the conditions set the region back around a month, but the hot, dry summer helped them catch up. Nicholas Naish from Black Estate said the frosts were some of the worst to hit the region, and many growers had never seen it that cold before. “But it was quite early on and

Rivulis I r r ig at io n NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 17

people have had a long time to adapt their viticulture to that. It did have an effect, but what also had an effect was the dry winter. Then we had a windy dry spring which was quite cool up until mid December, so that really limited plant growth up to that point. So there were all sorts of challenges.” But like Marlborough, the weather turned for the better in mid December. “We have had some beautiful weather since then,” Naish said. “The period of late flowering and fruit set and then from flowering to veraison has been amazing. We have been able to get really good ripening.” He added that here has been no disease pressure, the fruit is clean and people are excited. “We are not counting our chickens until they are hatched,” he admitted. “A lot of people learned a lot from the 2014

vintage. But the fruit is stunningly clean and as it has begun to get ripe the amazing flavours are coming through. We are excited about the Pinots, they are going to be pretty amazing. And I’m really excited about the Riesling, and some of the Chardonnay is looking pretty good as well.” “We have some phenomenal fruit,” said McGeorge. “We just don’t have enough.”

Central Otago Mark Orton It was a cool start to the season for Central with low temperatures setting things back a bit in the October to December period. But right on cue, the mercury began to rise in December, and January recorded warm temperatures, which has seen smaller and more open bunches – just what the winemaker’s ordered. Lowburn Ferry Wine’s owner, Roger Gibson says his vineyard

dodged a bullet with a December frost that occurred. “Because just as flowering started a very cold southerly hit and if flowering had been in full swing; we could have been in for a terrible fruit set. Fortunately the plants held off flowering until a break in the cool weather and then went very quickly into flowering with the hot weather and we got a very good fruit set.” Peregrine Wines viticulturist Nick Paulin says the cold November which included a few frosts didn’t create any damage to their vines, and weather through flowering and fruit set was hot and dry – perfect conditions. Even a recent cold snap in February when snow descended to autumnal levels and frost machines were in full flight, had little impact on Gibson’s or Peregrine’s vines. “If it had happened in late March with a frost it could be

a problem and that is our next scary thing that we might miss out on our last couple of weeks of ripeness,” Gibson says. “For us harvest will still be pretty typical, around mid April, whereas last year we were probably 10 days to two weeks earlier. “I would say we are going for a moderate quantity type year with very good quality. Actually the decision that most of us will be going through at the moment is what to drop, but I don’t think we will be thinning to reduce the quantity really it will just be about evening up and tidying up, most vineyards here will trim to quality.” Paulin agrees saying the yields are looking good, an average size crop; “not a massive and not a small crop. Only a few blocks have needed adjustments, most are on target, with just a quick green thin after veraison.” ■

Roger Gibson

18 //

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

INDUSTRY NEWS

SCHOLARSHIP WINNER TESSA NICHOLSON

K based Master of Wine student David Way has intimate knowledge of the wines of Italy and later this year he will gain an even greater appreciation of New Zealand wine. Way has recently been announced as the winner of the inaugural Family of Twelve MW Scholarship. Thirty international MW students, (all in their second year of study) applied for the scholarship, which offered the winner a unique all expenses paid visit to New Zealand, to be hosted by the wineries that make up the Family of Twelve. Chair William Hoare says all applicants had to provide an essay on one of two subjects. • New Zealand has entered many global markets with great success, particularly with Sauvignon Blanc. How does it now build and strengthen its reputation as a producer of fine wine? • Is fine wine an old people’s game? If so, how does one bring the younger generation into spending their hard earned income on better bottles? It was the Family members who came up with the subjects, and Hoare says both are relevant not only to the group, but the entire New Zealand wine industry. “What’s the next big thing for New Zealand and how do we get young people engaged to pay more for wines, are issues that face us all at the moment. We need to know how we can take on the best in the world at both price

and quality. The Family of Twelve is all about premium wines – none of us can compete on price points and as a country New Zealand can’t compete on price points either. So these topics are hugely relevant to all of us.” Hoare says David Way, who chose the first topic, showed how well he understood the question. “His essay was well documented, it was analytical with all his statistics and research backed up. It stood out.” New Zealand based Master of Wine Jane Skilton was the one who first suggested that the Family of Twelve may like to look at becoming involved in the MW programme, after the Institute ran an educational seminar in New Zealand last year. The synergy between the Family and Masters of Wine is strong given three New Zealand MWs are involved - Steve Smith, Michael Brajkovich and Alastair Maling. “I said to them, this fits really well with you, because you are focused on premium wines and so is the Institute. Would you consider providing some sort of prize? And they really got behind it.” As for the winner, David Way is a wine educator and writer who specializes in the wines of Italy and some French regions. In addition to writing, he leads trips to select Italian and French wine regions. He began studying for the MW in September 2013. The following is an extract from his winning essay, based on question one.

David Way

“New Zealand quickly built a significant wine sector due to its climate and soils, its innovation in wine styles and its production of wines of convincing quality at affordable prices. It can best build and develop its reputation as a producer of fine wine by now: developing varietal wines which complement its current champions; aiming to make world class wines which will raise its reputation from very good to genuinely outstanding; continuing towards greater consolidation of the financial basis of its wine industry in order to have the scale to compete in difficult times and competitive markets;

continuing to build its export markets in established and new countries through excellent marketing and forging strategic alliances; and, finally, innovating to produce new style wines which will anticipate and capitalise on new trends.” Way is likely to visit New Zealand within the next six months and will spend time with each of the Family of Twelve wineries. They are; Kumeu River, Villa Maria, The Millton Vineyard, Craggy Range, Ata Rangi, Palliser Estate, Neudorf Vineyards, Nautilus Estate, Fromm Winery, Lawson’s Dry Hills, Pegasus Bay and Felton Road. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 19

AIR NZ REACTION

AIR NEW ZEALAND ANSWERS CRITICS TESSA NICHOLSON

arlier this year, Air New Zealand announced changes to its wine procurement arrangements for economy and super economy classes as well as in the company lounges. The decision was made to go with one single provider – Villa Maria. The reaction from the wine industry was swift and not at all complimentary. Many individuals were quick to say they would respond by moving their company’s business to another international airline. Others described the move as a disgraceful attitude from a national carrier. So what were the reasons behind the move? Air NZ’s Chief Operations Officer, Bruce Parton, agreed to answer the following questions. What was the system used by Air New Zealand to purchase wines for flights and Air New Zealand Lounges prior to January 2015? Previously Air New Zealand conducted a biannual wine programme which saw the airline invite wineries from around New Zealand to submit wines for selection on board. Much like the current process, the wines we received were then tasted by our Wine Consultants who would make their recommendations to the airline which would then enter into negotiations to purchase the wines. What was seen as the problem with that arrangement?

20 //

The previous process was both unnecessarily complex and costly to administer. Firstly the sheer volume of wines we were receiving was challenging to manage and ultimately we didn’t feel the process added any tangible value either to our suppliers or our customers. For instance, we had a number of smaller producers supplying limited volumes which in some cases worked out to be less than a day’s wine pour on board. These volumes simply weren’t sustainable for us as a business and also didn’t allow us to create any significant brand exposure or value for the wineries themselves. In turn research we conducted found there was little brand recognition by our customers of the wines we served. We also received feedback from a number of wineries that our previous selection process was difficult and they decided not to submit wines for consideration as a result of this.

the very best wines New Zealand has to offer while delivering some real benefit to our wine partners.

What was the company’s goal of the new arrangements announced in January? We were looking to simplify the way we procure the wines we serve on board our flights and in our lounges while at the same time ensuring we offer our customers a fantastic selection of premium New Zealand wines. We also wanted to put some real investment and effort into our wine proposition in Business class cabins in particular and ensure we were offering our customers travelling in these cabins

Business Class In business class we now select wines annually from among the Air New Zealand Wine Awards winners as well as other top New Zealand wines. It is very important to Air New Zealand that we offer a truly premium selection of wines from a wide range of local wineries. In fact we expect to showcase more than 30 different labels and varietals from more than two dozen separate wine suppliers in our business class cabins over the coming year.

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

One supplier for economy and premium economy has upset wineries and regional associations throughout the country. Was that backlash predicted? Naturally we expected feedback from the industry on the changes to our wine programme however we were surprised at the level of negative feedback. We acknowledge we could have done a better job at communicating these changes to the industry. We have taken on board this feedback. Explain in detail the new arrangements. What will happen in economy, business class and Air New Zealand Lounges from here on in? Ultimately we are investing more in our wine programme and we’re increasing our per bottle spend – in many cases by double.;

Premium Economy and Economy Classes and Air New Zealand Lounges We conducted a tender process for a supplier of wines for our economy and premium economy cabins as well as our airport lounges. Villa Maria was selected as our supplier as they have multiple vineyards and a breadth of brands which allows us to offer our customers a wide selection of fantastic wines from around New Zealand. We have also retained the flexibility to invite wineries to supply wines for our lounges where additional labels and varietals may be needed. Do the new arrangements mean Air NZ intends to spend less on wine purchasing? Quite the opposite. These changes allow Air New Zealand to invest more in quality wine across our lounges and aircraft cabins and in fact our annual wine spend has increased by an additional one million dollars. Do these new procurement arrangements mean only the big players are likely to be showcased? What about the smaller boutique wineries? We still run a separate wine programme in our Business Class cabins. Our Business class wine selection features a range of truly premium New Zealand wines including many Air New Zealand Wine Award winning wines. We have actively encouraged wineries from around New Zealand to

enter the awards. We also have the added flexibility to reach out to wineries that do not traditionally enter wine awards when additional labels and varietals may be required. Essentially if you win at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards we’ll be talking to you and if you don’t choose to enter the industry awards but make fantastic wine we’ll still be in touch. How will the new arrangements benefit the New Zealand wine industry? We are very proud to be able to showcase quality New Zealand wines to millions of people inflight each year. The airline is in fact the largest single server of New Zealand wines, serving around 6.5 million glasses of wine to our customers each year.

We are looking at ways of how we can further promote the wines we serve on board both domestically and offshore through our various marketing channels whether this be through our inflight entertainment system or social media channels for instance. We have a number of exciting announcements planned in the coming months around this. In addition to serving New Zealand wines inflight, the airline is incredibly proud to be a longterm partner of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards and also works closely with New Zealand Winegrowers to promote New Zealand as a destination for wine tourism. With a MoU with NZ Winegrowers, how is Air NZ planning to promote our wines further in

the future? See answer above. Plus by nature of consolidating our suppliers we hope to have much longer and deeper partnerships with a smaller number of partners rather than a number of short tactical ones. There may be some in the wine industry that believe this coming out in public is a face-saving move? Your response? We u n d e r s t a n d t h e significance of Air New Zealand making changes to its wine programme and believe we’ve been very upfront in notifying the industry of our plans, issuing several communications to wineries last year. As I mentioned earlier, we have taken some learnings from this and do appreciate the feedback we’ve

received from the industry. In your view, where does Air NZ sit among other international airlines? While Air New Zealand may be a smaller airline in global terms, we believe we punch above our weight: More than 13 million people fly with Air New Zealand each year. We are the number one corporate New Zealand brand on social media with more one million global Facebook fans. Collectively our safety videos have clocked up more than 50 million views online and have featured in coverage by global media outlets such as CNN, BBC and the New York Times. We look forward to using some of these tools to share our wine story as well as promote New Zealand’s wine industry. ■

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 21

HR AND THE WINE INDUSTRY PADDY BATTERSBY

HEALTH AND SAFETY LAW PROGRESS

orksafe New Zealand has advised that the Health and Safety Reform Bill, currently working its way through Parliament, is expected to be passed into law mid-year, with the legislation coming into effect later in the year, to give people time to become familiar with the changes. Guidance on the new law (which will be known as the Health and Safety at Work Act) will be published soon afterwards and include: A comprehensive Guide to the Act, covering what everyone needs to know about general workplace health and safety Factsheets on key topics including: What is a PCBU and what are its duties? Who is an officer and what are their duties? What are the notification requirements for workplace incidents? What does “reasonably practicable” mean? An Approved Code of Practice (ACOP), outlining the Worker Engagement, Representation and Participation requirements in the Act. A Good Practice Guide (GPG), explaining how workplace risks can be managed, and the requirements under the Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations. Guidance on major hazard facilities and the changes to the hazardous substances regime. Factsheets to support the ACOPs and GPGs. In the meantime, WorkSafe New Zealand has set out 10 key concepts to understand the

22 //

provisions of the Bill in its current form. 1 The PCBU… allocates duties to the person or entity in the best position to control risks to health and safety, as appropriate to their work place – the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU). 2 Duty of care … talks about the PBUB’s primary duty of care with regards to health and safety at work.

in health and safety matters to ensure that the PCBU complies with its duties. 7 Volunteers … applies to v o l u n te e r s i n c e r t a i n circumstances. 8 Workplace engagement … strengthens worker engagement and participation in health and safety matters. 9 Enforcement … allows for a wider range of enforcement and

All employers must take some action now - evaluating their systems and improving their processes - in order to be prepared for the introduction of the new Act and this area of business compliance.

3 Overlapping duties ... Where there are overlapping health and safety duties (such as multiple contractors on a site), each PCBU has a duty to consult and co-operate with the other PCBU’s to ensure health and safety matters are managed. 4 Upstream duties … provides for health and safety for upstream PCBU’s in the supply chain such as suppliers of workplace plant, substances and structures. 5 Workers and others … defines a worker and the other duties they owe and are owed, and the duty of others at a workplace. 6 Due diligence duty … places a due diligence duty on officers of a PCBU (such as Company directors or partners) to actively engage

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

education tools for inspectors and the regulator, and for increased penalties for contraventions. 10 Regulations and guidance … will be followed by a comprehensive framework of regulations, approved codes of practice and guidance. Whilst the new Act makes it quite clear about the duties of Directors, it will also place a substantial duty of due diligence on senior officers of a PCBU that they don’t currently have under the present legislation. Directors and senior managers already plan for turnover, profit, marketing, growth and product development. Health and safety can’t be left to chance; it needs to be actively managed like any other aspect of a business operation.

Penalties will be significantly increased and will mirror the Australian model. There are three categories of offences and individuals will be charged. Category 1 Reckless conduct exposing an individual to risk of death or serious injury or illness Category 2 Failure to comply exposing an individual to risk of death or serious injury or illness Category 3 Failure to comply with their health and safety duty The first legal charge against a manager over the death of a worker under new occupational health and safety (OH&S) legislation in Australia has significant implications for New Zealand - the Health and Safety Reform Bill is closely modelled on Australia’s legislation. One question about the Bill is to what level within a PCBU, can the term ‘officer’ be applied. The outcome of this Australian case could provide an indication as to the answer to this. The new Act will require a new Attitude from employers as for too long there have been serious gaps between what is required and what has been done. All employers must take some action now - evaluating their systems and improving their processes - in order to be prepared for the introduction of the new Act and this area of business compliance. “As the business owner, manager or company director it’s your legal obligation to make health and safety part of the day to day running of your business.” [WorksafeNZ] ■ Paddy Battersby, Battersby HR Consulting, 09 838 6338, www. battersbyhr.com

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VINEYARD NEWS

THE TROUBLE WITH GLYPHOSATE REBECCA REIDER

he most popular herbicide on the planet is coming under increasing scrutiny. This past February, experts on food safety came from all over the world to Wellington for Food Matters, a conference on ecological agriculture and nutrition. The list of speakers was peppered with leading scientific researchers from four continents. And in their presentations, one chemical name came up repeatedly as a cause for grave concern: glyphosate. Dr Don Huber is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Michigan (USA), internationally recognised for his research on nutrient-disease interactions. He began by reminding the audience why glyphosate was invented. It was actually developed as a chelator to clean pipes, because it does a superb job of grabbing minerals. When cleaning a pipe, this is helpful. In a soil system, it can inhibit nutrient uptake by plants, causing deficiencies in key micronutrients.

Researchers have found that applying glyphosate to herbicide-tolerant soybean plants caused a reduction in both macro- and micronutrients in plant tissue (Zobiole et al 2009). The same researchers also found that glyphosate decreases water use efficiency in plants; as more glyphosate is applied, plants become less efficient in their water use, making them more vulnerable to drought (Zobiole et al 2010b). Glyphosate is also an antibiotic. It has been shown to harm microbial communities in soil, contributing to higher rates of pathogenic root infections (Zobiole et al 2010a). The effects of glyphosate on human and animal health are also well documented. Another of Food Matters’ visiting speakers, French scientist Gilles-Eric Séralini, has conducted world-leading research on this topic. Séralini and colleagues found that giving rats a diet of maize treated with Roundup residues caused the rats to develop a range of severe health difficul-

ties, including chronic kidney deficiencies, hormonal problems and tumours (Séralini et al 2014). Contrary to its benign reputation, in a laboratory comparison of nine of the most common pesticides and herbicides, Roundup was one of the most toxic to human cells (Mesnage et al 2014). It’s actually unknown just what in the herbicide formulation causes health problems in animals or humans. The active ingredient glyphosate, when isolated, is toxic to human cell cultures in the lab. However, Séralini and colleagues recently discovered that complete glyphosate herbicide products, including the adjuvants, are significantly more toxic to human cells than glyphosate alone (Mesnage et al 2013). The same has been found for other pesticides as well, with adjuvants increasing toxicity by many orders of magnitude (Mesnage et al 2014). However, most governments make pesticide and herbicide safety determinations based on the active

ingredient, rather than on the full formulation. Does glyphosate affect vines in the way it has been shown to affect annual crops? The studies have not been done. Are glyphosate’s days numbered? In one way they definitely are, as with sky-rocketing use of the herbicide, the number of glyphosate-resistant weeds has increased worldwide, from a single resistant species 20 years ago to over 30 species today. Glyphosate is now useless against the towering superweeds emerging in some cropping systems. As for glyphosate’s regulatory status coming under threat, that has yet to be seen. It’s been banned in Sri Lanka due to suspected links with an epidemic of rare kidney disease, but not in larger countries. At the moment, the world’s industrial agriculture systems, particularly genetically modified crops, are heavily tied to this herbicide. However, as the scientific studies accumulate, the writing could be on the wall. ■

THE COST BENEFITS OF DOLOMITE ! REMINDER

ow for So il test n rtiliser Autu mn fe application

Supplies Magnesium

1. Found at the centre of the chlorophyll and essential for photosynthesis. 2. Is a carrier of Phosphate so will ensure a steady flow of p into your vines. 3. Responsible for sugar synthesis and starch translocation. 4. Should be 10-20% soil base saturation.

Supplies Calcium

1. Is the King of minerals and enhances the uptake of many other nutrients. 2. Promotes healthy root, stem and leaf growth. 3. Improves the soil environment for micro organisms. 4. Should be between 60-70% soil base saturation.

For a no obligation consultation of your vineyards soil contact:

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WINEMAKING NEWS

COULD THIS BE AN ATA YEAR? K I R S T E N C R E A S Y, H I L L S L A B O R A T O R I E S

Recently I had a winemaker friend ring to discuss this year as being a good candidate for ATA and asked if there was much we could test for to predict this. A great question – I have written the following about ATA, what we know about it and perhaps, how we can predict the potential in this year’s harvest. What is Atypical Aging (ATA)? Atypical aging is generally classified as ranging from a loss of varietal aroma in mild cases through to distinct aromas of dishwater, wet rag, acacia blossom, floor polish and often accompanied by a metallic and bitter aftertaste. Although is has been closely associated with Riesling, it occurs in most white varietals and has been found in most wine growing regions in the world. It can occur as early as a few weeks post bottling or not show until a year or so in the bottle. Although the exact cause of ATA is not yet clear, it is generally accepted that stresses in the vineyard (particularly around water stress), and the subsequent

stresses during fermentation are the major trigger. What is it not? ATA is not the ‘kerosene, petrol’ character found in wines. This is a desirable character in aged Riesling, but can show in very young wines as well. The aroma and flavour is linked to TDN (tri-dihydronaphthalene) and carotenoid precursors, although the actual pathway is not yet understood. Generally, Riesling is higher in carotenoid content, partially explaining why this variety develops these aromas over time. What is known, is that the early emergence of these aromas are likely due to stresses in the vineyard that are the same stresses that cause ATA. What compound is responsible for ATA? Much of the research to date has focused on an odour active compound called aminoacetophenone (AAP) which smells similar to acacia blossom and mothballs. Unfortunately,

there is not a straight correlation between the incidence of this compound and the perceived intensity of ATA. Spiking of AAP into sound wines did not show the full range of ATA descriptors and, in addition, wines showing high levels of ATA intensity were found to have below threshold levels of AAP. The formation of AAP is due to the degradation of indole acetic acid (IAA) when the first addition of sulphur is added post ferment. Levels of IAA are affected by both fruit and yeast health – thus a stressed vineyard / season can be vulnerable to this fault. It is interesting to note that ATA can be confused with some reductive notes, which can have a similar result of masking varietal aroma. As both compounds are a result of nutrient or nitrogen deficiencies in the must leading to poor yeast metabolism, it is not unusual to have both present. It is only when the reductive aromas are removed that the ATA is revealed.

Researchers have found empirical evidence that problems leading to vine physiological stress including overcropping, drought, green cover and reduced fertilization can result in ATA.

any signs, while those grapes picked earlier from the same blocks had a higher incidence of ATA characters. There is strong evidence that picking early and / or higher than normal crop loads can predispose a wine to forming ATA. Studies comparing Brix levels however, are not so clear cut and provide ambiguous results. Some results showed no relationship between ATA and Brix levels, others provided some correlation between the intensity of ATA and the initial sugar levels and should not be used as an indicator of ‘aromatic’ ripeness. The same can be said for YAN levels as ATA characters have been found in wines that can be either deficient in YAN or have adequate amounts for a healthy fermentation. Unfortunately, this same ambiguity applies to nutrient status. Drought stress is thought to be one of the major factors causing ATA in wine. Cover crops or weeds under the vine will only increase the competition for water and compound the stress of the vine. It is generally advised to mulch in all green cover in soils with low water holding capacity around budburst to early shoot growth. Additions of foliar Nitrogen, irrigation and manure have shown to decrease perceived ATA intensity.

Ripeness levels

Winery

Several researchers have conducted trials comparing the occurrence of ATA with different picking times. Very few wines that were harvested later showed

Different yeasts have shown to produce differing amounts of the ATA precursors, but again, it is not a straightforward correlation. Certainly yeasts promoting

Vineyard

Drought conditions can lead to vine stress, which in turn can be a cause of ATA.

26 //

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

elevated ferment esters can help mask the effects of ATA but not prevent it. It is recommended that wild or non-inoculated ferments be avoided in situations of drought stress. No real consensus has been formed about yeast nutrients with reports contradicting results of Dap and nutrient adds prior to ferment. However, in a year with stressed vines it will be more important to manage the nutrient status of the must throughout fermentation. Research on the turbidity of juice indicates that a good proportion of the precursors can be bound to juice lees, so ensuring juice is very clear could help prevent ATA formation. A couple of papers have suggested that skin contact can help reduce the AAP concentration and therefore the intensity of ATA. This will

however, increase the phenolic extraction (drought stressed fruit is likely to be higher in phenolics) and potential bitterness. It is thought that as a wine ages, the flavour intensity of ATA increases due to higher concentrations of AAP in the older wines. Storing wines at lower temperatures can delay the onset of ATA but not prevent it finally appearing. It appears that storage on lees will not impact on the perceived intensity of ATA; nor does the addition of inactivated yeast cells, tannins or additions of glutathione. However, the addition of ascorbic acid after the first sulphur addition did prevent the formation of AAP and ATA. One recommendation is for the addition of 100 – 250ppm, but that this would have an effectiveness of up to three years only.

Assessment of ATA potential There is a quick test that commercial wineries overseas (Staatliche Fachschule fur Gartenbau und Weinbau Veitchochheim, Germany) use to assess their wines for potential ATA: Divide wine into two aliquots of 100mls Add 150ppm ascorbic acid to one aliquot only Pour each of the aliquots into their own glass bottles, avoiding having headspace. Seal well Put the bottles in an oven set at 40 degrees C. Keep the bottles in the oven for 12-48 hours If both wines taste the same then the wine is not likely to develop ATA. However if the wine without the ascorbic tastes differently to the wine with the ascorbic added, it is likely to develop ATA. Perhaps a good solution would be to pick a small amount of fruit

early, make a microvin and assess the wine in order to help understand what the risks may be. This would be a good solution for nutrient status, potential for producing volatile sulphur compounds, bitterness, or ATA potential.

In summary: Reduce water stress in the vineyard, particularly at veraison Ensure fruit is fully ripe Whole bunch pressing can minimize the extraction of ATA precursors Separate out the press fractions and ferment separately. Assess after ferment and before blending back with the free run Once ferment and MLF have finished, sulphur up the wine immediately. Once the SO2 is stable, add ascorbic acid at 100150ppm. Good luck for harvest! ■ (References available on request.)

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REGIONS CENTRAL OTAGO

PHYLLOXERA IN CENTRAL OTAGO Like so many aspects of grape growing and winemaking, the slow creeping dread of the root attacking aphid, phylloxera, is all about how we react to it as Joelle Thomson reports.

hylloxera. The very word strikes fear into the heart of grape growers and winemakers everywhere from Bordeaux to Central Otago, where emaciated vines, yellowing leaves and declining productivity are of growing concern to those with phylloxera. The burning question is: how and where did phylloxera raise its menacing head in Otago? Viticulturalist James Dicey found phylloxera about 18 months ago in Bannockburn on the Manson’s Farm Vineyard. He guesstimates it had been there for five to six years when first discovered. “We all knew it was an inevitability because of ungrafted vines in the area, so there has been a protocol that’s been in place since the early 2000s. It’s a voluntary protocol but, if followed, it works.” This includes controlling the movement of people and machinery across property. The protocol is to steam clean machines with chlorine and maintain personal discipline about which boots are worn between vineyards that have been identified as having phylloxera and those that haven’t yet been confirmed with it. The key to phylloxera is management. This way it’s spread can be delayed and vine replacement can take place in a considered fashion. It also enables winemakers to replace improved clonal mixes, better varieties and on more favourable vineyard sites.

28 //

Stages of phylloxera “The first stage of the phylloxera process is mass hysteria and panic and the second is research, knowledge and understanding and that brings an ability to recognise that it can be managed well during the transition to grafted vines,” says Dicey. The third stage is to encourage winemakers throughout the affected region to employ group strategies. Winemaker Dean Shaw of the Central Otago Wine Company (COWCO) echoes Dicey’s philosophy about slowing down the arrival of phylloxera in ungrafted vineyards as a key component of managing its disappearance from the region. “Keeping phylloxera at bay by slowing down the rate of spread can be achieved by keeping tractors out and feet out of the vineyard. This can enable new grafted vines to gain some vine age before losing diseased vines.” The discovery of phylloxera can provide a positive opportunity too, says Shaw. “When phylloxera is discovered, it forces winemakers to look at their vineyard sites and this is something that young regions such as ours need to do. We can use its discovery to find better sites for some varieties and clonal mixes and also to declassify wines made from young grafted vines during the transition.” In order to retain some ‘old

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

vine’ wines for both economic viability and quality production, the replacement programme needs to take place gradually. The most deleterious effect of discovering phylloxera on old vineyards is vine age; “you can’t buy that.” Dicey says this means that the effective and gradual management of phylloxera is even more necessary. From a personal point of view, he and the Dicey family will be managing Mt Difficulty’s three single vineyards, which are all planted on their own roots; Pipeclay, Target Gully and Long Gully were planted in Bannockburn in the early 1990s. They are

Phylloxera: A drawing of the phylloxera aphid that causes all the damage.

now gradually being replaced, often with alternative varieties that are grafted, such as Chenin Blanc. “One of the things that we are doing on the Long Gully vineyard is going through and tagging those vines that are displaying homogenous characteristics. This will

enable us to identify how each clone corresponds to berry size, bunch sizes, cluster openness, early and late ripening times. It will help us going forward as we are actively going to harvest the scion wood and contract a nursery to graft the desirable material for us so that we can replant.”

“The slow creeping menace of phylloxera can be viewed as a positive; as an opportunity to replace with better clones, different varieties and also to experiment” says Matt Dicey, shown here with ripening Chenin.

James Dicey is also planning to replant his own Ceres Vineyard situated on an inlet of Lake Dunstan on the way to Carrick winery. There are both challenges and benefits in replanting new vines when phylloxera has been discovered in a region. “Phylloxera can mildly devigorate grafted rootstocks, so planting young grafted vines on phylloxera blocks is not a good idea because the land needs to be left fallow to remove the influence,” Dicey says. “That’s exactly what we’ve done at Manson’s Farm by pulling out the Pinot Gris that had phylloxera there. It wasn’t a very sexy clone anyway and never made exciting or good wine. We need some more Chardonnay so we’ve ordered some 548 clone Chardonnay from Riversun and we’re looking at this as an opportunity to change the vines to something far more favourable.”

Where does phylloxera strike? “The weak,” Shaw says. He says that while it appears to be easy for phylloxera to penetrate sandy soils, its spread within them is not rapid, which could be due to the fact that coarse and sandy soils are an inconvivial environment for phylloxera to live in because such soils tend to cut phylloxera. That said, Central Otago’s plentiful sandy soils do appear to be

extremely easy for phylloxera to penetrate in the first place. “Many of Otago’s soils have little to no top layer, which phylloxera finds very easy to get through,” says Shaw.

Strategies and history The movement of machinery needs to be carefully monitored between vineyards that have been identified as having phylloxera and ungrafted areas which may have it; particularly machine harvesters and tractors. Phylloxera can also be transmitted on the feet of rabbits and dogs and can be windblown, but the latter has not yet been discovered in New Zealand, says Dicey. Why were ungrafted vines planted in the first place? Dicey says that many nurseries that supplied vines were relatively small and unable to easily access grafted material at the time. “The other reason was that we had no confidence and certainty about the varieties and clones that we were planting. So we sourced scion wood of Vitis Vinifera and planted our vines in virgin soils that had never seen grapevines before, so we were aware of its potential risk,” he says. “We were putting protocols in place back then as we recognized the risk.” Management protocols of phylloxera can be crucial to the

economic viability of a wine region, and can take place by managing the slow creeping menace without panic. This involves a cultural change. “By accepting that it is here, our view is that management is the most important thing so that we can stop it spreading further by systematic measures in the vineyard,” says Shaw. Dicey agrees, recalling one of the questions that Aubert de Villaine from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti asked him when visiting the region last year. “He asked me: ‘what are you doing to create your own local clones?’. The answer is that phylloxera is providing the impetus for accelerating just that sort of discovery of new clones that have adapted to Otago’s specific environment. We have already started this programme pre-phylloxera and phylloxera has now provided the real push for us to examine our best vines more closely in our quest to plant the most appropriate clones to specific sites. And as for its spread, Dicey and Shaw believe that Otago’s cool southern climate helps to keep its rate slow. Dicey says: “I believe it’s our very cold climate that prevents a fast spread. We have a very low insect problem here; the cold, just like the sun, is a sterilent.” ■

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MARKETING NEWS

MARKETING OF LOW ALCOHOL WINE LEE SUCKLING

ntil the 1980s, the lowalcohol German wine Muller Thurgau was popular internationally and in New Zealand, though wine experts maligned the Riesling-Madeleine Royale varietal as “bland”. As the more palatable Sauvignon Blanc grape emerged, Muller-Thurgau was ripped from the soil and lowalcohol wines have since struggled to recover. While we aren’t seeing a reemergence of Muller-Thurgau, the off-dry wine with grape juice added to the finished product,

there has been increasing interest in low-volume alcohol wines in recent years. Such wines are more relevant to the market now more than ever, as Kiwis are worried about driving under the new alcohol limits. On 1 December 2014, the New Zealand Government decreased the alcohol per litre of breath limit for legal driving to 250mg, down from 400mg. For many people, 250mg will be reached after one or two standard drinks. The average New Zealand wine contains 12 to 14 per cent alco-

hol, while lower-alcohol wines are generally accepted to be less than 10.5 per cent. According to Wine Intelligence’s 2014 report, “The wine industry, and alcohol industry in general, also have the added pressure of operating in a sector which is coming under increasing scrutiny with regards to social responsibility”. Of course, this doesn’t just refer to alcohol as a catalyst for drink driving. Lower alcohol wines can be metabolised by the body faster, and thus spikes in blood sugar levels and inflammation do

not occur at the same rate. Furthermore, there is also an increasing health trend focussed on lower alcohol wines because they can contain less carbohydrates than standard wines. A 2014 wine study of eight countries, by Constellation Brands, found 38 per cent of regular wine drinkers have purchased lower alcohol wine and would rebuy in the future. An additional 16 per cent would try the wines if offered. In that vein, many supermarkets in New Zealand have

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added a “lighter wines” section. Countdown and New World, for example, both proudly display such a section in many of their supermarkets. Jim Harre, Chair of Judges for the New World Wine Awards, says consumers have “an increased awareness of the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption and a desire to act responsibly when consuming wine… (this has) resulted in the search for high quality wine that has reduced alcohol levels”. Harre notes increased development and promotion of lower alcohol wines by winemakers, and the New World Wine Awards was the first wine show in New Zealand to introduce a class for wines marketed in this way (in 2013). It is usually, however, the wines that are naturally lower in alcohol that do best in this category, such as Riesling or Muscat. The only low alcohol wine to win a gold medal

in 2013 was the Australian Wolf Blass Red Label Moscato, which is naturally low in alcohol (6.5%). In 2014, The Doctors’ Reisling (a naturally nine percent wine from Forrest Estate in Marlborough) won a silver medal at New World, but also took home a hat trick of accolades at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards: it picked up a double for Champion Riesling and, significantly, the Champion Open White Wine. Forrest Estate, thus, can be considered the first example of a Kiwi winery that isn’t compromising on taste and quality in creating a lower alcohol offering. “We have seen a swing of people, particularly from trade, interested in our wines since December,” says Trevor Loomis, Forrest Wines’ marketing manager. “An interesting number of wine shops and restaurants, which had previously not been interested

in stocking our wines, have actually come straight to us.” It has been fine dining restaurants that have surprised the team at Forrest Wines most. “You’d think they’d be the last bastion; holding back on stocking low alcohol wines,” Loomis says. “But the opposite has happened – and it’s been the same with the funky wine shops.” Moreover, during the first two months of 2015, Forrest Wines experienced increasing interest from corporate event organisers (particularly in Christchurch); a movement Loomis expects to continue. “We’ve been supplying a lot of corporate lunches,” he says. “Business people at lunchtime are keen on having a low alcohol option because they have to go back to work afterwards.” Winemakers should proceed in marketing low alcohol wines with caution, however, as there are

some considerations to make. For example, there may be issues in marketing a product as “healthier” than standard wine. Production of low alcohol wine can require retention of more sugar (i.e. fructose from less-ripe grapes is left unfermented into alcohol), and, additionally, fresh grape juice (which contains a high volume of sugar) is sometimes added back into the wine to lower the alcohol volume. This makes many lower alcohol wines more sugary overall and thus, potentially less “healthfriendly” than standard wine. There are common alternatives to retaining/adding sugar to lower alcohol volume, however, and being open and explicit about these on labelling will help persuade winemakers and their marketing departments to sell their low alcohol products effectively. Recent developments in high-speed spinning and vacuum

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Many supermarkets in New Zealand have added a “lighter wines” section.

pressure techniques remove the alcohol from wine without affecting much of the taste, and this is something consumers want to know about. Furthermore, the reverse osmosis (RO) way of creating lower alcohol wines has been used for many years (it strips alcohol out of the wine using a very tight filter, and it is later re-blended in a lighter volume), and consumers must be informed that today’s winemakers are using technologically advanced systems. The RO process, unfortunately, still has a bad reputation amongst older consumers (particularly those who tried low alcohol wines decades ago and were left

32 //

with watery aftertastes in their mouths). It is therefore up to winemakers to prove that low alcohol wines can be as palatable as their full-strength counterparts. Muscat isn’t typically grown in New Zealand, but Riesling growers, like Forrest Estate, should expect sales growth throughout 2015 and beyond. Forrest Estate, explicitly, doesn’t expect this to stop at Riesling, either. “John [Forrest] developed our Sauvignon Blanc not to be a low alcohol wine, but a full flavoured wine - it just happened to be lower in alcohol,” says Loomis. “In 2013 we considered not marketing it

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

as low alcohol, but it’s definitely staying on the label for the 2014 vintage because it’s an increased opportunity now.” Generally, making a Sauvignon Blanc that doesn’t taste like unripe (or sour) grapes is a challenge, given the varietal is normally made from very ripe grapes. “Winemakers need to be talking to each other about their methods, so we don’t see a slide in the overall quality of the sector,” says Loomis. Like Forrest Wines, Brancott Estate has experienced success outside of the Riesling repertoire of low alcohol wines. Its “Flight” Sauvignon Blanc received a bronze

award in the 2014 New World Wine Awards. It is made with grapes selected and harvested earlier to create a light, bright, summery wine. Supermarkets aside, it appears liquor stores such as Liquorland, Liquor King and Glengarry have not yet begun to overtly market low alcohol wines, though many are stocked inconspicuously in varietal aisles. Similarly, restaurants are yet to follow the explicit “lighter wines” movement by putting alcohol volume on wine lists, but this may be a development to watch out for in the future. “I would hope the alcohol volume starts being put on menus soon,” says Loomis. “The hospitality industry needs to adapt and keep up with people’s concerns. Until then we might see the trend continue [whereby] people have dinner parties at home, and their guests stay the night.” Alongside organic wines, low alcohol wines are expected to be some of the fastest growing categories in the world. So much so, New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries has partnered with NZWinegrowers in a $17 million research and development project to produce low alcohol wine. This project, called “Lifestyle Wines” is expected to be completed in 2021. ■ lee.suckling@gmail.com

Brought to you by

YOUNG GUNS

Roots, Shoots & Fruits Soil Health, Plant Health, OUR Health

THE YOUNG OF HAWKE’S BAY How Long Have You Worked In Hawke’s Bay? 3 years What Brought You There? It was a mistake. I had a full time job lined up in Margaret River when at the last moment the visa fell through. By this time it was January. I had worked in Marlborough the previous year and loved New Zealand so thought it was worth trying to come back but to a different region. Luckily I got a harvest position in Hawke’s Bay just in time for the start of the 2012 vintage and haven’t looked back since. Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here? I took a year out straight after finishing high school and got a job in France working in the vineyards for the season. I then travelled to South Africa where I did my first full harvest. Once the year was up I returned to England to study and completed my BSc Viticulture and Oenology (Hons). During my degree I took a part time job with Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine store. After graduating I travelled from Northern to Southern Hemispheres working harvests in different wine regions, these included; France (Bordeauxtwo in the Entre-De-Mers and another in St Emillion), Australia (Hunter Valley), England (Dorset), New Zealand (Marlborough) and America (WA, Walla Walla). What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job?

The learning. Even the most skilled winemakers who have been in the industry for years will still be learning. Every single decision made during the winemaking process will ultimately affect the outcome. We are working with a living substance that is constantly changing, and it’s our job to help it progress in a positive way. The ultimate partnership between science and art, and it is fascinating!

drinking mainly Bordeaux so will always have a fondness towards the region. I love to try new wines, different regions, styles and tends. There are far too many that I haven’t tried yet to be able to tell you my favourite. Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now? Hawke’s Bay, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. There is so much potential here. For such a new industry it is incredible how fast it has grown and the quality

coming from it. Future Aspirations ? Short term, if I could find a position within the Hawke’s Bay that keeps me challenged, motivated and learning I would jump at the chance to stay here. If not I will most likely move on, probably back to Europe, France. Long term, I’ve got big plans, just not quite sure yet where in the world I want to start carrying them out… ■

What Do You Enjoy Most About Hawke’s Bay? Everything, the people, the wine, the culture, the food. The Hawke’s Bay is easy to fall in love with and very difficult to leave. When You’re Not Making Wine Or Growing Grapes? I have a great group of friends here from all over the world, so a lot of time is spent eating good food and drinking great wine. Apart from that I’m a pretty active person, I love going for walks and exploring within the Bay as well as other regions. It Sucks When…. So much young talent leaves the Hawke’s Bay because they can’t get the jobs they deserve. Although the region continues to produce world-class wines, we are still behind a lot of other thriving wine industries in terms of innovation and trends. I truly believe the lack of young and gifted winemakers is a key factor behind that. Your favourite wine? Depends completely on the circumstance. I was brought up

CHARLOTTE KRAJEWSKI AGE - 26 CELLAR HAND, ELEPHANT HILL

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 33

Young Guns – brought to you by Roots, Shoots & Fruits

How Long Have You Worked In Hawke’s Bay? Five years What Brought You To Hawke’s Bay? After working with wines from all over New Zealand during my first few years in the industry I always found myself drawn to the wines of Hawke’s Bay, the varieties and wine quality, as well as the great climate and location. Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here? Overseas I have made wine in the Hunter Valley, Bordeaux and Piedmont and have visited most wine regions of Europe during the two years my wife and I spent travelling. I also worked in at Harrods in London selling great wines from everywhere in the world. Back home in New Zealand I have worked in most regions at some point. What Do You Enjoy Most How Long Have You Worked In Hawke’s Bay? Since 2006 What Brought You To Hawke’s Bay? Wine of course. I left Auckland after high school to obtain the Bachelor of Wine Science at Eastern Institute of Technology and have remained working in the region. Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here? No overseas vintages as of yet,

About Your Job? I enjoy that there is plenty of variation and that I can have an intimate connection with all our wines from pruning, right through to the bottle. It is great that we only make wine varieties and styles that I enjoy making and drink myself. I love learning from a winemaking legend like Peter Robertson, who began making great Hawke’s Bay red wine in the 70’s at a time when the industry was more about Port and Sherry. I also love making wines that people enjoy and make a lasting impression. What Do You Enjoy Most About Hawke’s Bay? Of course the wines and climate are brilliant, but I also think Napier is a great sized town to live in and it has a lot more going on than most other towns of its size in New Zealand, with fantastic restaurants, bars, my young family takes priority. Have travelled to most of New Zealand wine regions with Hawke’s Bay being of most interest. What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job? The creative and idealistic side of winemaking is what keeps me going. Whether this is just reading about historic wine regions and styles or being free to experiment. It’s a job where being obsessive really pays off. All the little extra things throughout the year really add up to make a difference. What Do You Enjoy Most About Hawke’s Bay?

ALEX HENDRY | AGE- 26 V I N E YA R D M A N A G E R L A C O L L I N A V I N E YA R D (BILANCIA WINES) & CELLAR H A N D ( L I N D E N E S TAT E )

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Within wine it’s definitely Syrah!! And is the reason I love Hawke’s Bay as a wine region. And outside of wine it’s the relaxed attitude of the region and living by the sea.

beaches, concerts, and is a great place to raise a family. It has a good feeling over the summer months. When You’re Not Making Wine Or Growing Grapes? I am spending time with my wife and two year old son, renovating our 1920’s bungalow and inviting friends over for pizza from my recently finished pizza oven.

didn’t excite me, especially after two fantastic years and a great likelihood of a third on its way. There are many winemakers doing great things here. Future Aspirations? Continue enjoying what I am doing and to be happy and healthy. ■

It Sucks When…. I am reminded that I will most likely never become a millionaire in the wine industry. Your Favourite Wine? I love good Bordeaux, although I am partial to any wine that is well made. Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now? I wouldn’t be in the Bay if it

CARL NICHOLSON AGE 31 A S S I S TA N T W I N E M A K E R B R O O K F I E L D S V I N E YA R D S .

When You’re Not Making Wine? Spending time with my family around home or BBQs with friends are always the best. Otherwise reading and music are a major part of life... and planning to take over the world. It Sucks When…. Passion and enthusiasm get railroaded by industry, price points and politics. When small artisan family businesses are driven out by high costs of production and when true authentic, idealistic and natural wines are masked again by industry, overuse and reliance on chemical treatments and recipe based winemaking techniques. We should be backing creative, young and individual producers working with unique pieces of land alongside the already established!! Your Favourite Wine?

Too many favourites for one. But one that interests me most is a wine I have never tried but defiantly aim to. Podere Le Ripi ‘Bonsai’ from Montalcino, Italy. The dedication, passion and hard work put into this insane project could only produce perfection. Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now? Lately I have been focused on the Northern Rhone and their Syrah. This area is a huge inspiration for the wines we produce in Hawkes Bay. Not just the wines but also the care and attention involved in the steep vineyards and unique terroir they farm. Future Aspirations? Long-term would be growing and producing my own wines. Steep slopes, high density and biodynamically run vineyards. One just needs to find the perfect spot and until then I’ll always be dreaming. ■

How Long Have You Worked In Hawke’s Bay?

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Five spectacular years What Brought You To Hawke’s Bay? The chance to grow and make amazing Chardonnay and Syrah, an ocean front lifestyle and a much steadier platform than Christchurch!

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Where Have You Travelled In Wine To Get Here?

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Only the Hunter Valley in Australia and Hawke’s Bay so far, Italy and France are both on the list.

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What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job? Working with such a diverse and wonderful group of contract growers while learning from a talented viticulture and winemaking team at Villa Maria. And wine, I really enjoy wine. What Do You Enjoy Most About Hawke’s Bay? Chardonnay, Syrah, the ocean and sunshine. When You’re Not Making Wine Or Growing Grapes? I am drinking wine, watching cricket and finding a new place with great food and coffee, preferably all on the same day. It Sucks When…. You try and get a bird out of your nets at harvest with your diary and you end up with damaged fruit and juice all over your diary. Then watching the bird fly out all by itself. Your Favourite Wine? White - Chardonnay, red – Syrah. Most definitely. Which Wine Region Excites You Most Right Now?

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I’m going through a bit of a Mendoza Malbec stage at the moment, but also think Côtes du Rhône white blends are amazing and would be interested to see something similar come out of New Zealand.

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Future Aspirations?

MIKE SAUNDERS AGE: 32 V I N E YA R D M A N A G E R A N D GROWER LIAISON FOR VILLA MARIA

 

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Company viticulturist for an innovative and quality driven company focussed on making quality wine more approachable to the everyday wine consumer, while also helping them to understand and appreciate different varieties. ■

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 

         

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 35

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REGIONS MARLBOROUGH

DROUGHT HIGHLIGHTS STORAGE ISSUE TESSA NICHOLSON

f any year has proved that water storage is necessary for grape growers in Marlborough, 2015’s summer is it. In February the region was declared a drought zone, after six months of less than average rainfall. In fact the rainfall levels between July 2014 and January 2015 were the lowest in 86 years. Rivers began to dry up

and more than half the water consents from local rivers were withdrawn for large periods of time. The hardest hit was the Southern Valleys, and members of the Southern Valley Irrigation Scheme. The scheme provides water to around 450 users, covering a total of close to 4500 hectares. While a number of those on the scheme also have

ponds they can draw from, there were many others that were left high and dry for long periods of time when the water consents were shut down. Adding to that many aquifers were sitting at low levels, meaning some growers had to rely on water being delivered in tankers, to ensure the vines received some form of moisture. “Wine likes dry weather but

this is pushing things a little too far,” says IrrigationNZ CEO, Andrew Curtis. There were pockets of vines throughout the region that were showing signs of stress, well before harvest began. What impact that will have on the ensuing wines is yet to be determined. And given the continual

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talk about global warming, it is unlikely that this drought event will be the last the region experiences. Which has got people talking about how they can prepare for similar conditions. Curtis says it has brought to the forefront the need for increased water storage in the region. “This year has been a bit of a wake-up call for the (wine) industry – that maybe some sort of community water storage is essential. It is a high value crop and the criticalness of having water at the right time for grapes, means you may need to design for a much higher reliability than had been previously thought.” Having a community storage resource could take pressure off those not involved in the scheme, he says. “That’s the beauty of water storage, it sometimes allows

you to create agreements with a whole lot of users, where maybe some people continue on the river, while others go to storage. It doesn’t have to be something that is designed for everybody to take out of. It can be designed so a few people take out, which takes pressure off the river, giving another week or so for others

to irrigate.” Ivan Sutherland from Dog Point Vineyard was involved in establishing the Southern Valley Irrigation Scheme and says that when it was being developed a water storage option was proposed but it was perceived for many as too expensive. “At the time it would have

prevented people coming on board to the scheme, but if we had that storage now, the scheme wouldn’t have been briefly shut off in January and February this year and the smaller vineyards which don’t have their own wells or dams wouldn’t be facing the concerns they are now.” ■

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VINEYARD NEWS

ARE YOU ON TARGET? JUSTINE TYERMAN

he performance of a variety of sprayers was put to the test at a workshop in Gisborne earlier this year. Facilitated by scientist Dr David Manktelow, the “Are you on target?” seminar looked at three canopy sprayers to assess spray coverage and penetration, and compare performance. Dr Manktelow focused on sprayer set-up and tested the accuracy and effectiveness of spray application through the use of water-sensitive papers which measured the way spray penetrated the canopy and covered the leaves. “Powdery mildew disease has been a problem on vineyards around the country in recent sea-

sons, with some vineyards in particular having trouble controlling the problem,” said Dr Manktelow. “As with most diseases, the problems that have been experienced cannot be attributed to a single cause. Likewise effective and sustainable disease management requires that vineyard managers get a series of management steps right. Case studies on vineyards that have experienced problems with powdery mildew have usually identified different combinations of possible causal factors.” The most common management factors that need to be considered have been (in any combination and not in any

David Manktelow explains the efficacy of correct spray techniques. PHOTO GISBORNE HERALD.

particular order): 1. Avoid excessively-long intervals between spring and postbloom fungicide applications - intervals of over 21 days are often

seen in spray diaries.The powdery mildew pathogen infects young green tissue and long intervals between sprays will not guarantee protection.

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2. Ensure you are applying an appropriate chemical application rate -intensively-planted vines on narrow-row spacings require more chemical per hectare than equivalent vines on wider-row spacings. 3. Set up your sprayer to achieve effective coverage, especially of bunches in the fruiting cordon. Fruit are often underdosed and a greater proportion of the sprayer output should be directed to the fruiting zone. 4. Manage your canopies to avoid excessive vigour and density and maximise potential spray coverage. 5. Don’t rely too heavily on DMI fungicides - there is some real concern about resistance development to fungicides within this chemical group on at least some vineyards. Improving sprayer set-up and delivery is one of several different important steps that growers can

t ou

U PL

A variety of sprayers were used in the seminar, showing what can and should be achieved. PHOTO GISBORNE HERALD

take towards improving disease control outcomes, Dr Manktelow said. But the news was not all bad. “The good news is that checking sprayer performance is quick to do and tuning your sprayer as your canopies develop during the season almost always delivers an improvement in coverage,” he said. “And the really good news is that the integration and improvement of different powdery mildew management techniques on vineyards that were badly affected in

2013-14 has seen a significant turnaround in 2014-15 with some of the worst-affected blocks now looking forward to a great 2015 harvest.” Being practical and hands-on meant the seminar was highly successful, said Al Knight, Gisborne Wine Growers Association President. “David was really surprised at the variability of the spray application on our vineyard, and that comes down to the set-up of our spray equipment,” said Knight who manages the Vigneto

Vineyard. “It demonstrated we are not being as effective with our spray coverage as we assume, and the changes suggested will increase that effectiveness by at least 20 percent. There’s no doubt it helped growers better understand the efficiencies around spray application. The technique is not as widely-used as it could be and I think after our workshop, there will more growers using the papers.” ■

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BOARD PROFILE

MEET YOUR BOARD This issue we talk to Fabian Yukich from Auckland and Dominic Pecchenino from Marlborough DOMINIC PECCHENINO, MARLBOROUGH, GROWER, CHAIRMAN RESEARCH COMMITTEE

What Is Your Background In The Wine Industry? I have been in the Wine Industry for 30 plus years, here in New Zealand, Australia and California. For the most part in production, I also have worked as a consultant, taught viticulture and worked in research. When Did You First Become A NZW Board Member? 2004 What Inspired You To Stand? I wanted to get involved in this industry and help move it forward. I think that it is very important to give back and be involved in shaping for the future. What Committees Are You Involved With And Why Those? I am the chairman of the research committee. I feel that for any industry to go forward you need a strong research component driving change to keep this

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industry on the leading edge. What Do You Believe Is The Greatest Hurdle Moving Forward For NZ Wine? Keeping all sectors of the industry in a profitable situation, protecting our brand, and producing the highest quality wine possible. What Issue Do You Believe Needs A Higher Priority Than It Is Currently Receiving – and Why? Labour, without a steady supply of labour our industry will come to a standstill. What Would You Say Is The Greatest Achievement NZ Wine Has Accomplished and Why? Being recognized as a country that produces some of the best wines in the world and doing this in a very short time compared to other wine regions. What Is Your Personal Vision For The Future Of NZ Wine? How Do We Get There? I see New Zealand growing in the future in the higher price sector as long as we do not lose sight of what got us to where we are now and that is to maintain or improve our quality along with telling the New Zealand story. We get there by having a world class research program, education of the industry, developing new products, and never sitting on our laurels.

FABIAN YUKICH, AUCKLAND, VILLA MARIA, CATEGORY 3 WINE COMPANIES What Is Your Background In The Wine Industry? My grandfather planted his first vines in West Auckland in the 1930’s.The business was run by my father Frank and his brother Mate from the late 1950’s. It transformed into Montana Wines in the early 1960’s and experienced remarkable growth. I worked in

the vineyards, winery and bottling line from a young age. I first worked for George Fistonich, who is my mother’s brother, at Villa Maria in the cellar in 1970’s. I then worked for my father when he purchased Penfolds Wines NZ. I subsequently enrolled at Roseworthy College graduating in the early 1980’s. After working a vintage winemaking role in Australia I returned to New Zealand to work for Penfolds during and after the construction of the Gisborne winery followed by a position in national on-premise sales. In 1998 I re-joined Villa Maria to project manage the building of the Marlborough winery and the new Auckland winery and vineyard-park. I have worked in many parts of the Villa Maria business and became a director in 2006. When Did You First Become A NZW Board Member? 2012 What Inspired You To Stand? I am passionate about New Zealand wine and keen to make a contribution to

the industry. What Committees Are You Involved With and Why Those? I have been on the Advocacy and Sustainability Committees since 2012. Advocacy is critical for New Zealand Winegrowers maintaining access to export markets, dealing with compliance issues and ensuring our voice is heard by the right people in government. I recently relinquished the role on the Advocacy committee to join the Marketing committee. The Sustainability committee at NZWG really interests me as it is an area I am very enthusiastic about. The roll-out of the new SWNZ software, WiSE by the Sustainability team has been very successful and I am proud to have been one of the committee during that time. What Do You Believe Is The Greatest Hurdle Moving Forward For NZ Wine? Maintaining premium export price position and preventing the commoditisation of New Zealand wine. That is a major risk to the livelihood of anyone who wants to be in the industry long term.

What Issue Do You Believe Needs A Higher Priority Than It Is Currently Receiving – and Why? As referred to above, some less than ideal quality wine is being marketed overseas at low prices, destroying the brand equity we have worked so hard to establish over decades. Our reputation is built on exciting consumer friendly wines that have an obvious premium. Anything less than premium is detrimental, and the real damage will be from dilute, bland wines made from over-cropped vineyards for short term gain at the expense of long term industry financial viability. The priority is to keep the industry united in the drive for quality. W h a t Wo u l d Yo u S a y I s T h e Greatest Achievement NZ Wine Has Accomplished And Why? There are many great achievements and it seems unfair to single out a single one. However, I believe establishing SWNZ, and growing it to cover over 94% of New Zealand vineyard area is a major achievement. Consumers are increasingly focused on

sustainability. What Is Your Personal Vision For The Future Of NZ Wine? How Do We Get There? My vision is for New Zealand to be widely recognised for the sustainable production of premium quality, luxury branded wine. There are no simple answers. We are a complex industry with many participants and some great work is already being done. From an industry organisation point of view we have to focus on some key areas. The first of these is to prevent the export of poor products at low prices that devalue our brand equity. This needs to be done through education but also through more stringent application of the export wine certification rules. This won’t be easy but it is necessary. Second. To expand on what we are doing through the SWNZ accreditation, to the point where it is seen by both our members and consumers to give a real environmental and marketing benefit, at the same time positively improving financial sustainability. ■

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 43

REGIONS WAIPARA

A FORAGING FEAST TESSA NICHOLSON

aipara may have been suffering from one of the worst droughts in two decades, but it didn’t stop a foraging event that highlighted just how versatile the region is. Driving in from the north, the effects of a dry summer are blatantly apparent. While initially it appears as though Stings renowned song Fields of Gold is a good description for the landscape, it quickly becomes obvious even that phrase is too generous. Instead the plains are bleached of life, reminding one of a golden beach or desert. The only relief on the horizon is the copses of trees and the luscious verdant greens of the vineyards dotted on the slopes and flat land. What can there be to forage in a region as dry and over heated as this? I ask myself. I quickly discover that there is plenty, regardless of the current conditions. The North Canterbury Forage was the brainchild of seven local wineries, who are all practising what they are promoting. As organiser Angela Clifford from Tongue In Groove Wines told the international media who had been invited

The first course consisted of tua tua, paua and pickled radish.

to take part in the day-long forage; “This is not a staged event – this is actually how we live.” Held at the beginning of February, the promotional event was a one of a kind, that enthralled all who took part. Gathering in the early hours at Pegasus Bay for breakfast, the media, a number of chefs and winery representatives were split into groups. Each group was tasked with foraging for different food items. There was the seaside group – who managed to bring crayfish, paua, tua tuas, mussels and fish Just some of the produce found in six short hours, during the North Canterbury Forage.

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

to the party. There was the hunting group, that despite spending a warm night on a high country property, didn’t actually manage to bring a deer home (thankfully though one had been caught a few days earlier). The roadside foragers picked elderberries, prickly pears (I now know why they have that name), wild parsley, plums and fennel. Other groups were tasked with foraging for vegetables, edible flowers, fruit, honey and truffles. Within six hours, an abundance of produce was brought back to Black Estate, where 10 chefs oohed and aahed, prior to coming up with a menu utilising the super fresh, foraged food items. Which brings me to the point, that this was not a staged event. While it was a concerted and organised promotion, the foraging itself is something that many winemakers and growers do, on a regular basis. Visit the wineries themselves and you will see vegetable and herb gardens, providing a source of produce for their own restaurants, or their staff. Many of the vineyards are set among farms,

which raise ducks, chickens, sheep and cows (often for milk). Many are almost self-sustaining in terms of produce, with wild foraging adding the extras not grown at home. And the locally grown food, matches perfectly with the wines that are making Waipara an internationally recognised wine region. Just as terroir describes a sense of place in wine, Clifford says it also describes the locally grown food. The two go hand in hand – wine and food. That became obvious when the 10 chefs produced nine separate dishes, using only the products that had been sourced and collected during the forage itself. From lamb with lentils and truffles, through to tua tua, paua and pickled radish, each course was accompanied by a Waipara wine varietal. With close to 20 wines available for tasting, the evening gave the media along with the winery personnel a chance to truly appreciate the distinct link between Waipara food and Waipara wine. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

FOOD NEEDS TO CATCH UP WITH WINE One of New Zealand’s wellknown chefs, believes the food industry has some catching up to do, when it comes to matching menus with our wines. Jonny Schwass, owner of Harlequin Public House, Mrs Hucks and the Charcoal Relief Unit in Christchurch was one of the many involved in the Waipara Forage. He believes the global reputation of New Zealand’s wines has presented chefs with a challenge. “This amazing emerging global wine culture has happened in such a short period of time, that all of a sudden there is this huge challenge for chefs and food producers to equal that,” Schwass said. “We really need to develop a New Zealand food culture that matches our wine culture.” He said while New Zealand is surrounded by a bounty of amazing food, many people are too scared to give it a New Zealand identity. “We seem to want to influence it

with French cooking techniques, Italian or Spanish. Or Asian fusion – that was awful. And there was that awful Pacific Rim, which sounds like a toilet cleaner if you ask me.” Being influenced by other cultures has a lot to do with the fact New Zealand has such a young food culture, Schwass admits, and the fact that our heritage has been growing food for other people. “We spend so much time, energy and resources making sure everyone else has food and we kind of forget about our own. Which means we end up not developing out own amazing food culture.” With food tourism huge in other parts of the world, Schwass believes it is only a matter of time before it hits our shores. And with the wines being produced having gained international acclaim, the job now, is to develop a food culture that matches. “It just makes sense that

Chef Jonny Schwass from Christchurch delicately forages for prickly pear.

we piggy back off the wine industry’s fame. That is why some of the best wine regions in the world have some of the best restaurants, because it makes

perfect sense. People who are interested and passionate about wine are generally interested and passionate about food as well.”

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YOUNG TALENT

FROM LAW TO WINE MARK ORTON

n September 2014, as part of Auckland’s Wine and Food celebration, the New Zealand School of Food and Wine hosted three competitions to award excellence amongst professionals working with wine. Sponsored by Misha’s Vineyard in Central Otago, the inaugural award for Junior Sommelier of the Year was taken out by 24-year-old Oliver Carr from Wellington. “Ollie” as he prefers to be known, is no stranger to hospitality. Having grown up ensconced in the restaurants owned by his father, Carr embarked on a double degree in Law and Philosophy at Victoria. Not surprisingly, he

A man on a mission – Ollie Carr.

gravitated towards restaurant work as a way to fund his studies “I started off as a waiter which was long before I had an interest in

wine, but that’s probably where I first started to learn about it,” says Carr. While staying in a University

Hostel, Carr landed a role at seafood specialist Shed 5, a place he credits as having a major influence on his wine education.

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“Shed 5 had a very cool international wine list and it really opened my eyes to how delicious wine could be.” Though for an undergraduate student surviving on hospitality wages and a government loan, developing an interest and knowledge of wine was anything but straightforward. “Then Stephen Morris, who was the front of house manager at Shed 5 came on board, and he was like a mentor to me and allowed me to sit in on tastings. Suddenly, I was tasting dozens of wines a week and it was then I decided to make wine my life. Being able to make someone’s week by introducing them to a new wine and chatting about it is an awesome feeling.” With his curiosity and taste buds tweaked, something had to give. Carr soldiered through

four and a half years of his double degree before pulling the pin. “I probably knew for a couple of years that I didn’t want to be a lawyer and wine fitted the gap as a career with lots of interesting potential.” Having decided to pursue his goal of turning wine into something more than a fleeting hobby, Carr headed south and enrolled in the post-graduate diploma in Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University. It was during this time that he heard about the Junior Sommellier contest. “I was just working as a barman at a place called The Wine Bar in Christchurch. I found out about the contest on-line and wasn’t sure that I would be eligible as I wasn’t working as a somm at the time, but when I saw that they were going to pay for flights to

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attend, I went for it.” After a gruelling day that consisted of a blind tasting, a written test and a practical assessment, he emerged triumphant. “I was absolutely over the moon - a little shocked as there were questions on France, which I am a little sketchy on, but it was probably the greatest feeling of my young life.” So what better way to reward the achievement than a trip to Central Otago complete with tutored tastings of the region’s top wines with wine maker Ollie Masters, a specially prepared degustation dinner at The Rees Hotel and a chopper tour over the region, a first for Carr. Interestingly, while the trip to Central Otago was the prize, Carr had already made the decision to move there before he entered the competition. Unsure of how

to break into the world of wine away from hospitality, he sent off an application to Nick Paulin at Peregrine wines and was given a job as part of their vineyard team. “It took me a bit of time to get my hands toughened up to do the work, but I’m getting a really good physical impression on the relationship between the land and the wine, the importance of the sense of place and the acute variables between different parcels of land.” As a young man on a mission to fast track his entry into the winemaking side of the industry, Carr seems refreshingly realistic about the work ahead of him. For now he is happy to soak up the Central Otago sun, look forward to the impending harvest and make plans for the cooler months ■ seeingredmedia@yahoo.com

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VINEYARD NEWS

ORGANIC FOCUS REVIEW R E B E C C A R E I D E R - C O O R D I N AT O R , O R G A N I C W I N E G R O W E R S N E W Z E A L A N D

o go organic, what should I do first? Is it possible on every vineyard? What does it cost? What will happen to my yields? After receiving questions like these from curious grape growers for some years, Organic Winegrowers New Zealand knew that it was time for the Organic Focus Vineyard project. In the 2011-12 growing season, with funding from the MPI Sustainable Farming Fund and New Zealand Winegrowers, we began the project. Three vineyards, each in a different region, began conversion to organic management. Half of each vineyard would be left under non-organic management for comparison. The focus vineyard managers expressed a variety of reasons for getting involved with the project, including a desire to learn how to take optimum care of their land and vines, and to produce premium quality wines. The vineyard managers bravely agreed to be subjected to intense scrutiny. Scientific technicians would monitor their soils, pest and disease levels, irrigation and more. The vineyard managers themselves would keep detailed field observations and yield records, as well as tracking every vineyard financial cost. At the end of the three-year organic conversion period, we’d compare the resulting wines as well. To ease the transition, we supplied the vineyard managers with free advice from organic viticultural consultant Bart Arnst

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throughout the project. We knew from the outset that this was a demonstration project aimed at conveying best practices to others in the industry, rather than a traditional scientific project. Three vineyards would never prove, once and for all, the relative merits of organic vs. conventional wine production. Still, core lessons emerged across the focus vineyards, with deep relevance for other grape growers considering the organic transition.

Gibbston Valley Wines’ organic focus block in Bendigo showed the opposite to be the case. In fact, water infiltration increased in the organic blocks once cultivation had opened the soil surface under the vines; meanwhile, water tended to run straight off of the hardened herbicide strip under the conventional vines. This was confirmed by both manager observations and scientific field measurements.

1.Organic pest and disease management methods are robust.

3. Understanding your soils, and your vines’ relationship to them, is essential to organic management.

All of the vineyard managers were highly satisfied with the level of control they received using organic canopy sprays, with Bart Arnst’s advice on timing and application. In all three years of the trial – including a few seasons with high disease pressure – the organic vineyards had little to no crop loss from pests and diseases.

2. Consider undervine management carefully. All of the focus vineyard managers agreed that undervine weeding presented their biggest learning curve. Undervine cultivation, the selected tactic for all three organic focus blocks, needs careful planning, with attention to weather, soil type and vine development. Still, some fears of cultivation proved unfounded. In Central Otago, some local growers had expressed scepticism about cultivation, fearing erosion of the region’s fragile soils. However,

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

The Wither Hills vineyard managers, in their final reflections on the project, put it this way: “Vine health is often masked by the plethora of chemicals and fertilisers available. Once these are taken from the equation, the viticulturist has to better examine what is happening below the ground.” Of the six blocks in the trial (two grape varieties in each of three regions), only one saw a significant loss in yields under organic management: the Wither Hills Pinot Noir. The reasons likely were buried underground. The organic Pinot’s combination of young vine age and highly compacted soils due to past horticultural use meant that the vines’ shallow root systems were not well positioned to handle undervine cultivation. Of course, soil health can be improved – and the vines respond. Wither Hills’ organic Pinot was

showing signs of recovery by year three, after a programme of deep ripping to break up soil compaction; sowing interrow crops to boost organic matter levels; and applying organic nutrients. It became a teachable moment for the local industry: before converting to organic management, consider the history of your vines, and think about how you can support them through the organic transition. The nearby vines of the Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc continued to yield well under organic management. Meanwhile, other blocks experienced no such difficulties. At the Hawke’s Bay focus vineyard, on Mission Estate’s Mere Road vineyard, the Merlot and Syrah both had comparable vigour, yields and operating costs across the organic and conventional systems in all three years of the trial – delighting the vineyard and winery staff with the gracefulness of the transition and the quality of the organic fruit.

4. Warning: organic growing can be addictive. Perhaps one of the most interesting data points from the trial was what the participating wineries decided to do once the project finished. All of the vineyard managers expressed a passion for organic growing by the end of the three years. Two of the wineries involved, Mission Estate and Gibbston Valley Wines, decided to expand their commitments to organic growing. Wither Hills

chose to maintain the organic/ conventional split, integrated into the company’s existing patchwork of organic and conventional vineyards. Gibbston Valley began converting more land to organic management. Asked for final advice to prospective organic growers, Ben Burridge, focus vineyard manager at Wither Hills, offered: “Start small so you can gain knowledge about what processes are required to run an organic vineyard. The Organic Focus Vineyard Project has demonstrated that organic blocks are managed quite differently depending on location, variety and philosophy.” The project “really just cemented the fact that it is reasonably simple to convert to organic production here in Central Otago, provided one has the desire to do so, along with the required financial resources for the change,”

Soil scientist Tim Jenkins measures water infiltration at Wither Hills.

reflected focus block manager Grant Rolston of Vinewise Viticulture. As advice for others contemplating the organic conversion process, he added: “Don’t be afraid of taking a step back so that you may be allowed to go forward.” A full report from the project, complete with data and detailed vineyard manager observations and advice, will be mailed to all New Zealand Winegrowers members this autumn. Blogs

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featuring three years of vineyard manager experiences and observations are at www. organicfocusvineyard.com, and will remain online as a lasting resource for others considering organic conversion.

Acknowledgements The project team is grateful to the Sustainable Farming Fund and New Zealand Winegrowers for their funding support, as well

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ORGANIC NEWS

CELEBRATING ORGANICS TESSA NICHOLSON

elow, Above and Beyond, is the theme of an international Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing conference to be held in Blenheim later this year. It’s a first ever for the wine industry says Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) coordinator Rebecca Reider. “For the last few years Organic Winegrowers New Zealand has been focused on helping growers learn the basic tools to go organic and while we will continue to do that, we also wanted to celebrate

how OWNZ has grown in this country.” Adding to that she said will be the international aspect of the conference, including guest speakers, and an international organic wine tasting. “It’s not just aimed at growers, the conference will cover science, research, a lot of practical seminars as well as the business side of organic winegrowing. It is a conference for everyone in the wine industry to enjoy, be inspired by and learn from.” She says the theme line is

highly relevant, especially starting with Below. “So much of what is happening with the vines above ground has to do with what is happening below,” she said. “So before you get above and beyond with your vines, you have to dig deep down below and think about what is happening there.” The Above and Beyond bywords are indicative of how OWNZ is not resting on its laurels of growth in the past five years. “We want to continue to grow, and that is why we are bringing

in so many speakers. There will be something for everyone. For those who have had very little exposure to organic growing and for those who have been growing organically for a long time and now want to take themselves above and beyond their current status.” Included among the international speakers are; Phillippe Armenier who for more than 25 years, has been carrying on a love affair with biodynamic farming; first in the vineyards of his family’s famed Domaine de Marcoux,

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Chef Bevan Smith from Riverstone Kitchen will create an Organic Feast at the conference.

and since 2001, passionately spreading the teachings of Rudolf Steiner throughout the vineyards of California, Oregon and Washington and beyond. Widely recognized as North America’s leading Biodynamic viticultural consultant, Philippe has established a world-class biodynamic program working alongside the wineries dedicated team to achieve the full, rich potential of their vineyards. Monty Waldin, who became the first writer to devote himself to organic and Biodynamic winegrowing in the 1990s. Monty’s experiences of working in conventional, organic and then biodynamic vineyards and wineries in both hemispheres (Bordeaux, Chile, California, Germany) convinced him that biodynamics provided the best potential tool for terroir-driven, high quality wine. Max Allen, an award-winning Australian journalist and author

specialising in organic, biodynamic and natural wines. Max is wine columnist for The Weekend Australian, wine editor for Gourmet Traveller magazine, Australian correspondent for jancisrobinson.com, and a Creative Fellow at the State Library of Victoria. Max’s book The Future Makers: Australian Wines for the 21st Century was named Best International Wine Book at the Louis Roederer Wine Writers Awards in London in 2011. The two and a half day conference from July 8 – 10, will also include an Organic Feast with renowned chef Bevan Smith from Riverstone Kitchen in North Otago. Two separate tastings over the conference will include New Zealand wines as well as international organic and natural wines. For full programme details and to register visit; www.organicwineconference.com ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

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SCIENCE PROFILE

THE SCIENCE OF WINE JOELLE THOMSON

angitoto Island’s iconic silhouette is framed symmetrically from the window of Paul Kilmartin’s office at the University of Auckland, but pictures of another city are even more prominent on those office walls: Wellington. This is where his career in wine science began. When he left secondary school in Upper Hutt, the university of choice was, naturally enough, the University of Victoria in Wellington. In the 1980s, he began studying a BA and BSc simultaneously. As if that wasn’t enough, he then entered the seminary at Mission Estate in Hawke’s Bay, travelling between there and the capital to complete both of his tertiary education goals. One provided him with a career; the other with a life choice and, inadvertently, the Mission also gave him hands-on experience in wine to back up the science he was learning at the time. One of the first scientific papers on wine that he published was the “Measurement of the redox potential of wine”. It was in conjunction with J W Tomlinson at the Department of Chemistry at Victoria and was first published in August 1996. But by the time he got to his second year of studying at Victoria, he was told that he had to choose between his BA and his BSc. Science won the day. Kilmartin found himself immersed in the electro

52 //

chemistry of wine. One of his science professors was interested in wine and had studied chemistry at Imperial College in London, which propelled Kilmartin’s interest in the subject. His studies at Mission Estate further supported that interest; professionally and personally. When he wasn’t up to his ears in redox potential and

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

chemistry at Victoria, he was attending theology lectures and helping out in the winery shop in Hawke’s Bay. After graduating with a BSc from Victoria, he worked for 11 years in the Marist order in Wellington and Hawke’s Bay. His time in the seminary came to an end when he moved to Auckland in 1993 to do his PhD in analytical chemistry and food science. That

was also the year that he met his partner, Jelena. Together they have a 14-year-old son. He has since been developing a wine science programme to complement the viticultural research in Marlborough. The most surprising thing he has discovered in wine science to date relates to the impact that temperature has on the storage of wine. “It has a much greater impact than any other factor that we have studied so far when it comes to the preservation of fruity aromas in Sauvignon Blanc; the grape we have studied the most,” Kilmartin says. “This grape’s esters hydrolise at a warmer temperature and much faster than I imagined; within a year of storing a wine at 20 degrees, you lose most of the fruity esters.” This happens whether the wine is in tank or in bottle. At a lower temperature, fruity aromas can be preserved for significantly longer, Kilmartin says, and if the wine is stored at 5 degrees, its fruity aromas are preserved. The research was part of his studies into antioxidants. This study programme saw Kilmartin and his students intentionally accelerate the wine’s aging process to see which antioxidants worked most effectively. The discovery was made about seven years ago and

has begun to have a practical application for wineries today. The other most significant discovery that he has made relates to the harvesting and oxidation of grapes when picked. Again, oxidation rates can – under certain circumstances – be far more rapid than he and his students originally anticipated. “Oxidation during harvest is of absolutely critical importance,” he says. “When grapes are being harvested there is a lot of enzymatic activity. If we don’t protect a juice adequately with SO2 after the harvest then the rate of oxidation can be frighteningly swift. The important thing is to get the antioxidants onto the grapes early in the field, so that you’ve always got some free SO2 present on their journey from the field to the winery.”

This enables winemakers to maximize thiols in the Sauvignon Blancs they produce, he says. Some grapes are more p r o n e to ox i d a t i o n m o r e swiftly; others less so.

for his studies but Pinot Gris is now also under Kilmartin’s microscope. It is also showing significant levels of thiols. “Some Pinot Gris has a passionfruit/grapefruit aroma

“Some Pinot Gris has a passionfruit/ grapefruit aroma as we have found in Sauvignon Blanc, but they are not as driven in that greener direction as Sauvignon Blanc.”

“Some juices will chew through the oxygen more quickly and they need more ascorbic acid and sulfites added.” Most of his research to date has been on Sauvignon Blanc, so this grape has formed the basis

as we have found in Sauvignon Blanc, but they are not as driven in that greener direction as Sauvignon Blanc.” Most of the research work that he is involved in currently is being done at the University

of Auckland’s East Tamaki campus, but the university now has the old Lion Breweries site in Newmarket, which is where the extract and polymer work will eventually continue; when the new facilities have been finished. One of the new projects that Kilmartin is working on is a food based one, using antimicrobial agents to extend the shelf life of plastics that are used for fruit juices. “Naturally, this will have a wine application too and we are looking into using winery w a s te p r o d u c t s f o r t h e i r antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. Grape tannins that are in contact with plastic can give antibacterial and antioxidant properties to plastic itself; it’s a good use of winery waste materials.” ■ joellethomson@vodafone.co.nz

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REGIONS HAWKE’S BAY

FESTIVAL A WINNER MARY SHANAHAN

including Paritua which offered a pop-up cellar door. Their close proximity made for relatively straightforward transport arrangements. Special buses transported about half the revellers from pick-up points in Hastings, Havelock North and Napier and shuttles moved regularly between the wineries. The varied entertainment included guitar sessions, light Having travelled from Wellington for the festival, Heather and Dan Twigg rock, some DJ bask in the sunshine at Alpha Domus. rhythms and

said the association’s members decided to stage the festival because they had fielded so many inquiries from people disappointed that Harvest Hawke’s Bay had been discontinued. Eight wineries took part,

vocals, gumboot throwing, volleyball, petanque, golf chipping competitions and a barrel roll through an olive grove. Food offerings encompassed spit-roasted pork, Mexican, paella, wood-fired pizzas and platters as well as sweet treats such as waffles and pancakes. Wilcock said the association, whose members also include Abbey Cellars, Alpha Domus, Ngatarawa, Salvare, Sileni Estates and Triangle Cellars, is aiming to attract 50 to 100 percent more festival-goers to next year’s event. It will be held on Saturday, 23 January to tie in with the Wellington Anniversary weekend.■ maryshanahan173@gmail.com

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he next Bridge Pa Wine Festival promises to be even bigger and brighter after this year’s inaugural food and wine event met all the organisers’ targets. Hawke’s Bay turned on sunny calm weather, drawing about 1000 people out to the winegrowing subregion west of Hastings. While the Bridge Pa Wine Association focused on marketing the day to locals, word of mouth and the eventfinder site also saw many out-of-towners – among them a good number of Aucklanders making the most of their long anniversary weekend. Chris Wilcock of Ash Ridge

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 55

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A PREMIER CHAMPION TESSA NICHOLSON

ight months ago The New Zealand Cellar didn’t exist in London. Now just a few short months later, it is creating waves in on-line sales, with 200 New Zealand wines from 70 producers on the books. The New Zealand Cellar is the brainchild of Mel Brown, a former chef, who has found her niche in promoting the very best of New Zealand wine to the UK market. With cooking all she knew from the time she left school, Brown ended up in London at the age of 21, working for fellow Kiwi, Peter Gordon at Providores. Her time in the kitchen was cut short, when she developed an allergy to the hard water of London, and saw her move onto the floor as front of house manager. It was here her interest in wine began to grow, particularly New Zealand wine. After undertaking WSET intermediate and advanced courses, she was beginning her diploma when Providore’s wine buyer Jeremy Leeming left. Brown stepped into the role. At this stage, the restaurant had a wine menu dominated by New Zealand wines, but it also featured a dozen “other wines” from around the world. Brown convinced Peter Gordon that maybe the restaurant should concentrate solely on New Zealand (with the exception of Champagne, Port and Sherry). These days Providores has the largest New Zealand wine list of any restaurant in Europe. The impact of that was diners were exposed to wines that many had never tried before and Brown was being inundated with requests

56 //

for information about where they could be purchased in London. “When someone came to me and asked where they could buy this wine, I would give the distributor’s details. But they don’t have a route to market and can’t sell direct to consumers, so it was really difficult,” she says. “There was this demand of people who had cash and wanted to buy premium New Zealand wines, to support the integrity of New Zealand vineyards and they had no way of doing so. I saw a gap in the market and decided to go for it.” That idea of creating an on-line premium New Zealand wine shop was given even more credence, when she attended a presentation by Nick Mills, on 10 years of Rippon. “He was pleading with this group of journalists, saying ‘my wine ticks all your boxes, you say it’s amazing, it has the right balance, it has the right characteristics. My story is amazing, my family is amazing and the pictures of my vineyards are amazing. But if I can’t sell my wines, how will we survive?’ “I thought, gosh I have to sell more Rippon wine. It really touched me, almost to the point where I was welling up. I knew I wanted to contribute to the greater good of the premium New Zealand wine industry and the only way I could do that was to create a platform that highlights and showcases the very best of New Zealand and sell their wine.” By this stage she and husband Hamish Brown had their first child and she admits she had a kind of

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

“romantic notion” of how The New Zealand Cellar could work. In fact she says, she was extremely naive. “My idea was to work from home, it was all going to be very romantic. I would only need myself and I would be able to spend more time with my daughter. I thought I would have really low stock levels and it would be all about the vineyards.” But Brown hadn’t allowed for how popular her on-line store would be. “We launched and the reception and support that I received from producers was so overwhelming, that it kind of ignited something for me. I started coming up with all these marketing ideas to promote New Zealand wine. I was getting lots of press and it was like, wow, this is amazing. “For me it was all about trying to bring the focus away from supermarkets and own label Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. It became about really listening to the stories from these producers and communicating them with the integrity that the vineyards needed to uphold along the way. “I touched on my naivety before – had I known it was going to be so much work, I probably never would have done it. Luckily I had a very supportive husband who has helped me along the way.” Eight months in, the typical purchaser at The New Zealand Cellar surprisingly isn’t a homesick Kiwi. Brown says the stats so far show that it is older generation Brits, with a disposable income,

who have travelled to New Zealand and fallen in love with the stories, landscape, people and wine. They are happy to spend big on good wines, and think nothing about paying £40 to £50 for a bottle of Chardonnay. Brown could be described as an energiser bunny, full of enthusiasm – and given what she has achieved in such a short time, it’s a fair description. But she isn’t planning on resting on her laurels. Pre Christmas, she opened a pop up store in South London, and in a few short hours sold more than £13,000 of premium New Zealand wine. She is looking at opening a store in the near future, (no details available at the moment) and she has also begun importing direct from New Zealand. “The UK is such a difficult market to get into. It is established, but it needs a lot of encouragement and nourishment. For smaller producers and New Zealand wineries it can be difficult. So that has kind of sparked another facet to

Mel Brown

my business, which is importing directly from New Zealand. My aim is to create a small niche portfolio that will ultimately have the exclusive rights to some wines and producers. I want to have small volumes of little bits and pieces from up and coming producers. Quantities aren’t going to be massive, but it will give those smaller producers the opportunity to get into the market and have a presence.” Brown selects all the wines herself and if she doesn’t feel a particular wine reaches the premium standard she has set, she won’t list it. “I am not going to list everything just so I can say I have the largest selection. I am always careful about having the best quality, the best producers and they have to show a genuine interest in what I am doing.” ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 57

REGIONS MARLBOROUGH

MR MONTANA RETIRES TESSA NICHOLSON

he man often referred to in Maralborough as Mr Montana, has finally retired after 38 years working for the region’s largest wine company. Gerry Gregg began work for Montana (now Brancott Estate) in 1976 as an engineer, employed initially to oversee the building of the company’s first winery. That building was a far cry from the current state-of-the-art facility that handles tens of thousands of tonnes of fruit. Back in December of 76, Gregg was given four months to complete the winery before the first vintage in the region. Four months, with a budget of almost zilch, meant the winery was a fabrication of the former Titirangi winery, which Mate Yukich transported to Marlborough, piece by piece in his Mercedes truck and trailer. “When I began, the framework of the building was standing, but it hadn’t been clad or anything. Mate was carting the building piece by piece. We transported the tanks, everything, including the wiring. It was all second hand.” He believes if Mate could have transported the concrete slab for the foundation, he would have, if only to save money. There was no extra cash available in the Montana piggy bank, and Gregg was given just £1000 to spend on equipment. “I remember Cresswells had the job for doing the wiring of the building. We had this big pile of used electrical wiring on the concrete floor and they were

58 //

like sparrows pulling out pieces of straw. They would pull out lengths of the stuff and measure it up to fit. In the end we were losing so much time they were given permission to buy some proper wire.” Harvest 1977, Montana’s first in Marlborough saw 800 tonnes being processed. And while Gregg had been employed as an engineer, he was quickly promoted to overseer for the harvest. In those days there was no such thing as the modern machinery seen in vineyards these days. Back then, the only way of getting the grapes from the vineyard to the winery was via a five tonne Bedford Truck, with a tarpaulin tied down over the trailer. It was a long and drawn out process, with all the fruit due in a two week time period. He remembers the first major disaster of that vintage, when someone forgot to tie the tarpaulin down and the entire five tonnes was blown off the truck, right at the entrance to Woodbourne airport. From overseeing the harvest Gregg was then given the job of dayshift winemaker – a far cry from overseeing the building of a winery. Now he was responsible for making the wine itself. “It was pretty basic back then, very different from today. We were making Muller Thurgau and Blenheimer. Peter Hubsher came down and left me with an A4 piece of paper, which said how to add sulphur and how much. How to analyse the juice and stuff like that, so it was

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

pretty simple.” Shortly after that first vintage, Gregg was involved in a serious accident with a rewinding irrigation hose. He very nearly lost his right hand and was lucky to get away with his life apparently. “The Labour Department came to see me in hospital and told me I was seconds away from death. That was a life changer for me. But it also gave me the intro into the management side of things. I would probably still be a baggy arse in overalls now, if that hadn’t happened. I couldn’t do the work I had previously been doing, so I went into assistant

manager and later took over the management, when John (Marris) went into the vineyard side of things.” From there on in, Gregg became the face of Montana in the region. It was him who first suggested that the Marlborough Wine Festival should look at Brancott Vineyard as a onestop site, 28 years ago. He was the chair of the Festival Committee for many years, was heavily involved in the local wine governing body prior to it becoming Wine Marlborough, and played an integral part in working with the community to help ease the tension that was

initially felt about the growing wine industry. In 2007 he was the recipient of the inaugural Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award, for his services to the industry in the preceding 30 years. Job wise, he has moved from engineer, to cellar hand, assistant manager to winery manager, national winery manager to Brand Ambassador for Brancott Estate. The re have bee n highs and lows, but the time Gregg remembers the most is the Gisborne Earthquake in 2007 that occurred just five days before Christmas. He was Pernod Ricard’s National Wineries Manager at the time, in charge of not only Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, but also Gisborne. “We damaged about 305 tanks in that quake which was a massive loss. The reports were that the

damage bill across the region was about $50 million worth. Well we were a bit over $45 million in damage ourselves, although we never reported that at the time.”

then we sold it.” With 38 years under his belt, Gregg has now said goodbye, with just a tinge of sadness. “I was on a high most of the

“It has been so positive and I have been on a high for most of the time. I think I have met every Prime Minister since 1976, and most of the Australian ones. I have met the Queen and even the Commander of the Enterprise Aircraft carrier. So it’s been a great time, one I wouldn’t have missed for anything.” Getting the winery back up and running was a full time job for Gregg who had to travel up to Gisborne constantly, something he did for the next three years. “We re-structured the winery and sold off a lot of tanks. We replaced some of them, then built new receival areas – and

time. There wasn’t any down time in a year. You would have your vintage and that would run for a few months, because it is such a large winery. “Then you would have your post vintage and that was planning for what you would do for the following year, which

would involve costings for expansion. Then at the end of the year you would be starting to expand and rushing to get everything finished in time for the vintage. Then you started all over again. “It has been so positive and I have been on a high for most of the time. I think I have met every Prime Minister since 1976, and most of the Australian ones. I have met the Queen and even the Commander of the Enterprise Aircraft carrier. So it’s been a great time, one I wouldn’t have missed for anything.” For a man who admits the only grapes he had come across prior to 1976 were at the green grocers, it has been a fascinating 38 years – one of huge advancement in terms of the Marlborough wine industry. And one he has been proud to be a part of. ■ tessa.nicholson@me.com

PALLISER ESTATE WINES OF MARTINBOROUGH Chief Executive Officer Following the retirement of Richard Riddiford, effective 31st August 2015, after 25 years as Managing Director, the Board of Palliser is seeking to appoint a Chief Executive Officer to lead Palliser in its next stage of development. The Company has undoubtedly been one of New Zealand’s most successful wine companies with an enviable record of profitability, a strong balance sheet and a multi award range of Martinborough specific wines. The incoming CEO will need to demonstrate the ability to build on the successful platform created over 25 years, will have a strong track record in the New Zealand wine industry, a clear understanding of sales and marketing including export markets, and be prepared to live in Martinborough and lead the small but highly regarded Palliser team. All enquiries and requests for the position description should be directed to the undersigned at chairman@palliser.co.nz Applications close on Friday 24th April 2015. Andrew Meehan Chairman

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 59

REGIONS CENTRAL OTAGO

GERMANY COMES UNDER PINOT SPOTLIGHT JOELLE THOMSON

Where in the world is there more Pinot Noir than Burgundy and does its taste rival the great French wine region?

etamorphic rocks and shallow schist soils are never far from mind in Central Otago where the wineries are enveloped in the dramatic physical presence of both. This year, they formed the headline topic of the final day’s tasting at the Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration 2015: ‘The impact of soil on the shape of a wine’.

The focus of the session was how – and how to quantify that ‘how’ - the region’s soils influence the flavour, body and style of Pinot Noirs made from grapes grown there. Fourth generation vigneron Matt Dicey chaired the discussion about metamorphic rock, degraded schist soils and their impact on the region’s wine styles. It included debate about how best to communicate the impact

these soils have on the nutritional uptake of the vines growing in them. And also a detailed discussion about which specific flavours in wine are attributable to the soils in which grapes grow. The session also had a practical focus; a tasting of one Chilean Pinot Noir and five German Spatburgunders (also known as Pinot Noirs), led by German Master of Wine Frank Roder. “Everybody knows that Ger-

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

many is famous for Riesling but Spatburgunder is fairly unknown in the world,” says Roder. His talk began with an overview of Germany’s vineyard area, which currently totals 102,425 hectares. This figure means that Germany has just over three times’ the number of hectares planted to grapevines than New Zealand has. Of that number, 66,223 hectares in Germany are devoted to white grapes and 36,313 to black grapes.

Of the white grapes planted in Germany, over 50% are Riesling. And of the black, Pinot Noir is now a significant portion of the total plantings, which Roder says is largely due to the effects of global warming. Germany’s climate appears to have altered dramatically in the past three decades, said Roden. “The phases of grape ripening in Germany between flowering and full ripening are now a lot earlier; the bud break and vegetation is also earlier and all up, we are starting to harvest up to four weeks earlier in the past two decades than previously. Until the early 1980s, ripening was a crucial factor for German grapes.” The last vintage in Germany that was categorized as being ‘bad’, due to lack of ripeness, was 1981, he said. “Full ripeness has been achieved year by year in Germany since then.” Master of Wine Tim Atkin added that Germany grows more Pinot Noir than Burgundy. “It is not only a high quality producer of Pinot Noir, but also a volume producer,” said Atkin, who suggested that the metamorphic soils in Germany provide a different structural framework for Pinot Noir grapes than limestone and clay do. “The problem with this concept is that we live with it in a clay/limestone-centric world. Most of the great Pinot Noirs of the world are planted on clay and limestone, so we are looking at something very different in these wines, which come from metamorphic soils (like Central Otago’s). And these types of soils are mostly found in very hot regions such as the Douro in Portugal; Priorat in Spain; Cote Rotie in the northern Rhone; St Chinian in the Languedoc and other regions,” says Atkin.

Roden agreed that soils were one of the keys to the quality of German Spatburgunder today, but there were other critical factors too. “Site selection is the key issue for success in Germany. It is not only the soil that is making good wine; it is the vineyard and the terroir; clonal selection is very important too, in terms of selecting the right ones with small berries and loose bunches.” The 2015 Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration contained many other highlights this year; one of the best being the collaborative spirit that emerged at numerous tastings and meals; particularly at a relaxed lunch at Mount Edward Winery, where local winemakers produced and served not only the liquid in our glasses, but also the food on our plates. Duncan Forsyth, Matt Dicey, Sarah Kate and Dan Dineen provided food they had made that was as fascinating as it was delicious. ■ joellethomson@vodafone.co.nz

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 61

BOB’S BLOG BOB CAMPBELL MW

THE PRICE OF FITNESS

FIRST GLASS GOLF TOURNAMENT

Before Christmas I strained a muscle in my leg after missing a step on a ladder. Since then I have been visiting an ACC-sponsored physio who has been very helpful although I suspect she has a sado-masochist tendency. I now go to the gym every day. My leg is much better (thank you for asking) but I have a strained back, a damaged Achilles tendon and a hernia. On the upside I can now tear a telephone book in half although I suspect it has something to do with their diminished size.

Perfect conditions prevailed for this annual event generously organised and subsidised by Kingsley Wood. My team came second although our success was largely due to our collectively high handicaps rather than golfing prowess. One of our team won a prize for making the highest number of strokes. I briefly held the record for the longest drive. It seemed to me that the competitors were far more enthusiastic about wine than they were about golf.

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NZ VS AUSTRALIA To celebrate the clash between trans-Tasman rivals at the Cricket World Cup, and to generate a little wine publicity, NZ Winegrowers organised a wine tasting in the hope that we might beat Australia on and off the field. I chose eleven different and hopefully heroic New Zealand wine styles and these were matched by Australia’s “first eleven” carefully selected by Nick Stock, a man whose enthusiasm for cricket almost equals his enthusiasm for wine. Each country has different strengths. I predicted that New Zealand would obviously win Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling and dessert wines while Australia would come first in the red wine classes. The battle for supremacy would be fought in classes such as sparkling and Chardonnay where we were more equally matched. It won’t be a draw, I added, because we have an eleven classes. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was a draw, thanks to equal points on Sauvignon

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

Blanc, while New Zealand won the red classes, except Pinot Noir. The competition was a humbling experience although, on the bright side, I did discover several excellent Aussie wines including a knockout Sauvignon Blanc from Pemberton in Western Australia. I feel a trip to “The Great Southern” coming on. Australia only managed to draw by an entry which I think is the vinous equivalent of the notorious underarm bowling incident. Nick Stock entered a fantastic, aged, fortified Rutherglen Muscat that was correctly chosen as “player of the match” despite loud protests from the Kiwi team. That’s a bit like getting John Key to face Australia fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson, without helmet, pads or a box. The winners were: Arras EJ Carr Late Disgorged Méthode Tas-

mania 2002 Greystone Sand Dollar Pinot Gris Waipara Valley 2013 Framingham Select Riesling Marlborough 2013 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2014 (first equal) Cherubino Pemberton Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (first equal) Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay Margaret River 2013 S.C. Pannell Arido Nebbiolo Rosé Adelaide Hills 2013 Freycinet Vineyard Pinot Noir Tasmania 2012 Matua Single Vineyard Matheson Syrah Hawke’s Bay 2013 Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Merlot Cabernet Waiheke Island 2013 Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon Hawke’s Bay 2013 Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Rutherglen Muscat NV – player of the match

MARLBOROUGH MÉTHODE DINNER A group of 10 Marlborough sparkling wine producers have teamed up to promote their wines under the banner “Marlborough Méthode”. I was invited to attend a dinner at the Allan Scott Twelve Trees Restaurant featuring one wine from each member matched (in pairs) with five dishes.

I wasn’t prepared for such a variety of wine styles. They ranged from 100% Chardonnay to 100% Pinot Noir plus combinations of both grapes and a youthful wine from the 2012 vintage to a rich, mature 2004. Two wines were poured from magnums, the rest

from bottles. It was an inspired dinner with a series of very clever food matches. Try sipping Summerhouse Blanc de Blancs 2010 with Tio Point oysters, Japanese mayo, mild Kimchi and pickled ginger and you’ll appreciate my enthusiasm.

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY // 63

SOMMELIER’S CORNER CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

WHO’S SERVING YOUR WINE?

y the time these words are in print no doubt most of you will have faced the many challenges of the 2015 harvest head-on – there are also sure to be some interesting ferments still bubbling away. These wines will be scrutinised by experts and critics with more than a keen eye for detail, knowing what the vintage delivered - from Powdery to Pam. When these wines hit the market they leave your hands – and pass into those of the wine service personnel around the country, who you hope will deliver a high level of service and represent the fruits of your labour well. Herein lies one of the key challenges this country faces when it comes to wine service (actually service in general, but that’s a story for a different day) - a marked lack of trained and qualified staff. Those establishments who actively train and support training for their staff are notable, and we are grateful for their efforts – as we are for the wine servers and somms who adopt a professional approach.

Sadly, it will not matter if you produce an outstanding example of a particular wine, you will be poorly represented if the server is not familiar with the background story, some technical details around how the wine is made and the correct temperature range for service, as well as having the correct glassware and being able to provide appropriate wine food harmony hints (“this wine is good with chicken” – yikes!). While there are a few (very few) local dedicated Sommelier training, wine service, and examination systems, overall, they are not of sufficient scope, or reaching sufficient numbers of our wine servers. For those with an interest (professional and personal) in Sommelier or Wine Service credentials the opportunities to up-skill and get qualified are not prolific. As part of my particular passion for the local industry, for a number of years now I have been involved in bringing the rigorous international Court of Master Sommeliers programme to New Zealand. In July, with Masters

from the UK and USA Chapters, we will offer the Level 1 (Introductory) Sommelier course and exams; and Level 2 Certified Sommelier examinations. Three Master Sommeliers (myself included) will conduct a series of lectures, instruct on blind wine tasting skills, and demonstrate service at a level appropriate for a qualified Sommelier. To be successful, we need your support - if you know someone who is interested in working towards Sommelier or beverage service credentials – please ask them to contact me. If you wish to further your Industry by encouraging professionalism and professional qualifications for those who are presenting your wine to the public, please talk with me. The dates are July 4th through

6th with the venue being The Lakeside Room at Villa Maria HQ in Mangere Auckland. New Zealand wine deserves to be served by appropriately trained and qualified staff here in New Zealand – not just overseas. ■ cameron@guildsomm.com Cell: 021 80 11 80.

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

Contact Michael Selak Tel: (+64 9) 489 3644 Fax: (+64 9) 489 3646 Email: michael@winenetwork.co.nz

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REGIONS CENTRAL OTAGO

CHARDONNAY JOINS PINOT AT BENDIGO JOELLE THOMSON

olding Hill vigneron Tim Kerruish plans to plant half a hectare of white grapes on his heat drenched, Pinot-dedicated slopes at Bendigo in Central Otago. The site sits beneath a (perplexing) new cattle station, which is heavily irrigated and stands in stark green contrast to Kerruish’s arid Folding Hill Vineyard, from which he produces 1500 cases of Pinot Noir each year. This year Chardonnay will join the Pinot grapes, which are grown

on land that was formerly known as Clearview Station and devoted to its former life as a sheep farm. Tim and Nikki Kerruish bought 16 hectares of the sheep station in 2000, planting four hectares of Pinot Noir in 2003 and producing their first vintage in 2007. The Folding Hill Pinot Noirs are unfined and unfiltered; made by Fred Reinds at the old Black Ridge Winery in Alexandra.

The couple arrived in New Zealand 20 years ago. Each was on their own individual quest to fish, ski and walk. They met each other early on and shared both a passion for the land and for their individual careers in medicine. He is a doctor and works as a consultant in the emergency department of Dunedin Hospital; she is a bio-ethicist. Inspired by his own early student winemaking days, Kerruish

originally began producing ‘wine’ back when he bought cans of grape concentrate from Boot’s in the United Kingdom. The couple now live in Dunedin and have built an off-the-grid home in the middle of their Bendigo vineyard in Central Otago. It is on land that he describes as “a drop dead gorgeous site that we visited on a perfect winter day when fresh snow had just landed on the hills opposite, so we bought it straight away.” ■ joellethomson@vodafone.co.nz

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 65

INTERNATIONAL WINES

SAVOURING THE MOMENT Justine Tyerman recently visited Switzerland, where she got to savour the wines at a 500-year-old chateãu.

am a Kiwi listening to a Mexican winemaker speaking about Swiss wines in a mixture of English, French and German in the company of a Czech, Pole, Bulgarian, Dutch, Thai and assorted others. We are visiting Château de Valeyres, a small winery in Valeyres-sousRances, in the Côtes de l’Orbe winegrowing region of Switzerland, known for their red wines, especially Gamaret and Garanoir,

and the traditional Swiss Chasselas. Benjamin Morel, whose family have owned the 500-year-old château for three generations, is heavily committed because the grape harvest is in full swing so we are placed in the capable hands of his winemaker, Miguel Hernandez, chef de culture (vineyard manager) Frederic Hostetler and team. With the boss otherwise engaged, the charming Miguel

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treats us to fine wines served in the historic château’s cave along with platters of hors d’oeuvres. The wines, all appellation Côtes de l’Orbe, are exceptional and the ambiance of the cave lit by soft bulbs inside old wine bottles suspended above the table, is superb. My picks are the elegant fresh Prélude 2013 Chasselas, an iconic white wine of the Côtes de l’Orbe region and winner of a Lauriers

d’Or Terravin gold medal. Miguel’s favourite is the 2013 Le Courson, “a domain emblem for many years which shows the magnificent potential of Gamaret and Garanoir in the Côtes de l’Orbe. An elegant dark red wine with aromas of ripe fruit, it’s good with casseroles, red meat and cheese”. I ask Miguel how a Mexican winemaker comes to be working in a Swiss winery, a question he has

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been asked plenty of times. “I came to Switzerland due to my involvement in the Weingut Lilian project to develop viticulture in the Puebla region of Mexico. Due to the similarities between the Côtes de l’Orbe and my Mexican region, we came up with a plan for me to come to work for Benjamin Morel, the owner and chief winemaker here at Château de Valeyres. “The goal is to design a viticultural model to face the challenges in my region as well as increase co-operation with Château de Valeyres. Since Benjamin took over management of the family winery 10 years ago, he has concentrated all his efforts on renewing the equipment and increasing the value of the wine through the quality and diversity of what they offer to the market. “I am involved in the daily oenological processes of the

winery, working as a cellar team member during the harvest and then ageing the wines in the cellar. I conduct technical dégustations and some experimental microvinifications of traditional varieties in the region to understand the complexity and characteristics of the grapes. “I also work in the vineyard with the chef de culture (vineyard manager) Frederic Hostetler. We are constantly searching to find the best expression of the Swiss terroir from Côtes de l’Orbe, to present a product that we believe in to our clients at the château, at restaurants and fairs,” he says. “The people here are incredible, full of experience, ‘savoir faire’ and even more importantly, passion, so I decided to become part of the team to enrich my oenological experience.

Winemaker Miguel Hernandez.

“As a Mexican vigneron I’m giving a very important part of my life to this land and I will always treasure that experience, the wines and the people.” • Halfway between Lake Geneva and Lake Neuchâtel, the appellation Côtes de l’Orbe cov-

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YOUNG VITS

GROWING THROUGH COMPETITION TESSA NICHOLSON

his year marks the 10th anniversary of the National Young Viticulturist of the Year competition. In the next few months dozens of young people involved in viticulture throughout New Zealand will take part in regional competitions, with the aim of making it to the Nationals, and onwards to the Young Horticulturist of the year. The two most recent national winners, Matt Fox (Gisborne) and Paul Robinson (Hawke’s Bay) are advocates of just what taking part in such a competition can do for you. Not only in terms of workplace credence, but also personally.

For Robinson, who represented his region for four years before winning the national title, says his first emotion was one of; “I have finally knocked the bugger off”. But in more pragmatic terms, he says taking part over such a period of time gave him confidence in a range of different fields. “It has been five years of doing the competition, so everything I have learned during my entire working life, can be attributed in part to aspects of the competition. It’s hard to pin point one or two things that I have gained – but I would say it has given me selfconfidence. I now not only have a greater knowledge of the (wine)

industry, but I can now get up and speak in front of people – I couldn’t do that before.” For Fox, getting to know other young vits from around the country, has been a major bonus. “The contacts and networking I have gained have been amazing. Also taking part in the Young Horticulturist of the Year, I found it eye opening to look at other industries and learn from them. It is important not to focus just on viticulture – you have to be able to look outside that. And that competition made me look at my job with more of a business eye. Rather than just saying you are a vineyard manager, you need to realise that whatever you

Winning Young Vits. Paul Robinson (left) winner in 2014 and Matt Fox the 2013 winner.

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

do in the vineyard, it will impact on the rest of the business. You gain a view of the whole picture.” Both Young Vits believe more people should be putting their hand up for the regional competitions, without fear of being embarrassed. “A lot of people seem to be scared off – but all the things that make up the competition, are areas that you need to be efficient in, if you want your career to move forward,” Fox said.

Young Winemaker Of The Year 2015 will see the first ever Young Winemaker of the Year competition being held in New Zealand. It will be based along similar lines to the Young Vit, with eligible entrants required to be 30 years or under, a New Zealand resident who has completed two previous harvests or has two years experience in a wine production role in New Zealand. Marlborough Committee Chair Sophie Matthews says a competition of this sort has been a long time coming. “It will give recognition to those who are up-and-coming in the industry and I feel it has been needed for some time.” One of the supporters of the competition, Jeff Clarke, Chief Winemaker at Ara, says; “As support of a vital part of the wine business, namely our people, this competition will assist in demonstrating the skills and craft of the next generation of leaders of our industry.” ■ For more information, follow @ NZYoungWinemkr on Twitter and @NZYoungWinemaker on Facebook. tessa.nicholson@me.com

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‘Mind-bogglingly-brilliant, world-class and among the best’ . . . are the comments from overseas visitors, including experts, who have tasted Gisborne wines in recent months. Gisborne has hosted a number of overseas visitors who have heaped praise on the region’s wines, among them sommeliers and wine writers, Roger Jones, Dane Campbell, and Rebecca Leung brought here by New Zealand Winegrowers. “All three considered Gisborne wines to be world-class and they challenged wineries to get their brands out there to show the world exactly what this region is

all about,” said Gisborne Winegrowers’ Association president, Al Knight. UK wine writer and wine judge Roger Jones gave a glowing review about his tastings of aromatics. “Once recognised as the capital of New Zealand Chardonnay, this secluded wine region is a bustling seaside gem producing an array of wine varieties at a super-league level,” said Jones, a Michelin-star chef who owns the acclaimed restaurant The Harrow at Little Bedwyn. “Some of the wines I tasted were exceptional, absolutely amazing. Especially the varieties

away from the ‘norm’ like Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Marsanne and Arneis.They are world class.” At least 10 would make his preferred list, he said.

The Chardonnays he tasted were also “exceptional . . . mindbogglingly-brilliant is how I would describe them”. ■ justine.tyerman@clear.net.nz

Roger Jones left, with Al Knight. PHOTO GISBORNE HERALD.

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NOT ON THE LABEL LEGAL MATTERS MARIJA BATISTICH, ANDREW BEATSON AND SARAH ANDERTON – BELL GULLY

RMA REFORMS – WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON?

n January this year the Hon Dr Nick Smith announced the Government’s proposed changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The changes are largely fuelled by the national (mainly Auckland) housing supply and affordability issues as well as the need to maintain economic growth. However, the proposed amendments will also have relevance for winegrowers. The changes incorporate the following 10 major reforms: • Add management of natural hazards to the legislation’s list of core functions; • Recognise urban planning in the act’s purposes and principles; • Specifically recognise the need for more affordable housing; • Acknowledge the importance of infrastructure; • Give greater weight to property rights; • Create national planning templates instead of numerous plans for different regions; • Speed up the plan-making process; • Encourage collaborative resolution rather than lengthy litigation; • Strengthen national tools such as policy statements; and • Use the internet to improve simplicity and speed for paperwork such as submissions and notifications. These amendments are claimed to represent the most significant changes to the RMA since its inception 25 years ago. However, since the initial announcement was made, few details have emerged and there has therefore been limited informed comment about the proposals. For winegrowers, the changes, while welcome, are unlikely to have a significant effect. A key

improvement will be the creation of national planning templates which should help to streamline the plan development process by requiring less time and resources, although this will not remove the need to make submissions as individual council areas will still have their own specific areas of emphasis. The suggestion that greater weight will be afforded to private property rights may also assist winegrowers, although details of the actual changes in this regard are still unknown. In relation to many of the other areas for reform, we anticipate the changes will merely make explicit what are already assessed as part of best practice under the RMA. This observation applies particularly in relation to matters such as natural hazards, urban planning, the importance of infrastructure and collaborative dispute resolution where this is realistically achievable. Overall, these reforms represent a significant watering down of the reforms initially signalled by Hon Amy Adams last year. This may be due to political expediency or be an attempt to achieve longevity in the changes by decreasing the likelihood of amendment by a later government (or both). Regardless, the reforms are likely to represent a significant step in the right direction, although we consider they will probably have limited impact for winegrowers as producers. Hon Dr Nick Smith has indicated that the Government’s intention is to have the bill before Parliament and through a full select committee process this year. Greater details of the proposal will emerge at that time and will be covered in this column at a later date. ■

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CALENDAR

APRIL 20:

Applications for NZWinegrower Fellow Nominations closes

24: #SauvBlanc Day – an international day to celebrate our most famous wine

JUNE 8:

NZW Grape Day – Central Otago – Golden Gate Lodge - Cromwell

10: NZW Grape Day – Marlborough, Bleneim Convention Centre

12:

NZW Grape Day – Hawke’s Bay – Napier War Memorial Convention Centre

JULY

17:

Central Otago Young Viticulturist of The Year Competition

Hawke’s Bay Young Viticulturist of the Year

24:

– Te Awa Estate Winery More info – email Mike Saunders; mikes@ villamaria.co.nz

Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year Competition

8-10:

– For more information contact Natalie Wilson - info@cowa.org.nz

Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year – Marlborough Research Centre – For more information contact Samantha Young – samantha@ wine-marlborough.co.nz

28:

Organic/Biodynamic Wine and Viticulture Conference

Martinborough Young Viticulturist of the Year

– Blenheim Convention Centre. Register at www. organicwineconference.com

– For further information contact Braden Crosby – braden@ borthwick.co.nz

AUGUST 26-28:

Romeo Bragato Conference 2015 - Hastings

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NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

COUNTRY

EVENT

CITY

EVENT DATE

Asia

New Zealand Wine Tasting

Tokyo

Wed 13 May 2015

New Zealand Wine Fair

Shanghai

Tue 19 May 2015

New Zealand Wine Fair

Beijing

Thu 21 May 2015

New Zealand Wine Fair

Guangzhou

Tue 26 May 2015

New Zealand Wine Fair

Hong Kong

Thu 28 May 2015

New Zealand in a Glass

Montreal

Tue 5 May 2015

New Zealand in a Glass

Toronto

Thu 7 May 2015

New Zealand in a Glass

Halifax

Tue 12 May 2015

New Zealand in a Glass

Vancouver

Thu 14 May 2015

New Zealand Wine Fair

San Francisco

Mon 27 Apr 2015

New Zealand Wine Fair

New York

Thu 30 Apr 2015

Bottlenotes

San Diego

Thu 25 June 2015

Foodies Festival

London

23-25 May 2015

Foodies Festival

Bristol

26-28 Jun 2015

Foodies Festival

London

3-5 Jun 2015

Canada

USA

To register for these events log on to nzwine.com/members then click on NZ Wine Marketing. You can also contact the New Zealand Winegrowers Global Events Team on events@nzwine.com or (09) 306 5643. DON’T MISS OUT - REGISTER TODAY!

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015 // 73

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT Information and Updates on NZ Winegrowers Research Programmes. Editor: Dr Simon Hooker, General Manager Research and Innovation

A regular feature at the back of each issue of WineGrower to inform industry people about research projects being undertaken for their benefit. Newly approved projects (when available) are briefly summarised in the first section ‘Introducing New Projects’. Longer reports in the section headed ‘Progress Reports’, will describe what has been achieved so far. Scientists in charge of each project have been asked to make these reports reader-friendly rather than to follow the usual format of scientific papers. When completed, each project will be reported in full detail, with references, on the website: www.nzwine.com/members/research

LIST OF PROJECTS Quality Wine Styles for Existing and Developing Markets The pathway of volatile sulphur compounds in wine yeast The Bragato Trust and NZW Scholarship University of Auckland – (Dr Bruno Fedrizzi - student Matias Kinzurk) Preliminary investigation of factors responsible for variability in tartaric acid additions to Pinot noir Lincoln University (Roland Harrison) Influence of juice pH on thiol production Plant and Food Research (Claire Grose)

Sustaining vineyards through practical management of grapevine trunk diseases South Australian Research & Development Institute (Mark Sosnowski) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund

Pinot noir wine composition and sensory characteristics as affected by soil type and irrigation in the Waipara region Lincoln University (Glen Creasy)

Implementation of Virus Elimination Strategy Various (Nick Hoskins – Project Manager) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund

Reduced berry size and Botrytis tolerance through trauma to the vine Plant and Food Research (Mike Trought)

Sector weather data licence & tools HortPlus (NZ) Ltd.

The pathway of volatile sulphur compounds in wine yeast The Bragato Trust and NZW Scholarship University of Auckland (Dr Bruno Fedrizzi - student Matias Kinzurk)

Developing Powdery Mildew Best Practise in New Zealand Vineyards Lewis Wright Valuation & Consultancy Ltd (Trevor Lupton)

Lifestyle Wine (PGP) University of Auckland and Plant and Food Research (Various) Jointly funded by NZW and MPI Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) fund.

Effects of undervine vegetation management on grape quality, vine performance, grape composition, and soil properties Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) (Mark Krasnow)

Pests and Disease Virus diversity in New Zealand grapevines: sequence, ecology and impact The Rod Bonfiglioli Scholarship Plant and Food Research (Dr Robin MacDiarmid - student Arnaud Blouin)

// NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

Sustainability/Organics

Eco-verifying Viticultural Production for Policy, Regulatory & Market Requirements Plant and Food Research (Brent Clothier)

Cost Reduction/Increased Profitability

Grapevine growth stage monitoring for prediction of key phenological events Plant and Food Research (Rob Agnew) Supported by MPI Sustainable Farming Fund

PROGRESS REPORTS

Protecting grapevines against trunk diseases Mark Sosnowski1 and Dion Mundy2 South Australian Research & Development Institute The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited

mark.sosnowski@sa.gov.au

13-100

The grapevine trunk diseases eutypa and botryosphaeria dieback can kill vines and have major economic impacts in wine regions worldwide. They occur when fungal spores infect vines through pruning wounds, colonise woody tissue and cause dieback of cordons and trunks, with cankers observed as dark wedge-shaped tissue in crosssection. In New Zealand, they are becoming increasingly prevalent

and threaten the sustainability of the $NZ1.9 billion wine industry, which relies on the highly susceptible variety Sauvignon Blanc. Management of trunk diseases is based on removing infected wood material and preventing infection through pruning wounds. Protective treatments are currently limited to paints and pastes which must be applied by hand. In largescale commercial viticulture operations, hand-application

of products is not economically viable because of labour costs, so there is a need for a more efficient means of delivering treatments to wounds. In Australian vineyard trials, sprayers have been shown to be effective at applying pruning wound treatments to wounds of cordon-pruned Shiraz vines. A New Zealand Winegrowers project led by the South Australian Research & Development Institute in collaboration with Plant & Food

Research is developing efficient methods of protecting pruning wounds in New Zealand to minimise the risk of significant losses as experienced in other countries. Fo u r f i e l d t r i a l s w e r e established in Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay in 2013, to develop practical management strategies for grapevine trunk diseases. To generate data for registration of wound treatment fungicides, cane-pruned Sauvignon Blanc Modified weed sprayer applying fungicide to pruning wounds in a Hawke’s Bay vineyard.

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

vines in Marlborough were treated with several rates of Folicur ® (tebuconazole), Chief ® (carbendazim), Gem ® (fluazinam), Dithane™ (mancozeb) or Megastar™ (flusilazole), applied by hand using a paintbrush. Treatments were chosen based on efficacy reported in the literature and on commitment from manufacturers to the registration process. In addition, a number of types of tractor-driven sprayers, including air-shear, tangential, recycle and a modified weed sprayer, were used to apply Chief to spur-pruned Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Hawke’s Bay and cane-pruned Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough. To determine the effects of pruning time on susceptibility of pruning wounds and fungicide efficacy, Sauvignon Blanc vines were cane-pruned in early, mid- or late winter and were either untreated or treated with Chief by hand

with a paintbrush. To ensure adequate infection to establish efficacy, wounds in all trials were inoculated with spores of the fungi Eutypa lata (eutypa dieback) and Neofusicoccum luteum (botryosphaeria dieback) following treatment. Treated canes were removed in winter 2014 and laboratory assessment to recover pathogens from beneath treated wounds was undertaken to determine efficacy of treatments compared with untreated controls. Preliminary results have revealed that all five fungicide treatments provided some control against infection by both pathogens, with Folicur the most effective, followed by Chief and Gem. Application of Chief with sprayers was also shown to be effective for both pathogens with some of the sprayers, although data were in some cases confounded by either high or low disease pressure,

based on incidence of infection in inoculated controls. The susceptibility of wounds to N. luteum was lower in late winter than at the early pruning times, but conversely, natural inoculum incidence was greatest in late winter. Treatment of wounds with Chief was more effective at reducing infection by N. luteum in mid-winter than in early or late applications. Low incidence of E. lata infection prevented any conclusions being made about wound susceptibility. The field trials have exposed the difficulties of evaluating pruning wound treatments in the field, because of the varying conditions that can occur. At the time of inoculation, critical factors such as temperature, moisture and exposure to ultraviolet light can affect infection. To provide better control over environmental factors and achieve appropriate disease pressure, detached cane assays

are also being employed in the current project to ensure sufficient data are collected to provide recommendations for industry. These results are still preliminary and the field trials repeated in 2014 will be assessed in 2015. Additional data will then be analysed and conclusions and recommendations reported at the end of the project.

Acknowledgements This project was made possible by funding from New Zealand Winegrowers and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF 13-071). We thank Villa Maria and PernodRicard NZ for providing vines and technical assistance, along with the various agrochemical companies that have committed to the outcomes of registering products for control of trunk diseases. ■

Eco-verifying viticultural production for policy, regulatory & market requirements 14-103

With the advent of the National Policy Statement on Fresh Water (NPS-FW) and the roll-out of second generation Regional Plans, there will be increasing pressure on primary production systems to demonstrate compliance with policy goals and regulatory standards. The goals of the NPS-FW can be summarised in the following three bullet points. • This national policy statement provides a National Objectives Framework to assist regional councils and communities to plan

for freshwater objectives more consistently and transparently. • Setting enforceable quality and quantity limits is a key purpose of this national policy statement. This is a fundamental step to achieving environmental outcomes and creating the necessary incentives to use fresh water efficiently, while providing certainty for investment. • The national policy statement sets national bottom lines for two compulsory values – ecosystem health and human health for recreation – and minimum

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

acceptable states for other national values. A new research project by New Zealand Winegrowers will seek to provide assurances that viticultural practices comply and exceed the requirements of the bottom-line water quality standards of the NPS-FW. A two-step project to realise this objective has been planned with Plant & Food Research. The current imperative is therefore to provide an assessment of the likely impacts of viticulture of groundwater

quality using a review of existing knowledge and results, and then to provide confirmation of these by conducting monitoring trials in some of New Zealand’s major grape-growing regions. The first step will be carried out via a detailed literature review and data mining of existing knowledge and, based on the findings of this step, the project may move to the second step, using a network of monitoring sites. • Contact: Brent Clothier, Plant & Food Research. Email: brent. clothier@plantandfood.co.nz ■

Lifestyle wines – the market and the opportunity Industry participants in the Lifestyle Wines Partnership Programme aim to position New Zealand as the world’s top producer of high-quality, lower alcohol and lower calorie wines. A cluster of trends related to health and wellness, social responsibility, and ‘looking and feeling good’ at any age have gained momentum in recent years, to the point where they now exert a powerful influence on consumers’ choices. In the wine space, that means consumers are increasingly looking at lower alcohol and lower calorie options to deliver desirable features and benefits. ‘Lifestyle Wines’ is a sevenyear research and development programme directed by New Zealand Winegrowers. Funded jointly by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Primary Growth Partnership (PGP), wine industry levies, and commercial contributions from partner wine companies (grantors), the programme focuses on how to enhance the creation of lower alcohol and lower calorie wines. With a strong emphasis on natural production, the programme has set an objective to use sustainable viticultural techniques and native yeasts, providing wineries with a point of difference to existing processing methods and other products in the market. The programme aims to deliver economic benefits of $285 million a year by the end of 2023. Industry partne rs have already participated in a two-day workshop and a field day, and the run-up to the 2015 vintage saw a range of seasonal trials in selected vineyard blocks. Experimental winery ‘microvinifications’ for 2015 used some of the native yeasts identified by scientists at the University of Auckland as having the potential to help create

wines at lower alcohol levels. At the same time, the programme is also digging a little deeper with market research. Programme Manager Dr David Jordan says he believes New Zealand can lead the world as producers of high-quality lifestyle wines. ‘No other wine-producing country commands a dominant position in this rapidly developing new category,’ notes Dr Jordan. ‘If we can produce lower alcohol wines of high quality and desirable flavours, then we will reap the commercial rewards.’ This segment of the wine market is dynamic and growing fast. Domestically, it grew more than 50% by value in 2014. Globally, the growth looks just as promising, according to Richard Lee, Marketing Manager for the programme. ‘We’re now gaining a better understanding of key markets in terms of the “size of the prize”,’ says Mr Lee. ‘Early indications suggest that both the domestic and international markets for lifestyle wines may be bigger than we envisaged at the start of the programme.’ Preliminary research has indicated the likely top markets for lifestyle wines are United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. One of the drivers behind the growth is the need for socially responsible behaviour around alcohol consumption – especially

follo wing ne w legislation pertaining to drinking and driving in New Zealand and many other countries. The introduction of changes to this country’s drink driving law (in the same sales period as the 2014 Christmas season) coincided with a record quarter for sales in the lifestyle wines category. While growth has been rapid, sales for this category currently account for just 2% of the total domestic wine market – or about three glasses of wine per person each year. Most domestic sales comprise Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris wines, which account for about 4% of sales for each variety. According to Mr Lee, that leaves plenty of room for further growth. Global market research to date has largely reported consumer perceptions based on products that are currently available, adds Mr Lee, and that includes products that fail to deliver on the flavour and quality expectations of premium wine drinkers. Research conducted on behalf of the Lifestyle Wines programme

indicates a range of reasons cited by consumers for not buying lower alcohol wines, including: • Poor quality. • Poor taste. • Favourite wine is not available in a lower alcohol option. • Not stocked where the consumer shops. • Not aware of products. • Belief that lower alcohol products are not really wine. ‘The true market potential lies in “what might be”,’ adds Mr Lee. ‘We’re interested in those consumers seeking to purchase lower alcohol wines that are close to or equal to the quality and flavour of their preferred wines.’ Many of the barriers cited by consumers intersect with the quality issues that the PGP programme aims to research and address, observes Dr Jordan. ‘These issues are not insurmountable,’ he adds. ‘We’re confident that lifestyle wines will contribute to the future growth of the New Zealand wine portfolio and help it to achieve the goal of becoming one of this country’s top five export industries.’ ■

NZ WINEGROWER APRIL/MAY 2015

// 77

The effect of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 genetic variants on grapevines Chooi KM1, Blouin AG1, Cohen D1, Bell VA2, Mundy D3, Nobilo S4, and MacDiarmid RM1 1

The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand

The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd, Hastings, New Zealand

The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd, Blenheim, New Zealand

Waimarie Wines, Waimauku, New Zealand

Corresponding author karmun.chooi@plantandfood.co.nz*

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The viral grapevine leafroll disease, which is (groups I, II, III, V, and VI) along with a field and laboratory conditions. caused predominantly by Grapevine leafroll- unique genetic variant yet to be classified. Three interconnecting approaches associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3). GLRaV-3 can However, little is known about the effect(s) will be used: (i) the establishment of a lead to reduced vine vigour and longevity, (such as yield quality and quantity, foliage comprehensive field trial involving over 1000 and reduced fruit yield and quality that symptom expression, and virus transmission healthy and GLRaV-3 infected grapevines in turn adversely influence wine quality. by insects) each GLRaV-3 variant has on the (four cultivars) across three New Zealand Currently, once a vine is infected, there is grapevine. A greater understanding of how grape growing regions; (ii) establishing no “cure” for this virus. Consequently in these variants interact with their grapevine tissue culture plants (small plants that can be response, New Zealand easily manipulated under Winegrowers (NZW), in numerous conditions to conjunction with The New test plant responses) infected with GLRaV-3 Zealand Institute for Plant variants; and (iii) & Food Research Limited Recent studies have shown high (PFR) have developed developing an infectious a co-ordinated array of clone of a New Zealand genetic diversity within the GLRaV-3 research activities that aim GLRaV-3 variant. Overall, population found in grapevine to remediate the damage the accomplishment of growing regions worldwide, and in caused by GLRaV-3 in New the three approaches may Zealand vineyards. This lead to the development particular in New Zealand. new project, co-funded of a science-based model Based on the genetic code, GLRaV-3 by NZW, PFR, and The of GLRaV-3 impacts, forming the basis for Agricultural and Marketing can differ by more than 20%, and the deployment of new Research and Development variants are classified into at least GLRaV-3 management Trust, is part of this co-ordinated approach. tools. One such tool may six different groups Recent studies have one day include the use shown high genetic of an alternative GLRaV-3 diversity within the disease control strategy GLRaV-3 population found often referred to as cross in grapevine growing regions worldwide, and hosts and insect carriers is critical to the protection (where a naturally occurring mild in particular in New Zealand. Based on the development of tools to predict and control strain of the virus protects against another genetic code, GLRaV-3 can differ by more the virus in the vineyard. This project aims to virus strain that produces detrimental than 20%, and variants are classified into at better understand the relationship between symptoms), an approach that has been least six different groups (groups I to VI), five the genetic variants of GLRaV-3 and its successfully applied over many years around of which have been identified in New Zealand biological impacts on the plant under both the world in other fruit crops. ■

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Improving the molecular diagnostic detection of grapevine leafrollassociated virus 3 Kar Mun Chooi, Arnaud Blouin, Vaughn Bell, Michael Pearson, Daniel Cohen, and Robin MacDiarmid The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (PFR), Auckland, PFR, Hawke’s Bay, School of Biological Sciences University of Auckland 12 - 118

Background Grapevine leafroll-associated v i r u s 3 (G L R a V- 3 ) i s a n economically important virus that is found in all grapevinegrowing regions worldwide. The main visual symptoms caused by GLRaV-3 are the downward rolling of the leaf margins, stunting in growth, and the premature reddening of leaves in red grape varieties (for examples, see http://www.flickr. com/photos/92930499@N07). Currently, the strategy used to mitigate the negative impacts of GLRaV-3 on the wine industry is based on three main steps. First, introduction of GLRaV-3 to vineyards is minimised by using grapevines from nurseries that can certify material has been produced according to the New Zealand Winegrowers Grafted Grapevine Standard. Second, GLRaV-3 within a vineyard

is kept as low as possible by removing (roguing) virusinfected plants. Third, spread of GLRaV-3 within vineyards is reduced by monitoring and controlling vector (mealybug) numbers in the vineyard. The first two of these steps required reliable and sensitive diagnostic tests. Currently, the two main laboratory diagnostic testing methods for GLRaV-3 are enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ELISA is based on the detection of the proteins that surround and protect the virus genetic material, while RT-PCR targets and detects the virus genetic material (i.e. RNA in the case of GLRaV-3). The accuracy of both these tests can be compromised by variability of the virus genetic

code within the virus population. High variability within the GLRaV-3 genetic code has been found in grapevine growing regions worldwide and in particular within New Zealand. Currently, based on the genetic code, variants of GLRaV-3 are classified into at least six different groups (groups I to VI). The genetic code of groups I to V differ by 10% or less, whereas group VI is an outlier which differs from the first five groups by more than 20%. As a result of Chooi’s doctoral research, GLRaV-3 genetic variants representative of groups I, II, III, V, and VI were identified in New Zealand. In addition to variants from five of the six recognised groups, unique genetic variants that differ from all previously known GLRaV-3 variants by more than 20% were identified. These New Zealand-

specific variants occur widely in New Zealand vineyards and are referred collectively as NZ2. Because of the high variation in the virus genetic code, testing with commonly used molecular RT-PCR diagnostic protocols could not be used to detect New Zealand GLRaV-3 variants from group VI and NZ2. This risk needs to be mitigated to ensure propagating material released under the grafted grapevine standard continues to be tested for all known GLRaV-3 variants. Therefore, our aim was to improve GLRaV-3 detection and develop new molecular diagnostic protocols; ensuring the most up-to-date diagnostic tools that can detect all known GLRaV-3 variants are available in New Zealand.

What we did The RNA sequences of

Figure 1: Diagrammatic representation of the regions of the Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) genome targeted for multiplex RTPCR and the corresponding virtual gel for a sample positive for all targeted GLRaV-3 variants and the plant internal control nad5. Left lane shows DNA markers of known size and the right lane shows separation of the PCR products according to size. The GLRaV-3 variants targeted for each primer set are noted alongside the corresponding bands on the gel.

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GLRaV-3 variants from New Zealand and overseas were compared and analysed for areas with high and low similarity among all GLRaV-3 variants. Using this information, two types of molecular diagnostic protocols were developed. First, a generic protocol was developed for the detection of all known GLRaV-3 variants based on areas of high similarity in the RNA code among GLRaV-3 variants. Second, a genetic variant-specific protocol was developed for the detection of four specific GLRaV-3 variants (group I, group II, group VI, and NZ2) that have been found in New Zealand. This protocol was based on a number of distinct areas of low RNA similarity (Figure 1). To test how well the new

diagnostic protocols detect GLRaV-3, each protocol was assessed using healthy (12 vines) and GLRaV-3 infected (55 vines) cane and leaf samples sourced from different regions of New Zealand, including Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Lincoln, Wairarapa, and Marlborough. This test set represented over 20 different cultivars including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gruner Veltliner, and Pinot Noir. Following this testing, the genetic variant-specific protocol was used to survey a small collection of historic grapevine accessions (157 accessions) from the Te Kauwhata National Grapevine Repository established on a property near Auckland, and 158 Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines from a commercial Hawke’s

Bay vineyard (consisting of 148 visually symptomatic vines and ten symptomless vines). Results and Discussion The generic and variantspecific protocols detected GLRaV-3 readily and reproducibly regardless of the plant tissue type, variety of the grapevine, or whether the sample had one or multiple types of GLRaV-3 genetic variants. When we compared the accuracy of these new protocols with older, more commonly used molecular d i a g n o s t i c p r o to c o l s , t h e common molecular diagnostic protocols did not detect GLRaV-3 positive samples infected with either group VI and/or NZ2 (Figure 2). Therefore, the new protocols have improved molecular detection, effectively

Figure 2: Comparison of GLRaV-3 detection using three different RT-PCR assays. Ten selected grapevine leaf and cane samples (lanes 1-10) were detected using the: (A) older commonly used published H330/ C629 primer pair, and newly developed (B) primer pair and (C) variant-specific multiplex RT-PCR assay. Red dotted boxes highlight three samples, infected with a group VI variant (NZ-1) and/or NZ2, which produced false negative results using the published primers but were detected using the generic and variant-specific molecular assays. Lane L, 1kb Plus DNA ladder with DNA markers of known sizes; lane 11, healthy grapevine sample (i.e. GLRaV-3 negative); lane 12, no template control.

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detecting all GLRaV-3 variants known to be present in New Zealand, including the divergent group VI and NZ2 variants. This result has positive implications for the quality and health status of the propagating material released to the sector for planting. The variant-specific protocol was applied successfully to screen field samples from the pilot surveys. Both field surveys identified vines with single and multiple infections of different types of GLRaV-3 variants. Most of the historic Auckland samples had two or more different types of GLRaV-3 variants (116 of 157 vines, 81%) compared with only three out of the 158 (2%) Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Hawke’s Bay. Other studies have found GLRaV-3 co-infecting grapevines in combination with other grapevine viruses including GLRaV-1 and GLRaV-2, and in combinations of GLRaV-3 variants from phylogenetic groups. However, the Auckland grapevine collection has a particularly high percentage of vines with mixed infections of GLRaV-3 compared with the commercial Hawke’s Bay collection and other GLRaV-3 s t u d i e s. T h i s h i g h m i xe d infection could be because of the age of the vines and/or the lack of disease management used in this block. Once grapevines are infected with GLRaV-3, the vines cannot be “cured” and the virus remains in the plant for the remainder of its life. Since grapevines are long-lived perennial plants, vines can accumulate different GLRaV-3 genetic variants in the presence of mealybugs (insects that can transmit GLRaV-3 from vine to vine). Many of the vines in the Auckland collection were known to be infected with viruses when the block was established and it continues to be maintained as a repository

for research purposes. The vines were originally imported from different sources, and have been transferred to their current vineyard plot from a number of different sites in New Zealand, thus increasing the chances for multiple virus infections by mealybug transmission. Additionally, because these vines are not for commercial use, no disease control measures like roguing are undertaken in this plot. The presence of multiple virus sources in a single site

also increases the chances for multiple virus infections by mealybug transmission. In contrast, the Hawke’s Bay block is part of an on-going programme to control GLRaV-3 spread via annual roguing of plants based on GLRaV-3 visual symptoms. This roguing reduces the number of virus sources and in turn reduces the chance of multiple virus infections within a single vine by mealybug transmission. To investigate the distribution

of the different GLRaV-3 genetic variants in the Auckland and Hawke’s Bay blocks, the results from the genetic variant-specific testing for each GLRaV-3 positive sample were plotted according to the vine position within the plots (Figure 3). GLRaV-3 typically spreads within the vineyard from an infected vine that acts as a source for spread to adjacent vines along the rows, and some across row spread may also occur. In combination, virus transmission to neighbouring

vines can lead to “GLRaV-3 clusters”. Spread within a block is generally by mealybug vectors. After feeding on a virus-infected vine, the most mobile life stage, the crawler, can acquire GLRaV-3 and transmit it to healthy neighbouring vines. Mealybug crawlers have been observed moving between vines along the trellis support wires in New Zealand vineyards, and can have passive assistance from vineyard workers, machinery, animals, and wind.

Figure 3: Schematic of vine GLRaV-3 infection status screened by multiplex RT-PCR. (A) Auckland collection of grapevines from the Te Kauwhata National Grapevine Repository. Each “x” represents a single vine and “-” represents a missing or dead vine. (B) Commercial Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard block. Clusters of GLRaV-3 infected vines are marked with red dotted circles.

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The spatial distributions of GLRaV-3 variants in both collections are indicative of secondary spread by mealybug transmission. The Auckland collection had long stretches of infected vines with the same GLRaV-3 variant (Figure 3A), probably because of mealybug transmission that occurred before vines were located to Auckland and/or presently within their current Auckland location (as mentioned above). In comparison, the infected Cabernet Sauvignon vines at the Hawke’s Bay collection were generally isolated plants scattered throughout the plot, although vines with the NZ2 genetic variants and, to a lesser extent group I variants, also occurred in clusters (Figure 3B). Since this block is subject to an on-going roguing programme to control GLRaV-3 spread, the potential sources for new infections here can include (i) planting infected nursery stocks, (ii) mealybug transmission from nearby infected vines (symptomless or symptomatic) prior to roguing, or possibly from neighbouring blocks/ vineyards, and (iii) mealybug transmission from residual roots from previously rogued vines. Mealybugs were observed in this block (mean: 20 mealybugs per 100 leaves sampled between 2010 and 2013), suggesting probable virus spread by mealybug transmission. Based on studies of other plant viruses, in particular Citrus tristeza virus, a close relative of GLRaV-3 that infects citrus, the severity of symptom expression by the plants caused by viral infection can depend on a range of factors such as co-infecting viruses, grapevine characteristics

(cultivar, clone, rootstock genotype), and environmental conditions. Different genetic variants of the same plant virus can also lead to differences in symptom development. From the survey of the Cabernet Sauvignon vines, it is encouraging to observe

assume that foliar symptoms of NZ2 develop much slower relative to group I infections. If the visual symptoms of Cabernet Sauvignon vines infected with a group I variant are expressed earlier than NZ2 infected vines, it is conceivable

To better understand the impact of the GLRaV-3 genetic variation on symptom expression in grapevines, we will be conducting a comprehensive field trial. This field trial will compare Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc grapevines infected with GLRaV-3 genetic variants from group I, group VI, or NZ2, both with one another and with equivalent healthy grapevines, across field plots in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, and Marlborough.

that at least three GLRaV-3 genetic variants, particularly the divergent variants from group VI and NZ2, caused observable symptoms in Cabernet Sauvignon, which were used as visual cues to identify the infected vines we tested. However, even with the annual roguing of vines, GLRaV-3 spread is still noticeable in this block. The higher number of GLRaV-3 NZ2 infection clusters may be explained by differences in the severity or timing at which symptoms appear for NZ2, and/ or differences in the ability for the mealybug to transmit this variant. For example, let us

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that the NZ2 infected vines may not develop the typical foliar symptoms within the same season as the group I infected vines. While group I infections will be rogued that season, the unseen NZ2 infected vines remain in the vineyard for longer, and could continue to pose a risk to neighbouring vines. Alternatively, if NZ2 had a higher transmission rate than other GLRaV-3 variants, this would increase the likelihood of successful transmission to more neighbouring vines. Either of these scenarios might explain the observed NZ2 clusters. For now, the relationship between plant,

virus, and virus vector remains poorly understood. To better understand the impact of the GLRaV-3 genetic variation on symptom expression in grapevines, we will be conducting a comprehensive field trial. This field trial will compare Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc grapevines infected with GLRaV-3 genetic variants from group I, group VI, or NZ2, both with one another and with equivalent healthy grapevines, across field plots in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, and Marlborough. Over the course of the trial, we will monitor and record the timing and extent of symptom expression (e.g. leaf appearance), plant growth, and the berry size and fruit characteristics. The results will provide new and much needed information to fill the present knowledge gap concerning the relationship between vine and virus. This information will then assist the New Zealand wine industry with the progressive development of a science-based model of GLRaV-3 impacts nationally, which form a strategic basis for advancing robust GLRaV-3 management protocols.

Acknowledgements This work is part of the New Zealand Grape and Wine Research programme, a joint investment by PFR and NZ Winegrowers. Funding for Chooi’s PhD research was also provided by The University of Auckland, Tertiary Education Commission, and Corbans Viticulture Limited. The authors would also like to thank Stephen Nobilo and Caine Thompson for their assistance with access to plant samples. ■