New Zealand Winegrower Feb-March 2022

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER

NEW ZEALAND

Winegrower Official magazine of the New Zealand wine industry

T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F T H E N E W Z E A L A N D W I N E I N D U S T RY

Seasonal Update

From the regions

Startup

Smart solutions

Pandemic Potential Xylella fastidiosa

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ISSUE 132

Harnessing Nature The Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 / ISSUE 132

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NEW ZEALAND

Winegrower Official magazine of the New Zealand wine industry

ISSUE 132 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Regulars

16

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Editorial Sophie Preece

6

From the CEO Philip Gregan

48

Women in Wine Celia Hay

50 54

The Profile Roger Parkinson

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Point of View Dr Edwin Massey

60 62 65

Postcard Andréa McBride John

Wine Weather James Morrison Advocacy Matters Update on environmental matters Social Pages Classic Kiwi Summer

Features 24

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16

Seasonal Update A good flowering and growing season has been welcomed by our wine regions.

Smarter 22 Growing Agritech startups are changing

the face of New Zealand’s wine industry.

Babich 46 Joe Joe Babich was a giant in New Zealand’s wine industry.

50 Cover – Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme BRI Principal Research Scientist Dr Darrell Lizamore, who is leading the Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme, collecting leaf samples from vines to study their genetic diversity. Photo Stephen Goodenough. Go to page 34

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EDITOR Sophie Preece sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz CORRESPONDENTS Wellington Wine Country: Joelle Thomson mailme@joellethomson.com Hawkes Bay: Olly Styles oliverstyles@hotmail.com Central Otago: Jean Grierson jean.grierson@nzsouth.co.nz Canterbury: Jo Burzynska jo@joburzynska.com ADVERTISING Upper North Island: Stephen Pollard stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 021 963 166 Central North Island: Lisa Wise lisaw@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 027 369 9218 Lower North Island: Ron Mackay Ph: 021 453 914 South Island: Kaye Sutherland kayes@ruralnews.co.nz Ph: 021 221 1994 CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Jodi Blair jodi.blair@nzwine.com Ph: 09 303 3527, ext 0 Fax: 09 302 2969 Mobile: 027 700 2371 New Zealand Winegrowers PO Box 90 276, Auckland Mail Centre, New Zealand PUBLISHING & PRE-PRESS Rural News Group PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Ph: 09 307 0399 Location: Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Publisher: Brian Hight Managing Editor: Adam Fricker Production: David Ferguson, Rebecca Williams Published by Rural News Group Ltd under authority of New Zealand Winegrowers Inc. Unless directly attributed, opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Rural News Group and/or its directors or management, New Zealand Winegrowers Inc. or its constituent organisations. Published every second month. One free copy is mailed to every member of the New Zealand Winegrowers Inc, 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 ISSN 1174-5223

From the Editor Tapping into nature and technology to improve the environmental, financial and quality outcomes of New Zealand’s wine industry is a bit of a theme of this edition. It’s at play in the Focus feature on smart startups offering technology solutions in the field, such as Croptide’s sensors, which assess the stem water potential of vines to send information to the grower, promoting better water efficiency and enhanced fruit quality. “We strive to make a positive impact on people, the planet and fruit growers” says founder Hamish Penny on page 23.

It’s also there in the recently announced Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme (our cover photo this month), an $18.7 million, seven-year project working to diversify Sauvignon Blanc vines in order to select traits “to accommodate a changing environment, capture market opportunities, and fend off biosecurity threats”. As well as traits that might protect against frost and disease, or evolve flavour and aroma, the programme is likely to yield environmental gains, because selected variants may allow grape growers to reduce inputs, or make production more efficient and sustainable, says Bragato Research Institute Chief Executive Jeffrey Clarke on page 35.

All this is a great fit for Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential.

As New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan wrote in the last edition of Winegrower Magazine, this collaborative Government and cross sector industry project provides a roadmap toward three ambitious targets, “to achieve a more productive, sustainable and inclusive economy within the next decade”.

As this edition goes to print, the country is settling in to the red traffic light setting, resulting in the cancellation, postponement and adjustment of events around the country. That’s terrible news for organisers, but with the wine industry hurtling towards harvest with an already beleagured labour supply (see page 16) Covid-19 continues to present a major threat.

Sophie Preece EDITOR

Contributors

Tony Skinner

Joelle Thomson

Anna Cameron

Tony has been writing about the promise of autonomous technologies for various international publications for many years. He talks to Marlborough-based Smart Machines about the Oxin autonomous vineyard vehicle.

Joelle loves talking to the people behind New Zealand’s wine industry, and in this edition chats to Roger Parkinson about 30 years of winemaking at Nga Waka, and to Celia Hay about lockdown motivation.

Anna joined New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) in September 2021 as Senior Legal Counsel. In this edition’s On Your Behalf, she gives an update on environmental matters, including climate change, waste, and water.

Go to page 28

Go to pages 48 & 50

Go to page 62

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FROM THE CEO

From the CEO Labour challenges for vintage 2022 PHILIP GREGAN Back at the start of vintage 2020, growers and wineries waited anxiously for the answer to the burning question – would the industry have essential business status? We have come a long way since then, but the pandemic continues to impact the industry in a multitude of ways, with vintage 2022 marking the third harvest of living and working with Covid-19.

Prominent in the list of impacts is the closure of the border and the shortage of backpackers, Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme staff, and other workers that has resulted. And now, just to complicate matters even further, everyone is thinking about the potential impact of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Labour availability issues have been a focus for the industry since the early 2000s, when the vineyard area started to expand rapidly.

Complicating the labour supply issue for the industry is that it is strongly regionally based, often in areas with a small resident population, and unemployment rates below the national average.

New Zealand Winegrowers’ (NZW) involvement on labour issues has reflected the interests of the industry, hence our involvement with RSE from the very inception of the programme over a decade ago. But there is no doubt that labour availability has become an increasingly critical issue for the sector the longer Coviddriven border restrictions have been in place.

The past 12 months have seen some positive developments. Along with colleagues in the horticulture industry, we have been able to put our views directly to ministers Kris Faafoi and Damien O’Connor on a regular basis. Through good engagement with the ministers and officials we have managed to get 4,000 RSE workers into New Zealand at a time when the border was effectively closed. We also saw 6

quarantine-free travel for RSE workers from Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu commencing in October, which has greatly reduced the costs for getting those workers into New Zealand.

Over the past year, we have also increased our support for attracting New Zealanders

“There is no doubt that labour availability has become an increasingly critical issue for the sector the longer Coviddriven border restrictions have been in place.”

Philip Gregan to the industry. We are working closely with the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ministry of Social Development to highlight careers available in the industry, and to ensure the New Zealand wine industry is an attractive option for Kiwis looking for training or career changes. Our industry is making changes to adapt and promote roles to New Zealanders, including a shift towards increasing permanent roles and scaling back the seasonal roles, higher rates of pay and additional benefits, including accommodation, travel, and meals.

While these are positives, there are real challenges facing growers and wineries: • In October, Stats NZ announced the unemployment rate in New Zealand had fallen to 3.4 percent in the September 2021 quarter, the lowest level in some time, indicating a very tight labour market. In some of our regions the unemployment

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

rate will be even lower. This makes it very challenging to source an increased number of Kiwis into our workforce – the workers are just not there.

• Given the ongoing border closure, the number of backpackers on Working Holiday Visas in the country is well down on previous years. There are also limits on the number of RSE workers we can get into the country with the current cap being 14,400 workers.

• Competition for those workers who are here is intense. The entire horticulture and agriculture sector is facing labour shortages, and everyone is competing for the same pool of workers. That is driving up the cost of staff.

• And then there is Omicron. The big question is to what extent this will impact the upcoming vintage? There is a lot of contingency planning going on by wineries and growers to manage the risk of Covid-19, which will further exacerbate the labour shortage.

Unsurprisingly the combination of the tight New Zealand-based labour market and restricted access to overseas workers was reflected in the recent Wine Marlborough vintage workforce survey. This showed a shortage of 300 winery cellar hands for the coming harvest, a significant result given many businesses have already adjusted their operating procedures to reduce staffing requirements.

There are no quick and easy answers to these Covid-generated labour supply issues.

Longer-term the answer is to employ as many Kiwis as possible and, post-Covid, to get back to more normal border settings.

Meanwhile, NZW will be working hard to get as many skilled workers as we can into the country to help address these labour shortages.

Best wishes for vintage 2022.

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NEWS BRIEFS

Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards

The Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2019 was Champion Wine of the Show at the 21st Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards.

General Manager for the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society, Sally Jackson, says the primary sector is the “cornerstone” of the region’s economy, “and the event aims to identify, promote, and celebrate excellence in winemaking in the region as well as endorsing the contribution viticulture has to the economic, cultural, and social wellbeing of Hawke’s Bay”.

Chief Judge Ant Mackenzie says the quality of wine over the past four years has increased year on year. “A highlight for this year’s judging panel was seeing the smaller and more diverse wineries receiving medals. Over 75 percent of all entries submitted this year were awarded a medal and this was a direct result of a perfect season climatically, with crops across Hawke’s Bay being grown with a strong concentration of flavours.” The winner of the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Hall of Fame for 2021 was Kate Radburnd (pictured), recognised for her leadership, mentoring, advocacy and ability to empower others in the wine industry across New Zealand.

Many a slip twixt vine and lip

Johnny Valencia’s award winning student wine was something of a comedy of errors. The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking student won the 2021 Ginkgo Trophy for the best student wine at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, for a Chardonnay that seemed destined to fail. “I was flabbergasted, and completely shocked, but I was really happy,” says Johnny, who lost most of his Chardonnay grapes to birds, along with the Chenin Blanc grapes he thought could supplement the harvest. “They were just about all gone too,” says Johnny. “I thought I was pretty stuffed, but I found some Albariño grapes, which have completely different characteristics to Chardonnay and you wouldn’t normally blend them together. But I didn’t have a Plan B so ended up with 60 percent Chardonnay, 20 percent Chenin Blanc and 20 percent Albariño — and no idea how it would turn out.”

Johnny continued with his winemaking plan, treating it as a Chardonnay, but had an issue with high acidity due to the unripe Albariño grapes. He decided to carry on using malolactic fermentation to give the wine a creamy, buttery taste, done by adding a bacteria culture to kickstart the process. Unfortunately, the room the wine was in had a temperature malfunction which killed off the malolactic fermentation process.

“At this stage I nearly called it quits as nothing was going my way and I seemed jinxed. But I put the wine in oak and left it on the lees - the acid levels started to drop and every week it developed and became how I wanted it.” Johnny was the last in his class to get his wine bottled.

Ngarita Warden, NMIT Viticulture and Wine Tutor, says Johnny’s win is “awesome” especially as no other student won a medal. “Johnny worked so hard in every paper, he has a great attitude and the effort he put into his wine was unbelievable - it’s a really well-deserved award.”

Four time champ Chris Scott Church Road Chief Winemaker Chris Scott has been named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year at the 2021 Winestate Wine of the Year Awards, having already taken the title in 2013, 2016 and 2020. “Winning Winemaker of the Year is a real privilege, and to win it four times is just incredible,” he says of the record run. “It’s such a great testament to the efforts of the entire team here. They’re a great bunch of incredibly talented people and it is through everyone’s dedication and skill that we achieve the results that we do.

It is also testament to the wonderful region we call home and we’re incredibly proud that we can do our bit to help demonstrate Hawke’s Bay’s ability to produce wines that are amongst the finest in the world.”

The winery also won Wine of the Year and Chardonnay of the Year for the Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2019, as well as Merlot of the Year for the Church Road Grand Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019. Pernod Ricard Winemakers New Zealand, who own Church Road, won New Zealand Wine Company of the Year.

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Maddison Airey

The Hawke’s Bay A&P Society and Craggy Range Young Vintners Scholarship for 2021 went to Maddison Airey, a 23-year-old first-year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student from Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) . “I love how practical the course is,” she says. “Not only have we experimented in the lab, we have also learnt to drive tractors, pruned vines, made and bottled wine, amongst other activities.” Added to this has been the theory of wine production including chemical and microbial principles, “all really interesting and relevant to today’s wine industry”, she says.

“Our small class size allows the lecturers to provide lots of individual help. Their experience and knowledge is outstanding.” As part of the scholarship, Maddison wins $2,000 funding from the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society and a vintage position at Craggy Range Winery for 2022 harvest season, and she will also be an associate judge for the Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards next year. Looking forward to the future, Maddison is looking abroad to further her winemaking education. “But ultimately I do want to come back to Hawke’s Bay because I love it here, and there are incredible brands to work for.”

NEWS BRIEFS

Lindauer Prosecco DOC

Sounds right Dr Jo Burzynska is exploring the effects of sound and music on the experience of wine drinking in her new Oenosthesia series, available through subscription on Substack.

“It’s a platform through which I’ll be sharing regular writing on wine and music outside of my academic publishing,” says the sound artist, wine writer, multisensory researcher and consultant, who recently completed her PhD on the subject. The series name, which Jo has used for previous projects, combines the Greek words ‘oenos’ – meaning wine – and ‘aesthesis’ – from sense perception, “with a nod to aesthetics and a play on synesthesia, the latter being the rare neurological condition in which stimulation through one sense triggers an experience in another”. drjoburzynska.substack.com

Lindauer has launched the Lindauer Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOC Rosé to its Special Reserve collection. The new offering is the result of a collaboration between the Kiwi winemaker and Zonin 1821, the largest family-owned Prosecco company in Italy. Lindauer Winemaker Jane De Witt (pictured) led the creation of the new range, and says creating Lindauer Prosecco DOC “brings new and exciting flavours to the award-winning Lindauer Special Reserve range”. Francesco Zonin, Vice President of Zonin 1821, says it is a “great pleasure” to partner with Lindauer “and to have worked with an exceptional wine professional like Jane”. The collection was launched in late 2021, the same year the company celebrated its 200th anniversary, he says. “Two centuries dedicated to sharing Italian traditions and bringing moments of joy to people around the world with our quality brands.”

Conditional sale of Akarua

Akarua Ltd has sold its Bannockburn winery, cellar door and 51.9 hectares of land to Rimapere Vineyards Ltd, subject to approval from the Overseas Investment Office. The conditional sale to Rimapere, which is located in Marlborough and owned by Edmond de Rothschild Heritage, France, includes 34.5ha of established vineyards comprised predominantly of Pinot Noir, alongside small plots of Chardonnay and Riesling. The Skeggs Group will retain their remaining established vineyards in Bannockburn and Pisa, from which they will continue to produce and market their RUA brand. They will also retain ownership of the Akarua restaurant and cellar door in Arrowtown.

Akarua Wines was established in 1996 by Sir Clifford Skeggs, with the development of the Cairnmuir Road vineyard. His son, David Skeggs, Managing Director of the Skeggs Group and owner of Akarua, says “it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and our distributors in building the Akarua brand to such a successful position that it has attracted the attention of one of the world’s most prestigious wine families”. He says the family remains very committed to the Central Otago wine industry.

Alexis de La Palme, Chief Executive of Edmond de Rothschild Heritage says the company has a strategy of building premium world wines from extraordinary terroirs. “Central Otago has exceptional potential for super premium Pinot Noir. Edmond de Rothschild Heritage currently works with over 100 distributors worldwide in 80 countries. This strong international expertise alongside Rimapere, voted the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc, will allow us to continue our quest for excellence with the unique Akarua Pinot Noir vineyard.”

Father honoured

Laithwaites

Sally Duncan, Chair of Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers and a member of the New Zealand Winegrowers Marketing Committee, has taken on the role of Country Manager of Laithwaites. “Although not strictly all New Zealand wine, my aim is to really grow and share the story of New Zealand wine globally,” she says.

A new scholarship for students studying for EIT Graduate Diploma of Oenology honours the father of a current student. Nitin Deobhakta, who was enrolled in the programme last year, has set up the Dr Deobhakta Scholarship, which will be awarded to a top student at each EIT graduation ceremony for 10 years.

Sixty-year-old Nitin, who practised law in Hamilton for 30 years, moved temporarily to Napier with his wife Sadhna to study at EIT, impressed by its “tremendous balance between academia and practical experience”.

Nitin says his father, Dr Vasant Deobhakta, who is 93, emigrated to New Zealand from India in the 1980s after studying in England and being made a member of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He moved to New Zealand with his anaesthetist wife Zarina, and spent almost all of his working life as a GP and medical consultant in Hāwera . “I wanted to honour my father who was a student in India, where the kids basically had to look after themselves. They had to clean their own toilets and there was limited food, so Dad had quite an austere upbringing in India,” says Nitin. “I just wanted to give him some mana, some honour.”

The first recipient of the scholarship will be selected this year and awarded the prize at graduation in 2023. The student will receive $1,000 towards their studies and have their name engraved on a trophy, which will be on display at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus.

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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Upcoming events

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To have events added to our calendar contact sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Please Covid-19 restrictions may result in changes to events. Please check the websites for postponements, cancellations or other changes.

Ripe – The Wānaka Wine and Food Festival 19 March ripewanaka.nz

New Zealand Rosé Day 5 February sipnzwine.com

Raise a glass to Rosé on 5 February, in the national celebration of our pink drink. Wine businesses and consumers can join in at #nzroséday and #nzwine, and New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) have created a logo and toolkit for social media campaigns. To learn more, check out Caro Jensen’s Q&A on page 14.

Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker update Date - to be confirmed nzwine.com/young-winemaker

The three regional 2021 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year winners (pictured top to bottom: Ben McNab, Jordan Moores and Peter Russell) will have more time to hone their craft, while focussing on the upcoming vintage. New Zealand’s move to red light settings means the 2021 National Final, intended to be held in Central Otago on 3 February, will be postponed to safeguard communities and wine companies in the lead up to harvest.

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“Ripe is all about celebrating Central Otago producers and their intimate connection with the land, while offering tantalising experiences to satisfy everyone’s taste buds on the day,” says founder Nathan White. The event – to be held in a green or orange light setting – will feature 20 wineries, a selection of local food stalls and entertainment, with panoramic lake and mountain views from the festival’s new venue, Glendhu Station.

New Zealand Wine Week 7 – 11 February nzwine.com/trade

As Omicron ups the ante on uncertainty, NZW has postponed the in-person Wine Week events originally planned for 9 February, including the London Annual Trade Tasting. The webinar programme will continue, including ‘The Business of Wine in New Zealand – 2022 and Beyond’ and ‘Pinot Noir Masterclass – An Exploration of our Subregions’. Other virtual events will be added to the week to keep New Zealand wine top of mind. Keep an eye out the NZW Trade Hub for updates.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Friday Night Feast 6 May feastmarlborough.nz

The Feast Marlborough team have made changes to their annual event that will have your senses wanting more. The event coincides with International Sauvignon Blanc Day, offering a feast-fuelled evening pairing Marlborough’s best beverages with dishes by local chefs using Marlborough produce.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Aronui Wines

Green Wine Future Conference

New Zealand Winegrowers is to host the Oceania leg of the virtual Green Wine Future Conference this May. The organisers say the four day event, from 23 to 26 of May, aims to be the most important and ambitious conference for the wine industry in tackling the most pressing issues affecting our society.

More than 70 speakers from around the world will speak on sustainable initiatives and strategies that can help mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis in the world of wine.

New Zealand Winegrowers General Manager Marketing Charlotte Read says it is an excellent opportunity for the New Zealand wine industry to showcase its sustainability journey to a global audience, “in a world where it is increasingly important for consumers to choose products that reflect their values”.

She has already heard from several wine companies keen to share their sustainability stories, taking delegates into their regions virtually. “The conference organisers are mindful that they don’t want Green Wine

Future to be ‘just another’ virtual event,” she says.

“They want to be in vineyards and wineries, to bring it to life as much as they can, and to let guests be transported to our regions.”

Although Green Wine Future will be conducted virtually, there is a limited number of 3,000 places for delegates and speakers. Discounted early bird tickets are available before 15 February. nzwine.com/en/trade/events/greenwine-future/

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THE MARKETING PLACE

Dubai Expo 2020 Expo Dubai 2020, delayed a year because of the pandemic, is now open, running until March 2022.

By early January 2022, more than half a million visitors had come to the New Zealand pavilion, located in the sustainability district.

In November, New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) hosted a masterclass and lunch for the region’s sommeliers, wine buyers and trade professionals with strong support from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

Drawing on the themes of Dubai Expo 2020, the tasting hosted by Simone Luca Gagliardi, (a previous NZW Sommit programme participant) demonstrated how New Zealand wine has been a leader at the forefront of both sustainability and innovation.

During the masterclass, 10 wines were presented, showcasing seven varieties from six regions across New Zealand, giving the audience a better understanding of the premium quality, sustainability and diversity of the New Zealand offering.

The wines were carefully matched to the very best New Zealand food from the

Photo by Nick Grobler

pavilion’s restaurant, Tiaki, considered one of the top five fine dining establishments in the expo, with the menu including Kāpiti cheese platters, whipped Kāpiti Kikorangi blue cheese and roasted beets, seared salmon, and slow-cooked venison.

Guests were also able to experience the New Zealand Pavilion and learn more about how we innovate to care for people and place.

Chris Stroud, NZW Market Manager in Europe and the Middle East, says it was a privilege to use the New Zealand Pavilion for the event, “showcasing the best of New Zealand wine, food and storytelling.” He says the masterclass helped broaden the perspective of New Zealand wine among industry leaders in Dubai, “and we hope that will lead to further growth of our wines in the region”.

Level up your colour and phenolics testing game for vintage '22.

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Simply sign up to the CloudSpec software platform, submit your samples through Pacific Rim, and begin unlocking a new world of colour and phenolics possibilities in your winery.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Features For wineries of all sizes Analyse rosés, reds, whites 3 or 12 month subscriptions

The Marketing Place Taking NZ wine to the world: Bringing the world to NZ wine

Read On

Nau mai 2022. I trust you’ve all made the most of the incredible summer weather over the break and are ready to take on any challenges the year throws at us. Already this year we’ve had to make tweaks to our plans, as the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has ramped up. Thankfully, most of our focus has been behind virtual activities that can proceed to plan.

Charlotte Read With uncertainty on when borders will open, we’re committed to maximising our digital reach to keep New Zealand ‘in the conversation’ in a variety of ways, whether that be through continuing to work with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) to incorporate wine stories into the next phase of the Made with Care Campaign, or telling our sustainability stories at the Green Wine Future conference in May (see page 11). It may also be by helping you connect with global trade partners through our online New Zealand wine catalogue operated by Bottlebooks, creating a Trade Hub on nzwine.com to provide resources to help those selling New Zealand wines, or seeding our stories to media so they can continue to write about our fabulous wines and winery experiences. We have lots on the boil until the time is right for in-person activities again. All the very best for the upcoming vintage.

Charlotte Read is New Zealand Winegrowers’ General Manager Marketing.

NZ Wine Week

In light of the rise of the Covid-19 Omicron variant in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, New ZEaland Winegrowers (NZW) has postponed to May the in-person events originally scheduled for Wednesday 9 February, including the London Annual Trade Tasting. The week’s hero events, the two webinars ‘The Business of Wine in New Zealand – 2022 and Beyond’ and ‘Pinot Noir Masterclass – An Exploration of our Subregions’ proceeded as planned and can be viewed at

Tasting climate change conference NZW participated in the Tasting Climate Change conference in November, a virtual symposium led by Canada-based educator, journalist, author and founder Michelle Bouffard. It included 31 speakers and experts in their fields from around the world. Each of the eight sessions, hosted throughout the month, explored the importance of awareness and the impact the wine industry has on climate change. There were more than 500 attendees from across all continents. Michelle says the speakers’ passion and commitment to the environment really came through during the symposium. “They generated engaging discussions and inspired attendees. I was overwhelmed by the number of emails I received from participants wanting to connect with other trade members with a desire to learn from one another. I truly believe that, together, we can be the change and that the wine industry can become a leader.”

As a partner, NZW organised two speakers at the conference.

Ed Massey, General Manager of Sustainability at NZW, participated in The Road to Carbon Zero discussion. This represented the concept that, from large international wine companies and industry bodies to small family producers, we all have a responsibility in reducing our carbon footprint.

Ed was followed by Chris Archer of Archer McRae Beverages as he guided the audience through New Zealand’s approach to Smart Packaging. As an industry relying heavily on packaging, we have the responsibility to analyse their environmental impact. Should traditions be prioritised over sustainability?

The advantages and challenges of different types of packaging including closures, bottles, cans, kegs, bag-in-box and latest innovations were explored.

nzwine.com/en/trade/events/nzww

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The Social Place Q&A with Caro Jensen from Sip NZ

New Zealand Rosé Day is on 5 February. How did it begin?

Back in 2016, Rosé sales started to take off overseas, yet only a few New Zealand wineries took the rise of Rosé seriously at that stage. Sip created New Zealand Rosé Day with the aim to bridge the gap between consumers and wineries with education around our Rosé wines and styles for wine lovers and social media and marketing tips for producers.

New Zealand Rosé Day is on 5 February

How can wine companies leverage off “grape days” like this?

Wine companies can capitalise on grape days by creating targeted online and cellar door offers, pitching unique Rosé content to media and influencers and by creating engaging content around relevant hashtags on social media. Grape days offer wineries an occasion to showcase their wines and to connect with wine lovers in the social space.

How did you get involved in wine marketing?

I was the first marketing intern at New Zealand Winegrowers in 2006 and completed my thesis on marketing New Zealand wines in Germany as part of the

“It’s called social media for a reason.

Be social, be authentic and spontaneous.”

Caro Jensen placement. I went on to work in various marketing roles at wine companies in New Zealand and overseas and launched Sip in 2015 to be able to work independently and with a variety of wine businesses.

What do you love about it?

I’ve worked in many areas over the years, including brand management, PR/Comms and market research, but digital marketing is my passion. I love being part of the digital transformation of wine businesses and to create a successful digital marketing mix for them.

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their attention to growing their business via online retailers, website sales and direct customer databases – heavily supported by digital marketing initiatives. Brands who have quickly made the switch and embraced digital and direct channels certainly reaped the rewards during these challenging times.

Caro Jensen

How can wine companies do better in the social space?

Where do I start? It’s called social media for a reason. Be social, be authentic and spontaneous. Reply to every DM and comment. Ask questions. Share interesting stories and facts.

Pick a couple of channels that match your target audience rather than spreading yourself too thin on every possible platform.

In saying that, make sure to secure handles on other platforms in case your capacity grows in the future.

Create video content! Go live in the vineyard. Interview your winemaker, viticulturist or cellar door manager. Bring followers along and transport them to your winery.

Last but not least, create and implement a sound social media policy to protect your channels and business.

How has Covid-19 changed digital dialogues?

With some distribution channels shut down overnight, many producers have focussed

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

What will you be doing on New Zealand Rosé Day? In its seventh year, New Zealand Rosé Day on 5 February is a firm date in wine lovers’ calendars. Wine businesses and consumers are encouraged follow us @sipnzwine on Instagram and join the celebrations via the #nzroséday hashtag. We’ll be featuring some of our favourite NZ Rosé wines alongside fresh educational content. sipnzwine.com

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Vintage Countdown With many wine regions suffering from low yields in vintage 2021, the good growing season for the upcoming harvest has been welcomed with open arms. It comes with plenty of challenges, including the labour shortages looming large and ever present Covid-19 risks, but collaboration, determination and innovation are hard at work in New Zealand vineyards.

SOPHIE PREECE

Waiheke Island Waiheke Island growers have experienced a favourable growing season this year, says Sam Taylor, Viticulturist at Man O’ War. “After two very dry years, water tables were finally replenished throughout a wet winter.

The season has fallen back into a more normal development pattern following a very early season last year.”

Flowering occurred throughout a mostly settled period of weather, with hot days, low rainfall, and afternoon sea breezes each day, says Sam on 12 January. “La Nina weather patterns have strengthened over the second half of the season.

Very hot days with high humidity have become the norm.” In mid-January, canopies across the island were looking “healthy and vibrant in colour”, with extra vegetative growth, meaning trimmers and leaf pluckers were working overtime.

Sam says crop levels look higher than average and potentially up 25 percent on last year, with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Bordeaux varieties all looking healthy.

But despite a good growing season there are a number of challenges on the horizon, he says. High levels of humidity

Man O’ War

have growers on the lookout for botrytis and mildew, and additional canopy growth has put pressure on work programmes.

“Staffing is a huge issue nationwide, but feels particularly difficult on Waiheke Island,” says Sam. “Accommodation is scarce and living costs are expensive on the island. That

has resulted in a small pool of potential workers being fought over between all industries.” Man O’ War has offered free accommodation as an incentive to try and attract and retain staff.

“Despite that there is optimism among growers,” adds Sam. “The season holds plenty of potential.”

Auckland The growing season has been very good, so far, says Kumeu River Winemaker Michael Brajkovich on 10 January.

“We have high hopes for the upcoming harvest, and that will certainly be realised if the weather stays warm and dry.”

Budburst and flowering were a little earlier than usual in Auckland, accompanied by good weather, bringing promise of “very good” potential crop levels. The growing conditions led to the

“We have high hopes for the upcoming harvest, and that will certainly be realised if the weather stays warm and dry.” company shoot and bunch thinning on Pinot Gris, with some shoulder removal on Pinot Noir.

Auckland had been “very dry” since well before Christmas, and any vegetative shoot grown had stopped completely by 10

January, while Veraison was well under way in Pinot Noir, and starting well through the Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, says Michael.

“There has been some evidence of Powdery Mildew earlier, but it seems to be pretty much under control now.”

dry farmed vineyards. “As the green season advanced it became evident that getting reliable staff to work the vines - shoot thinning, shoot positioning and tucking and removing unwanted growth - was the

biggest challenge again,” she says on 12 January. “Even harder than the last green season.”

Beautiful days with warm northwest winds accompanied flowering, around 8

Gisborne Annie Millton of Millton Vineyards says early spring weather in the Gisborne region of Manutuke brought a balance of mild temperatures and “a nice amount of rain” to start the season, which was perfect for their 16

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

REGIONAL UPDATE

Milton Vineyards

November, followed by rain at the tail end of flowering. That had some impact, “but as

last year’s set was very much over-cropped, this year the crop set is perfect”, Annie says.

Rain in the first week of November resulted in some powdery pressure.

December brought some “very hot days”, with blue skies, intense sun and little or no wind, so the green season crew began at 6am and finished at 2.30pm, “due to the pressure of the heat and sun,” she says.

“Over this time the night temperatures have been warm.”

An occasional southeast change has cooled down the day and night temperatures.

“At present we are just finishing the last of the spit and polish to the vines before we start the next job of putting the nets on. As of 12 January, the birds are already into the Pinot Noir,” Annie says.

Overall, Millton Vineyard is very happy with what the “lovely balanced crop” achieved over the spring season, with open canopy and everything trimmed.”

Hawke’s Bay Te Mata Lead Viticulturist Brenton O’Riley says crop sizes look to be average across all varieties in the company’s Hawke’s Bay vineyards. “Across the board it is definitely looking like a good, consistent average crop.” That balanced crop load has “taken a load off ” in terms of the labour requirement for fruit thinning, he adds. “All our blocks are exactly where we need them to be.”

The early part of the Hawke’s Bay season brought a lot of heat and a lot of rain. Early budburst “relatively speaking”, echoed the previous season, and vineyards kicked off with a lot of growth, Brenton says.

“Vine management was quite important and also spray programmes… and we came through it pretty well. We were 100 percent clean, which was good.”

But the early season conditions put a lot of pressure on growers around the district, “making sure we do get it absolutely spot on”. The heat continued through the growing season and by late January, Hawke’s Bay had recorded 794 growing degree days, up from 754 last season, “which was considered a really hot season”, and well above the long term average of 664 growing degree days.

“So, we are definitely well and truly up there and things are drying down really nicely now,” says Brenton on 21 January, when staff at Te Mata were busy putting nets on Chardonnay, and grateful that Cyclone Cody didn’t bring the feared downpour. Te Mata expects to start harvesting Pinot Noir from 15 February, matching the 2021 start date.

Brenton says labour has not been a “major issue”, but they have had to be more

A mature bunch Te Mata Estate is preparing to unleash a “secret weapon” in the vines, as its handpicking team trades retirement for harvest. “We are very, very fortunate,” says Lead Viticulturist Brenton O’Riley of the 70-strong-crew, most of whom are in their early 70s.

“Our oldest is about 84. We did have an 87-year-old but he retired this year – I guess for the second time.”

Some of the team have been working harvest for the company for more than 20 years and all are “absolutely reliable” and dedicated to a quality job. “They are keen as mustard to hook into it,” says Brenton. “We put the email out the night before around what we’re doing the following day. And you can almost guarantee you’ll get about 95 percent attendance. And the quality of what they do is just excellent. I have never come across that before. They care about everything they do and go to the nth degree.”

When it comes to a wetter season, the crew are Te Mata’s “secret weapon”, he says.

“They will pull individual berries out of a bunch to make sure that what goes to the winery is absolutely clean.” organised, and “proactive rather than reactive” around work schedules. “We have definitely had to be more organised…

Booking things out a week or two in advance, to make sure we have the numbers we need.”

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Wairarapa An “incredible” flowering period has Wairarapa winegrowers pretty excited, says Dry River winemaker, Wilco Lam. “It really comes off the back of poor yields in 2021 and quite a squeeze in terms of volume in the industry,” he says, looking at the prospect of good 2022 crop levels. “We are incredibly happy. At the moment all the temperatures and growing degree days at the onset of ripening are pretty much off the scale... If we can pull this off then everyone will look a lot better post-harvest.”

But finding the required labour throughout the growing season has been difficult, “even for a small place like ourselves”, says Wilco. They tapped into a student workforce in the new year, “but pre-Christmas was hard”. Dry River has worked with a group of producers to share labour where they can, “because it’s

been really tough”, he says, predicting that some companies will feel that pressure right through to the end of harvest, with little mechanisation to lessen the labour requirement.

Jannine Rickards, Winemaker at Urlar and Huntress, and joint Chair of Wairarapa Winegrowers, says the region enjoyed an early and dry spring, with a strong flowering creating even crop loads in Pinot Noir, which is “much appreciated after the very tiny 2021 season”. Speaking on 13 January, she says a “decent southerly” came in while the Sauvignon Blanc was still flowering, so set is “a bit more random” for some. Decent rainfall across the region in early December resulted in green hills, along with early and vigorous growth “and the canopies look healthy and lush”, she says.

Marlborough

Forrest Estate Winemaker Beth Forrest, who is Chair of the Marlborough Winegrowers Association, says flowering was variable in the region. “While the weather remained relatively warm, the rain event pre-Christmas has had some effect on the consistency of flowering within blocks and across the region.”

However, crop levels nonetheless look to have returned to normal this year, following the region’s 21 percent drop in yields in the 2021 vintage. It is a definite increase on those “very small crops”, but Beth believes the variability in blocks could still pose a challenge to production volumes.

Labour shortages in wineries and vineyards remains the biggest challenge this season, she says, talking of “a huge amount of pressure on any handpicking options around the valley”, with vastly reduced RSE (Recognised Seasonal

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Beth Forrest

Employer scheme) and transient labourers.

That will affect growers’ ability to thin crops and undertake disease maintenance before the machine-harvest, “as there is simply not enough staff to go around”,

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Like many others, the region has faced a “major challenge” with labour shortages due to closed borders.

“It is pushing our teams quite hard to keep up with the workload… Christmas seems a distant memory as we steam roll towards a likely early harvest.”

Escarpment General Manager Larry McKenna says it’s “shaping up to be one of the great Wairarapa growing seasons”.

Flowering and the resulting set have been excellent, and growers are expecting above average bunch weights and crop loads.

The dry weather since late December “is setting the district up beautifully”, adds Larry , suggesting it could be the earliest on record if temperatures remain high. “With February being our most reliable month, everybody is looking forward to a very successful early harvest.”

says Beth. “Winery labour is also strained.

Only about 60 to 70 percent of positions have been filled for the harvest and this will mean longer, harder vintage for all concerned.”

It is concerning that grapes will have to be picked “whenever possible rather than at optimum ripeness”, adds Beth. “And that if there is weather pressure over the harvest period, then there is very little ability to operate any faster or more efficiently than what is already at breaking point.”

When it comes to Forrest Estate, she says there’s an advantage in being a small family-run winery “that can pull the family card in really tough times”. The company is down on their normal international staff, who typically bring in “a wealth of knowledge” and become the company’s biggest brand ambassadors globally.

“However, we will fill the 2022 labour gap

REGIONAL UPDATE

with family taking annual leave from their ‘real’ jobs to help us out.” Being small also allows them to prioritise vintage and move staff within the company to help out in the winery during “peak weeks”, she says. “That takes a good culture and great people who all want to help out and make the best wine possible.”

Hunter’s Winemaker James Macdonald says it’s been a great growing season, starting off with soils charged with water from winter and early spring, so the canopy took off, “and we have strong, healthy looking vines”. The fruit-load looks abundant, but only in comparison to 2021’s meagre offering. “We are still scarred from last year’s yields, so they look quite big. But I think that’s just last year having impact on us and we are just back to average.”

That’s great news, he says, talking of happy customers around the world. “We have been able to take the brakes off and say, ‘start selling; start opening up new business again’. They are thrilled because there was a lot of uncertainty,” says James. “If we were going to have another short year it would have put ridiculous amounts of pressure on stock allocation.”

Many of Hunter’s customers have Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a big part of their revenue, and reports of typical yields in 2022 have brought a lot of relief. “When we turned the tap off last year they felt that and it rippled through the supply chain, because it’s such a lot of volume for some people.”

Back in the vineyard, labour shortages have not been too bad, thanks to a good relationship with their long-term contractor and “a bit of a military operation”, says James. “It’s probably overkill for our size. Lots of planning, lots of spreadsheets, lots of communication. And we were able to stay ahead of the ball.

Everyone got a good rest over Christmas, which is important, because the busy times continue, and we are back into it now, doing our second trim and starting to manipulate yields.”

With the threat of rain between now and harvest’s end, they’re working hard to ensure very open canopies and crop levels that allow for well-spaced fruit, says James.

Nelson Nelson’s Neudorf estate has a fairly typical crop, which is a welcome departure from last year’s “challenging season”, says General Manager and Winemaker Todd Stevens.

Nelson’s vintage 2021 yields were 33 percent down on the year before, but crops for 2022 are “looking pretty solid”, he says.

Nelson came out of winter warmer and wetter than usual, particularly in July, and that Todd Stevens promoted an early bud break, followed by good growth, says Todd. Spring was slightly warmer than the long term average, and while conditions were dry in November, they were wetter either side, boosting growth and requiring vigilant management.

The weather was humid through flowering, resulting in only moderate crop loads in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, says Todd. A period of increased disease pressure kept them on their toes, “but we can’t really complain since mid-December,” he adds. “It’s been pretty dry and warm and that’s helped us keep the work going and disease pressures manageable.” From here through to vintage, they’d like more of the same, “if I could dial it up,” he says. “If we could stay NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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REGIONAL UPDATE

relatively dry through to harvest I’d pretty happy. I think we’d be looking at what I would call a relatively good season.”

Seifried Winemaker Chris Seifried says Sauvignon Blanc crops are “certainly heavier than last year” but not as plentiful as he would like. “I would say we are good,

but at the lighter end of the spectrum,” he says, noting a variability across the sites, “and even with in vineyards, with some areas really heavy and others not so heavy”.

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris are looking far more fruitful, “so we will be doing a lot more crop thinning there during

veraison to reduce numbers, especially on the Pinot.”

Things are tracking around a week earlier than a normal season, with beautiful weather and ripening moving quite quickly, says Chris. “I would say we will be underway by 10 March, or thereabouts.”

North Canterbury It’s been a warm season so far for North Canterbury winegrowers, with growing degree days tracking above the long term average, says Mike Saunders on 18 January.

The Company Viticulturist for Greystone and Muddy Water Wines, who is also Chair of the North Canterbury Wine Region Committee, says the season began with a few cold nights “to keep everyone busy frost fighting”, but none were as bad as the previous spring. “Since then, the weather has been warm and often overcast with regular rainfall to keep canopies lush.” Heat, cloud and moisture have all led to increased disease pressure, with powdery mildew models spiking in early December, then dropping before spiking again around 20 December and staying high since, he says. “Lots of leaf plucking and regular spray rounds have been the key to staying on top of disease.”

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Flowering conditions in the region were variable, due to cloud and rainfall through this key period, and while early Pinot Noir looks “okay”, later Sauvignon Blanc Mike Saunders bunches look “a little variable”. North Canterbury’s 2021 harvest was 26 percent down, and Mike says 2022 crops look average or below average, with those affected by frost last year still experiencing some decreases in yield. Low bunch numbers look to be a key driver in frost affected conditions, “however the bunches that are there have set well, with berry numbers about average”, he says.

“With a smaller number of bunches vines should ripen and attain some good flavour.”

Overall bunch size should increase to help offset the reduction in bunch number, and he expects to see an overall increase on last year’s yields.

Labour is tracking well for the region, to date. “We only have one main contract labour provider and they are reporting that finding staff isn’t too hard at this stage,” he says. “We aren’t that reliant on RSE workers, with only a few businesses utilising this labour resource, and numbers slowly increasing here also.”

Meanwhile, some of the Pinot Noir looks “exceptional and should provide opportunity for some incredible wines to be made,” he says. “If we can pick up a few more clear, sunny days and the weather stays warm, we should be in for a cracker of a season in North Canterbury.”

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REGIONAL UPDATE

Central Otago “It’s been a pretty dream season to date, and we just need the dream run to continue,” says James Dicey. Speaking on 18 January, the Grape Vision Viticulturist and cofounder of Dicey says bunch weights are looking good, following an “amazing” flowering and fruit set. That pretty picture is true across all the Central Otago subregions. “Everywhere is looking good at the moment, which is unusual. We often have an outlier.”

Crops are looking slightly bigger than perfect, “which means we have a little bit of fruit to play with, but not much.” That will allow them room to take green fruit off, or to remove shoulders or clumps. “There’s lots we can do with slightly higher yield to enhance quality.”

Central Otago was one of the few regions to get a fruitful harvest last year, up 21 percent on the previous year. “I think we’ll be another 10 or 12 percent up on that again,” says James.

The region received regular southwest rainfall through until just before Christmas, “so by and large there’s been good canopies growing”. There are early reports of powdery mildew, but with better canopy management, conventional and organic chemistry, tighter spray intervals and better

James Dicey

machinery setup these days, the canopies are clean. “And all of a sudden postChristmas we have had an amazing dry snap and that is hopefully going to arrive at the right time resulting in smaller berries,” James says. “At this stage things are shaping up really nicely.”

At the time of speaking, there was some

water stress starting to show and the region could do with a little more rain.

“We are working extraordinarily hard to manage it.” They are utilising more leaf protection to mitigate very warm days, and “things are looking really positive at the moment”, he says.

When it comes to labour shortages, Grape Vision has worked hard and invested more this season, “to reach deeper into the community, reach deeper across the community”. James has employed a team from Dunedin, including university and college students on holidays. They might not all be as efficient, well trained and dedicated as some of the RSE workers, but they’re helping get the work done, he says, noting that if there had been a really big crop it’s likely the region would have struggled.

He has also worked on relationships with other industries, so that seasonal workers are being urged by cherry growers to go to grapes before their harvest peak, and grape growers are pushing them back to cherry work when no longer required, before they head to apples. “It’s not a perfect solution, but there are a lot of different things we can do across a lot of different sources, and to date is seems to be working.”

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The Focus 23 I

Croptide Increasing water efficiency

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Tatou Taking tech to the vines

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THE FOCUS

Stellar Startups Agritech startups are changing the face of New Zealand’s wine industry by finding smart, scalable and sustainable solutions to old and new challenges in the field. From personnel to health and safety, water efficiency to yield analysis, and artificial intelligence in vineyard machinery to accelerating wine maturing in the winery, smart Kiwi companies are making their mark here and around the world.

Croptide - getting smarter with water SOPHIE PREECE A stem-to-cloud tool that transmits plant water health to a grower’s phone is “the way of the future”, says a viticulturist trialling the water-saving technology. “If we can automate the process and have information coming directly from the vines themselves, that will lead to better management decisions in the future,” says Cloudy Bay’s John Flanagan, part of a pilot project with agritech startup Croptide.

Croptide was co-founded by Hamish Penny in February 2021 to help combat the impact of changing climate patterns on agriculture, which accounts for more than 70 percent of global water withdrawals.

It aims to improve water use efficiency for fruit and wine producers by 30 to 50 percent by giving growers information on plant water potential - a measure of how hard leaves have to pull to extract moisture from the soil - so they can irrigate only when it is apparent the vine is working too hard.

“Many regions around the world are facing dire water scarcity and growers are expressing the need for a quick and reliable method of gathering the critical data needed around water use and plant health,” says Hamish. “If every grower knows the precise amount of water needed for every plant, then they can make significant water efficiency gains to tackle global water scarcity and feed the planet.”

The sensors lean on learnings from a three year trial funded by New Zealand Winegrowers and Bragato Research Institute, conducted by Thoughtful Viticulture’s Mark Krasnow, using pressure chambers to inform irrigation decisions.

Across the four Marlborough vineyards trialled, water savings ranged from 137,000 to 666,000 litres per hectare.

“That was the starting point for us,” says Hamish. “The growers we are talking to were saying ‘we have seen that research but don’t have the labour to unlock those

benefits with the pressure chamber’.” The Croptide crew focussed on automating the technology, in a way that was scalable and usable, to provide real time accurate plant and water potential to growers within seconds.

“We strive to make a positive impact on people, the planet and fruit growers.”

Hamish Penny Hamish and co-founder Finn Brown – both studying engineering at Massey University - have sustainability and circular food production at the core of their operating model, “as we strive to make a positive impact on people, the planet and fruit growers,” says Hamish.

But quality is also a factor, says John, noting that Cloudy Bay’s focus on irrigation management is motivated by environmental gains, but also on supporting a certain level of stress in the plant, to ensure smaller berries and vine balance. “We don’t irrigate based on how much water is available in our consent or how much time we have available in the day or night. Our strategy is very much based on what the plant needs.”

While some stress is desirable, it’s important to know when there’s a risk of catastrophe, making tools like Croptide invaluable. Cloudy Bay has utilised soil moisture monitors and the relatively new technology of stem water potential pressure chambers in recent years, comparing the information gleaned from both to influence water management decisions.

With the Croptide prototypes in place, data will be collected from all three

tools and compared, with an assistant viticulturist dedicated to irrigation management and two technical assistants employed over summer to collect readings.

Other global businesses are also trialling the technology, with T&G Global, Indevin, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Zespri, and another large kiwifruit grower - the Ngai Tukairangi Trust - involved in summer pilots in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, and the Bay of Plenty.

Pernod Ricard’s Viticulture Transformation Manager David Allen says minimising water use is an important part of the company’s sustainability goals.

“Technology like Croptide provides an opportunity for us to directly measure the water our vines truly need. We are pleased to see the industry working together to take shared responsibility for water use and address sustainability challenges and effect lasting change.”

Hamish says Croptide is planning to utilise the global connections of its partners to do trials in the northern hemisphere this year, in order to have two seasons per year for developing the technology. “This helps with our main focus of developing a sensor that can be delivered at a fairly low cost, and is simple enough to be installed by the grower, rather than a technician.”

Croptide has raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Icehouse Ventures with support from Sir Stephen Tindall’s K1W1 and Masfen Group.

Icehouse Ventures Chief Executive Robbie Paul says farming in the future needs to be more sustainable, “and we believe startups like Croptide will enable this”.

Mark Krasnow says water potential is tried and true technology, but is labour intensive. “An automated way to gather the same information, or something that correlates well to it, would be a real benefit to everyone.”

Opposite page: a prototype Croptide sensor

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THE FOCUS

Aimee Jay

Tatou

Taking technology to the field SOPHIE PREECE Tātou is helping the horticulture industry go digital, says app founder Aimee Jay. “Pen and paper will soon be a thing of the past in vineyards and orchards, allowing companies to start making the most of their data.”

The app utilises a tablet in the field to accrue information on employees and tasks, capturing payment data while creating a comprehensive picture of progress on individual sites and across the region or country. “With Tātou itself there are very in-depth HR employee profiles. They can see what row they worked, what block they worked, how many plants and what their rate was on that job,” says Aimee.

Scheduled tasks are tracked, so operators have a better handle on every project, including cost and progress, at a client level, block level and across the entire operation.

“We also track expenses like equipment and machinery. So, you are getting both costs for each task in each block.”

She says the best part of the app is that businesses make the most of their employees, by better allocating them, while employees get paid better, “because they are more productive”. There is also less stress, “because everything is calculated and connected seamlessly”, she adds. “So, everybody wins.”

The user experience (UX) expert says a written record has historically raised barriers for some Pacific Island workers. “What we have seen as well, which I really find 24

exciting, is you have got supervisors who are being promoted from crew members based on their skills with the plant, social skills with the people and leadership skills.

It’s those - typically referred to as the soft skills - that actually makes them a really good leader.

“We now take away the fact that you don’t need to be good at reading and writing and arithmetic.” On the flipside, Tātou lets managers know which workers might need training to come up to speed.

It’s a “huge time saver” says Aimee, noting that “handwriting can get messy, paper can get lost, and then there’s someone with a calculator adding it all up”.

Digitising the process sidesteps those issues, and enables better collection of data to inform a business.

Hortus, a Marlborough labour contracting company, began developing an app in 2014 but Tātou took off in 2017, when Aimee came to New Zealand from the United Kingdom for design ethnography studies in Wellington, and popped down to Marlborough to see her cousin – and Hortus owner - Aaron Jay. She had no intention of staying in Blenheim (like so many people she’s met, Aimee notes) but soon learned Aaron’s frustration at the manual collection of data on plants, wires and rows worked per employee.

Aaron knew there had to be a better way to manage the work tallies of his Recognised

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workforce, and Aimee had the UX knowledge to ensure an app-based system that was workable for workers in the field, administrators in the office, and managers assessing progress and limitations in jobs. “The prototype was built and tested with Hortus, who are very passionate about culture and looking after people,” says Aimee. “We then went out to find similar companies who are as focussed on doing the right thing.”

The app collects a lot of information and the growing Tātou team is working to get more on the dashboard “to ideally give an industry standard, so people can say ‘this is how my attendance or hourly rate is for these tasks’, and see it against a benchmark for the industry”.

In 2020 Tātou employed Sidney Mazzi as an independent advisor to help them scale the project, and last year Sidney became Chief Executive, so Aimee could stick to what she’s good at – ensuring the technology is a seamless fit for the people who use it.

Tātou has a pilot project in the UK wine industry, and is expanding to Australia as well.

“We are definitely keen to keep expanding and be more crop agnostic,” she says. “We are gearing up to be international. And working with quite big brands and large employers.” They’re also working on an “entry level version” that’s more affordable for smaller growers.

THE FOCUS

Carbon Click

Carbon reductions just a click away REBECCA WILSON Producing a carbon positive wine has proven good business for Constellation Brands New Zealand. Each bottle of Round Theory wine wears a CarbonClick Climate Positive badge, indicating that it removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it produces. “Our market is changing,” says Rowan Dean, Vice President Growth and Marketing for Constellation Brands’ Asia Pacific and Canada regions. “Adopting a sustainable approach is imperative today, first and foremost because it’s the right thing to do, and also because consumers are increasingly demanding more ethical and environmentally responsible behaviour.”

The label was launched in late 2020, and the response from consumers and customers has been really positive, he says.

“We’re excited by what’s ahead for this brand.”

Round Theory wines are sourced from Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand-

accredited vineyards in Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, then packaged in a squat bottle that uses 30 percent less glass than regular wine bottles, with improved recyclability. Carbon emissions are reduced where possible and any unavoidable emissions are offset at double the level of carbon used via CarbonClick, a Kiwi startup aimed at enabling climate action.

Carbon credit revenues go into effective and sustainable projects, and customers can see where the carbon credits are going, says CarbonClick Chief Executive David Rouse, noting that offsets need to maximise climate impact.

“For example, pines only sequester for 30 to 40 years; after that they are a bit useless.

Plus, they burn down easily and don’t allow any biodiversity in the plantations. We are looking for projects which sequester for a long time, in a sustainable manner, and provide assets globally.”

Consumers buying Round Theory wine get the option to offset their purchase at the online checkout and get full transparency on their offsets, with instant track and trace.

So far those carbon offsetting purchases have offset over 1.6 million kilograms of CO2 and contributed to the conservation of the Arawera native forest in Taranaki, Yarra Yarra’s biodiversity corridor, a clean energy wind power project in India, and rainforest conservation and agroforestry in Panama.

“Round Theory is an exciting new approach for Constellation and it is expanding with us to launch a second brand in Australia,” says David.

“Their ability to be carbon positive is very appealing to the younger market, which cares about environmental impact.

These are the choices this age group wants to be able to make; ecologically cool decisions.”

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THE FOCUS

Bruce Nimon of Kokako Farms

Hectre

Simplifying the business of growing Kiwi agritech startup Hectre is on a mission to deliver the world’s simplest technologies to the fruit growing world, says Chief Executive and co-founder Matty Blomfield.

“For us it means creating practical technology that growers actually need and delivering that technology in a way that is super simple to use.” Growers are busy, face many challenges, and need to gain value from any tech spend they make, he adds.

Hectre’s orchard management app is being used in numerous countries and across multiple fruit types, including grapes, apples, citrus, kiwifruit and cherries. With increased regulation, tight labour markets and increased weather events exacerbating challenges, optimising vineyard operations takes on an even greater focus, says Matty.

Bruce Nimon from Kokako Farms in Hawke’s Bay began using the Hectre app across his 90 hectare vineyard in September 2020. He had been on the hunt for a software solution that would handle the intricacies of piece rate. “I was using manual spreadsheets which were taking up a lot of my time and I wanted to ensure our workers were making minimum wage, so needed a better way to track piece rate.

In addition, I was keen to start gaining insights on costs for each block to identify the true cost of growing that variety in 26

that spot, on that spacing etc.” He says the ability to track all hours worked versus piece rate, including paid breaks – “which can add a tonne of complexity” - is crucial.

“I can also use it for health and safety, to answer the question of ‘where are my people?’”

Matty says the company has dedicated a lot of resource to making timesheets and payroll as easy as possible within the app and have a ‘payroll squad’ within the Hectre team. “We recognised quite early on how important it was to ensure staff are paid correctly, without errors and with the least amount of hassle. It’s one of those key areas where it can go so wrong, and suck so much of your time, and cause so much grief, so getting it right the first time, is critical.”

Bruce says technology is transforming traditional practices and picking up the load of time-consuming manual tasks.

“Timesheets have moved out of the smoko room. I can manage all of mine on smart phones and iPads now and never have to chase the information from staff anymore.

Using Hectre, paying wages is just a simple excel download to get the totals for each staff member. Wage processing at peak times used to take me an hour and a half minimum – now it takes just 15 minutes.”

He says operational optimisation is becoming a critical factor in financial

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

sustainability. “Because we can now see the block costs, we’ve already noticed some issues around certain blocks costing a lot more than the averages. Job costings have also got a lot better. Overpaying on jobs has stopped – two cents difference in a job amounts to $4,000 across our vineyard.” It’s also about knowing that staff are being paid a living wage, he says. “We don’t really want our people earning just minimum wage, we want them doing better than that and now we can be sure.”

The ‘Scout’ task management tool in the app includes GPS tagging and enables users to identify repairs and maintenance and allocate those tasks to workers. Bruce says that has changed how they fix things around the vineyard. “While doing the mowing, a tractor driver can take a picture of a damaged water line, allocate that job to the right person right then and there, and GPS tag the location. The repair gets sorted faster, wasted water is reduced and irrigation becomes more efficient.”

Hectre was named a winner in the global 2021 AgTech Breakthrough Awards, and in October completed a successful capital raise, picking up investors from both the fruit industry and software sector. Matty says they will expand their team and build out the Hectre app further, in response to market demand.

THE FOCUS

Callaghan Innovation

Connecting industry problems with startup solutions SOPHIE PREECE

Simon Yarrow

Gaining exposure to relevant innovation, “without being swamped in the sheer volume of options”, is one of the main challenges for winegrowers considering agritech.

That was one of the findings of a Callaghan Innovation and Bragato Research Institute collaborative ‘innovation discovery workshop’ held last year, says Simon Yarrow, Group Manager AgriFood Callaghan Innovation. “There is a strong desire for a well curated and facilitated service that can be tapped into and ideally driven from industry problems.”

The workshop, held with 10 winegrowing companies, followed on from an Agritech Connector Event for the wine sector, which brought together key research, technology and industry players, including Tātou (see page 24), Hectre (see page 26), and Smart Machine (see page 28).

The subsequent workshop sought to learn more about “problem discovery” in winegrowing, and the industry’s willingness to work collaboratively, as well as opportunities and barriers to technology uptake. Simon says they also wanted to learn more about development of “technology

talent” now and in the future, as well as gaps in that realm. “Grower groups are also challenged with finding the right talent and skills to support technology within their organisation, and the need is only going to grow.”

Meanwhile, Callaghan Innovation is working on initiatives that support startups

“Most tend to test and solve problems for the New Zealand market before thinking about their global strategy.”

Simon Yarrow in achieving scale and relevance for an international market. “New Zealand agritech companies are typically very strong in terms of their technical capability”, says Simon of the Global Signals initiative designed to assist companies with international aspirations. “However, very few are built to

scale quickly. Most tend to test and solve problems for the New Zealand market before thinking about their global strategy.”

He says Callaghan Innovation wants to “transform” the companies it works with by improving their innovation and forecasting capabilities, to help them identify and solve big problems for the global market. “To do that we need to equip organisations with the tools and resources globally from day one by coming up with solutions to the big challenges facing the agriculture sector around the world.” callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/accessexperts/agritech-itp

Agritech Support Explorer Callaghan Innovation has collaborated with other government agencies to launch the Agritech Support Explorer website, to inform innovators about funding, business capability support or information and advisory services. agritechsupportexplorer.govt.nz

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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THE FOCUS

Nick Gledhill, Walter Langlois and Andrew Kersley: Photo by Jim Tannock

Smart Machine

Homegrown autonomous technology TONY SKINNER With its Oxin autonomous vineyard vehicle now at an advanced stage of development, Marlborough-based start-up Smart Machines is beginning to eye the wider New Zealand and, ultimately, international market.

Developed in conjunction with Pernod Ricard, the tracked viticultural vehicle has been designed to autonomously conduct a variety of vineyard tasks such as mowing, mulching, spraying, leaf defoliation and trimming.

Smart Machines has designed both the autonomous technology and the Oxin platform itself from the ground up. The machines currently servicing vineyards

around Blenheim are the third generation of the vehicle.

Smart Machine Chief Executive Andrew Kersley says the ambition is now for the vehicles to be made commercially available to other vineyard owners by the end of the current working season. “We’re currently doing a lot of testing on defoliation and are integrating trimming as well. Those are two pretty essential tasks that make this a strong viable product for the industry to adopt. The capability of the machines with the addition of these tasks covers a significant amount of workload for customers.”

Formed in 2018, Smart Machines’ founding concept was to combine

engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics to address labour shortages and other challenges within the horticultural sectors. The company has not publicly disclosed the commercial costs of the Oxin, but the ambition is for the physical costs of the autonomous vehicles and implements to be comparable to a current tractor/implement setup of a similar specification.

Andrew also highlights that the multitask nature of the Oxin, resulting in fewer passes in the vineyard, brings significant operational savings, while one operator can oversee multiple vehicles carrying out predetermined tasks across a vineyard.

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THE FOCUS

The company uses real-time kinematic positioning (RTK) GPS for positional data, which provides an accuracy of 14mm, while a sensor stack of cameras and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors ensures safe navigation and operation while in row.

“We’re monitoring over 90 parameters on the vehicle – things like pump pressures, temperatures, speeds of implement motors or defoliator heads – to understand whether things are working correctly or not,” Andrew says.

“And all of that’s being fed into an onboard computer that then makes decisions around whether the machine’s working in the right way. And if it’s not, then it stops the machine to warn the operator that something’s not quite right.”

While the power demands of the multirole machine currently prevent the company from creating an all-electric version of the Oxin, they do have a roadmap towards an increasing number of subsystems being powered by electric motors. Andrew also notes that the Oxin’s tracked chassis results in far less soil compaction compared to a tractor carrying out the same tasks; another important discriminator that appeals to vineyard owners.

After its work with Pernod Ricard has helped validate the ability of the autonomous vehicle to perform a wide variety of heavy vineyard tasks safely, the company is now

“From our perspective, we 100 percent want to make sure that this tech is available on a global scale.”

Andrew Kersley confident it can start reaching out to wider markets.

Five new Oxin vehicles are currently under build for Pernod Ricard, and their total fleet is expected to number 19 machines by the end of the year. “Their support as an industry backer and partner has been invaluable in allowing this progression.

They’re a cornerstone customer and bring their deep understanding of viticulture and the practices and insights around that. That’s allowed us to concentrate on the R&D while they’ve focussed on using the machines in a

productive capacity,” Andrew says.

Smart Machines is currently establishing relationships in Australia and the United States, with future exports in mind. The company is a member of the Scale for Global Growth programme, which is run

by Callaghan Innovation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) to help New Zealand agritech businesses pursue commercial success in international markets.

While a variety of other autonomous viticulture vehicles are currently commercially available or are under development around the world, Andrew argues that none can handle the number of heavy tasks conducted by the Oxin. “From our perspective, we 100 percent want to make sure that this tech is available on a global scale. I believe we’re leading the world in what we’re doing at the moment - I haven’t seen any other machines which are at the stage that we are, doing the amount of work that we are doing.

“We may need to adapt our tech to be suitable in international growing environments. But we’ll certainly focus on solving New Zealand’s problems for a start, and then have a look at that next step and where that transitions into.”

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THE FOCUS

The Cropsy crew, from left, Ali Alomari, Rory Buchanan, Leila Deljkovic, Woo Jin Kang and Winston Su

Cropsy

Bringing the power of AI to vineyard monitoring TONY SKINNER A Kiwi startup has developed an artificial intelligence-powered vision system that has the potential to drastically transform the way vineyards are managed.

Based on camera units and data processing computers that can be mounted on existing vineyard tractors or other vehicles, the system uses its sensors to capture every aspect of the plants as the vehicle passes through the vineyard.

Cropsy co-founder and Chief Executive Ali Alomari says the key discriminator is the system’s high-powered flash, which eliminates sunlight, shadows and reflections during image capture, resulting in consistent and accurate colours and textures. “The system effectively removes the sun from all our images, which allows us to maintain a low variability image throughout all times of the day – whether it’s raining, whether you are spraying or it’s cloudy, sunny – all the photos look the same,” Ali explains. “And that allows our AI to achieve unprecedented accuracy, which ultimately allows us to tackle problems that were impossible before.”

The system can pinpoint every single plant, leaf, fruit, shoot, cane and trunk, geotagging and building a profile of each plant. The data is processed in real-time as the vehicle moves through the vineyard before being uploaded to the cloud and presented to vineyard managers via a tailormade dashboard.

This allows growers to see how a crop is performing or changing over time, providing early warning of the presence of pests or 30

disease as well as improving yield estimates.

Cropsy is currently working with Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Indevin and Marisco Vineyards to trial the system. They also regularly engage with other growers to ensure the data captured is solving realworld problems.

In 2021, Cropsy benefited from taking part in both the Sprout Accelerator (see sidebar) and Startmate Accelerator, while the company has also received funding support from Callaghan Innovation.

From early beginnings, developing the first version of the system in Ali’s garage, using plants around his garden to refine the technology, the company will soon have around 1,200 hectares of vines under management.

Although the system is still at the pre-production phase, the four founders have big plans for the future. “Looking at the next five, 10 years, Cropsy’s goals cover the way that we capture, optimise,

forecast, and then automate,” says cofounder and Chief Technology Officer Rory Buchanan. “So, creating that digital twin of your vineyard that enables you to start making optimisations and informed and safe decisions. So you can imagine from a sustainability point of view potentially being able to double the yield of your grapes and what that means in terms of climate change and the growth commercially as well.”

Following on from such optimisation will be the creation of effective forecasting tools, to allow growers to predict future changes.

“Currently we build a profile for every plant,” Ali explains. “And everything in the photo that we’ve detected belongs to that plant. So, bunch count, cluster count, berry count, pests and disease, the location of the trunk, the number of canes that are attached to that trunk during the winter, which can influence your pruning. And from that foundational level of capability, is the basis for all our future AI models.”

Sprout Accelerator With Cropsy’s four founders coming from engineering and data science backgrounds, the team found the business-focused mentoring and workshopping of the Sprout Accelerator invaluable. Established in 2015 as an accelerator by The Factory, they have already accelerated 59 companies, with another 10 about to go through the first of two 2022 Accelerators.

The programme focuses on three core areas that enable scalable growth: connections to a global network; domain knowledge to help develop innovation; and capital raising preparation through business plan development and investment pitch practice. As well as Cropsy, other successful alumni include Arepa, Farmote, Onside and Soochi.

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THE FOCUS

Accuro

Fast-tracking the aging progress SOPHIE PREECE Wine Grenade has lived up to its name since 2014, blowing up winemaking traditions of time and oak. Now rebranded as Accuro to encompass spirits as well as wine, the successful Auckland startup offers rapid maturation using a portable microoxygenation device that slowly diffuses tiny amounts of oxygen into the wine – just like a permeable oak barrel would – while feeding ageing information back to the winemaker’s phone. “We amplify Nature’s aging progress letting you create mature wines and spirits in a fraction of the time,” says Accuro Chief Executive Dr Mark Eltom.

As well as making good headway into the global wine and spirits industry with the micro-oxygenation device, Accuro has commercialised an oxidative-reductivepotential (ORP) probe that measures the aeration of the ferment, whether the ferment is in danger of producing Hydrogen Sulfide, and what its overall “health” is. Mark says few people he speaks to know what ORP is, but all winemakers are acutely aware of reductive problems in fermentation or in wine, “and the impact these issues can have on final quality”, he says. “And absolutely nobody wants their vintage ruined in such a way.”

Accuro ran a research and development project looking at ways of measuring ORP and trialled both in-house custom-built and purchased off-the-shelf in roughly 10 million litres of wine in the 2021 vintage. That included Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, “and had some

Mark Elton

very interesting results”, says Mark. The probes and associated technology they tested ranged in price from $20 all the way up to $3,000. “We destroyed pretty much every single one to get to the bottom of what really made a good sensor for wine fermentation,” says Mark.

The company used the data and information gleaned in those trials to develop an internet-connected sensor and app to monitor aeration effectiveness and spot trouble ferments early on, giving heads up as to whether a ferment has started or needs further inoculation and yeast activity.

It can “pre-empt reductive issues”, says Mark.

ORP is measured in voltage “and any reading below -75mV is a good guideline that

reductive issues can, and probably will, start occurring”, he says.

Mark worked in research at New Zealand Winegrowers before a few years at Callaghan Innovation, where he had his eyes “cranked wide open” to the opportunities in startups and innovation commercialisation, including technology to transform the wine industry.

He joined Accuro in early 2020, with the target of leading the new product development (the ORP sensor and NextGen oxygenation device), widening the company’s customer base, and exploring new verticals for the technology, including the expansion into spirits.

While it began with wine, the future for Accuro is in the even more traditional, but steadily growing, world of spirits, he says.

Mark says New Zealand is a great environment to grow startups, with people generous with their time, “if you are genuine about trying to solve something that is causing them an issue”.

On the flipside, a small nation makes for a small system with potential for crossovers, and funding can be harder to achieve, although that is rapidly changing, he says.

Accuro is currently in a $2 million funding round to continue its development.

“The ideal fit for the investor is somebody who can really add value beyond just a financial contribution,” says Mark.

“Someone who has a background in technology, hopefully likes wine and spirits, and buys into the mission we are going for.”

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THE FOCUS

Ones to watch - Q&A with agritech startups Marama Labs Who? Marama Labs was founded by the three inventors of the CloudSpec technology, out of Vic Uni in Wellington - Dr Matthias Meyer (CTO), Dr Brendan Darby (CEO) and Professor Eric Le Ru. Why? The CloudSpec platform is a revolutionary solution to the long standing challenges in winemaking of controlling and perfecting colour and phenolics profiles of wines. The sensors and software make it much easier for wineries to accurately monitor colour and phenolics of wines throughout the year, and helps bring objective data into conversations around targeting wine style.

This helps wineries master their target styles each year.

How? Marama Labs has been heavily supported by the tech startup ecosystem in New Zealand, from Wellington Uni Ventures (the startup arm of Vic Uni), Kiwinet, Callaghan Innovation, as well as New Zealand’s leading investors of WNT Ventures, NZ Growth Capital Partners, Quidnet Ventures and other angel groups.

Where? New Zealand, Latin America, Europe, Australia

Landkind Who? I’m Matt Flowerday, the founder of Landkind. We’re a small but growing company, and I’m fortunate to work with such a passionate team to carry out our vision.

Why? We’re here to help vineyard owners do more and be better with less. Landkind provides new ways for growers and farmers to map, manage daily tasks, and visualise data on their property. Landkind now offers a way for growers to assess their overall environmental impact through our Farm Environment Plan tools.

How? The idea of Landkind started 2017 as an extension of GPS-it, our sister company that specialises in precision land mapping.

We’ve been developing our smart tools over the last few years and we’ve had great support working with partners such as Callaghan Innovation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), and excellent feedback from our early-stage customers.

Where? Primary industries across New Zealand use our software and mapping services. We’re currently working with Zespri, and Fonterra as well as a Bay of Plenty Catchment group to build integrated, pan-sector Farm Environment Plans. We are

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Where? HortPlus technology is used by all major growing industries in New Zealand, along with corporate and research clients in Australia and further afield. The Hortplus team is based between Hawke’s Bay and Wellington.

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Sauvignon Blanc Project Utilising nature’s adaptability

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THE SCIENCE

Harnessing Nature

Fast-tracking variance in Sauvignon Blanc SOPHIE PREECE New Zealand’s largest ever wine research programme will safeguard the linchpin of New Zealand’s wine industry, by diversifying Sauvignon Blanc.

“This innovative programme builds sustainability for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc,” says Bragato Research Institute (BRI) Chief Executive Jeffrey Clarke of the $18.7 million, seven-year Sauvignon Blanc Grapevine Improvement Programme.

“Growing a huge number of vines – each very subtly different – will allow us to select traits to accommodate a changing environment, capture market opportunities, and fend off biosecurity threats.”

The improvement programme will apply knowledge about how environmental conditions affect plant diversity in order to create up to 20,000 entirely new variants of Sauvignon Blanc. These will then be screened using the latest genome sequencing technology to identify traits sought by the wine industry, including improved yield, and more tolerance of fungal attack, frost, high temperatures and drought. Traits may also emerge which either maintain the characteristic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wine flavour and aroma, or offer new opportunities to expand sales of novel styles.

“Selected new variants will have enhancements that will boost sustainability and industry resilience, while producing wines that still possess all the distinctive characteristics our local and international wine consumers have grown to love,” says Jeffrey.

BRI Principal Research Scientist Dr Darrell Lizamore says the innovation in the programme is in “harnessing the natural diversity that appears when plant cells are exposed to harsh environmental conditions, and repeating this in a way that is controlled at scale”.

“Selected new variants will have enhancements that will boost sustainability and industry resilience, while producing wines that still possess all the distinctive characteristics our local and international wine consumers have grown to love.” Jeffrey Clarke The end goal is not one “super plant”, but a range of variants suited for certain sites, climates, or styles. “For one thing, that would help with the current risk of having the whole country depend on one variant. But it also could allow growers to have a few more choices in what they want to focus on, or what traits they may want to express in their wine,” he says.

Sauvignon Blanc provides 87 percent of the export revenue of New Zealand’s

$1.9 billion wine industry, but most of our Sauvignon Blanc vines are of the same variant, leaving the wine industry vulnerable to a new pest, disease or environmental change.

“What we are hoping to have in a few years is a growing population of vines in the field that reflect the scope of diversity that is possible in Sauvignon Blanc,” says Darrell, who anticipates walking down rows and seeing some plants with bigger bunches, others flowering earlier, or exhibiting resistance to powdery mildew. “That’s the kind of diversity we want to select from.”

The programme is also likely to yield environmental gains, because selected traits may allow grape growers to reduce inputs, or make production more efficient and sustainable, says Jeffrey.

The programme is funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) via the industry levy, and industry support from dozens of wine companies, including Constellation Brands and Indevin as Platinum participants.

Jeff Sinnott, National Technical Viticulturist at Constellation Brands, says New Zealand makes “great Sauvignon Blanc” and has created a category that didn’t exist before. It is a “tick the box item” on a lot of wine lists around the world, but the potential is there to do more with the variety, Photo on left, Darrell Lizamore in his new Grapevine Improvement lab, based at Lincoln University.

Photo Stephen Goodenough

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THE SCIENCE

including increased yields, increased quality, and increased drought or frost or heat tolerance, he says.

Jeff, who is on the NZW Research Advisory Committee, notes that Covid-19 has been an unexpected boon for people’s understanding of genetic variants, and therefore of the natural mutations the programme is looking to exploit.

He compares the modern breeding programme to orienteering with a GPS, “so we can find what we are looking for more quickly and more thoroughly”. And the result will ideally be a bespoke solution for growers, who can choose vines with natural advantages for the specific soils, climate or disease pressure they work with, or for the style of wine they want to produce. “At the end of the day it is about the industry taking responsibility for its own future.”

Indevin Head of Winegrowing, Patrick Materman, who was Chair of Sauvignon 2019 and is Deputy Chair of the NZW Research Advisory Committee, says Sauvignon Blanc has put New Zealand on the world map, achieving “huge success” with its unique style. “But at the same time, we are very reliant on one variant of the one variety, which perhaps leaves us vulnerable

Jeffrey Clarke

to the effects of climate change or to any biosecurity threat”, he says. “This project is really around trying to mitigate some of these risks through breeding variants which might have, for example, resistance to frost, drought or disease.”

The programme could also support breeding for different flavour or aroma traits, he says. “Obviously consumers love Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as it currently

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

stands, but consumer trends do shift and having more options would better place us to meet those trends and to provide greater diversity of style.”

Darrell explains that when plants are in ideal growth situations, they don’t change very much. But when the environmental situation becomes threating – for example through drought or a new pathogen, “plants are forced to adapt, because they cannot run away”. One of the ways they do that is by allowing spontaneous changes in their DNA to become more frequent, which can lead to the appearance of new traits.

“Harnessing” that natural ability might mean going into vineyards to look for plants with natural diversity, which is one branch of the programme. However, the vineyard environment is typically benign, with water supply and pathogen exposure managed to protect the plant.

The Sauvignon Blanc Programme will therefore take grapevine material and expose it to short term shocks using environmental stresses. That’s a balancing act between giving enough stress to maximise the amount of diversity, but not enough to kill the plant, so the changes are fixed, says Darrell. “We have to dial into how much

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stress we can give them.”

The result is random change that may or may not include a desired trait. “We have to produce a lot of plants because it’s not a targeted approach.” He notes that all plants are likely capable of reacting to stress by creating diversity, but most plants are grown from seed, so diversity is gained by crossing

“The vines we grow have been maintained through propagated cuttings since the Middle Ages.”

Dr Darrell Lizamore them with a different plant. “Whereas with vines the plants we grow have been maintained through propagated cuttings since the Middle Ages.”

Among the repository of Sauvignon Blanc variants will be plants with traits not required now, but of potential value in the future, due to a new pest, for example.

“We would go back to the database of plants to look for a plant that has increased resistance,” Darrell says. “One of the limitations of a typical breeding programme

Darrell Lizamore. Photo Stephen Goodenough

is that you pick a direction, and are then committed for the next 30 years. The advantage with this approach is that we first produce all the diversity, which we can keep returning to, to pick the plants that we need.”

He will be based at BRI’s newlyestablished research laboratory at Lincoln

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University. BRI is also working closely with Plant & Food Research as a major partner on the programme. Research partners in the United States and Europe are also “very keen to be involved”, says Darrell. “It’s exciting to be able to speak to colleagues and have them say, ‘wow this is an exciting project’.”

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Dr Charles Merfield

Vineyard Nexus New Weed Paradigm SOPHIE PREECE Writing a practical guide on non-chemical weed management had an unexpected result for Dr Charles Merfield, as he delved into the interconnected nature of the vines, ground cover and soils, and the damage done to all three by cultivating. “During writing, it became clear that undervine weed management could not be sensibly separated from the management of the rest of the vineyard floor,” he wrote in the resulting document, Vineyard Floor Management: A Sustainability Nexus with a Focus on Undervine Weeding.

Charles, who is head of the Biological Husbandry Unit’s (BHU) Future Farming Centre, still focussed on nonchemical weed management tools in that document, including the thermal

weeding he has a particular interest in.

But he also delved into the potential of living mulches - growing plants - to help suppress problematic weeds, while providing important ecological services in the vineyard, from nitrogen supply and management via legumes to improving soil health and sequestering atmospheric carbon, and from increasing biodiversity to nurturing bio-controls for vineyard pests and diseases. “All of these have an impact on the multiple, massive global challenges that humanity faces,” he says, talking of mitigating climate change, biodiversity loss and excess phosphorus and nitrogen in waterways. “I am constantly thinking about the global environmental challenges we have.”

Instead of getting rid of weeds, vineyards should be putting in more plants and greater diversity, Charles says, talking of an “agroecological approach” that looks at the entire system, considering the roles required from each species – whether that’s nitrogen fixing or attracting a certain beneficial insect – as well the “externalities” at play, including undesirable outcomes that need to be minimised. Charles says there is “fascinating” information coming out of the “ecological science space” that shows that primary producers choosing plants over herbicide are getting better financial results.

That can be hard data for conventional farmers to swallow, he says. In the same way, many grape growers “blinkered” by their understanding of how a vineyard

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should look, with tidy herbicide strips, struggle to see how increased value can be gained by letting a strategic crop, grow in that undervine area.

The Nexus report notes that the advent of the “herbicide era” around the 1950s “and the dramatic simplification and ease of weed control that they permitted”, resulted in a swift shift in the perception of weeds.

“Quite simply, plants that had previously been of no concern, were redefined as weeds simply because it was now possible to easily kill them,” he says. “Agriculture and society are now starting another paradigm shift in attitude to weeds. The concept that any given plant species is, and will always be a weed, is evolving,” he adds, noting that plants can be a weed in one situation but a valuable resource in another. As an example, the Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) is a problem on Australian farms because it is toxic to stock and outcompetes pasture, “while in vineyards, it can make for an excellent undervine living mulch as it smothers out other plants”.

Because it is active in winter and becomes dormant in spring, the buttercup does not compete with vines during their active

growth period. A key part of the “new weed paradigm” is that non-crop plants don’t necessarily have to be removed, and those that do cause damage may only need to be managed, rather than exterminated.

Charles, who has been involved in organic production for three decades, says his latest work – including a citrus

project in the Lighter Touch Programme enhancing agroecosystems for arthropod biological control in citrus – is about a complete system redesign. “We kind of need to jump over organics and even jump over regenerative agriculture and say ‘okay what is a scientifically informed ecological solution to all of this?’”

Soil health checks

Dr Charles Merfield discussed a range of five-minute soil health measurements at an Organic Winegrowers New Zealand webinar in October, considering everything from worm counts to hot water carbon. The measurements are part of a vineyard warrant of fitness, and can be applied easily in any vineyard, says the head of the Biological Husbandry Unit’s (BHU) Future Farming Centre. The soil health measurements discussed include: • Soil Pedology Active Diagnostic Evaluator - ‘S.P.A.D.E.’ test.

• Penetrometer - soil compaction and density.

• Cotton decomposition test (soil your undies) - biological activity.

• Ring infiltration test - drainage, aeration, structure and density.

• Slake test for aggregate stability.

• Worm counts - keystone indicator species for overall soil health.

• Visual soil assessment (VSA) - the gold standard of field soil health tests.

• Hot water carbon - laboratory test, for soil biology.

For more information go to nzwine.com/members/research/vineyard-resources/soil-water/

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THE SCIENCE

Glassy winged sharpshooter - image credit Alamy

Pandemic Potential The arrival of the bacterial plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa could decimate New Zealand’s $2 billion a year wine exports, lock down our vineyards, evaporate jobs and deprive us of a favoured local tipple. Covid-19 response tactics - coupled with high-tech solutions - could keep the vino flowing, reports Pamela Niskanen.

While the Covid-19 virus dominates the news, commercial growers overseas are grappling with a bacterial invasion.

California wine grape growers have been plagued with Pierce’s disease (caused by Xylella fastidiosa) for over a century, and despite interventions by government, scientists and wine producers, no cure has been found. The Xylella response in California still costs US$104 million a year.

In Italy, Xylella caused an outbreak of Olive Quick Decline Syndrome in 2013.

When it was diagnosed, growers were told to burn down damaged orchards (including 1,000-year-old olive trees), and at first many growers resisted. Over a million trees were eventually destroyed over two years, but the disease still haunts the Apulia region.

Rodrigo Almeida runs a Xylella lab at UC Berkeley. He says if he was asked in 2012 (the year before the Italian outbreak) whether Xylella would be a problem in Italian olive groves, he and other researchers would have laughed. “We would have said, ‘sure, we can see academic hypothetical scenarios but in reality, probably not going to happen’ and then ‘bam!’ There it is, it’s really devastating.”

Rodrigo says he doesn’t think Pierce’s disease will be a problem in New Zealand, because it’s “just too cold”. The numbers tell a different story. The most severe outbreaks in California occurred in Temecula, where National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded an average winter temperature in 2021 of 11C, and the northernmost cases of Pierce’s 40

disease are in Mendocino, where NOAA reports an average winter temperature of 8C. In New Zealand, data obtained from Accuweather showed average July temperatures of 10.3C in Marlborough in 2021.

“Our Covid-19 response can inform our Xylella response.”

There are other factors at play for Pierce’s disease such as rainfall, number of growing days and proximity of vines to riparian areas, but our warming climate could be the loophole Xylella needs to take hold here. The European Commission recognizes Xylella fastidiosa as a major plant threat, and it is on the Most Unwanted list here in New Zealand and Australia.

Xylella fastidiosa This is an aerobic, Gram-negative bacterial pathogen. Aerobic means it needs oxygen to survive; Gram-negative means that you can’t use a violet “Gram’s method” stain to identify it in the lab. The fastidiosa species name means it is “fastidious”, or choosy, For a deeper dive check out: • nzwine.com • mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity • bioheritage.nz/goals/stategicobjective/surveillance (sic) • planthealthaustralia.com.au

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

about where it reproduces; it doesn’t grow well in a lab, only in a host plant (and it has over 300 host plants, including many New Zealand natives). All this makes Xylella confoundingly difficult to research.

Many subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa have been identified, the four primary ones are: fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa, which leads to Pierce’s disease in table and wine grapes; multiplex, which causes leaf scorch on peaches and plums; pauca, which triggers Citrus Variegated Chlorosis; and sandyi which unleashes Olive Quick Decline Syndrome. A current B3 (Better Border Biosecurity) project on Xylella is focussing on development of a quick and accurate tool for identifying subspecies.

Once Xylella gets into a grapevine, the bacteria cram together into a biofilm which builds up in the xylem and disrupts the flow of water to stems, leaves and fruit. The result is Pierce’s disease: eventual dehydration and death, regardless of how much water is available in the soil. Remember the myth of Tantalus? He was cursed to stand in a pool of water which would drain away every time he wanted a drink.

Xylem feeders Xylella needs a vector to spread it. In California, the most common vectors are sharpshooters, which feed on the mineralrich xylem of one plant and then on a nearby plant, spreading the bacteria. We don’t have sharpshooters in New Zealand, so if we keep those out, we’re golden, right? Wrong: if a

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INDUSTRY LEADING DESIGN & COMFORT.

Dr Jessica Vereijssen. Photo from Plant & Food Research

plant with Xylella slips through the border, other xylem-feeders already in New Zealand (such as spittlebugs) could transmit the bacteria.

Dr Jessica Vereijssen at Plant & Food Research is currently working on xylem feeders found where citrus, wine grapes and apricots grow. Her trapping in 2020 confirmed that the foreign spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (the same species involved in the destruction of Italy’s olive trees) is already here. We don’t know yet if it could spread Xylella in New Zealand.

Biosecurity as a net, not a wall The Ministry for Primary Industry’s (MPI) Biosecurity New Zealand works along global guidelines set by the World Trade Organization and International Plant Protection Convention. Standards for New Zealand are customised in discussion with local research institutes, universities, ports of entry and growers’ associations.

New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) is a signatory to the General Industry Agreement (GIA) with government. In return for engaging and investing in biosecurity, the GIA gives them a seat at the table when biosecurity decisions are made which affect the wine industry.

Dozens of other sectors have signed the GIA. Each stakeholder in our biosecurity system represents a single approach or a single ‘net’. Imagine a single piece of netting put up in the wind – it would give you a small chance of catching a biological threat. Take many pieces of netting, all overlayed at different angles, and you’ll have your best chance.

The Invasion Curve MPI has pre-border, border and post-border controls, with specific tactics for each. With limited financial resources, though, how do we know where our spending will have the greatest value? Biosecurity leaders here and abroad often structure their investments according to something called “The Invasion Curve”.

The curve suggests that prevention is the best investment, costing relatively little and impacting small areas, while providing a high return. Once an organism has become established, however, eradication gets more expensive, while the net economic benefit shrinks.

Finally, if eradication is unsuccessful, a period of containment may be settled on for long-term control, during which spending continues to rise but is less effective over time (because a higher number of infections must be managed).

Does this sound familiar? We’re going through it with Covid-19, and our Covid-19 response can inform our Xylella response.

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To prevent entry of Covid-19 into the community, we currently require that people quarantine on arrival. MPI has strong measures in place to protect your crops from Xylella: the Nursery Stock Import Health Standard requires that any Xylella host plants entering New Zealand from countries that have Xylella (Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, India, Taiwan and Iran) be quarantined for at least six months in a postentry quarantine facility. The cost is covered by the importer.

New Zealand initially followed a policy of total eradication when Covid-19 entered the country. A similar eradication policy for Xylella could potentially include locking down vineyards and orchards and mandating the destruction of infected plants.

Our ‘traffic light’ system designed for containment of Covid-19 allows businesses (and hopefully, soon, borders) to open again – as long as vaccines can keep the pace against variants. What might Xylella containment look like? Frequent testing for the bacteria and its vectors, and restrictions on movement of host plant material between regions. If global warming continues as projected over the coming decades, the eradication and containment of Pierce’s disease might be impossible in New Zealand.

In that case growers will face long-term control decisions to protect our wine industry: scientists at UC Davis have cultivated Pierce’s disease-resistant varietals which are being tested in high-risk regions in California, Texas A&M has an organic inoculation in trials and in January 2021 Spanish company Lainco made news for their release of a eucalyptus oil-based topical spray solution.

Insecticides can be applied to kill or restrict the insect vectors, but United States entomologist Alexander Purcell warns that sharpshooters can develop resistance to

Image via the Invasive Species Centre; Adapted from the Generalised Invasion Curve (Agriculture Victoria, 2010).

insecticides over the long term. The US Department of Agriculture have introduced a parasitic wasp for biological control of vectors, and Ridge Vineyards in California has had success with the application of a dusting of kaolin clay which chokes the sharpshooters when they try to feed.

As a last resort, abandoning an infected region might be a winemaker’s only option.

Callaway Wineries lost a fifth of their Temecula leases due to damage from Pierce’s disease, and now produces their “Callaway Coastal” line with grapes bought from as far north as Monterey County.

Science to the Rescue A New Zealand’s Biological Heritage (BioHeritage) team called “State of the Art Surveillance” is working now on two technologies which could help police Xylella and its vectors. Dr. Carl Wardhaugh of Scion is deploying insect traps at the Port of Tauranga to see which insect species enter through the port. B3, Scion, Plant & Food Research, the University of Canterbury and Wilderlab are collaborating on this project.

Each catch is sorted and identified by hand, before some samples are processed

into an ‘insect soup’ and finds out which species are present using eDNA tests.

The eDNA results get compared to a reference library of known insect threats.

The team aims to find a way to make this process operational on a national scale, giving New Zealand a good chance of nabbing sharpshooters (or any other xylemfeeding insects that could spread Xylella) at the border.

Another BioHeritage project combines photography of urban trees with machine learning to check for disease. Vehiclemounted cameras will travel prescribed routes fortnightly to take pictures of urban trees (blurring private information such as car registrations and house numbers).

Computer algorithms can identify the trees in the images by comparing them to a reference database, and then send up a notification if the health of any trees visibly declines over time. The study is designed to measure tree diseases, but the model could be adapted for deployment in vineyards for Pierce’s disease.

Pamela Niskanen is affiliated with Te Paepae Pūtaiao, The Centre for Science Communication at University of Otago

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IT WOULD BE STINK IF THESE GOT INTO NEW ZEALAND

Xylella fastidiosa infection in Chardonnay.

Photo credit Lindsey Burbank USDA-ARS.

Xylella Action Group Xylella fastidiosa is in the ‘highest threat’ category on New Zealand Winegrowers’ Most Unwanted list, along with the glassy winged sharpshooter that acts as a vector. Biosecurity and Emergency Response Manager Sophie Badland says there is no cure for the diseases caused by Xylella, including Pierce’s disease of grapevines. “A biosecurity response to Xylella is likely to be very complex, as there are several subspecies which affect different host plants, and multiple vectors that may or may not play a role in spreading the bacteria between hosts,” she says.

“To further complicate things, there are a great many plant species known to be asymptomatic hosts – they can be infected with Xylella, but don’t show disease symptoms or appear to be negatively affected by it.”

In 2018 a group of industry Government Industry Agreement (GIA) signatories, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Department of Conservation, the science community and Te Tira Whakamātaki (the Māori Biosecurity Network) established the Xylella Action Group in order to better prepare for an incursion of the pathogen. A literature review (nzwine. com) was carried out to determine the likely impacts should it arrive on New Zealand shores. More recently, an operational specifications plan has been developed, outlining the response actions that can be taken should Xylella be detected in New Zealand, says Sophie. “As we head into 2022, the Xylella Action Group is preparing to negotiate another operational agreement which will allow further readiness work to be jointly undertaken by GIA signatories.”

The work programme under the agreement is likely to include testing the operational specifications through a response simulation exercise, working through response costsharing arrangements pre-emptively, and understanding more about the emerging tools and technologies being developed to detect Xylella and reduce the impact it has on host plants, Sophie says. Some of these are outlined in previous article, including the Pierce’s disease-resistant vines developed at UC Davis. “New Zealand Winegrowers has been in touch with UC Davis and hopes to be able to import some of these varietals in a few years’ time, when foreign licensing is granted.”

In grapevines, the symptoms of Pierce’s disease generally appear mid to late summer and can look similar to water stress or leaf scorch. If you notice these symptoms in vines that shouldn’t be stressed, please get in touch with biosecurity@ nzwine.com so testing can be arranged.

The brown marmorated stink bug is a pest that infests homes, ruins gardens, stinks when crushed, and is almost impossible to get rid of. It could also destroy our fruit and vegetable industries.

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Look for black & white banding on the antennae

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

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Women in Wine Celia Hay

50 I

Tasting Notes Roger Parkinson

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New Vintage Georgia Mehlhopt

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Postcard Andréa McBride John

THE PEOPLE

Dancing Petrel

A passionate part of the Northland wine trail SOPHIE PREECE Kim and Graham Gilkison were fishing in Northland in 2018 when inspiration flitted past.

A storm petrel was “dancing” around the boat, just above the water, “a bit like the fantail of the sea”, says Kim, who had bought grapes from the nearby Paewhenua Island and was in search of a wine label. “They call it the Jesus bird, but that’s a bit of a step too far for a wine,” she adds with a laugh, having settled on Dancing Petrel instead.

Later that year the Gilkisons went on to buy the unique 12 hectare vineyard on the northern slopes of the island, overlooking Mangonui Harbour and the entrance to Doubtless Bay. It was an unexpected decision for the couple, who had no experience of winegrowing, but had moved up from New Plymouth and seen the vineyard, previously known as Butterfish Bay, fall into some disrepair.

“I could see the vineyard needed a boost and some serious TLC, and decided I would get into the wine industry,” she says.

They knew the block could produce good wine, “because we’d had earlier vintages and they were lovely”, and it has a “nice little microclimate”, she adds. “I wasn’t convinced the reds were going to be good but they are.”

They may have “fallen” into winegrowing, but it’s been a “fantastic change in lifestyle”, thanks in part to the collegiality of the Northland wine industry, which has offered a whole lot of support. “If it had been an industry where everyone felt that they were competing against each other, then it

wouldn’t have been so easy.”

The region’s producers are also connected by a small but wonderful Northland wine trail, and Kim says visitors have flocked to the tasting room as news of the revitalised vineyard spreads through the grapevine.

The couple plan to boost Dancing Petrel’s offering this year, having won Top Energy’s $30,000 Business Development Fund, a programme launched in 2014 to encourage and promote economic growth in the Far North.

The plan is to open a tasting room café in time for the 2022 summer season, to entice the surrounding community and Northland wine trail visitors to enjoy their wines and produce from the local area. Kim and Graham will use the grant to contribute towards training vineyard staff, hiring a chef and training café staff, as well as focusing on market development of Dancing Petrel.

Photo on left : Kim Gilkison and Harry of Dancing Petrel Vineyard

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THE PEOPLE

Joe Babich

Joe Babich

A giant of New Zealand’s wine industry SOPHIE PREECE Joe Babich was on track to become pharmacist, when he defied his mother’s wishes and joined New Zealand’s nascent wine industry instead. “At 18 he was lined up to do an apprenticeship with a pharmacist in Henderson,” says Babich Chief Executive David Babich of his uncle, who died in January after a two year battle with cancer. “He was quite close to embarking on that when he said ‘no I am not going to do that; I am going to join my father and brother in the family business’.”

It was a fork in the road, adds David.

“Become a pharmacist or become a wine guy.” Sixty years on, Joe’s decision to become a wine guy gave New Zealand not

only a “supremely skilled winemaker in one of our most highly respected pioneer wine families”, says former wine journalist Terry Dunleavy. “But one whose constant quest for quality and unique flavours took him into the formal judging of wine.”

Joe was a real gentleman, a “fabulous guy with a quiet restrained dignity about him”, says New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan. “But that didn’t stop him being very progressive.”

Joe’s brother Peter – nine years his elder – had left school to work in the vines in 1947, aged 16, joining his father Josip Babich, who came to New Zealand from Croatia at 14, and launched Babich Brothers in

Henderson in 1916.

When Joe entered the business in 1958 they were growing 15 hectares of grapes on Babich Rd and doing all the work themselves. “That was all we had for the year, on a vineyard you could throw a hoop over,” says David. “I think really Joe just wanted to join his older brother, and make the most of this pretty humble situation.”

But Joe’s strength in science, and relentless study of the chemical relationships inherent in winemaking, made him an asset to the company, which had relied largely on Croatian traditions and instinct. “My grandfather would have known how to make wine aged 10,” says

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

THE PEOPLE

David. “But when something went wrong, he didn’t know the science.” And while Peter was winemaker for some time, his forte was in the business side of the operation.

Joe became part of a group coined the Young Winemakers, including Nick Nobilo, Ivan Selak and George Fistonich, all between 18 and 20 years old, who would meet weekly or fortnightly to taste and discuss wines. “They were trying to figure it out,” says David.

The remaining Young Winemakers are now in their 80s, and still meet for lunch each year. “What they brought as a group was a lot of sharing,” says David. “They knew to try and lift the tide and to build the industry as a collective,” he says. “They knew that it was better that everybody makes better wine than that someone makes better wine and the rest of it is shit.

It was a really strong approach at the end of the ‘50s going into the ‘60s.”

In 1958, Babich Wines’ annual grape crush was around 30 tonnes, and production was largely in fortified wines, to appeal to the local clientele, despite the Croatian tradition of table wines.

Joe was adamant that the company – and industry – had to move to table wine, which meant retooling the winery with stainless steel, better presses, refrigeration and sensitivity around oxidation. “Joe was really

interested in shifting towards table wines with finesse”, which became a tagline for the company, says David.

That transition in the late ‘60s and ‘70s was “greatly assisted” by the stainless steel and refrigeration utilised in the dairy industry, he says. “I remember in the ‘70s, we were installing stainless as quickly as we could get it.”

Joe and Peter progressively modernised the winery and Joe forged a new path for Babich’s approach to winemaking, partly influenced by a trip to European wine regions. The next phase for Babich was to move south in growing grapes, first to Gisborne and then on to Hawke’s Bay, including as one of the pioneers of the Gimblett Gravels, where Joe saw potential for Riesling, Chardonnay and Bordeaux reds.

On the newly planted Irongate vineyard, he went on to make one of the first New Zealand Chardonnays to be fermented and matured on its yeast lees in barrels.

David says Joe didn’t know whether the process would ruin the barrel, so worked on the project in secret, not telling Peter, who might have objected. When the first Irongate Chardonnay emerged, it was a winner, drawing acclaim from wine judges, winning the1985 Vintners Trophy, and impressing the family, “and Babich has

Certificate in New Zealand Wine (Foundation) Online: • 1, 3, Mar & 8, 10 Mar • 24, 26 May & 31 May & 2 Jun

made Irongate Chardonnay ever since”, says David, noting that is the wine they associate most with Joe. He notes that we think of New Zealand’s wine industry as pretty sophisticated, “but you can go back less than 40 years and they didn’t know about oak fermenting Chardonnay with any certainty”.

Over 130 combined years in New Zealand’s wine industry – 70 for Peter and 60 for Joe – the brothers worked together to grow Babich and the industry, generous with their time in order to support greater success, David says. “Together, they carved out a partnership enduring 60 years of active involvement in the wine industry.”

For Joe, that generosity included 35 years of wine judging, including as Chair of Judges at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards on six occasions.

In 1994 he was named Winemaker of the Year at the New Zealand Royal Easter Show, and in 2013 was awarded the Sir George Fistonich Medal in Recognition of Service to New Zealand Wine at the New Zealand International Wine Show. He was also appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

“Joe’s a guy who’s been around my whole life, in the winery and on Babich Road,” says David. “It’s pretty strange to think he won’t be around.”

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THE PEOPLE

Women in Wine

Celia Hay on making the most of lockdown JOELLE THOMSON It’s been 10 years since the Christchurch earthquake forced Celia Hay out of her food and wine business in the city, and 2021 was another challenging year. But Auckland’s Alert Level 3 lockdown provided the founder and owner of the New Zealand School of Food & Wine with impetus to exercise, work and dine well. “We’ve eaten restaurant level meals, at home”, says Celia, who tapped into fresh healthy ingredients from local stores in lieu of supermarket visits. “It’s one of a bunch of positive things that have happened during lockdown, which was an enabler in some serious ways.”

During the long uncertain months of tight restrictions, Celia walked and ran 50 kilometres a week and wrote new food and wine qualifications. She is now launching her series of NZQA micro-credentials - short part-time courses based on topics that would normally be covered in longer qualifications.

Celia, who runs the school from downtown Auckland, but founded it in central Christchurch in 1995, is an ardent promoter of how we can build a better culture of food in New Zealand.

“It begins in lots of small ways like sourcing food locally and only buying what you need so there is no food wastage. This will save money, but also how we store food is important so that you don’t have a fridge full of half-eaten containers with food perishing in front of you. I use the local fish shop in Parnell, I go to the butchery locally where there are offcuts that make great meals, and I go to a small Cambodianowned vegetable shop.”

Lockdown may have inspired much of the content in her new micro qualifications, but innovating with fresh, locally grown ingredients is nothing new to Celia, who has been a pioneer of the paddock to plate movement since the early 1990s, when her family’s farm in Pigeon Bay began providing organic lamb for her restaurant in Christchurch. She worked to build the perception and quality of Canterbury wines in the region’s early winemaking days, and international recognition followed, with five Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence for the wine list at Hay’s Restaurant in Christchurch.

“We had a lot of local Canterbury wines but also New Zealand classics with vertical vintage line-ups of Ata Rangi, Te Mata 48

Coleraine and Quartz Reef Pinot Noir. It took years to invest in the stock in order to have sufficient stock of those wines over multiple vintages and we needed proper storage to do so.”

When she opened the school’s doors in 1995, students were able to do work experience modules in the restaurant, and wine courses formed part of the programme from the start. In 2003 Celia became New Zealand’s first provider of the British-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses.

Then on 22 February 2011, the Christchurch earthquake struck, severely damaging the building that housed her

“There is still a disconnect between people who love to cook and those who want to train and get better at it.”

Celia Hay school and restaurant, and decimating her home in the historic Cranmer Court stone building. Her income was cut off, her elderly mother’s rest home ruined and, along with thousands of other Cantabrians, Celia had no idea where she could live or how to make a living. “When we went into our home, we had to think, ‘what do I want from here?

What doesn’t matter? We got things of value but there was a lot of furniture still rotting when we left with nine banana boxes and drove to Auckland.” It was a life changing event, she says. “People in Auckland had no idea of the consequences of having your home destroyed and your equity decimated overnight. Many people’s life’s work was gone and, for me, the biggest issue was the insurance nightmare as a consequence.”

Celia was able to re-establish her school in Customs Street West, Auckland. It was a significantly more expensive option than running a business from her own building and, for a time, she harboured hopes of reopening the Christchurch school, keeping her staff on paid leave. But it wasn’t to be.

The Auckland-based school now runs significantly more courses and New Zealand

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

qualifications than the Christchurch one did, from barista training to cocktails, mixology to sommelier skills. “I’m also trying inspire young people to like food and wine and see that long-term career opportunities in hospitality do exist. We all love to eat out and we do need people to work and manage these businesses. We need to move pass the perception that this is just a part-time job while studying.”

She wants to light the flame of desire to produce healthy, delicious meals with wine; to show people how food and wine work to complement each other. Her new micro qualifications will enable people of all ages to do part-time courses while working. These include digital marketing as well the Certificate in New Zealand Food and Beverage History: from kumara to Sauvignon Blanc. This draws on traditional Māori foods, preparations, cooking techniques and changes caused by the introduction of imported plants, animals and alcoholic beverages.

“One of the things we know about lockdown is that people cooked at the time, so they are loving cooking, but there is still a disconnect between people who love to cook and those who want to train and get better at it.”

Celia certainly understands the latter, having acquired not only a Masters in Education, but also the Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s higher qualification, the diploma. Last year she taught over 70 people the Certificate in New Zealand Wine microcredential online. Students are sent a case of wine and there is an interactive session where Celia presents digitally, teaching how to approach wine tasting. These courses are targeted at the trade as well as the general public.

“They will make consumers more educated and people working in the sector feel more confident to communicate in a positive way about what they are serving. When a person becomes more knowledgeable, they will become more respectful about what goes into food preparation and this translates in their lives positively.”

The most rewarding aspect of her career to date is communicating about New Zealand food and beverages, inspiring others to

THE PEOPLE

“I’m also trying inspire young people to like food and wine and see that long-term career opportunities in hospitality do exist.”

Celia Hay learn, Celia says. An example is teaching liquor licensing online, which she brings history into, including New Zealand being the first country to give women the vote and the history of the licensing trusts that grew from this. “I feel I’m doing my duty talking about women’s suffrage and also New Zealand’s history because in the wine courses I teach, I always mention James Busby, one of the drafters of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, who brought vines from Europe and made wine at the treaty house.”

Celia is a published author with five books, including two editions of the New Zealand Wine Guide and three of her own hospitality guides. She continues to research the history of food and beverages in New Zealand.

Celia Hay

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www.nzwinegrower.co.nz NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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THE PEOPLE

Roger Parkinson

The Profile Roger Parkinson

It’s 35 years since Roger Parkinson planted vines in Martinborough and this year he celebrates three decades as winemaker at Nga Waka. But it began in Paris, he tells JOELLE THOMSON His greatest extravagance is horses and his greatest fear is climate change, so the unseasonable weather in Martinborough has winemaker Roger Parkinson on edge.

It’s an extremely rainy, overcast day in late spring 2021 when we talk about his journey into wine and how he became one of the early producers in Martinborough’s wine scene. The climate occupies much of the conversation, due to the heavy continuous rain over three weeks, but Roger’s wine story is a more romantic than the wet weather. He first tasted wine and enjoyed it as a 15-yearold in Paris. This early exposure to good and very good wine later saw him change career twice to finally find his niche as a winemaker.

Roger boarded at Rathkeale College in Wairarapa while his parents were posted overseas, and when school holidays came around, he had the fortuitous experience of travelling to Europe to see his family 50

and, it turned out, to taste wine. “My father was posted in Paris and just down the road was Steven Spurrier’s wine shop, Cave de Madeleine, so Dad got to know him and asked him to pick out a dozen wines each month to enjoy at home, at functions, and to learn.

“I’m only doing the stuff I really love, which is fantastic.”

Roger Parkinson “Dad was looking to learn more about wine so it was incredibly lucky that he lived so close to that wine store. My first trip to Paris was interesting because I got to try some pretty good wines and when we travelled around France, we tasted more,

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

which gave me a pretty early appreciation of the role of wine in daily life where it wasn’t a special thing but just part of the meal. It was also a good first exposure to what quality wine could look like and how amazing it could be.”

His parents then went to Peru, where there is a wine industry, and later his father was posted to Rome, so there was more wine to come during Roger’s teenage years. He then went to Victoria University in Wellington and, while working towards his BA in history and French, “made a bit of money on the side as a wine waiter at a motor lodge opposite the Botanical Gardens and went to tastings at Wilson Neill”, he says. “Wine was taking hold during those years”. He went on to become a teacher, ditching that for human resources before studying wine at Roseworthy in South Australia when he was 28 years old. “It was all very unplanned but I never looked back once I was studying wine.”

THE PEOPLE

The lightbulb moment that led him to plant grapes in Martinborough came when he returned home after his wine degree.

“What really appealed to me about Martinborough was the quality of the first wines coming out of the region. Even in the early days with a bunch of disparate varieties ranging from Cabernet to MüllerThurgau, and people figuring it out as they went, the quality of the raw material looked impressive.”

The unrealised potential was exciting. “Once I could see that potential, I didn’t have an interest in going elsewhere, although I could have been perfectly happy in Marlborough or Hawke’s Bay based on the quality of wine… I just loved the idea of being on the first rung of the ladder, albeit there had been some interesting wines produced, but they were really still figuring it out and I wanted to be part of that.”

Roger bought land there in 1986 and Nga Waka was one of the second wave of wineries in Martinborough’s early wine days. The other wineries in the village in those days included Ata Rangi, Dry River, Chifney Wines, Martinborough Vineyard and Te Kairanga.

While he remains one of the only original winemakers at the helm, Roger sold the winery and brand to Jay Short and Penny Dupey in 2015. “I got into the wine industry to make wine but of course to do that you’ve got to do all the other stuff - marketing, compliance and management - and now with new ownership and a general manager, I’m only doing the stuff I really love, which is fantastic. These days (General Manager) Mick Hodson has to pick up all the other stuff.” Mick was Roger’s first brand manager at Hancocks back in the 1990s, “so it’s come full circle”, he says. “When we were looking to hire a General Manager just a couple of years ago, I knew he was looking to leave Auckland and the synergy with the brand was ideal for him to step into the role.”

Harvest dates are significantly earlier in Martinborough than they were in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but Roger says the biggest change has been more recent. “The shift in harvest dates has not been gradual. It’s been mostly over the past five years, so it begs the question of whether the region can continue to make high quality Pinot Noir in the medium to long-term future. It’s not enough to impact on Pinot Noir now, but if the trend continues, it could do.”

January now looks more typically like the hottest month in the region and autumn rains tend to be earlier, he says. “We’re living in an area with a relatively short growing season so we get budburst in September and traditionally start picking at the start of April, so we have moved to between two to three weeks earlier for picking at the end of the first week in March. That’s really significant. You’re talking 14 to 21 days earlier over what had been a stable pattern for some time. The trend is what’s important.”

This year marks Roger’s 30th of continuous winemaking at Nga Waka and a cellar door is also currently under construction, due to open mid-year. Three decades is a milestone by any stretch but particularly in a country as new to wine as New Zealand and a region that’s even newer.

Asked if he has any regrets, Roger says in typical pragmatic style: “Not many but I wish I had bought much more land in Martinborough when it really was a steal.”

Desert Island Wishlist Wine: Le Montrachet Meal: Lamb Shanks (slow-cooked) Album: After the Goldrush - Neil Young Magazine: New York Review of Books

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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THE PEOPLE

Georgia Mehlhopt

New Vintage Georgia Mehlhopt SARAH ROWLEY ADAMS Georgia Mehlhopt has taken a unique pathway into the wine industry. The law graduate was an emergency communicator until hiking the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain sent her in a new direction. These days, Georgia is working as a Viticultural Technician for Accolade Wines, but will start a cellar hand role for vintage at Greystone in March. “I’m very torn between the vineyard and winery, I love both aspects of it.”

While studying, Georgia worked as a community law caseworker and as an emergency communicator for the New Zealand Police, receiving 111 calls. “It was heavy work, and mentally and emotionally draining,” she says. After completing her degree and being admitted to the bar, she decided to travel and have a break.

Georgia found herself walking the 800-kilometre Camino de Santiago trail across Spain. The trail winds through the Rioja wine region, where she would often stop under the shade of the vines and talk to vineyard workers. Along with tasting the delicious wines from the region, it was these conversations that “sparked an interest” in a career in wine.

Before she returned to New Zealand, Georgia had already looked up the Lincoln 52

University qualifications in her home town of Christchurch. “I found out I could do a one-year post-grad course, which was so tempting because it was only one year out of my life.”

“It sounds cheesy, but they are so supportive, and I’ve never been in an industry that’s like it.”

Georgia Mehlhopt The course flew by, and she landed a job at Amisfield Vineyard in Central Otago by simply emailing them. She went to visit the winery to see if it would be a good fit and was offered a graduate trainee role right away.

Georgia says the team at Amisfield were fantastic. “I couldn’t have asked for a better place to do my first vintage.” She worked there for almost a year and got a taste of work across the vineyard, winery, and lab.

“They were so supportive and forward thinking, and they pushed me to do more and to try the Young Winemaker and Young

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Viticulturist competitions.”

The experience in both the vineyard and winery she gained from the trainee role has served her well, helping her move around the industry. “I initially thought I’d want to work in the vineyard more, but then I did my vintage at Amisfield and gravitated more towards the winery.”

Although Georgia is keen to give northern hemisphere vintages a go when borders open, she is happy where she is now. “I’m pretty keen to get more involved in the New Zealand wine industry if I’m honest.”

Her favourite thing about the industry is the people. “It sounds cheesy, but they are so supportive, and I’ve never been in an industry that’s like it.” She says everyone is willing to share their knowledge and want others to succeed. “It’s very welcoming, to someone new to the industry who has a lot of questions.”

Georgia encourages anyone who is curious about working in the wine industry to give it a go. “Reach out to wineries in your area and ask if you can talk to them to learn more about it.” She says it’s a great chance to hear from them and learn more. “Try a vintage and just go for it! What do you have to lose?”

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Postcard Andréa McBride John from San Francisco

Andréa McBride John in Spring Creek Marlborough 2007/2008

Kia ora from San Francisco!

I hope everyone at home is doing okay during these difficult, surreal times. It’s been 22 months since I was last home in February 2020, and I miss everyone and everything dearly.

Here in the States, we’re getting ready to release our newest McBride Sisters Collection Reserve wines. This is the next chapter of our wine story and is inspired by my formative years growing up in Aotearoa, which ultimately shaped who I am as a person and entrepreneur. Since we’re old friends, I wanted to give you a bit of the back story and a preview of our launch plans for these delicious wines.

Although I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Blenheim when I was six, I consider myself a Kiwi – multicultural and multinational. After we landed in New Zealand, I split time between my mum’s family in Marlborough and my foster family in Auckland (mum passed away shortly after 54

“We were also honoured with a Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year nomination for the entire portfolio.”

we moved to Blenheim from the States).

This experience introduced me to two cultures early on that were both vastly different from American culture. My experiences ranged in the extremes from the adventures of agricultural entrepreneurs planting Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in the early days of the budding wine industry, to whānau gatherings at the family marae in the Bay of Plenty. The commonality between the two? Both are ‘people of the land’ who value community, stewardship and the great

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

honour and responsibility that comes with it.

Now when it comes to the Reserve wines and our vision, my sister Robin and I really pushed ourselves outside of our comfort zones. We were also really patient, something that’s not a natural trait of the McBride family. Each of these wines tell a story - of the liquid and of our childhood, from our journey before finding each other to our joint story together. These narratives framed our creative process from variety, vineyard selection and style of wine, to naming and label artwork.

We purposefully selected similar varietals because we wanted to showcase the range in wine profile and style. The winegrowing regions where Robin and I grew up can be so similar, yet so different. That’s the kismet of our sister story - the crazy similarities in the places we grew up and the fact that we were able to find each other, despite being an ocean apart. Most importantly, we wanted to continue the wine journey from our core

POSTCARD

“Covid has been such a bastard, but in many ways it has reinforced and brought into clear focus the most important things in life.”

Andrea and Robin

McBride Sisters Collection, for those who have been riding with and supporting us on this magical wine voyage between California and Aotearoa since day one. Always top of mind is our community of ‘fearless foodies’ and the ‘wine curious’ who want to explore culture through cuisine from around the world. The gals (and gents) who trust the McBride Sisters have got you, and will guide you to complement and enhance the food, mood and vibe with incredible wines.

I’m really excited for our wine team (and the entire company) as we embark on this

launch. These wines are my personal ode and love letter from Aotearoa, supported by some MAGICAL women winemakers, wine business operators, and let me not forget our small in number, mighty crew of fellas between the two countries. Our Papatūānuku (Mother Earth) Pinot Noir and our Rebels Gamay from Central Otago will debut and release to consumers at retail and online in the United States in March. Robin has two Reserve wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey that we released in Fall of ‘21, which received 91 and 92+ point

scores from Wine Enthusiast – we were also honoured with a Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year nomination for the entire portfolio (YAS Amy Butler and Diana Hawkins!) – that completes our limited edition of McBride Sisters Reserves. This set of four cool climate wines from both the northern and southern hemispheres will be poured at Saison Restaurant, the only threestar Michelin Restaurant in San Francisco, upon launch and release of the Aotearoa wines.

Covid has been such a bastard, but in many ways it has reinforced and brought into clear focus the most important things in life. Good health, family, friends, culture, community and of course the importance of excellent wine!

I’ll be back for harvest (hoping I don’t jinx it!)…

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BOB CAMPBELL

Bob’s blog

Drink more sherry I love sherry. My particular favourites are Fino and Manzanilla. They remind me of my first visit to Jerez, Spain’s sherry capital (okay, it was my only visit to Jerez).

Following a moderately harrowing flight from London and a taxi ride from Seville, we arrived at our hotel just after midnight.

After checking in we hit the street in search of a tapas bar. It was a perfect evening – pleasantly warm and soothingly humid.

The streets were full of people heading

“By the time we flew out of Jerez two weeks later we had acquired a serious tapas/Fino habit.”

Bob Campbell for their favourite eatery. After a short stroll we found a tapas bar that had been recommended by the concierge and which we subsequently discovered was reputed to be the best in Jerez.

Within a few minutes we were seated at an outdoor table with the most delicious tapas I had eaten and a glass of chilled Fino sherry. It was heaven. By the time we flew out of Jerez two weeks later we had acquired

56

a serious tapas/Fino habit.

Fast forward a decade or two…

I had accepted an invitation to a Gonzalez Byass sherry tasting and was milling around with a group of fellow sherry enthusiasts while the room was being set up. We were sharing great sherry experiences and “tuttutting” the fact that sherry appeared to be rapidly following the dodo on a path to extinction, when I asked them, “when did you last have a glass of sherry?”

My question provoked much embarrassment and shuffling of feet. One person offered “about three months ago”.

The rest of us remained silent. I hadn’t tasted sherry for over a year. Excuses followed.

Too much alcohol (Fino is around 14.5 percent, less than many examples of Barossa Valley Shiraz). It takes too long to finish a bottle (there are plenty of good 375ml bottles available), it doesn’t go well with food (obviously never had Fino with Serrano ham, stuffed olives or roasted almonds). No one accused sherry of being too expensive.

I vowed to the group that from now on I would pour myself a glass of Fino every Sunday before dinner. Have I kept my promise? No, although I did buy a case of Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla - a deliciously dry and slightly salty wine that transports me back to Andalusia.

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Wine for a Lifetime

How much would you pay to get four bottles of wine each month for the rest of your life?

California-based Obvious Wines are offering exactly that. For just US$6,000 you can choose any four bottles from their website and receive four bottles each month for as long as you live.

That includes shipping costs and taxes.

The most expensive bottles on their website when I last checked were an Italian sparkling Rosé and a French fizz for US$28 each. If you managed to survive for just four-and-a-half years you would be ahead.

A healthy 21-year-old could enjoy 2,784 bottles of wine worth a total of US$77,952 if they lived to the age of 79, the current life expectancy for United States residents, according to The Drinks Business. “We’re actively discouraging people to buy this,” says a statement on their website. “We’ve done the math and it is a really bad deal for us, but hey, you only live once. And with the way inflation is going, this might be a pretty sound investment on your end. Who knows how much a bottle of Obvious Wines will cost in 10 years?”

If a solid diet of European fizz is not your thing, you could always trade down to US$18 a bottle wines such as a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc called Bright and Crisp, a Chilean Pinot Noir blend called Light and Lively or a blended red from Paso Robles called Dark and Bold.

CLEAN AROUND THE VINE WITHOUT CHEMICALS

WE NOW HAVE A NUMBER OF BRAUN TOOLBARS AVAILABLE SUITABLE FOR FRONT OR REAR 3PT LINK MOUNTING These are currently configured with Rollhake or Scallop Disc and Fingerweeder combinations for higher speeds when cultivating under the vines.

They can also accept a large range of inter row and Undervine attachments as well as power harrows and seeders.

Disc Plough

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Byrnebuilt Engineering is pleased to advise that after a long association with Braun Maschinenbau Germany, we have been appointed exclusive importer and distributor for New Zealand and Australia.

The complete range of Under vine, inter row cultivation and mowing equipment is now available at very competitive prices as well as spare parts and new accessories that compliment the Braun System.

Our customers can choose from mid mount, front or rear units and also the new VPA (Vineyard Pilot Assist) equipment which scans and adjusts the mowing and cultivation equipment automatically allowing top results at better speeds.

A huge range of Braun equipment can now be viewed in our new showroom and warehouse in the heart of the Marlborough Vineyards, Renwick.

Find out more: www.braun-maschinenbau.com Phone Adrian 021-456 936

9 Pak Lim’s Road Renwick, Marlborough w: byrnebuiltengineering.co.nz e: byrnebuilt@xtra.co.nz

THE PLACES

Point of View

Grove Mill

Sustainability trends – challenges and opportunities in 2022 and beyond DR EDWIN MASSEY The New Zealand wine industry has long had a reputation for sustainability and being focussed on protecting the people and places that make our famous wines. As we look to the future, our industry’s commitment to sustainability will be challenged by changing consumer demands and impending government regulations. Nonetheless, this commitment and our innovative practices will continue to be an enormous asset that highlights how New Zealand’s winemakers and grape growers can craft exceptional wine while helping the natural environment, local business and communities to thrive. Below are three key areas of progress where, as a collective, we can leverage our focus on sustainability to influence consumer preference and potentially reduce operating costs.

determine the rate of increase after this time. These statistics, and the increasing amount of extreme weather events we are seeing as a result, highlight why it is important the industry shows leadership in adopting practices that help to minimise our industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Last year, Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Dr Edwin Massey (SWNZ) began recording information on key emissions sources from both vineyard and winery members. This data covers approximately 80 percent of all emissions associated with the production of wine. At a national level, the New Zealand wine industry is unique worldwide amongst key wine producing countries in being able to make that claim.

In addition, five percent of SWNZ member vineyards and nine percent of SWNZ member wineries measure their carbon emissions Climate change – increasing impact through an independent certification on the industry programme. New Zealand Winegrowers Climate change has fast become the most (NZW) expects this number to rise in coming talked about focus area of sustainability. It’s years as our members respond to consumers not hard to see why. Climate data recently who expect this information. published by NIWA highlighted that This data is particularly important for 2021 was New Zealand’s warmest year on New Zealand wine due to our distance from record, surpassing the previous record set market and perceived risks associated with in 2016. Seven of the past nine years have “wine miles”. SWNZ data is key to mitigating been amongst the warmest on record and this risk. The data highlights that 80 percent New Zealand’s annual average temperature of our emissions are associated with the has increased one degree over the past production of wine rather than its distribution 100 years. Most predictions suggest this and that, due to our electricity supply being warming trend will continue until at least largely renewable, wine produced in New mid-century. Actions we implement now will Zealand is low in emissions when compared 58

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to countries that rely on non-renewable fossil fuels as energy sources.

Packaging is one of the key sources of emissions in the production of a bottle of wine, accounting for approximately 37 percent of total emissions. In recent years influential figures in the wine industry, such as Jancis Robinson MW and Tim Atkin MW, have campaigned against heavy wine bottles.

Looking ahead there is a risk that major retailers will use their buying power (and the need to meet their own carbon reduction targets) to strong-arm winemakers into acting in this area. Using exclusively New Zealand produced glass, increasing the uptake of lightweight bottles and alternative packaging materials will help New Zealand producers respond to this risk while helping to further drive down our GHG emissions, getting us closer to our goal of being a carbon neutral industry by 2050.

Appealing to younger consumers In many of our major markets, Covid-19 has accelerated the trend for younger consumers to choose beverages apart from wine. In making predictions for 2022, wineintelligence. com have highlighted that to reconnect with younger consumers, premium brands will need to work out how to align their values and actions with the next generation of consumers.

In practice, this means acting ethically both in social and environmental terms, while not compromising the quality of the product itself. Our industry is in a unique position to turn this challenge into an opportunity.

New Zealand wine’s reputation for sustainability, and the hard data we have

THE PLACES

through SWNZ to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable practices, are likely to help. In recent years an increasing number of member organisations are producing sustainability reports for their business that demonstrate the actions they are taking to provide transparency and ensure their activities are having a positive impact.

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important part of their brand stories and a key touch point for their consumers. This trend looks set to continue throughout 2022 and beyond.

Government regulation and our commitment to sustainability While Covid-19 dominated the headlines last year and caused significant disruption to the industry, during 2021 the Government also focussed on implementing its strong environmental reform agenda.

This reform process promises significant changes to legislation across four of our six sustainability focus areas: water, waste, climate change and plant protection.

NZW has been engaged with the Government on these reforms. At this stage, the Government’s feedback to our industry

has been positive. NZW remains confident that our industry can respond positively to the coming changes.

This cautious optimism is in part due to members’ longstanding commitment to SWNZ. Its data provides us with strong evidence when we communicate with government on the relatively low environmental impact of winegrowing. This data is critical to ensuring our social licence to operate.

Demonstrating our commitment to protecting the people and places that make our famous wines can help to reduce the cost of government regulation on the sector.

For exactly this purpose, a number of other primary sector industry organisations are scrambling to establish systems similar to SWNZ that collect this type of information.

Throughout 2022 and beyond, NZW will continue to focus on making the most of this opportunity on behalf of our members.

Telling our sustainability story Our focus on sustainability has always been an integral part of the New Zealand wine industry. Whether it is demonstrating our commitment to fighting climate change,

BAYLEYS MARLBOROUGH SALESPERSON 2019-2021

appealing to younger consumers by engaging them on the issues that matter, or working with government to ensure our social licence to operate, our industry’s reputation for and focus on sustainability makes a positive difference.

Nonetheless, the sustainability landscape is becoming increasingly crowded and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of false claims and greenwashing.

It will become increasingly important not just to tell our sustainability story in a way that connects with people, but to illustrate this story with quantitative evidence that is compelling and easy to understand.

NZW is focussed on using our members’ commitment to sustainability to help build our brand story. This year sustainability will be the key theme of NZW marketing activities, with the Green Wine Future conference in May being a keynote event (see page 11).

Through this work we will continue to respond to these challenges, converting them into opportunities that bring value to our sector.

Edwin Massey is NZW’s General Manager Sustainability.

BAYLEYS SALES TOP 5% OF PEOPLE 2019-2021

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THE PLACES

Wine Weather

Paul Sutherland Photography

What’s been going on JAMES MORRISON Late last year I talked about the influence of long range climate drivers and how they impact our seasonal weather. With a weak La Niña developing in the Pacific Ocean, then Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) and Southern Oscillation Index (SAM) climate drivers playing their part, we saw a wet December for many places.

As I write, we have a cyclone bearing down on Aotearoa and plenty of activity in the tropics that could lead to more before the end of summer. Humidity has been on the rise across most of the North Island and although temperatures have only been moderately above average, the combination of water vapour and warm temperatures has made for plenty of uncomfortable days.

Since we are living on a group of islands in

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the South Pacific Ocean, the sea temperature is also a critical factor when trying to predict the season ahead. Sea temperatures have been well above average around the country for several months and are likely to remain above average until winter. All that warm water means air temperatures are likely to be average or above average for the foreseeable future and, with a warming climate, that trend is likely to continue.

The theme for most of the country over the next few months appears to be an increase in cloud and humidity along the east coast of both islands as far as Canterbury, and temperatures remaining above average. Most climate analysts are predicting potential for a higher than average number of tropical cyclones, and the risk of one or more affecting us remains high.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

Outlook for February and March Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay Mean temperatures are likely to remain above average. Nights are likely to see above average temperatures and cloud cover could increase also as northeast winds persist.

Humidity levels are likely to be above normal and as ex-tropical systems move south there is a chance of periods of high humidity lasting two to three days along with mean temperatures around or above 20˚C. Rainfall remains near average, but with the increased risk of isolated heavy rain events. Sunshine hours could take a dip if winds remain persistently from the east or northeast.

Wairarapa The lower North Island sits in a transition zone during La Niña. There is the risk of rain

THE PLACES

from low pressure systems that move south past East Cape. However, due to the often tight circulation and fast moving nature of these systems it is possible Wairarapa could miss the worst of the rain. Temperatures are likely to remain above average for the remainder of summer and humidity can be higher at times.

Nelson More sheltered from the east, Nelson is likely to see sunshine closer to average and higher than average temperatures for the remainder of summer. If northeast conditions persist then there is a chance of a major rain event from a low running south into the Tasman Sea instead of southeast past East Cape.

As we move into March and the autumn equinox, an increase in westerlies is possible and rain can return.

Marlborough/North Canterbury As we move further south the effects of La Niña change. Coastal Marlborough and Canterbury traditionally see a reduction in sunshine hours as cloud cover increases due to onshore northeasterlies and humidity runs higher than average during the day.

Mean temperatures are likely to remain above average and some of this is attributable to overnight cloud cover. High pressure can be slow moving over the South Island and this may lead to more high temperatures about sheltered inland valleys. Rainfall totals are likely to be close to average. There is always a risk of an ex-tropical storm bringing significant rain though.

Central Otago Sitting further south and under an increased influence of high pressure, Central Otago is likely to remain mild with above average day time temperatures. Nights are near average, and cooler southerly changes do push

north at times. Sunshine totals are likely to be closer to normal or even a little above normal in some parts. The Waitaki Valley may be cloudier though as an increased northeast flow will reach Kurow. Rainfall

totals are likely to be near average but possibly below average in parts.

James Morrison runs Weatherstation Frost Forecasting Ltd – weatherstation.net.nz

Forecast modelling JAMES MORRISON Over the past five to 10 years we have witnessed an extraordinary increase in the amount of weather information online for us to digest. Access to global forecast models, and the high resolution animations that they are presented, in means anyone with the internet can access many of the tools forecasters use to predict the weather. That information is an opportunity for all of us to understand the weather and climate better than we have in the past.

Numerical weather prediction is one form of weather forecasting and is the use of observations taken at the same time from different places on the planet, which are then put through a series of equations to predict the weather in a certain place at a certain time.

Two forecast models are mentioned time and time again – European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and Global Forecast System (GFS). These are two of the most widely available forecast models and they cover a large range of weather conditions around the planet.

These forecasts both have strengths and weaknesses. For example, the ECMWF produces data at a higher resolution than the GFS and is more accurate in difficult topography. The GFS has a lower resolution and can be more difficult to use in mountainous regions.

The resolution of a forecast model is basically the level of detail that a model can predict to. ECMWF forecasts around the world down to 9km blocks and the GFS to around 22km. There are other forecast models that have been developed for localised areas that forecast down to a 4km area and even smaller.

Chaos and bad data A forecast is only as good as the data that it is given. Forecast models are trying to predict the state of the atmosphere and in many parts of the world there is not a large amount of observational data to use. Forecasts then become less accurate as they try to predict further and further into the future. A small variance can amplify exponentially as a model tries to predict the next storm in 10 days’ time.

I have seen forecast modelling improve markedly in the 25 years that I have been involved in weather, and the next few years will see even greater improvements as the need to protect and maintain our fragile environment increases.

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Advocacy on matters of vital importance to the industry

Sarah Wilson

Advocacy team welcomes new Senior Legal Counsel I would like to introduce our newest advocacy team member, Anna Cameron.

Anna joined New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) in September 2021 as Senior Legal Counsel. Anna previously worked in private practice, specialising in environmental and resource management law. She has extensive experience advising both private and public sector clients on all aspects of the resource

management system including district and regional plan changes and consenting processes. She also has experience working for central government and also at a local government level overseas. We’re thrilled to have her on the team. If you have any questions for Anna, you can contact her at anna.cameron@nzwine.com In the past year, we have also welcomed

back Larissa Trownson, who has worked with our team previously. Larissa is now a permanent part of the team as Legal Counsel, and is particularly well versed when it comes to queries relating to labelling and winemaking practices. You can contact her at larissa.trownson@nzwine.com Sarah Wilson is NZW General Manager Advocacy and General Counsel

Where can I find more information?

Please contact the advocacy team if you want to know more about NZW’s work in any of these areas, or to discuss any regulations affecting the sale of your wine internationally. You can email the team at advocacy@nzwine.com. You can also look at a list of current consultations NZW is engaging in, and review copies of recent submissions made, at nzwine.com/government-consultations

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

ADVOCACY MATTERS

Waipara River Estate

Update on environmental matters ANNA CAMERON Since joining New Zealand Winegrowers I have been working closely with the environment team on central government consultations relating to three of our six environmental focus areas: climate change, water and waste.

These consultations presented a great opportunity to highlight to the Government the significant work we do and investment made, particularly through the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) programme, to continuously improve the sustainability of the wine industry. A brief overview of each consultation and next steps is set out below.

New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has submitted on behalf of the industry on all three consultations. Copies of recent submissions and information about current or upcoming consultations are available on the NZW member website (nzwine. com/government-consultations). Contact advocacy@nzwine.com if you have any questions.

emphasised the need for the Government to support industry programmes, like SWNZ, that have already made considerable investment to drive change, adapt to climate change and reduce emissions. In addition,

Climate change: In October 2021, the Government consulted on proposals for the first Emissions Reduction Plan. The Emissions Reduction Plan will set the direction for climate actions for the next 15 years by setting policies and strategies for specific sectors (including the wine industry) to enable New Zealand to meet its 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and biogenic methane targets. The final Emissions Reduction Plan is expected to be released by 31 May 2022. Our submission

Waste: At the same time as the Emissions Reduction Plan, the Government also consulted on proposals for a new national waste strategy and waste legislation to better regulate how New Zealand manages products and materials in the economy. This is in response to advice from the Climate Change Commission that to meet our emissions reduction targets, New Zealand needs to adopt a long-term strategy to reduce waste. The new strategy will set out the proposed vision and aspirations for a

“Our submission highlighted the need for significant investment in waste infrastructure such as kerbside recycling and options for the disposal of organic waste.”

Anna Cameron we highlighted the need for government policy and strategy to prioritise low emission activities (like viticulture) to better enable private sector action to reduce emissions.

low-waste New Zealand and the pathway to achieve a more circular economy. The new waste legislation will put in place the tools to achieve the strategy. The waste strategy is expected to be released in mid2022. Detailed legislation is also expected to be developed and a bill introduced to Parliament later this year. We note that this consultation is separate to the consultation on the Container Return Scheme. Our submission highlighted the need for significant investment in waste infrastructure such as kerbside recycling and options for the disposal of organic waste.

Water: Feedback was sought on the implementation and transition of all farmers to the freshwater farm plan system. It is proposed that the new regulations take effect in the first half of 2022 and freshwater farm plans will be gradually rolled out across New Zealand. The regulations will set out the requirements for freshwater farm plans and the timeframes for when plans must be in place. Our submission focussed on demonstrating the initiatives NZW has taken to improve water quality and efficiency in the industry, and our view that the regulations should enable SWNZ to be used by our members to achieve compliance with the freshwater farm plan provisions. NZW is continuing to engage with the Ministry for the Environment on the design of the system to ensure a smooth transition for our members.

Anna Cameron is Senior Legal Counsel at NZW

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Nuts and bolts

Mark Daniel’s updates on Machinery and Technology

Weed Eater for Wider Areas With the wine industry seeking mechanical weeding options to reduce chemical reliance in vineyards, Italian manufacturer Orizzonti has introduced the Speed Green machine, with a novel, yet proven, solution.

Imported by Ag Tek, based at Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty, the machine takes the concept of the humble weed whacker used in many gardens and transforms it into a more industrial machine. A central hydraulically driven drum carries up to 10 heavy-duty nylon cords that effectively remove weeds.

Said to be ideal for dealing with the “dead-zone” between individual plants and removing the potential for stem damage that can occur with other mechanical mulching or cutting systems, left or righthanded units are driven from a tractor’s external remote valve with a requirement of only 25 litres per minute flow.

Offered in 60 or 80cm working widths, the “cutting” heads incorporate a quick-fix system for mounting of the cords, which allows the optimal length to be easily set as they wear during use.

Available for rear mounting on the threepoint linkage or front mounting, support frames are designed and manufactured locally and can be customised for single, dual sided or bespoke operations.

The distributor suggests that because of the low hydraulic flow requirements, the machine lends itself to multi-tasking, taking care of weeding duties between the vines, to be complemented with a traditional mowing attachment to take care of grass between the rows.

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I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

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RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT A regular feature to inform industry people about research projects being undertaken for their benefit.

Newly approved projects (when available) are briefly summarised and longer reports will describe what has been achieved so far.

When completed, each project will be reported in full detail with references, on nzwine.com

Falcon Ridge Estate. Photo Chocolate Dog Studio

Research Supplement

Information and updates on Bragato Research Institute programmes.

CONTRACTED RESEARCH PROJECTS Quality Wine Styles for Existing and Developing Markets Breaking the qualityproductivity seesaw in wine grape production (Pinot noir Programme) University of Auckland, Plant and Food Research and Lincoln University (Various) jointly funded by NZW and MBIE Exploring the chemical space in Vineyard Ecosystems (VE) Programme juices and wines University of Auckland ( B Fedrizzi) Prevention of quercetin instability in bottled wine Villa Maria Wines Limited (E Taylor) The effect of winemaking decisions on polysaccharide content in wine University of Auckland (B Fedrizzi) Understanding green character in Pinot noir wine Lincoln University (A Borssato)

Exploring reductive aromas in Pinot noir University of Auckland (B Fedrizzi)

Weevils in New Zealand vineyards Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson)

Investigation of subsurface drip irrigation in vineyards Thoughtful Viticulture (M Krasnow)

Precipitation of calcium tartrate and other compounds in wine University of Canterbury (K Morrison)

Trunk Disease: Applied research and extension FY22 Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson)

Effect of bentonite addition prior to cold soaking on Pinot noir wine colour, tannin and aroma profile Lincoln University (B Tian)

Cost Reduction/ Increased Profitability

The effect of herbicide, buffered herbicide and under-vine weeding on soil biological communities and other measures of soil health.

Bragato Research Institute (M Barry)

Pests and Disease Improving remedial surgery practices for control of grapevine trunk disease to increase vineyard longevity Linnaeus (E van Zijll de Jong) Improving the outcomes of mealybug insecticide use in vineyards Plant and Food Research (V Bell) Central Otago mealybug and grapevine leafroll virus management Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson)

Precision Grape Yield Analyser Programme 2016-2021 Lincoln Agritech Limited (A Werner) Long spur pruning as an alternative to cane pruning for Sauvignon blanc in Marlborough Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson)

Sustainability/Organics Vineyard Ecosystems Programme University of Auckland and Plant and Food Research (Various) Jointly funded by NZW and MBIE Understanding the global market potential for the adoption of regenerative agriculture (RA) in New Zealand.

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Science review of covercropping in vineyards Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson)

Climate Change Climate case study – Managing hail damaged vineyards Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson) Microbial community and vine responses to increasing temperatures in the New Zealand context University of Auckland (S Knight) Assessing foliar fertiliser for grapevine frost recovery Bragato Research Institute (L Ibbotson)

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

Pre-fermentation tannin additions to Pinot noir Melodie A. Lindsay and Paul A. Kilmartin; School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland

BACKGROUND

There has been renewed interest, both in New Zealand and overseas, in the effects of phenolic and tannin composition of Pinot noir wines, particularly in relation to wine colour and mouthfeel. These include the role of pre-fermentation factors that affect phenolic-related wine chemical and sensory properties. Recent publications studying pre-fermentation decisions include the use of whole clusters/ bunches, exposing the ferment to grape stems,1-5 considerations of cap management techniques,6 and the addition of grape skins or other seed or skin-tannin products.7,8 Tannin additions during winemaking are common and widespread, although in New Zealand winemaking decisions on tannin additions, including type of tannins, addition rate, and timing of additions, vary greatly. More recent techniques to increase phenolic extraction include the use of microwaves,9 and of accentuated cut edges (ACE).10 Research in Argentina and California on Pinot noir wines over two vintages in 2014 and 2015, showed that cold soak, for five days at 7oC, increased the content of tannins in the cooler vintage year of 2014.1 There was less of an effect on tannins when 20% whole clusters were included in the ferments, while only minor and variable effects were seen with colour and anthocyanin content. With the 2015 harvest, 3% by weight of stems were added to some treatments, which resulted in a large increase in tannin content. The increases in tannin content were matched by larger scores for Astringency and Bitter Taste, while impacts on other sensory descriptors were more minor and variable.

Further trials for vintages in 2016 and 2017, with whole clusters (at 0, 50 or 100%), and with dried stems added at 5-6%, also showed no effects on anthocyanins or wine colour.2 However,

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there were progressive increases in tannin content, with close to twice the values of the controls, for either 100% whole clusters or 5-6% added dried stems. These were matched by clear increases in Astringency and Vegetal Aroma. Also from a 2017 vintage, addition of c. 6% microwaved stems led to twice the level of phenolics, more polymeric pigments, and severalfold increases in wine tannins.3 The effects of whole bunch additions at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% have also been examined for Pinot noir grapes from a 2018 vintage in the Adelaide Hills.4 For additions of 75 or 100% whole bunces, significant increases in Red Colour intensity were seen, and also with the Red Fruit and Capsicum aroma scores. However, there were no significant textural and mouthfeel differences in the wines.

Additions of whole bunches at 0, 30, 60 and 100%, or 100% grape stems added back, have been made to Pinot noir ferments at Lincoln, New Zealand.5 The whole bunch additions showed significant increases in tannins and monomeric phenolics such as the flavan-3-ols, but decreases in anthocyanins. The methyl cellulose precipitation tannin value was nearly twice as large for a 100% whole bunch ferment, compared to fermentation of 100% destemmed fruit, with implications for wine mouthfeel. However, increases in green methoxypyrazine aroma compounds with stem or whole bunch additions were of concern.

Cap management procedures were examined with a traditional two plunges per day compared to no plunging, with and without cold soak maceration, for trials at the Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.6 Both the tannin and total pigment content was similar with regards to plunging or not, but was higher with the inclusion of an initial

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

period of cold soak.

Various tannin additives have been tested for impacts on Pinot noir wines in further research from Tasmania.

Grape pomace additions at 20% by weight were made, alongside additions or Pinot noir marc or a liquid grape skin product.7 Higher levels of nonbleachable pigments, and wine colour density, were seen after the addition of the grape skin product, while all additions raised the concentration of tannins by 20-30%. A seed tannin product at 0.4 g/L or previously fermented seeds (20% by weight) were also added to Pinot noir ferments.8 Higher tannin concentrations were observed after seed tannin additions, however the colour density and nonbleachable pigments were higher in the control wines in the longer term.

By contrast, removal of seeds from the fermenting wine lowered both tannin and non-bleachable pigments by 20-30%.

2021 TRIAL DESIGN

At the start of 2021, a pilot study was set up to investigate the effect of tannin additions on Pinot noir wine. In April 2021, a tonne of mid-range quality Pinot noir grapes, already destemmed, was sourced from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, and shipped to Auckland.

The grapes were fermented at the Goldwater Wine Science Centre on Waiheke Island, including the pilot study on pre-fermentation tannin additions.

Five parallel 10 kg ferments were conducted in triplicate in 20 L buckets (Figure 1). A large scale ferment was undertaken in a new French oak barrel (300 L), called the “student wine” and destined for commercial sale by Goldie Estate winery, but without other tannin additions. A small scale control ferment using a 330 mL coffee plunger was also included. It is worthwhile to note that after the grapes were plunged,

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

the fermentation was undertaken in the plunged state, without allowing the grapes to rise to the surface of the ferments in the coffee plunger.

In the bucket ferments the combinations were skin tannin only (Vinnitannin Multia Extra 0.15 g/L), seed tannin only (GrapeEx Seed Tannin 0.025 g/L), skin tannin and seed tannin together. Oak chips were added as the fourth treatment to represent oak barrel maturation.

At the end of alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, samples were taken for spectrophotometric analysis of colour and total phenolics at 280 nm, which were recorded on duplicate samples in May 2021. The wines were treated

Figure 2: Total tannins for the additives trial wines, as obtained by HPLC, and reported in mg/L epicatechin equivalents.

Comparisons can be made with recent publications on tannin additions to Pinot noir ferments. These studies reported an increase in total phenolics and wine colour density that persisted through 230 days post-fermentation with skin tannin additions.7 Higher tannins were observed with seed tannins, however the larger colour density and non-bleachable pigments from seed tannin additions at 50 days was overtaken by the control wines by 230 days post-ferment.8

Figure 1: Schematic of the tannin additions project.

with sulfur dioxide and bottled under screwcap, and allowed to settle. After the Covid lockdowns, bottled wines were transferred to the School of Chemical Sciences in October 2021 for more detailed phenolic analysis by HPLC, as applied previously to Pinot noir wines within the wider Bragato Wine Institute Pinot noir programme.11

density. The addition of oak chips also produced increases in both measures, but a little less with a 17% increase in total phenolics and 24% increase in colour density. The largest increases were observed with the wines made in the small coffee plungers, with a 55% increase in total phenolics, and an 80% increase in colour density.

With regards to total tannins by HPLC (Figure 2), the various tannin additions to 20 L ferments showed increases in all treatments compared to the no-addition control. However, both the plunger (330 mL ferment) and the large scale student wine (300 L) showed even higher total tannin concentrations. These results largely matched the total phenolics recorded at 280 nm for the wines soon after fermentation (Table 1).

ADDITIVES TRIAL RESULTS

For additions of seed tannins on their own, there were moderate increases in the spectrophotometric phenolic and colour density measures by 6 and 11%, respectively (Table 1). However, for the skin tannin addition on its own, the total phenolics was unchanged, while a 6% increase in colour density was recorded. With the inclusion of both tannin products, the increases were greater, with a 35% increase in total tannins, and a 38% increase in colour

Table 1: Absorbance values of the recently fermented wines, including 280 nm measure of total phenolics, visible absorptions at 420 nm and 520 nm, along with the sum of 420 + 520 nm as the total colour density, with the uncertainties as the standard deviation of measurements.

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RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

extraction compared to all other treatments, the addition of skin and seed tannins, as well as the oak chips addition, enhanced the flavan-3-ol concentrations in the Pinot noir wines.

The values fall within the ranges typically seen for commercial Pinot noir wines.11

Figure 3: Total monomeric anthocyanins for the additives trial wines, reported in mg/L malvidin-3-glucoside (M3G) equivalents.

With regards to further monomeric phenolics, increases were seen in gallic acid for the combined skin and seed tannin additions (34 mg/L), and for the inclusion of oak chips (25 mg/L), or the plunger ferment (26 mg/L), versus 15 mg/L in the control wines. A further benzoic acid, vanillic acid was relatively consistent (~3.75.4 mg/L) throughout all samples, but was elevated in the small scale plunger ferment (12.1 mg/L). Likewise, some of the hydroxycinnamic acids, such as trans-caftaric acid, were present at double the concentration in the plunger ferment, while presenting similar values across the remaining treatments. This trend was repeated with the phytoalexin resveratrol, where a much larger concentration of 14.4 mg/L was seen with the plunger ferment, compared to all of other treatment conditions (5.6–8 mg/L).

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

Figure 4: Quercetin concentrations for the additives trial wines.

Monomeric anthocyanins were similar across all treatment conditions (~184231 mg/L) with the exception of the small scale plunger ferment which had a very low concentration of total anthocyanins (22 mg/L) (Figure 3).

This was unexpected, given the deep red colouration of the plunger wine compared with all of the other wines.

This points to an early formation of polymeric pigments, in which the monomeric anthocyanins become bound to larger polymeric tannin structures. The increase in colour noted in Table 1 for samples with both skins and seeds tannins added, and with added oak chips, can also be associated with greater polymeric pigment formation.

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The flavonols followed similar trends, with comparable values for both free and glycosylated flavonols across the treatments. Again, the exception, with lower values, was the plunger treatment, raising the possibility of some re-adsorption of phenolics over time onto the submerged cap mass.6 In the case of quercetin, the concentration with the plunger ferment at 3.7 mg/L was much lower than with the other wines (~9.5-13.1 mg/L) (Figure 4).

The concentrations of the flavan3-ols epicatechin and catechin concentrations are presented in Figure 5. While the small scale plunger showed less epicatechin

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

The tannin additions made in this trial show how the tannin profile changes in the finished wine when different types of tannins are added pre-fermentation with Pinot noir wine.

Increases in total phenolics, gallic acid, flavan-3-ols, along wine colour, were seen following the addition of skin or seed tannins, or a combination of both. Further monomeric phenolics were largely unchanged as a result of the tannin additions, notably the monomeric anthocyanins, flavonols and hydroxycinnamic acids.

In the case of the larger ferment (the 300 L student wine) and the 330 mL plunger ferment, the fermentation dynamics were too different from those of the 20 L bucket ferments to allow any conclusions to be drawn about the effect of fermentation vessel size. However, in the case of the plunger fermentation, the profile of tannins and phenolics was distinctly different, which can be

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

associated with the prolonged cap plunging that occurred throughout fermentation. Specifically, an extremely low concentration of anthocyanins was observed, despite the deep red colouration, and high levels of resveratrol, hydroxycinnamic and benzoic acids. While a slightly lower fermentation temperature may have played a small role in these results, the submerged cap nature of the ferment likely had a significant effect on the tannin composition of the final wine.

This trial has formed the basis for future studies at the University of Auckland, and has shown how the submerged cap fermentation should be examined in more detail. While these results are preliminary in nature, future trials will be carried out during future vintages and expand upon the use of tannin additives and submerged cap at different fermentation sizes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are very grateful for the supply of Pinot noir grapes by Babich Wines NZ, for the postgraduate students involved in the winemaking at the Goldwater Wine Science Centre, and for the winemaking overseen by Neill Culley, Director of the University of Auckland Wine Science programme.

We also gratefully acknowledge the funded received for the research from the Bragato Research Institute MBIE Pinot noir programme.

REFERENCES

Casassa, L. F., S. E. Sari, E. A. Bolcato, M. A. Diaz-Sambueza, A. A. Catania, M. L. Fanzone, F. Raco and N. Barda (2019). “Chemical and Sensory Effects of Cold Soak, Whole Cluster Fermentation, and Stem Additions in Pinot noir Wines.” Am J Enol Vitic 70: 19-33.

Casassa, L. F., N. P. Dermutz, P. F. W. Mawdsley, M. Thompson, A. A. A. Catania, T. S. Collins, P. Layton Ashmore, F. du Fresne, G. Gasic and J. C. Dodson Peterson (2021a). “Whole cluster and dried stem additions’ effects on chemical and sensory properties of Pinot noir wines over two vintages.”

Am J Enol Vitic 72: 21-35.

Figure 5: Flavan-3-ol concentrations for the additives trial wines.

Casassa, L. F., A. A. Vega-Osorno and J. P. Hernandez (2021b). “Chemical and Chromatic effects of saignee combined with extended maceration and microwaved stem addition on three Pinot noir clones from the Central Coast of California.” Aust J Grape Wine Res 27: 540-552.

Day, M. P., D. L. Capone, S. Kassara, E. O. Bilogrevic, D. Espinase Noandorfy, F. T. Wilson, I. L Francis and K. A. Bindon (2020). “Whole bunch fermentation of Shiraz and Pinot noir: influence on ‘green’ characters and astringency”, Proceedings of the Seventeenth Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference, 21-24 July 201; The Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Inc., p. 94-96.

Wimalasiri, P. M., K. J. Olejar, R. Harrison, R. Hider and B. Tian (2021).

“Whole bunch fermentation and the use of grape stems: effect on phenolic and volatile aroma composition of Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Noir wine.” Aust J Grape Wine Res, in press.

Chittenden, R., and P. King (2020).

“No plunging and cold maceration followed by no plunging as alternative winemaking techniques: Tannin extraction and pigment composition of Syrah and Pinot noir wines.” S Afr J Enol Vitic 41: 90-98.

Sparrow, A. M., R. G. Dambergs and D. C. Close (2020). “Grape skins as supplements for color development

in Pinot noir wine.” Food Res Int 133: 108707.

Sparrow, A. M., W. Gill, R. G. Dambergs and D. C. Close (2021). “Focus on the role of seed tannins and pectolytic enzymes in the color development of Pinot noir wine.” Curr Res Food Sci 4: 405-413.Dias Araujo, L., W. V. Parr, C. Grose, D. Hedderley, O. Masters, P. A. Kilmartin and D. Valentin (2021).

“In-mouth attributes driving perceived quality of Pinot noir wines: Sensory and chemical characterisation.” Food Res Int 149: 110665.

Carew, A. L., F. L. Kerslake, K. A. Bindon, P. A. Smith, D. C. Close, R. G. Dambergs (2020). “Viticultural and controlled phenolic release treatments affect phenolic concentration and tannin composition in Pinot noir wine.” Am J Enol Vitic 71: 256-265 Sparrow, A. M., H. E. Holt, W. Pearson, R. G. Dambergs and D. C. Close (2016). “Accentuated cut edges (ACE): Effects of skin fragmentation on the composition and sensory attributes of Pinot noir wines.” Am J Enol Vitic 67: 169-178.

Dias Araujo, L., W. V. Parr, C. Grose, D. Hedderley, O. Masters, P. A. Kilmartin and D. Valentin (2021). “In-mouth attributes driving perceived quality of Pinot noir wines: Sensory and chemical characterisation.” Food Res Int 149: 110665.

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

BRI RESEARCH FACT SHEET

Monitoring for garden weevil (Phlyctinus callosus) in vineyards BACKGROUND

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

Bragato Research Institute, with support from the New Zealand Winegrowers Biosecurity team, are investigating the occurrence and distribution of garden weevil in New Zealand’s vineyards. This monitoring guide has been prepared to act as an initial guide to enable identification of garden weevil and monitoring options.

Updates will be made to this guide as new information becomes available and monitoring protocols refined over time.

The Extension team at Bragato Research Institute (BRI) are available to provide more detailed guidance and discuss monitoring options (info@bri.co.nz).

MONITORING AND IDENTIFICATION

Garden weevil has been reported as being present in vineyards in Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Marlborough and has been present throughout New Zealand for some time (first reported in 1893). Based on industry reports during recent seasons, garden weevil incidence appears to be localised within subregions and ‘hot spots’ of high incidence within blocks. Adult garden weevils are distinctive and easy to identify but because of their colour they are often well camouflaged with the natural environment. The adult garden weevil has a distinctive V-shaped white marking across the rear of their body (Figure 1).

The garden weevil lays very small eggs in the soil during winter, which hatch within 10-14 days. Larvae live in the soil. Feeding can severely damage young vine roots and cause stunting and water stress. The larvae pupate for 3-4 weeks in the soil.

Adults emerge from spring onwards and are most numerous in vineyards from November through to February.

Many die off after this, although some will survive until after harvest. Adults climb into the vine canopy and feed

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SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT GARDEN WEEVIL?

Figure 1 Adult garden weevil (Photo 36013555, (c) Maarten, all rights reserved

at night on foliage, flowers, buds, and fruit.

The simplest way to monitor for garden weevil is to watch for leaf and bunch damage during the growing season (particularly late spring and early summer) and search for garden weevils on vines. Leaf damage is easy to identify, with chewing damage causing a pattern of leaf holes, that looks as if the leaf has been hit with pellets from a shotgun blast. Damage to leaves will appear on water shoots, from near the base of the trunk in early spring and later from shoots in the vine canopy. Damage can also extend to grape bunches, with weevils causing noticeable scarring on berries and bunch and berry stems and sometimes completely chewing through the stems (Figure 2 and 4).

As garden weevil are largely nocturnal, you are most likely to find them taking shelter from the sun behind bark on the trunks and in the crown of vines and inside rolled leaves or amongst other shaded, sheltered areas along the vine canopy. They may also be found on the ground in leaf litter, inside of vine guards, on weeds or in the top layer of soil. At night, it may be possible to find them actively feeding in the vine canopy.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

• Garden weevil (aka Vine Calandra or Banded fruit weevil) is well established in New Zealand and has been reported in vineyards • Garden weevils are a known pest of grapevines and can cause commercial damage to vines, berries and bunches • Reports from industry in the last 2-3 seasons suggest that weevil numbers and damage may be increasing in vineyards in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

• Follow best practice vineyard biosecurity and reduce the risk of spreading garden weevil and other unwanted pests through blocks and between vineyards (Vineyard biosecurity plan) • Ensure your team can identify garden weevil and add to your watch list for regular pest and disease scouting this season • Consider if a detailed monitoring program is warranted.

• Report sightings to Bragato Research Institute (info@bri. co.nz) AND report on the Find a Pest app. The app uses a photograph and a geolocation to record a find.

HOW SHOULD I MONITOR FOR GARDEN WEEVIL? • At a basic level to establish the presence or absence of garden weevils, simply keep an eye out for leaf damage and the presence of weevils on vines during the growing season, particularly in the late spring and early summer.

• Other approaches to monitoring are outlined in this article.

RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

The following section outlines approaches to monitoring for the presence and impact of garden weevil in vineyards.

We are recommending that growers adopt a basic level of monitoring and report the presence of garden weevil to the BRI team to help improve our understanding of the current distribution. More intensive monitoring should be undertaken if there is a history or current knowledge of damage from garden weevils.

APPROACHES TO MONITORING RANDOM SCOUTING

Figure 2 Garden weevil damage to grapevine leaves (New Zealand Winegrowers, 2021)

WHY: Recommended, basic monitoring this season to confirm presence or absence.

WHEN: Late spring & summer.

HOW: Staff trained to recognise and report damage and included as a specific scouting pass or as part of a standard P&D scouting programme. Take representative photographs of the leaf damage and weevils. Report to BRI (info@bri.co.nz) and log your finds using the Find a Pest app (findapest.nz) IDENTIFICATION: Scalloped leaf margins and ‘shotgun’ damage to leaves appearing on trunk suckers first, then leaves in main canopy later (particularly around the heads or the vines).

DAMAGE SCORING

Garden weevil damage to berries (New Zealand Winegrowers, 2021)

WHY: Desire to identify hot spots in blocks, track spread and establish baselines to compare for future seasons. Develop economic thresholds knowing the pest is present.

WHEN: From budburst, throughout the season with a focus on late spring and summer.

HOW: The same monitored vines assessed at regular intervals. Shoots and bunches assigned a score based on visible damage. Take representative photographs of the damage and weevils. Refer to Table 1 for a suggested scoring protocol developed by researchers in Australia.

RECORD KEEPING: Digital records maintained and maps created for spatial assessment.

TRUNK BAND MONITORING

Photo credit: 2022 DPIRD

WHY: To confirm presence or absence. Desire to identify hot spots in blocks, track spread and establish baselines to compare for future seasons. Generate quantifiable data to allow relative comparisons between blocks, seasons, or trials. Help establish economic thresholds. Track and report on adult emergence timing and patterns.

WHEN: From budburst, spring, and summer with a focus on late spring and early summer.

HOW: Monitored vines assessed at regular (weekly) intervals. Adult weevils are removed from the band and counted. Take representative photographs of the weevils. Bands must be removed temporarily during the application of any insecticides. Contact BRI for more detailed information and guidance (info@bri.co.nz) RECORD KEEPING: Digital records maintained and maps created for spatial assessment.

SOIL MONITORING

Photo credit: 2022 DPIRD

WHY: Desire to identify hot spots in blocks, track spread and establish baselines to compare for future seasons. Generate quantifiable data to allow relative comparisons between blocks, seasons or trials. Track and report on adult emergence timing and patterns.

WHEN: Late winter, spring and early summer.

HOW: Soil from under vine and mid-row sampled regularly. Soil volume should be consistent at each sample point (i.e., a spadeful or a grid of 300 x 300 mm and to 100mm depth). Larvae, pupae, and adults identified and counted. Take representative photographs of weevil larvae, pupae and adults. Contact BRI for more detailed information and guidance (info@bri.co.nz) RECORD KEEPING: Digital records maintained and map created for spatial assessment.

HARVEST

Adult garden weevil in a grape bunch (Holly Johnson-Barrett, 2021)

WHY: Desire to compare relative yields from areas affected by weevil or compare weevil management options. Assess economic impact and effectiveness of control options (if undertaken).

WHEN: Autumn.

HOW: Manually or mechanically harvest selected vines or blocks for comparison. Contact BRI for more detailed information and guidance (info@bri.co.nz) RECORD KEEPING: Digital records maintained NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 I

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RESEARCH SUPPLEMENT

OTHER WEEVIL SPECIES

When scouting for garden weevils, may come across other species of weevils. BRI are interested in reports of all weevil types found in vineyards.

In particular the White fringed weevil, which is known to cause significant issues during vineyard establishment, ring-barking and feeding on the roots of young vines. Figure 3 shows adult and larvae for several other species you may find in the soil or above ground in vineyards.

Figure 3: Weevil Larvae and corresponding adult (left to right): Apple weevil, Garden weevil, White fringed weevil, Fuller’s rose weevil, Vegetable weevil (©2021 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia)

Table 1: Garden weevil scoring system for Grapevines. Source: Sustainable protection of grapevines from Garden weevil (Learmonth, Gibberd & Stanaway, 2011).

FURTHER INFORMATION

Refer to the following sources for additional information relating to Biosecurity, weevil identification, lifecycle, and potential control options: • NZW Vineyard Biosecurity Plan, • NZW Pest and disease information: Garden weevil • NZW Biosecurity Pest and disease identification guide • Garden weevil in vineyards • Identifying soil pests • Citizen science hub NZ • Invasive species compendium

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This factsheet was produced to support industry funded research project NZW 21-106: Weevils in New Zealand vineyards. The information in the Factsheet reflects input from the entire project team and incorporates insights and experience from project industry partners. Much of the information relating to weevil behaviour and monitoring is drawn from previous research and the first-hand experience of researchers based in Western Australia: Stewart Learmonth (retired), Alison Mathews & Richard Fennessy (Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development)

Figure 4 - Adult garden weevil in a grape bunch (Holly Johnson-Barrett, 2021)

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DISCLAIMER Bragato Research Institute has prepared this fact sheet for use by the New Zealand wine industry.

Material may not be published or reproduced without the permission of Bragato Research Institute. While care has been used in compiling this fact sheet Bragato Research Institute gives no prediction, warranty or assurance in relation to the accuracy of or fitness for any particular purpose, use or application of any information contained in this document. To the full extent permitted by law neither Bragato Research Institute nor any of its employees shall be liable for any cost (including legal costs), claim, liability, loss, damage, injury or the like, which may be suffered or incurred as a direct or indirect result of the reliance by any person on any information contained in this document.

I NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWER I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

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Minimise late season Botrytis with Protectorhml at the 2 litre/100 litre rate.

See www.henrymanufacturing/ Products/Protectorhml/bio-assaybotrytis.pdf.

Minimise late season Botrytis and enhance maturity for improved fruit quality and harvest options using HML32 by itself at the specific timings for white and red grapes.

See www.henrymanufacturing/Enhanced Maturity.

Henry Manufacturing Ltd For more information about the recommended spray programme, visit www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz Call Chris Henry on 027 294 1490 email chris@henrymanufacturing.co.nz or contact your local technical advisor.

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