Winepress - April 2016

Issue No. 257 / April 2016

Labour Survey

Wine School

Glowing Statistics

Vintage Catering

Photo: Jim Tannock

@marlboroughwine

The Official Magazine of

www.wine-marlborough.co.nz

Battlefield Tactics:

Tend to your wounded

Act now to protect at-risk Chardonnay from Powdery Mildew next season.

Late season powdery mildew in the canopy can produce chasmothecia and hasten leaf drop.

Spray the canopy with HML32 and additives to: • Kill mycelium - the source of chasmothecia

How effective is it?

In their 2014 hand-sprayed study* Farmlands rated it 10 out of 10 for eradication in the canopy

• Kill and disrupt maturing chasmothecia powdery mildew’s overwintering fruiting body • Help vines build next season’s nutritional reserves Caution: Like many other products, do not use HML32 + additives when vines are under water stress.

Check out Farmlands 2015 multi-product, machine-sprayed screening trial on our website.

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Vineyard Financial Monitoring and Benchmarking l

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand Winegrowers Viticulture Financial Monitoring Programme is expanding again in 2016 and are seeking more winery and contract growers.

l

Comprehensive benchmarking programme allowing you to compare the physical and financial performance of your vineyard.

l Growers

have said… can’t improve what you don’t measure! l great opportunity to test where I am and where I have more work to do l you

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participant’s benchmarking report.

l Confidential

Should you wish to participate or to discuss further please make contact prior to April 30th.

Greg Dryden gregdryden@fruition.net.nz 027 484 3857

In this issue...

Regulars

3

Editorial

4

From the Board

6 Report Tasman Crop Met

Features

10 Labour Survey

13 School of Wine

22

26

Gen Y-ine Andrew Jeffries The Block Clos Marguerite ANZ Wine Happenings

32

Industry News

Winepress is printed with vegetable oil based inks on elemental chlorine free paper which is sourced 100% from well managed forests and manufactured under ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.

Marlborough students tend to see wine industry jobs as three Ps – planting, pruning and picking. The School of Wine plans to open their eyes, and their education, to the many other opportunities available.

Big corporate players are leading the growth in Marlborough’s vineyard land, but the small independents still play an important role.

16 Blooming Economy

Editor: Sophie Preece T: 027 308 4455 E: sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Printed by: Blenheim Print Ltd. T: 03 578 1322

p10

14 Vineyard Expansion

31

With around 2000 additional vineyard workers required over the next five years, Marlborough faces a wealth of opportunity and a host of challenges, including demand for accommodation, health care and strong pastoral support.

Marlborough’s economy increased 28% between 2010 and 2015, thanks largely to wine production. ANZ’s Commercial and Agri Regional Manager Rob Simcic talks about how the industry’s success is impacting on business at large.

p16

18 Vintage Catering

When it’s cold and you have another six hours on night shift, food takes on a huge significance, says Whitehaven’s Sue White. Winepress talks to some of those sustaining the vintage workforce.

p18 WINEPRESS April 2016 | 1

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For Advertising contact: Ph: 03 577 9299 Web: www.wine-marlborough.co.nz harriet@wine-marlborough.co.nz Produced by: Wine Marlborough Free to all levy paying members Associate Members: $77 +GST

Wine Marlborough Board Clive Jones: cjones@nautilusestate.com Ben Ensor: ben.lisa@clear.net.nz Callum Linklater: callumandsarah@xtra.co.nz Jack Glover: jack.glover@accolade-wines.co.nz Jason Yank: jason@astrolabewines.co.nz Nick Entwistle: nick@wairauriverwines.co.nz Rhyan Wardman: rhyan@giesen.co.nz Samantha Wickham: samantha@ormondnurseries.co.nz Simon Bishell: simon@caythorpe.nz Stuart Dudley: stuartd@villamaria.co.nz Tom Trolove: tom.trolove@framingham.co.nz

From the Editor When the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE) began in 2007, bringing teams of Pacific Island workers to Marlborough, Constable Russell Smith’s incoming calls took a jump.

“I was getting questions about these ‘scary dark men’ hanging around in groups on the streets of Blenheim,” he says. His response was generally that if the caller was in a new country, where life was so different to their own, they might be tempted to walk with friends too. Some callers took his advice to smile and wave at the visitors, but plenty of Blenheim people would cross the road to avoid such groups, eyes cast down.

I remember standing in a queue at a shop in town, where a Ni Vanuatu man was trying to ask the assistant a question. She sent him coldly to the back of the line and made a loud comment about teaching “them” some manners. I still deeply regret that I didn’t go straight to the back of the line to help him, and let her know the shortcomings of her own social graces.

The thousands of RSE workers that come to Marlborough each year are a vital support to Marlborough’s wine industry, filling vast gaps in the workforce to ensure the vines that bring the region so much of its wealth are planted, pruned and picked. Prior to the scheme’s introduction, the wine industry struggled with labour shortages, and so called “cowboy contractors” flouted labour laws to fill the demand, both exploiting foreign employees and damaging the region’s reputation.

The RSE’s rules, including pastoral care requirements, mean officials can audit and monitor contractors, helping ensure Marlborough’s expansion doesn’t come with a price-tag of illegal exploitation. Meanwhile, Russell believes there’s been a perception change in the wider community, with greater diversity around, due to the wine industry and tourism, so that the phone calls are far fewer.

That’s a relief, but Marlborough could and should do better. Marlborough’s GDP jumped 28% from 2010 to 2015 (pg 16) largely thanks to a wine industry that’s reliant on good labour. Now a new Vineyard Labour Survey (pg 19) predicts 24% growth in producing grape land over the next five years, and a consequent leap in demand for permanent and RSE workers.

As Wine Marlborough board member Nick Enwistle says on pg 4, the predicted growth offers a great opportunity for the region, and contract labour is expected to play a key role. “However, it is important that vineyard and wine companies continue to ensure the rights and entitlements of workers are being upheld.”

While the industry needs to ensure dealings are fair and employment laws respected, the wider community needs to ensure we treat such vital visitors with respect and hospitality. Russell says the RSE industry gives us “a very real opportunity” to assist and better understand our neighbours in the South Pacific, while benefitting from all the hard work they put into the industry. “Without their help the vineyard industry, particularly in Marlborough, wouldn’t be what it is today.”

SOPHIE PREECE sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 3

From the Board Contracting out labour does not contract out responsibility or liability.

NICK ENTWISTLE The growth of Marlborough’s wine industry appears set to continue, with the Marlborough Labour Market Survey predicting the expansion of producing vineyard area by 24% within the next four years.

Demand for vineyard labour is also set to increase significantly, posing a real challenge for the industry, with vineyards already experiencing an ongoing shortage of skilled, competent and willing workers.

There continues to be a trend towards increased use of contracted vineyard services, and much of the expected labour demand will be met by the growing contracting sector. At present, the 17 RSE accredited contractors in Marlborough service approximately 83% of the region’s vineyard area.

There are also an estimated 40 smaller contractors offering not only labour contracting but also spraying, machine work and harvesting services.

Increased professionalism and quality of work have ensured the steady growth of the contracting sector in Marlborough.

However, a perceived lack of transparency between contractors and vineyards regarding the pay rates of workers, and the potential impact of poor press regarding the practices of some contractors, threatens to tarnish the reputation of the industry.

Contracting out labour does not contract out responsibility or liability.

Workers employed by contractors have the same minimum entitlements as any worker in New Zealand, and it is the responsibility of vineyards utilising contract labour to ensure that contractors are meeting their legal

4 | WINEPRESS April 2016

obligations. In the same way vineyards are liable to manage the health and safety of all workers on a property, they must also ensure all workers employed by contractors meet the legal requirements to work in New Zealand and receive the appropriate level of remuneration and entitlements.

The use of contractors who do not meet their legal obligations presents a number of significant risks to businesses and the industry as a whole.

Contractors must only hire workers who are legally allowed to work in New Zealand. If they fail to do so, vineyards may face penalties if they are found to have known or should have known that illegal workers were present on their property. Similarly, contractors are liable to pay PAYE for their workers, as well as GST and other taxes in respect of their business activities. Some of these tax liabilities, for example PAYE, may be recovered from vineyards should they fail to be paid by the contractor.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that vineyards take all reasonable steps to ensure a contractor is legitimate.

Some of the steps that can be taken include: checking that they have a valid certificate of exemption for tax purposes; and asking to see copies of PAYE records, payrolls, certificate of incorporation, an employee register and immigration documents.

Alternatively, the use of an RSE accredited contractor or a registered Master Contactor provides the security that their compliance with New Zealand employment law has been confirmed by way of audit.

RSE accredited contractors are required to prove to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment that they: are in a sound financial position; have human resource policies and practices of a high standard; have shown a commitment to recruiting and training New Zealanders; have good workplace practices; and have a record of meeting all relevant immigration and employment laws.

In addition, RSE accredited contractors are committed to the pastoral care of workers, and paying half the travel costs for the workers flying to and from New Zealand.

The predicted growth of Marlborough’s wine industry over the coming years offers a great opportunity for the region as a whole to continue to develop, with contract labour expected to play key role in helping facilitate this growth.

However, it is important that vineyard and wine companies continue to ensure the rights and entitlements of workers are being upheld. Taking all reasonable steps to ensure the use of legitimate contracting services will help secure the reputations of individual companies and the industry as a whole.

For further information; New Zealand Winegrowers Seasonal Workers Guide http://www.nzwine.com Employee vs Contractor http://employment.govt.nz New Zealand Master Contractors Inc http://www.mastercontractors.co.nz Employment Standards Legislation Bill http://www.mbie.govt.nz

Racing into Vintage Last month’s third annual Blood, Sweat and Beers interwinery mountain bike race was an opportunity for preharvest rivalry, says organising committee member Nick Entwistle.

“We hold it close enough to vintage to offer one last weekend of racing fun, while being just far enough ahead to allow sufficient healing time for anyone unlucky enough to come off.”

Prizes were awarded for best dressed, leading to a little more than lycra on the course, and the top spot was taken by Phil Dasler from Fruitfed Supplies, for the second year running.

There were 30 kids in the short-course children’s race, and 88 riders in the adult event, including 27 teams of four, three or two riders, as well as solo competitors. The riders raced head to head, with teams switching riders after each lap while solo riders slogged it out by themselves.

The overall winner was solo rider Jeremy McKenzie, with overall second going to the Delegat’s Vineyard Vets and third going to the Indevin Battlers. The second placed solo rider was Patrick Materman (pictured above), who came in 5th overall.

The event’s main sponsors are Chandler Glass and Packaging, and New Zealand Crown Sheetmetal, with supporting sponsors Fruitfed Supplies, Pernod Ricard, WineWorks, Panprint and Tasman Bay Food Group.

Thanks to Sarnim Dean for the photo of Patrick. www.sarnim.com

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WINEPRESS April 2016 | 5

Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – March 2016

March March 2016

2016 compared to LTA GDD’s for: Month - Max/Min¹ 217.3 111% Month – Mean² 214.4 111% Growing Degree Days Total Jul 15 - Mar 16 – Max/Min 1290.6 107% Jul 15 - Mar 16 – Mean 1322.9 107% Mean Maximum (°C) 22.4 +0.9°C Mean Minimum (°C) 11.6 +1.2°C Mean Temp (°C) 17.0 +1.0°C Grass Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 0 - Air Frosts (0.0°C) 0 Equal Sunshine hours 241.9 105% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2016 763.6 106% Rainfall (mm) 46.8 120% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2016 134.0 104% Evapotranspiration – mm 106.2 106% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 210.8 84% Mean soil temp – 10cm 16.7 +1.2°C Mean soil temp – 30cm 20.1 +1.9°C

March LTA

Period of LTA

March 2015

195.6 192.5

(1996-2015) (1996-2015)

209.3 205.8

1207.6 1237.2 21.5 10.4 16.0 0.20 0.0 230.9 146.7 281.0 718.6 38.9 2.8 118.0 128.4 100.0 251.3 15.5 18.2

(1996-2015) (1996-2015) (1986-2015) (1986-2015) (1986-2015) (1986-2015) (1986-2015) (1986-2015) 1980 1969 (1986-2015) (1986-2015) 1969 1979 (1986-2015) (1996-2015) (1996-2015) (1986-2015) (1986-2015)

1238.6 1282.8 22.3 11.2 16.8 0 0 244.7 806.1 37.4 57.0 98.5 203.1 16.5 19.7

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures Table 2: Variable weekly temperatures in Blenheim during March 2016

Mean Maximum Mean Minimum Mean Deviation

From Avg. 1 – 7 March 23.6

10.7

17.1 +1.1°C

8 – 14 March 22.1

10.6

16.4 +0.4°C

15 – 21 March 22.0

13.6

17.8 +1.8°C

22 – 28 March 22.5

12.9

17.7 +1.7°C

29 – 31 March 21.5

8.4

14.9 -2.1°C

Average for March 2016

11.6

17.0

22.4

+0.9°C

Long-term average 1996-2015 21.5

6 | WINEPRESS April 2016

+1.2°C

10.4

16.0

+1.0°C

March 2016 temperatures and growing degree-days were well above average, sunshine and rainfall were above average, wind-run was well below average.

Temperature The data in table 2 indicate that most of March 2016 recorded well above average temperatures. The second week recorded some cooler overnight minimum temperatures, however the days were still warmer than average.

The final three days of the month also saw the night time temperatures drop substantially from what most of the month had experienced.

The mean temperature for the month, of 17.0°C was the warmest since March 2008, which recorded a mean temperature of 17.1°C. Coldest and Hottest days during March No frosts were recorded during March 2016. The coldest minimum temperatures were recorded on the morning of 12 March, with an air minimum of 4.7°C and a grass minimum of 0.0°C. The hottest day was 5 March with a maximum temperature of 28.1°C. Eleven days during March recorded a maximum temperature between 25.0 and 28.1°C. In contrast March 2015 only recorded six days above 25°C. The first five days of March 2015 were all above 25°C, giving the month a very warm start, however the warm temperatures were not sustained, as they were in March 2016.

Rainfall To say that March 2016 recorded 46.8 mm of rain, or 120% of the long-term average would be correct. However,

when we think of a month with above average rainfall we normally equate that with a wet month. One way to describe March 2016 would be to say that it was a very dry month with above average rainfall. The reason why the month was ‘dry’ was that 96% of March’s rainfall fell on one day; 45 mm on the 23rd.

This was the highest one day rainfall total in 23 months. We have to go back to 17 April 2014 to find a day with a higher rainfall total.

The fact that virtually all March’s rain fell on one day meant that the rest of the month was very dry and still had a high fire risk. Had this rain been spread out during the month it would have lessened the fire risk to a greater extent.

Total rain for the first three months of 2016 was 134.0 mm, or 104% of the long-term average of 128.4 mm; January 69.2 mm, February 18.0 mm and March 46.8 mm. In contrast January to March 2015 only recorded 57.0 mm rain, less than half the 2016 total.

At the end of March 2016 Marlborough was still very dry. However, you may be surprised to learn that the January to March rainfall total is the highest since 2005; i.e. the highest in 11 years.

All years 2006-2015 recorded below average rainfall from January to March.

Sunshine March 2016 recorded 241.9 hours sunshine, or 105% of the long term average. Total sunshine for the first three months of 2016 was 763.6 hours; 106% of the long-term average (19962015) of 718.6 hours. January to March recorded 45 additional hours sunshine above the long-term average, or an extra half an hour of sunshine per day over the first 91 days of 2016.

So far the current season, September 2015 to March 2016, has recorded 1835.5 hours sunshine. This is the sunniest season on record for the 87 years 1930-2016. Average sunshine hours for Blenheim from September to March are 1615 hours. 2015 was

Blenheim’s sunniest year on record.

Soil moisture Shallow soil moisture (5-35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station was 15.1% at the beginning of March (Figure 1). It dropped further, to 14.5% from 18th to 20th March, about as low as it can go. The 45 mm rain recorded on the 23rd March boosted the shallow soil moisture to 30.5% on the 24th. The “Full Point” for this topsoil is approximately 38%. That one rain event effectively restored about 68% of the readily available water to the topsoil. Figure 1 indicates how two main rain events in January 2016 boosted the soil moisture. However, with warm temperatures and high evapotranspiration in the height of summer, that moisture was quickly lost from the topsoil.

The current season was very dry from October to December 2015 with the shallow soil moisture following very closely the same curve as in 2014-15.

Phone us today to discuss your Grape Harvesting requirements Ph: 578 6580 or 0274 441 404 41 St Leonards Road, Blenheim, roseag@xtra.co.nz

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 7

The two rain events in January 2016, essentially rescued Marlborough from a second summer of serious drought, and potentially saved the province millions of dollars in lost revenue, had the irrigation takes from the region’s main rivers been cut off for an extended period.

Marlborough needs good rainfall in the

late autumn and winter in order to replenish the deeper soil moisture.

that March has recorded lower than average wind-run.

Wind Run March 2016 recorded average daily wind run of 210.8 km compared to the long-term average of 251.3 km (1996-2015); 84% of the long-term average. This is the sixth year in a row

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

Figure 1: Shallow soil moisture (0-35 cm) at the Grovetown Park weather station in Blenheim

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Vine Dining February and March in Marlborough were full of anticipation for the coming harvest, along with some events at which to relax and recharge before the onslaught. The Dog Point/Logan Brown Classic Kiwi Picnic 2016 (above)is always a gorgeous affair and the February event added to its reputation. Event co-organiser Andrea Craig says around 150 guests enjoyed a day matching Dog Point’s four wines to Logan Brown’s picnic fare of crayfish, whitebait and paua, wine barrel smoked salmon, and the pièce de résistance, a venison rack with spiced pumpkin, chickpea mash and tarragon pickled cherries.

Perfect Marlborough weather made the day even more special. The photo on the left shows Toni Street from TVNZ’s Seven Sharp with Murray and Rachael Cook. On the right, Ivan Sutherland entertains.

The Zephyr Garden Party (above) combined lovely people, lovely Riesling and lovely fresh food from the guys at Mexico Group, including the mini yellow corn ceviche (pictured), chargrilled smokey chicken thigh Guajillo adobo, chargrilled smokey beef skirt in chocolate mole and charred corn with chipotle butter and quesco seco. Winemaker Ben Glover says the event, in its third year, has always been about gathering friends and family, including 45 kids and a donkey this year. “It’s a day you don’t talk about work.”

Two Rivers of Marlborough held a long lunch at its new Brookby Hill Vineyard in the Omaka Valley. Friends, family, growers and distributors gathered to enjoy Two Rivers’ wines and olive oil with delicious food on a stunning day. Dave Clouston, pictured above with his wife Pip, says the day was about celebrating a special site “and this exciting new direction for Two Rivers”.

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 9

Labour Pains As Marlborough’s vineyard area grows, so too does the demand for labour, accommodation and services.

SOPHIE PREECE Marlborough will need around 2000 additional vineyard workers over the next five years, with forecasts of major expansion in producing land. That brings a wealth of opportunity and a host of challenges, including demand for accommodation, health services, strong pastoral care and oversight.

The Marlborough Labour Market Survey released last month warns of a 24% increase in total demand for vineyard labour, including 189 permanent workers for vineyards and contractors, 600 winter and 306 summer Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE) workers, and 884 additional casuals across the year, including harvest.

That’s no great surprise to those in the industry, says Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens, who hopes the report will help influence an increase in the number of workers able to come into the region under the RSE scheme.

“The report says RSE is the only truly viable outcome, and I would question any government entity that said it is not the outcome. There are not enough school leavers coming into these primary industries to fulfil our growth ambitions.”

The survey was conducted on behalf of New Zealand Winegrowers, Wine Marlborough, Marlborough District Council and Seasonal Solutions Cooperative Limited, to look at the current and future labour needs of 10 | WINEPRESS April 2016

the viticulture sector. It outlines predicted growth of 6800 hectares of vineyard land over the next five years, with a 24% increase in producing area from 23,619ha to 29,270ha.

The Lower/Central Wairau will see 51% of the new plantings, with expansion plans also in place for the Upper Wairau, Awatere Valley, Blind River, Flaxbourne and Kekerengu.

Marcus believes the plantings will go ahead, regardless of whether a larger labour supply has been secured. If people then fall back to unofficial labour supplies, the reputation of the industry will be tarnished, he says.

“The RSE has proven itself to be an incredibly important factor in enabling the industry to grow and return value to not only the workers, but to our region and country. Plus, it has helped clean up some labour practices that were probably unsatisfactory. Its importance looking both back and forwards is not to be underestimated.”

The RSE scheme allows people from the Pacific Islands to work in New Zealand’s viticulture and horticulture industries for up to seven months of the year. Employers have to be accepted into the scheme, and must meet regulations that ensure good employment practices and pastoral care.

The national cap on RSE workers

was raised to 9500 last year, with 1317 winter RSE workers in Marlborough for the 2015/2016 year, as well as 660 summer RSE workers. Given the planned growth, by 2019-20 there will be demand for 2269 winter RSE workers and 1195 summer workers.

RSE accredited contractors service

Service Boom Martin Roberts from Marlborough Tractor Services predicts a strong boost to the region’s service sector, as a result of continuing vineyard growth moving forward. “The industry has been conservative in its spending over the past three or four years, but with sector growth we may see more investment on additional equipment.” He says despite the unfortunate “doom and gloom” around the dairy industry, the vehicle and equipment sector is in a positive mode and domestic growth has risen. Planned expansions to the wine industry will naturally flow through to businesses like his. “I think it’s positive for Marlborough in general. It’s great.”

68%

2015/16 LARGE WINE COMPANIES

73%

2019/20 LARGE WINE COMPANIES

189

442

beds for casuals

600

RSE approved beds

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 11

more than 75% of the total current producing area and the report emphasises the importance of the scheme to the success of the region’s wine industry. Contractors seem stretched now, and would be so into the future, especially with indications that many new plantings will lay down four canes rather than two, requiring more time per vine to service.

Marcus says the growth will come with plenty of related challenges, including the purpose-built accommodation facilities needed for permanent, casual and RSE workers. It’s predicted that 189 additional houses will be required for permanent workers, 442 beds for casuals and 600 RSE approved beds.

Mayor Alistair Sowman says the Marlborough District Council can play a wider role in promoting Marlborough as an attractive region to relocate to, and providing good quality services for residents.

He says the quality of housing for seasonal workers is a responsibility of

central government, and in particular the Labour Inspectorate, not the local council.

There are also challenges to the health system, due to the influx of people at certain times of year. Marlborough Primary Health Organisation Chief Executive Beth Tester says the body is working only with the wine industry “to see how we can work together

to best meet the health needs of the temporary vineyard workers.” She says they are investigating different models of care to provide easier access.

Marcus says a joint approach from a range of different parties, including local and central government, contractors, wine companies and New Zealand Winegrowers, is required, “to navigate this complex puzzle.”

Police, Pastoral Care and Pacific Island Nations Constable Russell Smith, RSE liaison for police and the wine industry, says crime related to RSE workers is not significant per head of population, and good pastoral care will help maintain that situation as numbers increase. “If it’s well managed it will be a wonderful, wonderful thing for Marlborough.”

However, there is a trend for RSE workers to become involved in slightly higher levels of crime – sometimes related to alcohol - when they return for their sixth or seventh season. “They are becoming very comfortable here and some are taking liberties…What it really comes back to, is if there’s good care wrapped around them - being occupied and looked after - those things don’t happen.”

The labour report says police noticed increased crime rates across all worker types, and the increase in worker numbers over the next five years could result in higher levels of crime. Good pastoral care – including regular visits to accommodation, helping with menu and food selection, accompanying workers for medical help, and chiefs meetings for RSE workers – was essential. “The successful employers will be those who take seriously the need for a high level of pastoral care. Pastoral care is not a 9-5 issue – the whole day needs to be looked at.”

Russell says some contractors are “just marvellous” and continue to put a lot of time and money into their pastoral

12 | WINEPRESS April 2016

care, with good results in return. “Others are somewhere between there and bad, and some are just bad.”

He has been pleased to see the response of locals change in the years since the RSE workers started coming, when he would frequently receive a flood of calls from people concerned about the “dark men” walking in groups down the street.

“I think the perception has changed over time. We are seeing so many more nationalities and diverse racial groups here in the last decade or so, because of vineyard work and tourism.”

Russell has worked with police overseas, and says the RSE scheme has been great for relations with Pacific Island nations. “It’s a really good thing.”

In November last year Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said two new reports on the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme showed the huge rewards to employers, workers and the Pacific region.

A report into a pilot project involving 640 Tongan and Samoan RSE workers has found that they sent home more than 40% of their take-home income between November 2014 and June 2015 – an average of between $4,600 and $5,500. “Remittances have been playing an increasingly important role in reducing the scale and severity of poverty in the developing world,” the minister said.

Wine School SOPHIE PREECE

Marlborough’s increasing labour needs give impetus to plans for a School of Wine.

Marlborough’s wine industry offers a multitude of jobs beyond planting, pruning and picking, says Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens. “I acknowledge that there’s this perception that the industry’s jobs are the three Ps, but that’s a real mismatch with the kind of opportunities out there for people with good attitudes, literacy, numeracy and communication skills, who want a hands-on experience.”

He says the recently released labour survey, flagging a 24% increase in labour demand over the next five years, is just one of the reasons the industry should be supporting the New Zealand School of Wine Marlborough (NZSWM) being proposed by Blenheim’s two colleges.

The school would be aimed at year 12 and 13 students from Marlborough Boys’ and Marlborough Girls’ Colleges, to give them relevant training for the multitude of jobs in the wine industry, while also working towards curriculum targets in the likes of English, biology and chemistry.

Marlborough Boys’ College assistant principal James Ryan says the school will “contextualise” their learning, so that science work, for example, is based around wine-lab work.

The school will base its studies on the industry’s calendar, with topics relevant to the time of year, to better engage students in their learning and enable opportunities to step out of the classroom and into the world of wine.

James is hopeful the school will kick off in February 2017, pending additional industry funding. The first year of the course, aimed at year 12 students, is expected to cost between $80,000 and $90,000, which would increase in 2018,

when the school becomes a two-year course for year 12 and 13 students.

The Marlborough Grape Producers’ Cooperative (MGP) provided funds to assist the colleges in doing groundwork, but more is required to get it over the starting line, says James.

“That’s where our biggest issue lies.

We can organise the education side of things, but the problem is getting the funding, because the ministry comes up with these wonderful ideas, but it doesn’t always come up with the funding behind them.”

He says the Marlborough Colleges Charitable Foundation (MCCF) has offered to manage and audit the donations, making them tax deductible for businesses. “They are quite happy to be that gatekeeper.”

Marlborough Girls’ College Careers Adviser Cheryl West has also been

working on the project and says the NZSWM will give students the opportunity to train and earn locally, making the most of opportunities in the wine industry.

“Our students normally go out of town for their tertiary education and this will give them an interest in the industry…

There are a wide range of jobs available locally and the NZSWM will create links with employers – possibly opening up part-time and holiday work for our students.”

James says anyone interested in being involved with work placements, talking to students, using rows of grapes, or financial sponsorship should get in touch. “We want locals supporting this local initiative. Now is the best time to get this up and running.”

For more information, contact James Ryan 027 808 2451 jamesr@mbc.school.nz

India Lambeth is an example of how local students can tap into local industry.

While at Marlborough Girls’ College she went on a winery field trip and last year, while in year 13, she applied for and was accepted on a Constellation Wines cadetship, which started last December. Careers Adviser Cheryl West says India will get roughly six months of viticulture and six months of winery work. “She is being paid while she learns. This is a fantastic opportunity for our local students.” India was originally looking at going away to study agriculture at university, “but after coming on the field trip and seeing the opportunities in the wine industry, she decided to apply for the cadetship,” says Cheryl. “This is exactly the kind of thing that we want to see more of.”

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 13

Marlborough’s vineyard area is growing rapidly. Photo supplied by Saint Clair Family Estate

Sharks and Remora Corporate players are expected to dominate Marlborough’s vineyard expansion over the next five years, but the role of independents remains vital.

SOPHIE PREECE Large vineyard plantings will drive Marlborough’s wine industry growth over the next five years, according to the new Marlborough Labour Market Survey.

A report on the current and future labour needs of the viticulture sector outlines planned growth of 6800 hectares over the next five years, with a 24% increase in production area from 23,619ha to 29,270ha. To put that into perspective, the growth alone is more than the total combined vineyard area of Hawke’s Bay and the Wairarapa.

A small number of big vineyards, 50ha or larger, are the main drivers of the expansion, through the purchase and conversion of very large tracts of land, says the report. “In addition, some 14 | WINEPRESS April 2016

consolidation may be expected over the next few years, as smaller vineyards are purchased by larger entities who see this as a relatively easy way to acquire additional plantings.”

Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens says the dominance of large companies is reflected in the ratio of wineries to production in the region.

Marlborough has 140 of New Zealand’s 673 wineries, but produces 75% of the wine. “So there’s a scale here that is just totally different to any other part of New Zealand, in a big way.”

He says it would be concerning to see the scales tipping too far towards corporates, because the diversity of different players – “innovating at different speeds and focusing on

different things” - is vital for the region.

Independent companies give the industry credibility when it comes to global gatekeepers, and Marlborough has to cherish the “rich and honest intergenerational family stories” of the smaller players, he says.

Speaking at the International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration in February this year, American wine critic Matt Kramer said the balance of small and large players in a wine industry was a sign of a mature ecosystem, and not cause for disdain.

In a successful wine region there would be “big boys” eating huge chunks of the market, and “little suckerfish” hanging around the shark and doing pretty well for themselves. “Far from not wanting such a thing, you should be grateful for

it. The big guys grow things. There is still a world out there that has not tasted Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, has never heard of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and is waiting to discover it. The little guys will never be the vehicle for that discovery.”

Jane Hunter agrees, saying that large corporate wineries open doors for family owned companies like hers. “I’m sure if we hadn’t had the big corporates come into Marlborough we would be struggling for market presence in a lot of countries still. They are able to go in at a price point that we are not able to go in at, and they can get the first people hooked on Marlborough wine, or Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and then the market starts to look for something different and we can come in behind.”

Meanwhile, the smaller players provide the industry with personality, interest and long term personal relationships

in markets, as well multigenerational stories, she says. “There’s always a place for that, because people will always be looking for something different.”

Corporates will never have the personality and personal history that the small wineries can have, says Jane. “I think we both need each other.”

She’s still somewhat stunned to look around her and find Hunter’s is the only one of the founding wine companies still in original ownership. “When Ernie started here there was Te Whare Ra, Corban’s, without a winery, Montana, Cellier le Brun and Hunter’s. That was it. We’re the only ones left standing. We must be nuts,” she laughs.

And she finds it “slightly frightening” to think of all the extra grapes going in, when there were just 12ha of Sauvignon Blanc when she arrived in Marlborough in 1983. “You think ‘My God, where is all this wine going?’ But I guess you don’t plant it if you don’t

have a market.”

Jane adds that medium size businesses have to be wary of growing to a size where they compete with large corporates. “There’s a fine balance between what size you get to that can still be economic and when you actually have to step over into the area where you have to be in supermarkets and turning over bigger volumes.”

Saint Clair Family Estate owner Neal Ibbotson says the great thing about Marlborough is the quality of the wine produced by its many wineries, both large and small.

“Like any rural business there will always be economies of scale, which lead to greater market penetration and exposure for the Marlborough brand, just like there will always be demand for smaller family wineries that deliver a story as well as quality.”

Just Beginning Sam and Mandy Weaver of Churton are adamant their 20th vintage is just the beginning.

After two decades honing skills and refining vineyard management practices, Sam and Mandy Weaver say their 20th vintage will reflect their time on the land. “I am more excited about making wine today than ever before,” says Sam. “I now see our vines as capable of displaying the ultimate expression of Churton”.

The small biodynamic wine company has always been patient and forward thinking, considering future generations, respecting the environment and continually fine tuning their focussed wine portfolio, he says.

Sons Ben and Jack are now both involved in the company, focussed on winemaking and sales respectively. Jack says while growing up in the vineyard, they had determination and work ethic instilled in their bones, leading to vintages overseas before each focused their tertiary studies on a unique angle of the family business. “Ben and I count ourselves very lucky to be the future of Churton. Our mum and dad have poured their heart and soul into it, and to see them achieve 20 years is awesome.”

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 15

Growing GDP Other sectors are riding on the coat tails of the wine industry’s success, says a banking expert.

ANZ’s Commercial and Agri Regional Manager Rob Simcic.

Photo by Niki Boon

SOPHIE PREECE Marlborough’s economy increased 28% between 2010 and 2015, thanks largely to wine production.

Statistics New Zealand’s annual regional gross domestic product statistics, released last month, show Marlborough’s GDP in the year ending March 2015 was $2.5 billion, an increase of 2.2% on the previous year and up 28% since 2010.

ANZ’s Commercial and Agri Regional Manager Rob Simcic says the growth is in large part thanks to the region’s wine industry, which was responsible for the lion’s share of New Zealand’s $1.54b wine exports last year.

Rob looks after rural and commercial lending in Marlborough and is a food and beverage specialist for ANZ. He says there was a “quiet period” for a few years after 2008, particularly for those sectors that were directly servicing the wine industry, “but in the past three to four years we’ve really seen that turn around.”

That success has made a measurable difference to many other sectors, he says. “I think it’s very hard to imagine operating a business here in Marlborough that isn’t some way affected by what’s going on in the wine industry.”

A great deal of the bank’s business is linked to the food and beverage space,

and it is “optimistic and confident” in the future outlook. “We know there’s a lot more development going on.

Industry has a goal of $2b by 2020 and

“I think it’s very hard to imagine operating a business here in Marlborough that isn’t some way affected by what’s going on in the wine industry.” Rob Simcic

16 | WINEPRESS April 2016

we share the confidence in that being achieved.”

Given Marlborough is responsible for around 75% of the country’s wine production, the region’s share of that

export haul could be as high as $1.5b by 2020.

He says other food and beverage providers can ride on the coat tails of the wine industry’s global success, which was emphasised at the International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration (ISBC). The event, held in Marlborough in February, showcased local food and craft beers alongside New Zealand wine, sharing a broad food and beverage story with international influencers, he says.

“We hear through members of the Marlborough Food & Beverage Innovation Cluster that international buyers are always interested to know what other products from Marlborough they could offer.”

Renaissance Brewing’s Development Manager Roger Kerrison says wine shines a light on all Marlborough’s food and beverage producers.

Key Points - Statistics NZ • From 2010 to 2015, Marlborough’s economy increased 28%. Marlborough’s contribution to GDP remained unchanged, at 1%.

• In 2013, Marlborough’s GDP increased 3.2%, with manufacturing (food, beverage, and tobacco product) more than offsetting a decline in agriculture.

• In 2014, Marlborough’s GDP increased 11.6 %, due to a large rebound in agriculture.

• In 2015, Marlborough’s GDP increased 2.2%, which was again influenced by continued volatility in agriculture, largely offsetting increases in other industries.

International buyers and journalists frequently visit the region, and the company punches above its weight in the interest it gets due to being a Marlborough brewer. “You can walk into the Grovetown Hotel on a Friday and there’ll be some buyer from Tesco’s or a big importer from America there with a wine company, and they’re all drinking our beer, which is great exposure for us and the brand, and good potential opportunities in the future.”

The company had a great presence at the ISBC, pouring beer on the vintage train trip to Kekerengu, and then again at the destination beach party at The Store. This month Roger will visit a wine seller in China, who he met at the

ISBC and is “as keen as mustard” on Renaissance.

He also met with UK trade, some of whom they already work with, and other major influencers.

Renaissance sells to 15 export markets, which is largely thanks to the global reputation of Marlborough and to the introductions to agents and distributors overseas through Marlborough wine

Roger Kerrison at the ISBC Beach Party at Kekerengu. Photo

by Richard Briggs, thanks to New Zealand Winegrowers

companies, he says. “There’s just a very good symbiotic relationship. It seems that local wineries are supportive of us being the local brewery.”

Number Crunching Wine tourism is just one of the stars in an economic contribution report on New Zealand’s wine industry.

SOPHIE PREECE Marlborough’s vineyard area is rapidly expanding, but the number of growers and wineries is reducing, according to an update from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER).

The Economic Contribution of the New Zealand Wine Sector (2015) provides data on the national wine industry, from the number of growers to the contribution to national GDP. There was a leap from $1,202m in exports in 2012, to $1,536m in 2015, and a corresponding increase in the contribution to national GDP from $760m to $1,092m, according to the data.

Wine was New Zealand’s sixth largest export commodity in 2015, after dairy, meat, wood, fruit and mechanical machinery, and growing rapidly, with 7.9% annual growth in value of exports between 2008 and 2015.

Not all the numbers are on an upward trajectory, with the number of wineries dropping from 703 in 2012 to 673 in 2015, and the number of grape growers dropping from 824 to 762 over the same period. However, productive hectares rose from 33,400 to 35,859, showing continued consolidation (see Sharks and Remora on pg 14).

Marlborough has 140 of the remaining wineries and 535 of the growers, with the next biggest numbers in Auckland,

with 10 growers and 111 wineries, and Hawke’s Bay, with 74 growers and 75 wineries.

The NZIER report says the wine sector pumped $280m directly to New Zealand households through wages and salaries last year, through wine production and grape growing. Of the 7,500 wine sector jobs spread around the country, 2240 were in Marlborough, contributing 10.1% of local employment as of February 2015.

The data also shows the power of wine tourism, with 20% of international tourists visiting a winery in the course of a year, just under seals and glaciers but above dolphins and Te Papa. Travellers who visited a winery tended to stay longer than those that did not, and to spend more per visit.

ANZ’s Commercial and Agri Regional Manager Rob Simcic says tourism is one of the most interesting stories around the wine industry. “I think it’s great and probably bigger than we realise.”

New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan agrees, calling the tourism data one of the report’s highlights. He says the wine industry is helping shape the perception of New Zealand globally, because every bottle of wine sold overseas plays a part in promoting the country.

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 17

Hungry Harvest Marlborough’s catering companies and cafés are stepping up to the pressures of vintage.

They say an army marches on its stomach, so as Marlborough’s vintage cranks into round-the-clock shifts, there’s a focus on fuelling the troops.

At the peak of the season, BV Gourmet will deliver 650 meals to clients each day, which is a huge leap from when Vicki Young and Janet Enright started catering for vintage seven years ago.

“We started out really small with about 40 meals and thought we were hellishly busy,” says Vicki.

The season leads in slowly, with the BV café kitchen managing early harvest orders in the small hours of morning, while also enjoying the boost to customers brought in by the region’s autumn population growth.

But as harvest heats up and wineries start working around the clock,Vicki has two other teams working out of another commercial kitchen, with a focus on feeding the crews.

It’s a logistical juggling act, with dietary restrictions thrown in as a few extra balls in the air, as one shift works on food preparation and another packs

18 | WINEPRESS April 2016

and labels early in the morning.

Vicki varies the menu as much as she can, and few meals are repeated over the weeks of vintage, excepting popular classics like lasagne, roast dinners and Friday’s fish.

Some companies give workers a chance to choose weekly from a menu, but in most cases food restrictions will be understood at the beginning of the season and the food delivered will reflect that.

“Staff aren’t looking for fine dining,” she says. “What they need is a really healthy combo of protein, carb and vegetables, to keep their energy levels up. Companies want their staff well fed and focussed.”

Whitehaven’s Sue White, who was BVs first vintage customer, says the company wants to give its vintage workers a uniquely Marlborough experience, and the catering has been a part of that, offering nutritional and tasty food.

“When it’s cold and you have another six hours on night shift, food takes on a huge significance. It can be one of the most looked forward to aspects of their shifts.”

Vicki says the vintage rush has become an important part of their business, despite the high costs of operating the second kitchen – including hiring gear and training new staff. “On a short term basis there are higher costs, but any burst like that is good for any business.”

Vicki Young at BV

The Burleigh’s Jane Dickenson loves the buzz of vintage

It’s one of the most exciting times Marlborough has, she says. “It’s good for the region and brings people into town.

Those workers get time off, and then there’s a whole buzz around, with an amazing eclectic mix of people.”

Over at The Burleigh, the period leading up to and following the harvest peak is busiest, when wine companies are not providing food, and workers need something to “grab and go”, says Rod Burdis.

That means a huge boost in the sales of biltong, which is pocketed for protein over the long days, as well as meat pies and artisan rolls pouring out the door.

He and partner Jane Dickenson will spend an extra $10,000 on meat over the short period.

The business sticks to its normal hours and staff numbers, but “we work a hell of a lot harder”, he says. “When it’s busy, the day rockets by. We open at 7.30, but there’ll be people outside when we arrive and we’ll be selling pies at 6.30 in the morning.”

Last harvest they sold between 100 and 150 pies before The Burleigh actually opened for the day, and he expects more of the same this vintage. “By 7am the area outside will be full of fluro yellow.”

Made from Marlborough SOPHIE PREECE Simple boundaries are the best way to kick start Geographical Indications in New Zealand’s wine regions, says New Zealand Winegrowers.

General Manager Advocacy Jeffrey Clarke says in considering the registration of GIs, regions should keep their eye on the “big picture”, with inclusive and established boundaries, leaving room to innovate in the future.

For Marlborough that may mean a single registered “Marlborough” GI now, providing a simple and “natural” story that consumers already know, with the potential for sub-regional differentiation at a later date.

If passed, the Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act 2006 will enable local and foreign geographical indications for wines and spirits, such as Marlborough, to be registered in New Zealand for the first time.

In preparation for that, Wine Marlborough will begin a consultation process with industry members in order to get a clear mandate. General Manager Marcus Pickens says it’s vital

to get the GI defined and protected “for the good of everyone”.

He expects good dialogue on the subject. “The last time we did a consultation on GIs, I was really impressed by the maturity of people’s view. It was a long term view, to say sub-regions may exist, but we need much more time to define them…I think the broader GI is almost the consensus view. Bigger is much simpler and a good starting point.”

Jeffrey says the flavours of the wine don’t have to be uniquely distinctive to the name, and the soil doesn’t need to be unique, but “a quality, reputation or characteristic of the wine must have a distinctive link to the place…

It’s the whole story you already have about what is Marlborough, what is Marlborough wine.”

That can include the style, flavours, climate, land, people, history and choices behind the area, as well as how the grapes are grown and the wine is made. “Whatever it is that makes your story special and different from other wine stories.”

Jeffrey Clarke

Wine regions in New Zealand have been using GIs for decades, but they have not been protected by a Government sanctioned register.

“There is no magic about a GI. It’s what we have already,” he says. “But the GI Act will help protect the value that has been invested in building up distinctive regional identities for our wines – much like a trademark protects businesses’ investment in their brands.”

And while they do protect, their most important role is in the powerful branding they enable. “GIs are all about telling a regional wine story to the consumer.”

Marcus says he has never seen an issue the wine industry has been so united on. “People are adamant we need this level of protection, to be taken seriously.

It’s good to see Government has listened.”

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 19

Health Check Take care; avoid a trip to the ED. SONIA O’REGAN Mind your fingers! Loppers snapping down on a workmate’s unseen fingers are a top cause of injury in the vines, according to Wairau Hospital Emergency Department staff.

Clinical Head of Emergency Dr Andrew Morgan carried out an informal survey of his colleagues over morning tea for Winepress. They ranked finger lacerations as the most frequent vineyard injury they saw. “We see plenty of quite decent cuts to fingers.

It happens when two people go for the same bunch of grapes and don’t see the other’s hand.” Some cuts need only workplace first aid; if you think stitches are required he recommends calling your GP to see if they can help before rushing to the ED. Caustic burns in the eye – from splashed fluids used to wash out vats and other surfaces – were next on the list. “We are the place to come for caustic burn to the eye. It’s a sightthreatening injury.” The best option here is prevention in the first place wear safety glasses, he urges.

Back pain from lifting heavy objects, sore legs from climbing ladders and, once pruning begins, sore wrists, shoulders and backs are other injuries

20 | WINEPRESS April 2016

that winery industry workers have reported to the ED with in the past.

These aches and pains are not emergencies and people experiencing them should see primary sector health professionals, such a GP or physio. “I Andrew Morgan don’t want to see people with a sore wrist - that is not an emergency.”

He encourages employers to allow their staff to have a day off if they need Andrew says. it. They will be more productive staff “I want people to want to come to members in the long run if they can recover early. “Get some pain killers and my department when they really need to be here. We will provide excellent rest up. If you’re not better in a couple care for those who need us. It’s in the of days go and see your doctor. There’s best interest of the patient and the no need to rush up to ED.” community that people are seen in the Coughs, colds and urinary tract most appropriate place.” infections complete the list of ailments that the ED staff report having seen among wine industry workers.You guessed it. These are not emergencies Patients urged to see right either. In fact, the person, right place. best people to see Wairau Hospital Emergency Department is asking people in the first instance for these conditions, arriving there with non-emergency conditions to see their GPs instead. Clinical Head of Emergency Dr Andrew is a pharmacist.

Morgan says the department has started a redirection The patient should programme as part of an on-going effort to promote a follow up with culture shift around the way people access the ED in a GP visit if the Marlborough. A lot of people are still going to the ED matter persists, when they need to see a GP or other primary health professional, he says.

While this is a problem around the country, presentation statistics reveal a particular Marlborough disposition to go to ED. There are 490 presentations per 1000 people at Wairau Hospital’s ED annually, compared to Nelson’s 280 per 1000 and a national average of 250 per 1000.

Under the redirection system, patients are still assessed by a triage nurse on arrival at the department. If their condition is not an emergency, a nurse will phone the person’s GP and try to get them an appointment within a reasonable time frame.

“We would ask the community to please work with us on this, as in the long run having people treated at the right place is in the interests of both the patients and the community.”

A Case Study SOPHIE PREECE Business is booming for a Blenheim wine export company, with thousands of cases sent overseas this summer.

Cherry Wilson set up NZ Wine Exports 15 years ago, when wine tourists mostly “flatly refused” to buy wine, because of the hassle and expense of getting it home. She developed a model that included the cost of taxes in the freight price, making it easy for people to select wine from several cellar doors, then pay a set amount to have it sent to them at home. “We are still a bit unbelieving that this is what it’s turned into,” she says, surrounded by a warehouse of boxes ready to head to Australia, the company’s biggest market.

This January they sent 1000 cases of wine to destinations around the world, including the UK, Australia, the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. Around a quarter were from Marlborough, with the rest freighted from other wine regions to Blenheim, where they were collated, boxed and sent offshore.

Australia is the best market by far, and from December 2015 to the end of February this year, the business had sent 1700 cases, up from 1227 the year before, reflecting a higher number

of Australians travelling, says Cherry. “We love the Australians.”

Sales to Asian countries have risen from 50 cases in December through February 2015, to 192 for the same period this year. The US market has also taken a big jump, with 80 cases out of Marlborough from December to February, up from 65 in the 2014/2015 summer. Mixed case orders, with most but not all bottles from Marlborough, accounted for a further 137 cases to the US in 2014/2015 and 221 this season.

Increased orders are in part thanks to the boost in cruise ship numbers this year, and an increased propensity for those passengers to buy wine. “In the past, cruise ship tourists have had long pockets and short arms. But the past two years have been good.”

Cherry’s son Scott Lammas, who manages the operation, says they are in a “unique, niche market”, and as cellar doors become more educated about the opportunity, the better business gets. “I think we’ve been around that long that 99% of the wineries in New Zealand know what we do.”

Between 50 and 60% of the shipments

Cherry Wilson’s wine export business has gone from strength to strength

are from tourists sending wine home, and between 30 and 40% of the wine is from Marlborough, says Scott. With wine tourists frequently selecting a few bottles at several wineries to fill a case, life in summer can be hectic, with pick-up and packing, but 15 years of operation has allowed them to iron out issues.

Whitehaven Cellar Door manager Karen Marchant says the company is “incredibly professional and helpful”, and wine sales are certainly increased through the service. “People definitely buy more, especially from Australia. It’s such a fantastic way for them to get wine home.”

Karen Walshe, of guided cycle tour company Explore Marlborough, says NZ Wine Exports is good for wine companies, tour operators and tourists alike. “It takes all the stress out of it. And often it’s people buying wines they have tried on tour and loved, but can’t buy at home. That’s great for Marlborough.”

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 21

Generation Y-ine Andrew Jeffries left Lincoln University uncertain about where his degree might take him. Now, thanks to a two-year internship, it’s taking him all over the world.

SOPHIE PREECE Andrew Jeffries is well aware of the opportunities grapes have brought to Marlborough, having witnessed the economic and physical transformation of the region since his childhood.

Now the 21-year-old Lincoln University graduate is celebrating the opportunities grapes have brought him as well, having been awarded the inaugural graduate internship with Giesen Wines. “It’s a great chance for me to learn about all the different aspects of the business so I have a far more rounded background,” he says. “I’m really excited to have this opportunity.”

Andrew, who studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology, has

22 | WINEPRESS April 2016

started the two year programme with the family owned producer’s premium organic high-density vineyards in Marlborough. In September he will switch to the company’s more traditional vineyards and in 2017 he’ll move his focus to vintage experience in Giesen’s Marlborough winery.

That’s followed by a vintage in France, staying at the Giesen Brothers’ estate in Puligny Montrachet, Burgundy.

“That’ll be amazing,” says Andrew, who is looking forward to comparing old world vineyards and the wines they produce with the new world examples he’s so used to.

From there he goes on to spend time with the sales team in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia, getting a taste for the marketing side of the industry as well.

There’s no point in making wine if you can’t sell it, he says. “It makes sense to be doing it at the end of the internship, because it’s the last stage of the cycle.”

Having grown up in Marlborough, Andrew is no newcomer to the wine industry, and has watched the province

change considerably during his lifetime, including at Dillon’s Point Rd, where his parents have a vineyard. “I still remember how it used to be, with all the sheep and beef and crops.” Now there are grapes as far as the eye can see, he says. “You would struggle to find a bare paddock.”

His parents converted their land in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and Andrew helped out on weekends and holidays, gaining an appetite for work amid the vines. These days he’s able to lend his Lincoln learnings, and Giesen experience with his parents on their vineyard.

Andrew’s relationship with Giesen began while at University, when he worked technical support roles for the company, doing yield estimations in the Marlborough vineyards during the summer holiday periods. He demonstrated both a passion and work ethic that ticked boxes for the team awarding the internship.

Andrew says one of the things he likes most about the wine industry is there’s still so much to learn, across the board, “so you can relate to everyone”.

Right now, he’s unsure which aspect of the wine industry he wants to work his way into, but the next two years are going to provide enormous insight into opportunities it holds.

“It’s doors still open at this stage, which is the good thing about this graduate programme,” he says. “It will give me experience in winemaking and viticulture, as well as the marketing side of things.”

Learning Curves Young Winemakers of Marlborough listen up ANNABELLE LATZ Marlborough’s harvest, with all its inspiration and learning curves, is the perfect time for the region’s aspiring young winemakers to think about the Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker competition.

Last year’s inaugural competition was a huge success, as half a dozen of the region’s top young winemakers gathered mid-year to spend a day being put through their paces; from lab analysis and equipment competency, to blends and tastings, and even some ‘Vin Olympic’ sporting events.

Once again Wine Marlborough, together with a committee of wine industry volunteers, will coordinate both the Marlborough competition and the national final, while regional associations and committees from Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago will run their own regional events. The winners from each region will then go head-to-head at the national final, which this year will be hosted here in Marlborough during the Bragato Conference in August.

Local winemaker Spring Timlin was among the line up at last year’s Marlborough competition, and although she’s over the age threshold of 30 years old, she enjoyed it so much she is now on the national committee. The Production Winemaker at Matua says New Zealand is an exciting place to be a young winemaker, where so many opportunities are made available.

“We are incredibly lucky to have the Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker competition, where we can challenge ourselves and gain exposure to the wider industry.”

Despite discovering at last year’s competition she was “terrible at barrel rolling”, Spring says she learned a lot about her strengths and weaknesses, which was advantageous for her winemaking career. “I encourage all of New Zealand’s young winemakers to

Spring Timlin

apply and get involved, don’t be afraid to challenge and push yourself.”

The open evening for Marlborough’s regional competition will be held at Scotch Bar from 5:30pm on Tuesday June 14, with applications closing on Monday June 20.

For more information about the competition please contact Sophie Matthews: sophie.matthews@gmail.com or 021 0818 1454.

Competition Dates: Hawke’s Bay Friday 1 July Marlborough Friday 8 July Central Otago Friday 15 July (TBC)

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 23

Young Vit Everyone’s a winner at the Young Vit Competition You don’t have to win the Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition to get a huge amount out of the experience, says organiser Samantha Young.

“Everyone who does it says they walk away having learned so much from the process, whether or not they had a chance at winning.”

Marlborough’s regional competition will be held on June 24, and the winner will go on to compete at the national final at the 2016 Bragato conference in Marlborough. At that event the country’s top young viticulturists will compete for the chance to represent the field in the national Young Horticulturist of the Year competition The eight local entrants must be 30 years of age or under on December 31, 2016, be working full time in the viticulture industry and have worked in a hands-on position for the past two years. The competition itself involves several modules across the day, including a panel interview, budgeting session, a physical challenge, health and safety, and a speech at the dinner. The modules see competitors playing to their strengths at some stages, and learning their weaknesses in others.

Stuart Dudley, who is a past winner and chairman of the organising committee, says the event is a great environment to meet other passionate people in the industry and make connections with through sponsors and volunteers helping on the day.

“Many opportunities can arise from this. It allows you to push your boundaries and find out where your strengths and weaknesses may lie, meaning you can look at areas to improve your knowledge and skills. It’s also great for personal growth, by putting yourself out there, which can build confidence in your place in the industry.”

For more information check out www.wine-marlborough.co.nz Competition dates Auckland (Northern) – 10 June Marlborough – 24 June Hawke’s Bay – 7 June Central Otago – 22 July Wairarapa – 28 July National Final – 23-25 August 2016, Marlborough

24 | WINEPRESS April 2016

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WINEPRESS April 2016 | 25

The Block – Clos Marguerite When Jean-Charles Van Hove saw the exposed gravel terraces of the Awatere River’s south bank, he knew the soil was rich with opportunity.

SOPHIE PREECE Green vines run from Seddon to the sea, but 18 years ago this was rolling Awatere Valley farmland. That was the outlook when Jean-Charles and Marguerite Van Hove explored portions of Seaview, looking for the perfect site to put down roots for a wine company called Clos Marguerite.

They had moved their young family from Europe in autumn 1996, shocking French friends when Jean-Charles traded a Bordeaux job with prestige and stability for an uncertain future in the new wine world. “Now people know New Zealand for its wine industry and in particular Sauvignon Blanc. But at the time, particularly in France, no one knew,” he says.

He had first visited many years before, hitching rides on yachts as a 21-yearold, determined to get to New Zealand.

He returned for a Marlborough vintage in 1995, after studying winemaking in France and soil science in Belgium, nurturing dreams of marrying old world viticulture with new world winemaking on his own Marlborough vineyard.

The St Emilion job would have been “safe and easy”, says Marguerite with a smile. But Jean-Charles’ dream was neither safe nor easy, and they both had an inclination to follow it. As we talk in their lovely home in a picturesque 26 | WINEPRESS April 2016

vineyard, watched over by Mount Tapuae-o-Uenuku, she realises it’s 20 years to the day since their family landed on New Zealand soil, to embark on an adventure they don’t regret, “although, of course, you have to work very hard”.

Two years after the family arrived, they bought land along this Awatere Valley river terrace, this time surprising Marlborough friends, who warned they’d be whipped by cold southerly winds and struggle to source labour so far from established wine country.

Their French friends thought them silly, their Blenheim friends thought them foolish, but the couple were confident in the land and its potential. JeanCharles, whose studies in agronomy at the University of Louvain in Belgium had a focus on famous French vineyard soils, says the Seaview strata was laid out like a treasure map. “If you drive on the other side of the river on the road, you can see the soil profile in the cliff for miles and miles and miles. If you like soil science, it’s like magic,” he says.

“The majority of the time when you try to picture what kind of soil you have got, you walk the ground, and you dig a few holes to 1m and 1.2m, if you’re lucky. Then you look at the landscape and try to figure out what happened - what did the geology do to

create the soil you have got? Then you think ‘Ok, it’s going to react like this or it’s going to react like that’.”

Driving down Redwood Pass Road, supposely looking at land on the north side of the Awatere River, all he could see was the soil on its south side, and imagine the roots of his vines delving into it. “I knew exactly what I was going to get.”

He also knew the wind would be a challenge, but was attracted by the frost protection of the coastal block. “I saw first-hand what frost could do in 1991 in Bordeaux. And I knew if you get a frost like that you have no crop for one year and the next year you have half a crop. So it’s a big chunk of money you are not making and in the beginning it is a killer.”

Marguerite says they thought long and hard about which would be the right place for them, from a soil point of view, a frost-risk point of view, the value of the properties and the availability of bare land on which to create a high density vineyard, with 4000 vines per hectare for Pinot Noir and 3000 for Sauvignon Blanc.

There were around 10ha of vineyards at Seaview at that stage, plenty of land was available, and prices were significantly lower than those being paid for Marlborough’s increasingly well-known

wine land. They chose their particular 10ha site based on its terraces, levels of loess, and the potential for a gravity fed winery between one terrace and the next. “Most of the boxes were ticked.

That’s for sure,” says Marguerite.

They bought the land in 1998 and then saved money, grafted root stock and studied the terroir, until planting their first 2ha block of Sauvignon Blanc on some of the bonier soils in 2000.

They planted 2ha a year from then on, including Pinot Noir in deeper soil with higher clay content, distanced from the gum trees around their home. Then in 2005, they constructed their simple winery, designed for the landscape and the wine.

They did much of the vineyard work themselves, despite Jean-Charles working full time, first for Corban’s and then for Winegrowers of Ara. Five years ago he gave up the security of that role to embed himself in the growing Clos Marguerite wine label. “There was probably 15 years where I had a full time job and Marguerite was essentially full time here on the vineyard and looking after the children. We worked very hard and intensively.”

And they still do, taking a hands-on approach at all levels to ensure the wine is in balance, from vine to market. Today Jean-Charles’ hands are stained red from the winery, as we walk through vines to the edge of the terrace. He and Marguerite both taste as they

walk, checking for flavour, acidity, skin thickness and the colour of seeds, as they prepare for the impending harvest.

In winter, they make all the pruning cuts before a gang comes through, spending every day for 12 weeks in the vineyard. “I wonder how many grape growers can say that,” says Jean-Charles.

But for them, it’s a choice that affects the balance of their vines and wines.

“It’s so important from several points of view. The crop you will have next year, how balanced your vine is, the shape of the vine.” They also use their cutting decisions to reduce the wood disease risk. “Vines can handle not being pruned smartly for a few years - maybe 20 - but the problems keep

getting bigger. People tend to do really big cuts because it goes faster, but if you take five cuts to take the same amount of shoots, but not damage the head, we will do that.”

They are hands-on in the marketing and sales of their wine too. “I think it’s very, very important,” says Jean-Charles.

“It’s not just growing the grapes and making the wine. It’s also knowing the customer and selling your wine…You have to think ‘someone is going to buy this wine, and hopefully buy it more than once’.”

Marguerite says there’s huge satisfaction for them in being involved in every aspect of Clos Marguerite, including creating the branding. She has a vivid memory of Jean-Charles returning from his first oenology lecture at the Université de Bordeaux, engaged and excited by wine’s “magical balance” of acidity, sugar and alcohol.

So when it came to Clos Marguerite’s label, she sought to represent the balance and elegance so important to their ethos, in the figure of a women poised on one foot. The design also borrows from art deco design, to represent the meeting point between the old world of the couple’s winemaking roots, and the new world of their Marlborough venture. It is, as their wine philosophy says, “the best of both worlds”.

WINEPRESS April 2016 | 27

Export News - January 2016 Key Points • MAT (Moving Annual Total) January 2016 export value is $1.532 billion, up 12% on the previous year.

• MAT January 2016 exports are 209.7 m. litres, up 6% on the previous year; packaged exports are +8% for the period and other exports are up 3%.

• Average value MAT January 2016 is $7.20 per litre, up 4% on the previous year; packaged export value is $8.69 per litre up 6% on the previous year.

Total Export Volume & Value • MAT January 2016 total value of exports is $1.532 billion, up 12% on the previous year • Total value of YTD January 2016 exports is $957.7 m. up 13% on January 2015.

• Total value of January 2016 exports was $93.7 m. down 3% on January 2015.

• MAT January 2016 exports are 209.7 m. litres, up 6% (12.5 m. litres) on the previous year.

• YTD January 2016 exports are 130.3 m. litres, up 3% (4.3 m. litres) on the previous year.

• January 2016 exports were 13.2 m. litres down 14% (2.1 m. litres) on January 2015.

Export Value per Litre All wines • January 2016 average value was $7.26 per litre, up 16% from January 2015.

• YTD January 2016 average value is $7.35 per litre.

• MAT January 2016 average price is $7.20 per litre, up 4% on MAT January 2015.

Packaged wines • Excluding unpackaged wine from the data, the January 2016 average value was $8.85 per litre, up $0.62 per litre (8%) on January 2015.

• YTD January 2016 average value is $8.95 per litre.

• MAT January 2016 the average price

28 | WINEPRESS April 2016

is $8.69 per litre, up $0.47 per litre (6%) on MAT January 2015.

• MAT January 2016 prices are up 13% to the USA, 9% to UK, and 2% to Canada but are down 2% to Australia.

Export Volume by Country of Destination • In January, for the major markets, exports were up 9% to the USA but were down 16% to Australia and 39% to the UK. Canada was up 22% for the month, while performance of other markets was mixed, with Japan and Denmark performing very strongly.

• YTD January exports are up 18% to the USA but are down 4% to the UK and 7% to Australia. Canada is up 15% for period, while performance of other markets is generally positive, with the best performer being Germany.

• MAT January 2016 growth is led by the USA +13%, with UK and Australia unchanged on last year.

Canada shipments are +13% for the year. Performance of other tracked markets is positive with Germany the strongest performer +51%.

Volume by Packaging Type • Exports of packaged wines MAT January 2016 are 141.7 m. litres up 8% (10.7 m. litres) on the previous year and are 67.6% of total export volume.

• MAT January 2016 packaged exports are led by Canada +17% • YTD January 2016 packaged exports are 84.6 m. litres, up 9% on January 2015.

• January 2016 packaged exports were 8.2 m. litres, down 5% on January 2015.

• Other (non-packaged) wine shipments MAT January 2016 are 68.0 m. litres up 3% (32.4% of export volume). Non-packaged shipments growth is led by USA (+13%).

• YTD January 2016 non-packaged shipments are 45.7 m. litres, down 5% on the previous year.

• January 2016 non-packaged shipments were5.1 m. litres, down 25% on January 2015.

Exports by Variety/Style • In January 2016 Sauvignon Blanc exports were 11.3 m. litres, down 18% from the previous year, accounting for 85.3% of export volume. Of the Sauvignon Blanc exported in December, 10.4 m litres was from Vintage 2015.

• Performance of other styles was mixed in December with the best performers being Riesling, Pinot Noir & Pinot Gris.

• YTD January 2016, Sauvignon Blanc shipments are 112.3 m. litres up 1% from the previous year. Performance of other styles is generally positive.

• MAT January 2016, Sauvignon Blanc shipments are 179.3 m. litres up 5% from the previous year. Performance of other styles is mixed with Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris the strongest performers.

• Production of Sauvignon Blanc in 2015 is estimated to have been 162 m. litres, 30% down on the previous year. Export shipments of vintage 2015 Sauvignon Blanc since release are 75.2 m. litres or 46.4% of estimated production.

Exports by Winery Category • January 2016 export growth was led by the medium wineries +4% but the large wineries were -9%; and small wineries -31%.

• YTD January 2016 small wineries are +5% with the medium wineries also +5%; large wineries are +1% for the period • MAT January 2016 growth is led by the small wineries +12% with the large wineries +7%; medium wineries are +3% for the period.

Pressing On Spy Valley Wines has become the first winery in Marlborough to use only inert grape presses, with the purchase of four Bucher Vaslin Inertys presses.

Chief Winemaker Paul Bourgeois says the Bucher presses increase the options available when it comes to winemaking. “Pressing is such a critical stage, with the demand to retain juice quality. The Inertys presses retain a controlled atmosphere, and give the option of pressing juices without oxidation.”

He says the investment was logical, providing increased efficiency for the winery as well as the possibility of a rise in juice quality. “Pressing without oxygen reduces the harmful effects of oxidation, where some of our unique fruity characteristics could be removed.

We also now have greater control over our levels of maceration … and therefore on the style of our wines.”

The machines’ intelligent program option will speed up pressing time, allowing the company to pinpoint picking times more accurately, he says.

The purchases are part of a $1.2 million

investment in plant and infrastructure, that also included a new vibrating Pinot Noir destemmer and open tanks designed specifically for hand-picked Pinot Noir.

The winery was originally designed to handle a maximum 2000 tonnes each vintage, but a new resource consent allows for an increase of up to 3000 tonnes. “Optimally, we would like the ability to pick within a 10-15 day

harvest period, and our new equipment should allow us to meet that target if conditions demand,” says Paul.

“We’re serious about enjoying our winemaking, and incredibly excited about the developments and improvements our new equipment will provide.”

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Wine Happenings A monthly list of events within the New Zealand wine industry.

To have your event included in next month’s calendar please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz

APRIL 2016 30:

Vineyard Financial Benchmarking Programme applications due - Marlborough

MAY 2016 6: International Sauvignon Blanc Day (twitter) 10: Pruning Workshop – Marlborough 14: Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon – Marlborough 20: Health and Safety Workshop – Marlborough 26: Cellar Door Debrief – Marlborough 26 – 28: International Cool Climate Wine Symposium – England

JUNE 2016 3: 14: 20: 22: 24:

Applications close for the Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition Open evening for Marlborough’s regional Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker Competition Scotch Bar from 5:30pm.

Applications close for Marlborough’s regional Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker Competition New Zealand Winegrowers Grape Days - Marlborough Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition 2016

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WINEPRESS April 2016 | 31

Industry News Financial Benchmarking The expansion of the Vineyard Financial Benchmarking Programme in Marlborough has opened space for more growers and wineries to be involved. The programme, which is run by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW), provides valuable regional data and allows growers and wineries the opportunity to benchmark detailed physical and financial performance of their vineyard against others.

Fruition’s Greg Dryden, who manages the programme in Marlborough, says participant feedback has been really positive, with a recent comment pointing out that business success is a relative target. “It’s not until we attempt to measure success that we have a better idea of improvements that can be made.” Last year the vineyard panel was expanded from 25 to 30 vineyards in Marlborough and will be expanded to 50 vineyards over the next two years, to better represent the whole region.

Marlborough growers and wineries interested in participating, with vineyards between 5 and 100 hectares, need to apply before April 30.

Contact Greg 027 484 3857 gregdryden@fruition.net.nz Real Estate Update March has been reasonably quiet on the land sales front, as viticultural clients prepare for the harvest. A number of vineyards around 8 hectares in size have tested the market and been withdrawn, as some buyer resistance to asking prices close to $200,000 per ha is apparent, says PGG Wrightson sales manager Joe Blakiston. He says there is a ready market for production blocks of Sauvignon Blanc from existing growers looking to expand, but they are hard to find. Joe says he is also fielding enquiry from growers in Wairarapa and North Canterbury, who are looking to take

advantage of the strong Marlborough market and secure a buyer, with those markets remaining stagnant. The prospect of a good harvest will provide confidence for a strong market in the coming months post-harvest, he says.

Mud House sponsors tour Mud House Wines has become an official sponsor of the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

Accolade Wines CEO Paul Schaafsma said the company was “extremely excited” about the deal. “A Lions tour is huge, especially one hosted by the World Champions.” Former All Black skipper Sean Fitzpatrick and England’s former winger Jason Robinson are supporting the sponsorship as Mud House brand ambassadors.

Framingham Concert With three bands, one DJ and 400 concert goers, the Framingham Concert was the perfect pre-vintage party.

Marketing manager Bridget Glackin says having the 10-strong Newtown Rock Steady on stage was a highlight, but Marlborough’s wine industry also represented, with The Renwick Nudes (pictured) featuring Framingham’s Andrew Brown on vocals and James Boswkill on guitar, as well as Matt Ward from Wither Hills on bass, and Saint Clair’s Kyle Thomson on drums.

Marlborough Environment Plan The Marlborough District Council’s revised resource management planning documents will become publicly

available in June. The next generation resource management plan, integrates the existing regional policy statement and two regional resource management planning documents, and is the result of six years of research and discussion with the community. Councillor Trevor Hook, who chairs the Council committee which has been considering the plan revision, says there will be three months allowed for the public to make submissions. “We had hoped to have the plan ready for notification earlier but we also wanted to be as sure as possible that the plan functions as intended. We decided the priority was to take the time to get things right.”

The Plan will be publicly notified once it has been approved by Council.

Chardonnay du Monde The 23rd annual Chardonnay du Monde has awarded Saint Clair Pioneer Block 11 Cell Block Chardonnay 2014 a Gold Medal and admitted the family owned Marlborough winery into the list of the top 10 Chardonnays of the world. This is only the second time in the history of the competition that a New Zealand winery has achieved the Top 10 list, the company says.

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Disclaimer: The views and articles that are expressed and appear in Winepress are entirely those of contributors and in no way reflect the policy of the Marlborough Winegrowers. Any advice given, implied or suggested should be considered on its merits, and no responsibility can be taken for problems arising from the use of such information.

32 | WINEPRESS April 2016

GET SORTED WITH FARMLANDS HORTICULTURE Post-harvest Nutrition

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Crop loads place great demand on the vine up until harvest, so assisting the accumulation of essential carbohydrates for next season is important to build strong buds and healthy foliage.

In the earlier part of the season, there tends to be low transpiration and cool soil temperatures, therefore limiting the uptake of Nitrogen applied early spring. Nitrogen required to sustain vine growth to about the 4-5 leaf stage is thought to be provided largely from reserves stored in the vine from the previous season.

Immediately post harvest, the vine builds carbohydrate reserves within the plant structure for the following spring. Nitrogen is a key macro-nutrient important for such functions as: plant growth, carbohydrate production, photosynthesis and chlorophyll production, promotion of strong fruit buds, and good flavour and aroma compounds in the wine.

Work in Marlborough would suggest that a 10 tonne/ha crop of Sauvignon Blanc removes approx 7kgs elemental Nitrogen (fruit only). Therefore applying approx 10 -20L/ha UreaN 425 is replacing this N removal Aim to apply as soon as possible post harvest during the active period of new root flush (when the plant is very demanding of carbohydrates) before the vine shuts down for the season.

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