Winepress - April 2021

Winepress THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 316/ APRIL 2021

VINTAGE UPDATE

CELLAR HANDS

WINE SCHOOL

MÉTHODE MARLBOROUGH

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

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14 18

this issue...

REGULARS

FEATURES

3 4

10 Harvest Blues

6 20 21 22 24 26 28

Editorial - Sophie Preece

From Wine Marlborough Nicci Armour Tasman Crop Met Report Rob Agnew Forgotten Corners Mondo Kopua Good Stuff - Repost Generation Y-ine - Ellie Hobbs

20

16 Wine School

Biosecurity Watch Sophie Badland Industry News Wine Happenings

Cover: Harvest at Rimapere Estate.

Photo by Jim Tannock. Page 10

Fruit quality is “exceptional” in the 2021 Marlborough vintage, but yields are 20% to 50% down, say wine companies looking at a tough year ahead. The flowon effects of a poor harvest within the wider Marlborough region are inevitable, says Wine Marlborough’s Marcus Pickens.

“Wineries will stop or slow down their capital expenditure.”

New Zealand’s wine industry has boosted its support for the New Zealand School of Winegrowing, with funding, grapes, juice and tertiary training. Meanwhile, seven students have opted for a full immersion vintage lesson at wineries around the province

22

18 Méthode Marlborough

The inaugural Méthode Marlborough Day was a sparkling success, topped off by a progressive dinner, where 100 guests moved between three glittering venues, to taste wines from the 12 member wineries.

Winepress April 2021 / 1

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General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 or 021 831 820 marcus@winemarlborough.nz Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Advertising and Subscriptions: Sarah Linklater 021 704 733 sarah@winemarlborough.nz Wine Marlborough Board: Anna Laugesen Anna.laugesen@xtra.co.nz Ben Ensor ben@mcdonaldtextiles.co.nz Beth Forrest Beth@forrest.co.nz Callum Linklater callum@csviticulture.co.nz Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net Jamie Marfell Jamie.Marfell@pernod-ricard.com Kirsty Harkness kirsty@mountbase.co.nz Nick Entwistle nick@wairauriverwines.com Tom Trolove (Chair) tom.trolove@framingham.co.nz Tracy Johnston Tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz Designed by: Blenheim Print Ltd 03 578 1322 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.

This document is printed on an environmentally responsible paper, produced using elemental chlorine free (EFC), third party pulp from responsible sources, manufactured under the strict ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and is 100% Recyclable.

From the Editor LAST MONTH, this magazine reported on the massive contribution of wine to Marlborough’s economy, generating $571 million in 2020. That’s 18% of all Marlborough’s economic activity for the year, and up 380% on wine’s $119m contribution to the regional economy in 2000.

So the harvest numbers this month make sobering reading, with low yields bound to lead to belt tightening. “It will be a difficult year – difficult for growers and difficult for wineries,” says Marcus Wright of Lawson’s Dry Hills. “Wineries will definitely be a lot more cautious with spending than we would have been had it been a bumper crop.”

That hits on more than wine companies, growers and their employees, and filters down further than the suppliers that work with them. At the end of the day, so many businesses in Marlborough are impacted by low crops and reduction in spending. The silver lining of the crop drop is excellent quality, say winemakers, who have fingers crossed for a bountiful 2022 harvest.

“A reduction in expected wine production in 2021 will bring plenty of challenges of its own.”

The low yields, blamed on damage from spring frosts followed by a poor flowering, have meant a far earlier end to the season, and many winemakers will have had the first Easter break in many years. That’s perhaps a welcome respite after a year of stacked challenges and perpetual pivots, starting with the 2020 alert level-4 harvest and recalibration of budgets, for fear of market retractions during the reign of Covid. But a reduction in expected wine production in 2021 will bring plenty of challenges of its own.

It’s also an earlier than expected break for new crews of cellar hands, dozens of whom have sprung up through Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s graduate degree and a new cellar operations course, and through the New Zealand School of Winegrowing, operated by Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges. I spoke to a few who jumped in to the 2021 grape harvest with gusto, and found a taste of vintage has grown their appetite for a career in wine.

SOPHIE PREECE

Winepress April 2021 / 3

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From Wine Marlborough NICCI ARMOUR

AUTUMN IS upon us, and it is with equanimity - along with a mix of disquiet, intrigue, and hope - that I write to you at this point of my first harvest. Over the past two months, I’ve met an incredible range of people who add to the tapestry of Marlborough’s wine industry. From the veteran winemaker doing his 30th vintage to the young French traveller eager to learn on their second. Indomitable seasonal workers from the Pacific brighten my street every evening upon their return from the vineyards. And the hairdresser turned cellar hand filling oak barrels (see

started uncharacteristically early, vintage has been shorter mainly due to low yields. The combined evidence of the low fruit set and late frosts was visible for weeks before vintage. Variable winter pruning quality likely compounded this further on some vineyards. Smaller, sparser bunches were typical across the board this season, resulting in

“As we head towards a potentially challenging 2021/22 season, Marlborough grit and competence may be our mainstay.” page 14) forges a new path that other Kiwis might follow.

Marlborough’s vintage workforce has a complexity akin in some ways to our wine. Across it is an air of competence common to rural communities, and it’s clear that vintage instils a shared sense of pride - and grit - in our industry and the community.

However, it’s just shy of Easter at the time of writing, and the 2021 harvest has nearly finished. While picking

4 / Winepress April 2021

a possible decrease in tonnage across the region that some experienced members estimate at 20 to 30%. But anecdotally, this figure is a lot higher in some areas. With the combination of lower yields, increased production costs, and a shortage of winter labour, the 2021/22 season may pose a challenge that is difficult for some of our members to ride out. No doubt, these impacts will cause ripples in the wider Marlborough community.

New Zealand Winegrowers and Wine Marlborough continue to work through official channels for support to alleviate pressure for our members, especially in the areas of labour. We strongly advocate bringing more workers to the region and are highlighting the importance of bringing in the skills and experience suitable for the winter pruning task. Both skill and speed are critical factors when undertaking the pruning of approximately 29,000 hectares of vines -or more startlingly, 65,000,000 vines - in the space of roughly four months. And although we need to get the job done, there are both short- and long-term impacts of poor pruning quality.

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“In the months to come, we must keep an eye on employees, colleagues, and friends and lean on our community when needed.”

A collective effort is taking place across Marlborough stakeholders vested in supporting the wine industry. A letter from the Mayor highlighting how vitally important wine and our winter pruning workforce is for Marlborough was wellreceived across the Cook Strait. Many labour groups have and continue to send clear messages of our labour needs to the capital, which the Kaikōura MP has endorsed. Our colleagues’ diverse expertise at the Marlborough Research Centre has focused on tackling the anticipated winter labour shortage. Wine Marlborough too has been collectively working towards support and solutions for pruning Marlborough’s vines this winter. We are here to support Marlborough’s wineries, viticulturists, vineyard managers, and labour contractors on how our industry might best execute pruning this winter.

As we head towards a potentially challenging 2021/22 season, Marlborough grit and competence may be our mainstay. However, we also have a well of diverse experience to draw on. Problem-solving together can underpin a more resilient position for our industry and

provide rich fodder for innovation and longer-term planning. A critical layer in our resilience as an industry also lies in our well-being. The Marlborough wine industry shares an incredible level of passion, competence, and caring, evident during my short stint as advocacy manager thus far. In the months to come, we must keep an eye on employees, colleagues, and friends and lean on our community when needed.

Photo by Richard Briggs

Global demand drives industry growth Marlborough’s wine industry is continuing to burgeon, according to the soon to be released Marlborough Labour Market Survey.

The survey shows confidence in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has not waned, says Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens. “There is an indication of substantial plantings into the future and, correspondingly, new jobs being created along with more accommodation being needed. It’s also no surprise that water storage intentions keep pace with planting intentions.” Marcus says it is clear there are challenges ahead, noting the current shortage of labour heading into the winter pruning season. “It’s going to require a balance of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme and other pools of workers.”

But what’s not uncertain is the growing demand for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Marcus says. “During the survey interviews in December, there was a lot of confidence from wine companies that they’ll be able to sell everything they produce. I am sure this has only increased.”

The last Labour Market Survey was released in 2016 and resulted in labour summits, at which Government and industry representatives tackled issues that accompany the industry’s continued growth. Marcus says he had anticipated the steep growth trajectory revealed by that survey, which found wine companies planned to increase their vineyard holdings by 6,800 hectares, taking the total area of plantings in Marlborough to 29,270ha. But he says he was more surprised this time around, as companies continue to move into land once considered marginal, “but now accepted as where the future growth will occur”.

Marcus says it is becoming more important that industry stays abreast of growth plans as well as labour and accommodation needs, with an annual capture of data required. “We can’t wait five years to update this information…

We need to find a system where we can get the key outtakes of this information annually.”

Fruition undertook the Marlborough Labour Market Survey, with funding from Wine Marlborough, New Zealand Winegrowers, Marlborough District Council and Marlborough Research Centre. A summary will be released to members following its circulation and review by funders.

Winepress April 2021 / 5

PROTECT

MET REPORT Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – March 2021

March March 2021

2021 compared to LTA GDD’s for: Month - Max/Min¹ 191.4 97% Month – Mean² 186.7 96% Growing Degree Days Total Jul 20 - Mar 21 – Max/Min 1285.7 104% Jul 20 - Mar 21 – Mean 1307.0 104% Mean Maximum (°C) 21.5 = Mean Minimum (°C) 10.8 +0.2°C Mean Temp (°C) 16.2 +0.1°C Grass Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 0 - Air Frosts (0.0°C) 0 Equal Sunshine hours 208.8 91% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2021 781.7 108% Rainfall (mm) 79.2 195% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2021 109.8 84% Evapotranspiration – mm 99.9 100% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 214.2 89% Mean soil temp – 10cm 15.9 +0.3°C Mean soil temp – 30cm 18.1 -0.2°C

March LTA

Period of LTA

March 2020

198.1 194.6

(1996-2020) (1996-2020)

17.06 171.2

1233.3 1262.5 21.5 10.6 16.1 0.17 0.0 230.5 146.7 281.0 724.1 40.6 2.8 118.0 130.4 99.7 240.7 15.6 18.3

(1996-2020) 1257.3 (1996-2020) 1303.0 (1986-2020) 21.4 (1986-2020) 9.6 (1986-2020) 15.5 (1986-2020) 0 (1986-2020) 0 (1986-2020) 234.0 1980 1969 (1986-2020) 788.5 (1986-2020) 11.2 1969 1979 (1986-2020) 20.0 (1996-2020) 104.2 (1996-2020) 200.7 (1986-2020) 15.0 (1986-2020) 18.3

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures

Temperature Blenheim’s mean air temperature in March was 16.2°C, 0.1°C above the LTA. The first week of March was very warm, 2.8°C above the LTA. However, the warm

weather gave way to three cooler than average weeks. The final few days of the month were above average due to the overcast wet weather.

No frosts were recorded during March 2021. The coldest minimum air temperature of 5.1°C was recorded on 19 March and the coldest grass minimum of 1.8°C was recorded on 13 March. The hottest day was 16 March with a maximum temperature of 25.9°C.

Sunshine Blenheim recorded 208.8 hours sunshine in March, 91% of the longterm average (LTA). Total sunshine for the first three months of 2021 is 781.7 hours; 108% of the long-term average (1986-2020) of 724.1 hours.

New Plymouth has recorded 842.3 hours sunshine for the first three months of 2021 and is currently sitting in first place for sunniest town in New Zealand. Whakatane is in second place with 793.8 hours sunshine and Blenheim is in third place with 781.6 hours sunshine, 60.7 hours behind New Plymouth.

Rainfall Blenheim recorded 79.2 mm rain in March, 195% of the LTA. However, the fact that the month’s rainfall total was

Table 2: Weekly temperatures, rainfall and sunshine during March 2021

Mean Max Mean Min Mean Rainfall Sunshine Windrun (°C) (°C) (°C) (mm) (hours) (km)

1st - 7th

24.1 (+2.6)

13.7 (+3.1)

18.9 (+2.8)

0.0

50.8

249.6

8th - 14th

20.7 (-0.8)

9.2 (-1.4)

14.9 (-1.2)

1.0

53.6

206.3

15th - 21st

20.4 (-1.1)

9.6 (-1.0)

15.0 (-1.1)

0.0

58.7

235.0

22nd - 28th

21.0 (-0.5)

9.7 (-0.9)

15.4 (-0.7)

11.4

34.5

185.6

29th – 31st

21.2 (-0.3)

13.4 (+2.8)

17.3 (+1.2)

66.8

11.2

168.3

1 – 31 March

21.5 (=)

10.8 (+0.2°C)

16.2 (+0.1°C)

79.2 195%

208.8 91%

214.2 89%

LTA 1986-2020

21.5

10.6

16.1

40.6

230.5

240.7

6 / Winepress April 2021

almost double the LTA hides the truth of the rainfall pattern in March. The first 27 days of March were very dry, with only 1.4 mm of rain recorded over that period. The final four days of March (28-31) recorded 77.8 mm rain. The large amount of rain in the last four days of March is the first substantial rainfall event that Blenheim has received since early November 2020.

There was a very heavy downpour of rain on the evening of Wednesday 31 March. During the hour between 8 and 9 pm 15.8 mm rain was recorded. This is the highest one hour rainfall total in the past 15 years. 22 February 2006 recorded a mammoth 45 mm in one hour. The 8 hours from 4 pm to midnight on 31 March 2021 recorded 33.6 mm rain.

Up to the 27th March Blenheim was heading for its lowest March rainfall total on record for the 92 years 1930 to 2021.

However, the final rainfall total for the month of 79.2 mm is now the 12th highest March total on record for the 92 years.

The period from 1 December 2020 to 27 March 2021 was very dry. Total rainfall was only 54.8 mm; 31% of the long-term average. Up to that point the four month’s December to March were heading for the 2nd lowest rainfall total for that period on record (Table 3). However, the final four days of March brought the long dry period to a very abrupt end. Table 4 provides a comparison of the monthly rainfall from December 2020 to March 2021, from 13 weather stations in Marlborough’s wine sub-regions.

Table 3: Monthly rainfall totals for Blenheim: December to March

Long-term 2000/01 1944/45 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21

Average mm mm mm mm mm mm December 47.3 19.4 122.9 21.6 53.6 91.2 22.8 January 43.2 2.2 81.0 80.4 3.8 0.2 7.8 February 46.6 March 40.6 Total 177.7 % of LTA 22%

5.6 75.7 181.4 8.0 8.6 22.8 11.8 92.5 53.6 94.6 11.2 79.2 39.4 372.1 337.0 160.0 111.2 132.6 209% 190% 90% 63% 75% lowest highest

Table 4: Marlborough weather stations; Rainfall totals from 1 December 2020 to 31 March 2021 Weather station location Dec Jan Feb 1 - 27 28 - 31 Total

Mar Mar Dec to Mar Awatere – Dashwood 23.8 10.4 22.8 3.8 54.6 115.4 Awatere – Seaview 23.6 11.6 26.9 4.0 59.4 125.5 Awatere – Upper Awatere 53.8 16.2 18.0 11.0 38.6 137.6 Rarangi 35.1 10.2 35.7 2.2 93.8 177.0 Blenheim 22.8 7.8 22.8 1.4 77.8 132.6 Brancott 34.2 13.5 16.0 3.6 81.2 148.5 Woodbourne 30.7 12.8 16.8 8.4 88.0 156.7 Matthews Lane 37.9 22.4 22.2 8.6 89.8 180.9 Stoneleigh 32.2 22.1 19.5 10.1 84.6 168.5 Pauls Road 38.3 22.0 26.7 21.4 102.0 210.4 Oyster Bay 55.2 16.0 31.8 12.2 86.6 201.8 Waihopai Valley 51.1 9.4 25.1 7.6 68.9 162.1 Upper Wairau Valley 91.3 38.6 45.2 49.8 64.7 289.6

Soil moisture Shallow soil moisture (5-35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station was 15.7% at the beginning of March 2020 and it had dropped to 14.1% on 26 March; i.e. the topsoil was bone dry. This very low soil moisture followed almost four months of low rainfall from December to March. However, after 77.8 mm rain from 28 to 31 March the shallow soil moisture jumped from 14.1% on 26 March to 36.5% on 1 April (Figure 1); i.e. the shallow soil moisture went from bone dry to close to field capacity (approx. 38%), above which the topsoil can hold no more water. I don’t think I can recall the shallow soil moisture ever having jumped from bone dry to almost fully wet over such a short period of time. In three hours from 2000 to 2200 (NZDT) on Wednesday 31 March Blenheim recorded 30.2 mm rain and in those three hours the shallow soil moisture went up by 10.1%.

Winepress April 2021 / 7

Figure 1: Shallow soil moisture (5-35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station in Blenheim

Wind Run March 2020 recorded average daily wind run of 214.2 km compared to the LTA of 240.7 km (1996-2020); 89% of the longterm average. This is the eleventh year in a row that March has recorded lower than average wind-run.

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

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Vine Demand Rocketing through the rootstock BRENDA WEBB

MOUNTING PRESSURE on grapevine rootstock supplies may force growers to seek alternatives to popular varieties. Samantha Wickham from Ormond Nurseries is urging grape growers to think outside the square when it comes to vineyard replanting or expansion. “Once upon a time everything was planted on the same vigorous rootstock,” she says. “But now we have better rootstocks, more options, and it takes a bit of an industry mind shift to accept that you don’t have to limit all Sauvignon Blanc vines to 3309.”

With several nurseries in the country shutting their doors, and last year’s hailstorm damaging one of their own blocks in Motueka, Ormond Nurseries is reaching capacity in terms of filling demand right through to 2023, says Samantha. Demand for Sauvignon Blanc vines continues to grow as the variety has become an internationally recognised brand and new plantings continue. Growers are also replanting vines reaching the 25-year mark, and some are opting to pull out other varieties to focus on Sauvignon Blanc. Samantha says the industry needs a mind shift to consider rootstock other than the ever popular 3309, with several others that are equally as good.

She uses the analogy of horses when it comes to selecting rootstock. At one end of the spectrum is 101-14 rootstock – the thoroughbred – which in perfect conditions will win every time, providing moderate yields with good ripeness. At the other is Riperia Gloire – the

“There are horses for courses and several alternatives to 3309.”

Lipizzaner - the least understood of all rootstocks, but good on high vigour sites as it can reduce overly vegetative growth.

In between are the Schwarzmann - the stubborn mule which is good on sites with issues such as poor drainage, and can increase yields, and the S04/5C, the Clydesdale or the workhorse of all rootstock.

To a certain degree, rootstock should be matched to specific sites, taking into account heavy soils, soils with high salinity, frost prone sites and drought prone soils, and Samantha urges growers to talk to their viticultural consultants first. But as her analogy shows, there are horses for courses and several alternatives to 3309.

Vineyards & Viticulture Advisory Planning, Production, Problem Solving Mike Insley M: 021 229 8157 E: mike@grapesense.co.nz W: www.grapesense.co.nz

Winepress April 2021 / 9

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Vintage 2021 Belts to tighten after tough harvest BRENDA WEBB

FANTASTIC FRUIT may be Marlborough’s saviour in a year where yields are 20% to 50% down across the region. “This will certainly have quite an impact on our community,” says Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens.

“Wineries will stop or slow down their capital expenditure and that will trickle through to industry suppliers.” Last year, the marlborough wine sector spent $835 million on purchases from suppling sectors, says Marcus. “There are a lot of stakeholders who stand to be affected.”

Pinot Noir appears the worst hit variety, with wineries reporting lower yields but fantastic quality. Two spring frosts and cold weather during December’s flowering wreaked havoc on vines, and came on the back of two cold weeks in December 2019.

Framingham finished harvest in the third week of March, “way, way earlier” than previous years, due to much lighter crops, says viticulturist James Bowskill. Pinot Noir was exceptionally light and variable, with some blocks down by as much as 50%, while Sauvignon Blanc was lower by up to a third. “At least the fruit, particularly the whites, is good quality. It would be a lot grimmer if it wasn’t,” he says. “It will be a case now of deciding which wines we make, and selling on an allocation basis. We made a lot of wine in 2020, which will help us out.”

10 / Winepress April 2021

Rapaura Spring's 2021 harvest

It’s a different and interesting situation for Marlborough to be in, says James. While 2012 had low yields and 2019 was “pretty rough” for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, recent harvests have been good, with above average yields, he says.

This harvest bucked that trend. “I haven’t spoken to anyone who is coming in on target.”

Variability in Pinot Noir, with some ripe berries alongside dehydrated berries, and some “weird acids”, means winemakers will have curve balls to deal with in the winery, says James. But the whites are looking good, and Framingham’s Riesling was one variety that came in with reasonable yields.

With such low yields overall, growers and wineries are looking ahead to next year, says Anne Escalle, estate director of Rimapere Vineyards. “We all need a really decent crop in 2022,” she says. “It’s obvious all of the yields are quite down – really, really down – but the fruit quality is fantastic, which is a very nice surprise.”

Anne says low crops of Pinot Noir often result in “hen and chicken” bunches with sweet and sour flavours.

“But the maturation is very nice with some very fresh and vibrant fruit, and the ferments we are looking at daily are amazing,” she says. “The Sauvignon Blanc is also really impressive, which is good because sometimes with small

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Navigating the peaks and troughs Low grape yields will feel more painful because of the bumper 2020 crop, says financial advisor Alexandra Barton. “Especially if forecasts hadn’t been moderated to long-term averages.”

The director at Leslie O’Donnell says a few vineyards have been hit harder than most, “especially in some earlier flowering grape varieties or certain areas that got touched by the frosts”.

Unlike other crops, such as kiwifruit, the pricing structure does not allow growers to receive any significant short-term pricing benefit from a lower supply. “The pricing mechanism takes a while to be reflected through to the bottles in the competitive wine market,” she says.

“With some distributors scrambling to find wine, this will hopefully be the time for a well needed price increase to better reflect the rising costs of winegrowing and production of our premium product.”

Alexandra says this will be the first experience of farming volatility for new growers who entered the market as an investment to take advantage of low interest rates and the advertised vineyard yield rates. “While this may be a tough first taste of vineyard ownership, most winegrowers enter the industry with a business plan that could sustain a couple of poor harvests,” she says. “The upside of the slow pricing mechanism for grape growing

Alexandra Barton

is that bigger crops in the following years will likely reflect the higher prices negotiated this season.”

She says the short-term cashflow impact of the lag in prices can hopefully be covered by finance at historically low interest rates.

“The local bank managers will be negotiating with their credit teams to delay any capital repayments for another year. Unfortunately, the banking regulators don’t always seem to have such an understanding of farming volatility and the importance of agricultural development to the economy,” she says.

“Even the friendliest bank manager often has to pull many strings to give a business the headroom it needs to navigate the peaks and toughs.”

She also warns that, while Marlborough’s economy seems resilient, contractors might be out of pocket because of the low crops. “Especially if they have employed additional staff and invested in new machinery to service the wine industry during harvest.”

601 Tikokino Road, Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay

Lime Rock vineyard opportunity Lime Rock vineyard is situated only 43km south of Hastings, 6km from Waipawa, and sits on 19.4ha. Grape vines are planted on 8.5ha. The balance of the land is in vineyard headlands and the remaining area is currently grazed by livestock. More vines could be planted or this could be a premium building platform. The vineyard is on north-facing, soft limestone hills at an altitude of 230-270m. This free draining and frost-free site, with warm days and cool nights, is ideally suited for ultra-premium Pinot Noir. The vineyard has substantial water resource consent, which is accessed from a bore adjacent to the Mangaonuku river. Wine tasting at the small cellar door allows visitors to hear the ecological and winemaking story in a relaxed atmosphere. To the east, approximately 30 minutes’ drive are a range of beaches with recreational options.

Tender (will not be sold prior) 4pm, Wed 28 April 2021 Railway Station, 11 Bogle Brothers Esplanade, Waipukurau, New Zealand Andy Hunter +64 27 449 5827 andy.hunter@bayleys.co.nz Andy Lee +64 27 354 8608 andy.lee@bayleys.co.nz EASTERN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/2870793

Winepress April 2021 / 11

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quantities it can lose that vibrancy when it gets too ripe and you lose acids.”

Rimapere is a young business still establishing its offshore markets in the premium sector, and Anne is disappointed to not have fruit to meet the market. “The image of New Zealand is currently very positive and we can back that up with the super quality of wine and continue to build our brand and that is all very positive. So we will focus on that and try not to focus on the low yields,” she says. “It will be a big struggle for many, but our vineyard team is already working hard to optimise what we produce for next year.”

At Lawson’s Dry Hills, senior winemaker Marcus Wright says the fruit quality is excellent – there is just not enough of it. That will have a flow-on effect, with wineries having less wine to sell and consequently, less money to spend. “It will be a difficult year – difficult for growers and difficult for wineries,” he says. “Wineries will definitely be a lot more cautious with spending than we would have been had it been a bumper crop. Capital projects will be looked at carefully and of course that is a concern for local businesses.

A lot of winery costs are fixed and when yields are down that means less money to spend.”

He says Sauvignon Blanc is “lovely and aromatic” with lots of passionfruit. “We picked as much on acid as brix this

James Bowskill. Photo Jim Tannock

year to keep the acidity up, as Marlborough Sauvs are all about being lively and fresh on the palate.”

Lawson’s yield estimates for harvest were fairly accurate, as they did lots of bunch and berry counts through the season, so were Marcus Wright aware early on crops were down. “We knew what was coming - once flowering is over there is nothing you can do.”

Marcus says their Pinot Noir is also looking really good, with dark colour, nice ripe flavours and good tannins, and none of the greener or raisin flavours expected with smaller bunches. Chardonnay is “excellent” and going into barrels for wild ferment, while the Riesling is also looking really nice. “You never really know until you get the fruit in the tank and start tasting – there is so much variability but the fruit is looking gorgeous,” he says.

Tracy Taylor, New Zealand viticulturist for Accolade Wines, says the company’s Sauvignon Blanc yield is down about a third, and consequently prices to growers will be “through the roof”. She has heard of spot deals with prices of more than $2,000 a tonne. Tracy predicts a tough year for both growers and wineries – growers as they battle with the ongoing issues of labour shortages and increased costs, compounded by low yields, and wineries with the ongoing costs of production in a year with a lot less wine to sell, despite high demand. “An example of rising costs is

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12 / Winepress April 2021

3

4

GROW

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the freight for a container of chemicals from China – it was $1,600, now it’s $6,000.”

Accolade’s fruit is looking good and coming in clean with great flavours. “The quality of the Sauvignon Blanc is outstanding - absolutely fabulous – it will make amazing wine, just bugger-all of it,” says Tracy. “The bunches and berries are smaller with amazing, concentrated flavours.

But concentrated flavours don’t pay the bills.” Tracy isn’t too surprised at the low tonnages, as she went very hard on her estimates early on and re-did them after the poor flowering and fruit set. The average is sitting on 10-11 tonnes per hectare, which is well down on the normal 15-16 tonne per hectare, she says. “It does seem to be across the board, although the odd subregion that was later to flower - such as the upper Wairau Valley which flowers after Christmas and the Waihopai - seem to have fared better. There are little pockets that did well,” she says. “We harvested a 20-tonne per hectare block the other day, but that was an outlier - a nice surprise.”

Marcus Pickens says the low yields are a tough hit for the industry, coming hard on the heels of last year’s Covid-19 ravaged harvest, when wineries had an anxious wait, scared their markets would disappear as the world went into lockdown. “The slowdown now is caused by factors out of our control – the weather – and that’s very hard to take.”

Marcus points to continually rising costs within the industry, such as labour, as adding more pressure for growers. Wine Marlborough is currently working with the Ministry for Primary Industries looking at ways to help and support the industry, and is encouraging both the Ministers of Immigration and Agriculture to visit the province and hear first-hand stories of the challenges the industry is facing. But, superb quality fruit from vintage 2021 means Marlborough’s reputation as a producer of world-class wines remains intact, says Marcus, “and that is one positive”.

Winepress April 2021 / 13

CELEBRATE

Cellar-bration Hair to there - hands on at Nautilus SOPHIE PREECE

FROM CUTTING hair in Singapore to pressing grapes in Marlborough, Sarah Lee has used Covid-19 as an opportunity to learn a whole new skillset.

Speaking from the cellar floor at Nautilus Estate, the hairdresser has spent the morning hand sorting Chardonnay before sending to the press, then helping transfer the juice to barrel and test nephelometric turbidity units (NTU). “Now we’re getting the tippy tanks ready for the Sauvignon that’s coming in tonight.”

Sarah was born in Singapore and raised in Canada, but these days her family lives in Nelson. Last year she was working as a hairdresser in Singapore, but “Covid brought me home,” she says. When she got to Nelson, Sarah started investigating options for study. “I love what I do as a hairdresser, but wanted to go back to school and learn a new skill.”

The Level 3 Cellar Operations course at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology caught her attention.

“I knew it was an industry that was in demand and also needed help because of the pandemic,” she says. “I thought it would be a good introduction to the industry and if I like it I can pursue the bachelors degree.”

She’s one of 20 in her class, from a range of backgrounds, including an airport engineer, a marine science graduate, an accountant and a beer brewer, along with several students who’ve come from hospitality work.

The students have all been placed in different wineries to work the vintage, which Sarah says has provided invaluable learnings. Hearing theory about the importance of teamwork and communications in the cellar is one thing, but being on the job is where it really sinks in, she says. “A lot of the things have to be taught in the winery.”

She was originally signed up to join a large winery, but moved to Nautilus when she heard the smaller operation needed more people. “I wanted more hands on experience and to be involved in the winemaking process from start to end,” she says. “I am only in my second week and I feel like I have learned a lot.” Sarah is the only “newby” on staff, with

“It’s a good place to learn because everyone is quite passionate about what they do. I get to see every step of the process, and I get to do a bit of everything.” other cellar hands with up to 10 years of experience. “It’s a good place to learn because everyone is quite passionate about what they do. I get to see every step of the process, and I get to do a bit of everything.”

Nautilus general manager Clive Jones says it’s always important to give someone a chance for their first vintage.

“Everyone needs to start somewhere and it is great to see people develop careers in the wine industry and know you had a small part to play in helping them get started.” And Sarah has responded positively to all the challenges thrown at her, he adds. “We wish her every success in developing a career in the wine industry.”

Sarah will decide at the end of the harvest whether to continue her cellar hand work, perhaps picking up vintages overseas. In the meantime, her other skills are in hot demand on the cellar floor, she says. “Everyone is asking for haircuts.”

There are close to 100 Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) students taking part in vintage 2021, most of whom are in Marlborough, says Pam Woods, curriculum manager, primary industries. The students range from those doing the Level 3 Cellar Operations studies to those doing a vintage placement as part of their degree studies, including a group who are completing research, she says. “Staff are in regular contact with students who describe the work as exhausting but exciting, and feedback from all wineries to date has been very good.” Pam says NMIT also has three staff carrying out vintage roles “which will strengthen their industry connections”.

14 / Winepress April 2021

CELEBRATE

The Steel Deal Cameron Steel did his best to avoid a career in the wine industry after growing up in it, instead joining the army straight from school. “But before long, I ended up diving headfirst into it,” says the young cellar hand and viticulturist, who has crammed back-to-back vintages, a bachelor’s degree and the establishment of his own viticultural consultancy into the past four years. “I love the industry and the people in it. I find wine so interesting.”

Cameron was raised in Marlborough surrounded by vines, and remembers laying out Popsicle sticks in the field when he was six years old, helping his parents develop their vineyard. School holidays and weekends were spent working in the vines, “doing bud rubbing and wire lifting and all of the fun stuff”, he says with a laugh.

It set him up well for the business he launched in 2016, Steel Viticultural Services, starting with machinery contracting, and more recently moving into management and consulting.

He loves juggling his vintage work, including back-toback overseas harvests in the Napa Valley, Australia and Marlborough, while also keeping his hand in the vineyards.

“Part of what I love about this job is I get the best of both worlds – viticulture and winemaking,” he says. “I find it quite hard to choose between the two.” As well as stacking up vintages and running his own company, Cameron

has also just finished a winemaking and viticulture degree at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. ”I like diving into new wine scenes,” he says, adding that his time in the army set him up well for the array of challenges he’s set in place.

Cameron, who’s now working his second season at Nautilus, had an entirely different plan for the year, with five vintages lined up for “two years of solid experience”.

That marathon was to take him to China in December, then Stellenbosch, Oregon, Marlborough and Burgundy, with each harvest following hard on the heels of the last.

Covid put paid to those plans, but he’s enjoyed seeing the “exceptional quality” coming into Nautilus in the lowyielding 2021 vintage, particularly for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. “I am looking forward to the wines that will come out of this.”

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Winepress April 2021 / 15

EDUCATE

Growing Careers New Zealand School of Winegrowing SOPHIE PREECE

NEW ZEALAND’S wine industry has boosted its support for the New Zealand School of Winegrowing, with funding, grapes, juice and tertiary training on offer. Natasha Radich, Marlborough Boys’ College wine development officer, says a $25,000 funding boost from New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has been accompanied by growing support from individual wine companies and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT).

Cloudy Bay has come on board with substantial funding for the school, as well as the promise of mentoring and support for students. Wine communications manager Kat Mason says that might include vineyard visits, harvesting grapes for winemaking at school, opportunities to visit the bottling line, “and perhaps some real life business modelling”.

The sponsorship is win-win, with Cloudy Bay able to support Marlborough’s community and colleges, while “raising up new young blood for the wine industry”, says Kat. “We win because we end up with engaged young people keen to join the wine industry.” She says the course and experiences it provides will help students see the positive career pathways available in wine, while arming them with qualifications to propel them on their way. “If Covid has taught us anything, it’s that we need to encourage young New Zealanders to get into the wine industry and see the opportunities that are there for them.”

The wine school was established in 2018, as a collaboration between the Marlborough Girls’ and Marlborough Boys’ Colleges, Wine Marlborough, NZW, and several Marlborough businesses, vineyards and wineries. This year it evolved its programme, so students

“We win because we end up with engaged young people keen to join the wine industry.”

Kat Mason 16 / Winepress April 2021

Rebecca Kane, left and Natasha Radich.

Photo by George de Jager

could “dip a toe” into the school, without taking all of their subjects through it, says Natasha, who works with wine school teacher Rebecca Kane. That’s resulted in a leap to 25 students experiencing some aspect of the wine school this year. “We have reached more students – instead of five or six kids that do it full-time, we have some that do two out of their six subjects, or four, or one out of six… It means we are experiencing a wider range of students.”

And while seven of the Year 12 and 13 wine school students have decided on a full immersion experience this vintage, with winery placements around the province, others have opted to stay at school for classes. Those students had the opportunity to pick grapes at Cloudy Bay in March, in order to make their own wine at the school lab.

That was pretty “fabulous” says Natasha, explaining that they will make Sauvignon Blanc with various yeasts as part of their study. The students on vintage during that period will be given juice, and will also have the opportunity to make their own wine.

Natasha says the school feels a “bit revitalised” this year, thanks to the revised structure allowing partial involvement, and also because of a new relationship with NMIT that has seen 10 students visit the tertiary provider once a week, to undertake the Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations, as part of the wine school’s two-year course.

NZW general manager advocacy Jeffrey Clarke says the industry body’s goal is for winegrowing to be an industry of choice for workers, “and the New Zealand School of Winegrowing is a great initiative towards that”. The school has worked hard to develop a new approach to teaching NCEA subjects within a broad winegrowing context, “and finding exactly the right formula has taken time”, says Jeffrey. “We’re hopeful this fourth year of NZW funding – and the greater number of students now participating – will allow the programme to really hit its stride, and hopefully provide a basis for more use of winegrowing around New Zealand within the curriculum.”

The school helps “open a doorway to a huge employment opportunity”, says Beth Forrest, of Forrest

EDUCATE

“For me it's key for the long term strategy for labour” Nicci Armour Estate. Last year, when Covid-19 lockdown meant the wine school couldn’t harvest its own grapes, Forrest organised contactless delivery of Riesling juice to the school, so the students could make their own wine when they returned.

They’ve offered to supply juice again this year, says Beth,

From wine school to the world SOPHIE PREECE Jack Fransen’s school day begins at 7am at Wither Hills winery, and winds up 12 hours later, after a full vintage shift. It’s far from a typical classroom, but the Year 12 Marlborough Boys’ College student is relishing the chance to experience the buzz of harvest, as part of his year in the New Zealand School of Winegrowing (NZSWG).

“Our teachers have told us once we have this couple of years of vintages under our belts we can go anywhere in the world,” says Jack, who’s already planning to continue with wine school in Year 13, then build up his winery experience in Marlborough, before travelling from “season to season”.

Jack’s first experience of the NZSWG came at the end of Year 11, when he went to a “trial run” of the classes and was hooked, jumping into the school fulltime this year. He had been told by his parents to get a trade behind him “and building is not my thing,” he says, pleased to discover that cellar hand work really is.

The year to date has included weekly visits to Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), which collaborates with the wine school so students can study towards a Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Cellar

who is also a member of the Marlborough Winegrowers board. “I think it’s a really fantastic advancement in modern schooling,” she says of the school. “Wine and viticulture is such a practical, hands on industry, and these kids can learn and do at the same time.”

Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Nicci Armour says the wine school is doing “wonderful” work. “The school itself is a really critical avenue for young people to get into the industry,” she says. “For me it’s key for the long term strategy for labour.” Nicci applauds the collaboration between the colleges and NMIT, and with companies like Cloudy Bay. “Those are examples of the real problem solving happening, to support bringing young people into the industry.” winegrowing.school.nz Operations. As vintage began to heat up, Jack started biking to Wither Hills for a 6am start.

Withers Hills winemaker Patricia Miranda-Taylor says the company is committed to helping young local New Zealanders, and to being active in the Marlborough community, “so the New School of Winegrowing is a

“Building is not my thing.”

Jack Fransen perfect fit for us”. Jack has been an “excellent worker full of energy and enthusiasm”,she adds. “We feel very lucky to have him as part of the vintage 2021 crew.”

Jack thinks border closures, and the subsequent shortage of experienced winery staff, have provided more opportunities to young and eager cellar hands like him and his wine school friends. “When I came in I was told not to worry because I had no experience,” he says. “I rocked up with pretty much the same knowledge as other people there.” And the winery has given him a warm welcome, he says. “The first safety briefing was really, really good. You instantly felt like you were at home. It’s a really good environment.”

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Winepress April 2021 / 17

CELEBRATE

Méthode Marlborough Day The passionate patience that precedes the pop SOPHIE PREECE

MÉTHODE MARLBOROUGH was established in 2013, fuelled by respect for the quality of the region’s sparkling wines and a desire to share their prestige. Eight years on, the inaugural Méthode Marlborough Day, held on March 26, marked a coming of age for the cooperative of 12 dedicated producers, celebrating the unique climate, classic varieties and traditional method that make their bubbles beautiful.

That beauty is also thanks to a passionate patience, exemplified by Johanneshof winemaker Edel Everling, whose 2013 sparkling wines have yet to come to age these eight years on, still tucked up in a dark, cool underground cellar, awaiting their 2023 release. “If you want to produce a really quality product you have to go the extra mile,” says Edel.

That’s the kind of time, effort and investment Méthode Marlborough seeks to cast a light on, educating consumers about the authenticity and quality of méthode traditionelle wines from the region, she says. “As a group our wines are incredibly diverse and individual, but we have in common that we all strive for the ultimate in excellence in quality.”

Each member company works within strict criteria, whereby their wines must have the second fermentation in the bottle, be made with one or more of the classic varieties - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier – and must be aged on lees for a minimum of 18 months, but are often rested far longer. The second fermentation in the bottle ensures the finest and most persistent bead, and the aging allows complex flavours to develop, balancing fresh and fruit driven character with savoury notes of toast and brioche.

Group chair Dan Taylor is so smitten by the “superb quality” of Marlborough’s méthode traditionelle that it’s the wine he’d take to a desert island, if he had to choose one style. “There’s such a broad range within the Méthode Marlborough stable, with varietal mixes, time on lees, and winemaking choices at play, as well as the choice of vintage or non-vintage,” says the international sales manager for Tohu Wines. “Plus, it’s the perfect accompaniment to oysters, so with the right island, you could be pretty happy.”

He’d likely be in good company, given the surge of sparkling commentary on social media on March 26, 18 / Winepress April 2021

including from the five fans who filmed their sabrage opening of Méthode Marlborough wines, wielding a sharp sword to slice the neck off the bottle.

In Marlborough, the day wound up with a progressive dinner for 100, with guests bussing from Wither Hills to Spy Valley to Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen, where they tasted a selection from the 12 member wineries, enjoyed with delicious canapes under glittering fairy lights.

Wine educator and reviewer Bob Campbell, MW, attended the event, and met with all the member producers while in the region. “I think that the Méthode Marlborough wines rate very well indeed and I support their efforts to increase their profile and image in New Zealand,” says Bob, who is keen to increase knowledge about the effort and expense involved in making bottle-fermented sparkling wines.

Stephanie McIntyre, a sommelier and the event’s organiser, was one of the three people - including Adele Le Brun of No.1 Family Estate - who came up with the concept of Méthode Marlborough, after talking about the calibre of sparkling wines being made in Marlborough. “All three of us felt they needed to be celebrated and talked about more,” she says. “Marlborough shouldn’t only talk about Sauvignon Blanc – although that’s what we are famous for and for good reason – and our méthode traditionelle wines have a halo effect, literally giving a sparkle to the region’s reputation.”

Nearly a decade in, Méthode Marlborough has a strong momentum, with members excited about the opportunity to share details on the wines they love, she says. “We are just so proud of what we are producing.”

Peter Jackson, the winemaker from newest Méthode Marlborough member Whitehaven, was pouring Samantha, made from 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, at the progressive evening. The wine was launched just before Christmas, and he says it has been a pleasure to add it to their portfolio, especially with the support of the other members. “We are learning our craft, but we are loving it.”

Dan says any Marlborough sparkling wine producers working within the criteria are welcome to get in touch to learn more about being a member of Méthode Marlborough. methodemarlborough.org

CELEBRATE

All Photos by Richard Briggs

Winepress April 2021 / 19

PROTECT

Forgotten Corners

Mondo Kopua

New wine representative on landscape group SOPHIE PREECE

ONE OF Mondo Kopua’s two job titles is Kaitiaki, as guardian over Kono’s Awatere Valley vineyard, Whenua Awa. His care of the land - on a terrace above the Awatere River, in the shadow of Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku – has included collecting seed from the endemic plant species that once grew prolifically on the steep banks between river terrace and river flat.

The seeds are being raised by Morgans Road Nursery.

When they’re ready to plant, the seedlings, including the Marlborough rock daisies and New Zealand lilac specific to the Awatere River’s edge, will be planted out at Whenua Awa (formerly known as Tohu). They will also be gifted to neighbours, Seddon School and a local conservation group, to ensure a stronger diversity and “land wellness” in the unique valley.

Mondo’s care of the land has also led him to become Wine Marlborough’s new representative on the Marlborough Landscape Group, which is focused on supporting landowners in amenity planting plans. Grape grower Willie Crosse represented the wine industry on the group for several years, and recently put out the call for someone in the industry to step in and take his place. “The wine industry needs a bit of a champion to make sure some of that money is allocated to vineyard plantings,” he said in the February 2021 Winepress.

In 2019 the group, which is facilitated by the Marlborough District Council, launched Greening Marlborough, to assist landowners with the establishment of native plantings on forgotten corners, riparian areas and along vineyard boundaries, offering funding and advice.

Last year, the council launched Working for Nature/Mahi mō te Taiao, which combines the former Tui to Town and Greening Marlborough initiatives to increase plantings across the province. Mondo says he is looking forward to meeting wine industry members who have received support from the fund and learning about their projects, “in the hope they’ll share their thinking with others”.

He’d like to shine a light on small projects as well as large, because every piece of planting counts. “I am looking forward to getting out and meeting people and promoting work that’s out there.”

20 / Winepress April 2021

“I am looking forward to getting out and meeting people and promoting work that’s out there.”

Mondo Kopua Wine Marlborough is very pleased to have Mondo on the landscape group, says general manager Marcus Pickens.

“He will add great perspectives from the wine industry to the group and also be able to help us find new examples of excellent work our members are doing so we can highlight it to others”. Marcus says the natural environment is a “hugely important” focus for Wine Marlborough and its members.

“We have to do more and learn from others doing good work.”

Mondo says plantings at Whenua Awa are aligned with the cultural values of Wakatū, and are designed to complement, not hinder, the vineyard operation. “You have to be mindful about selecting the right plant for the right location and purpose or function.” For example, it’s important to maintain air flow in frost risk spots and to think of the practicality of machinery in the headlands, he says. And there’s room for more than just natives in planting plans, he says, noting that a recent ecological report on Whenua Awa found a “vast number” of the native white mistletoe being hosted by a stand of tree lucerne in the middle of a vineyard. “I do see value and merit, in some cases, in the use of exotic species.”

Seventy hectares of the 121ha Whenua Awa is planted in grapes, and while the vines are the primary focus, Mondo enjoys the “luxury” of being able to do more for the land and ecosystem on the areas not suitable for vines and grazing.

Taking on the role of Kaitiaki 18 months ago freed him up to focus on that side of the business more, as well as a wider company Whenua Ora (land wellness) project Wakatū has launched there. Now he’ll be digging into diversity beyond that Awatere Valley property, and hoping other growers choose the luxury of investing in their environment.

PROTECT

Good Stuff From vineyard waste to farm fence lines SOPHIE PREECE

Stu Dudley, left, and Greg Coppell A MARLBOROUGH business is turning one industry’s problem into another’s solution, one pile of posts at a time. Repost is the brainchild of Greg Coppell, who started repurposing broken vineyard posts into cost effective fence lines for his Nelson Lakes farm two years ago.

Seeing the burgeoning need for fenceposts, including for the protection of waterways, and recognising the growing issue being faced by vineyards stockpiling broken posts, Greg “joined the dots”, says business partner Stu Dudley. “Handling them individually is quite difficult. We were trying to find an easier way to make it happen.” waste ends, but about 75% of the post is now being recycled, The vineyard posts are treated with copper, chromium while vineyards and farmers get a win. They are also looking and arsenic (CCA) to ensure they are long life. But they are for a solution to using half and full vineyard posts, rather frequently damaged by harvesters or wind, and break off at than just the quarter posts being reused now. “Obviously, it’s the ground, with a recently released vineyard post guideline a business, but we genuinely want to solve this issue.” indicating that 2% to 5%, or 11 to 29 posts per hectare, are In recent months, the Repost duo have developed a because they are treated, they can only be disposed of at portable post plant, with a 20 foot container that goes to a landfill or stockpiled on site, and the piles are “growing and vineyard site, where it removes clips and cuts the post to growing”, says Stu. size, leaving the site clear of posts and waste. It’s a simple He was viticulturist at Villa Maria when the two men solution for the problem, says Stu. “Greg has been working discussed the opportunity of taking on the post problem in on this for two years and in the past six month there’s been an organised way. Stu notes that farmers do occasionally get a lot of refinement.” in touch with growers, as Greg did originally, before taking He thinks there’ll be no shortage of vineyard operators a small trailer full of posts away, but “the ad hoc solution wanting the easy and cost-effective solution to their post wasn’t working”. problems, but the business also needs to build a market They went on to transform nearly 20,000 posts from for the posts. “We think essentially, with all the waterway Villa Maria’s Marlborough vineyards, removing the clips, regulations and the quality and affordability of the posts, cutting them down to the 1.8metre fencepost height for there will be quite a lot of demand.” sale, then taking the remaining broken ends to landfill. Stu repost.co.nz @repostnz says they are working on finding a different solution for the

“Obviously, it’s a business, but we genuinely want to solve this issue.”

Stu Dudley

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Winepress April 2021 / 21

EDUCATE

Generation Y-ine BRENDA WEBB

GROWING UP in Auckland’s Point Chevalier meant Ellie Hobbs lived closer to beaches than vineyards. Wine was not a particularly big part of family life, but the 24-yearold had always had a passion for food and a good sense of smell. While at high school and unsure about what career path to take, her mother contacted a friend who worked for Treasury Wine Estate, resulting in a two-day placement at Auckland’s Matua winery.

From that point on, Ellie was sold on the wine industry. “I just loved the variety of work, from the bottling line to the lab work – it all appealed,” she says.

In 2015 she headed to Lincoln University and graduated in 2018 with her Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology degree, and 18 weeks work experience already under her belt, thanks to summer holidays spent in Yealands’ Marlborough vineyards. “I was doing young vine training and yield estimation and just loved it,” she says. “I loved being outside.”

After graduating, Ellie worked for Matua in Marlborough for seven months, during which she met her boyfriend and the couple decided to head overseas.

They ended up in Languedoc-Roussillon for harvest, where “everything was so much smaller”, from vineyard to winery, and “every day was 30 degrees”, she says.

The winery processed many different varieties of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and some interesting French varieties – predominantly reds. “We hand picked everything – from 7am until 3pm and then we’d go into the cellar and start processing. It was super hands-on. I’d spent years telling people that no one squishes grapes with their feet – and there I was doing exactly that.”

Ellie embraced the French lifestyle, putting the language she’d studied at high school to good use. “We’d have espresso coffee and croissants in the morning and I insisted the winemaker speak to me in French, even though he did speak a bit of English.”

The old-world wine experience was fascinating for Ellie, who enjoyed the small scale of the winery. The following year the couple headed to Western Australian where she did a vintage as assistant winemaker at Franklin River – a “tiny town in the middle of nowhere”. There was on a more commercial scale, with machine harvesting and a huge range of grapes including Malbec, Tempranillo, Chardonnay and Riesling.

22 / Winepress April 2021

“I’d spent years telling people that no one squishes grapes with their feet – and there I was doing exactly that.”

Ellie Hobbs Back in Marlborough, Ellie applied for a job at Wairau River, where she has now worked as cellar hand and lab assistant since the end of 2019. Her laboratory role involves doing pre-bottling analysis as well as microbiology checks post bottling, to make sure nothing is growing in the bottles. She also helps on the bottling line when needed.

As a cellar hand she is involved in everything from tank cleaning to transferring wines. “We are a small team so everyone does everything.” Having made the choice to go down the cellar hand and winemaking road, Ellie firmly has her eye on a winemaking position. “Two years ago, I set myself a five year goal to be a winemaker and I feel I’m tracking towards that.”

Supporting New Zealand wine growing from the ground up

Become part of New Zealand’s centre for wine education and research The Marlborough Wine Research Centre resides in New Zealand’s largest wine growing area. Local wine producers, winegrowers, key industry players and NMIT Marlborough have come together to create the country’s centre for winemaking and viticulture.

NMIT Marlborough offers an on-site research vineyard, wine sensory room, two laboratories, technology transfer theatre and micro-vinification unit, providing our viticulture and winemaking students with a world-class learning environment and opportunities to connect with all facets of the Marlborough Wine Research Centre.

On-going collaborations with on-site industry partners including the Bragato Research Institute (BRI), Marlborough Research Centre (MRC), Wine Marlborough and Plant and Food Research ensure NMIT viticulture and winemaking programmes remain on the cutting edge of industry research.

Developed in consultation with key industry players, NMIT Viticulture and Winemaking programmes are tailored to the needs of the wine industry. These can be delivered at the workplace, online or at the Marlborough Campus.

Programmes include:

> Primary Industries (Level 2) with Viticulture strand

> New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills (Level 2), designed to help students gain practical skills and knowledge for entry level roles in the viticulture industry.

> New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations ONLINE (Level 3)

> New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 3) teaches the hands-on basics of winemaking and finishing procedures during a winery harvest while Level 4 students further develop these skills on placement. > New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Production (Fruit Production) Viticulture (Level 4) provides viticulture industry-based individuals with the skills and knowledge to supervise winegrowing operations.

> New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 4)

> The three-year Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking (Level 7) is available to students interested in a more in-depth understanding of wine and viticulture and can be studied on-campus or online nationwide.

> New Zealand Certificate in New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Production (Fruit Production) Viticulture (Level 4)

Touch base with us today to discuss upskilling your team with one of our tailor-made courses or programmes.

> Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking (Level 7)

nmit.ac.nz/winegrowers-hub

PROTECT

Biosecurity Watch Post-harvest biosecurity SOPHIE BADLAND

WITH HARVEST beginning to wind down, now is a good time to consider where your site or business is at with biosecurity before pruning and winter work begins, and think about any changes or improvements that could be made before the coming growing season. Do your practices in the vineyard afford adequate protection against a biosecurity incursion?

Vineyard Biosecurity Plan – how prepared are you?

The first step to implementing a good biosecurity plan for your vineyard or winery is easy - take a bit of time to fill out our template. A simple yes/no checklist will help identify where your key risk areas are, what best practices are already in place, and which areas need improvements or more attention, and bring these together to form a plan.

This is quite similar to the thought process you might use to consider health and safety on your site - think of it as

health and safety for your vines. Most vineyards already have biosecurity best practice elements ingrained through integrated pest management programmes and will easily be able to build on these.

The Vineyard Biosecurity Plan is supported by the New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) Biosecurity Best Practice Guidelines (a handy flipchart) and the Vineyard Pest and Disease Identification Guide. NZW recommends all members spend some time assessing where their business is at with biosecurity and choosing some priority areas for improvement – the best time to act is now, to help prevent an incursion as opposed to having to react to one. The NZW biosecurity team are happy to be contacted with questions or requests for assistance at any time. Just get in touch with Jim (027 644 8010) or Sophie (027 700 4142). NZW’s biosecurity resources are available to download or request in hard copy at nzwine.com/en/sustainability/biosecurity.

“Do your practices in the vineyard afford adequate protection against a biosecurity incursion?”

Biosecurity through pruning season

Photo Jim Tannock

Although numbers are much reduced this year, some international workers are still coming in via the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme to perform critical roles for Marlborough’s wine industry, particularly during the pruning season. Many international vineyard workers come from countries that do not have strong biosecurity systems in place, and are home to some of the wine industry’s Most Unwanted pests, such as the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a key vector for Pierce’s disease. NZW has developed a fact sheet which provides some guidance for ensuring international staff are aware of our biosecurity system and the importance of complying with it. The fact sheet is available on the NZW website at nzwine.com/members/ sustainability/biosecurity/protecting-your-vineyards/.

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL

CATCH IT . SNAP IT . REPORT IT .

Call MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66 24 / Winepress April 2021

PROTECT

Winter is also the time of year when trunk disease is most easily spread, particularly through pruning wounds.

Ensuring vineyard staff are disinfecting their tools regularly, working from least diseased blocks through to most diseased, not pruning when it’s raining, and protecting pruning wounds as soon as possible after pruning, are recommended actions for minimising the risk of trunk disease spread in the vineyard.

Watch for overwintering BMSB

Let NZW know if you spot harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis, the harlequin ladybird, entered New Zealand for the first time in 2016 and quickly spread throughout the country. They are now found in all winegrowing regions, including Central Otago and Waiheke Island. Harlequin ladybirds have been known overseas to aggregate in grape clusters before harvest. They contain alkaloid chemicals, including methoxypyrazines released when they are startled or crushed, causing taint to wine.

To date, the NZW Biosecurity team has not received any reports of harlequin ladybirds aggregating pre-harvest which is good news.

Last winter, several aggregations in spray sheds, frost fighting equipment, and other vineyard structures were reported from May onwards, with most of these reports coming from the Marlborough region. NZW and the Bragato Research Institute continue to work with Plant & Food Research and a few vineyards in Hawke’s Bay, Nelson and Marlborough to monitor the movements of harlequin ladybird as the season changes, to get a better understanding of the best options for control of this potential pest. If you see large aggregations of the harlequin ladybird, please take a photo and send it to biosecurity@nzwine.com. More information and advice is available on the NZW website at nzwine.com/members/ sustainability/biosecurity/current-issues/harlequin.

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Over the growing season, the biosecurity team was pleased to have received many photos of potential brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and other unusual insects from all over Marlborough, the vast majority of which have turned out to be long established or native insects.

The biosecurity team thanks all those who sent in photos.

All of you have made an effort to be active participants in biosecurity.

BMSB continues to spread overseas, and was recently confirmed to be present in the United Kingdom. For New Zealand, the high risk season finishes at the end of April.

Nonetheless, it’s important to remain vigilant as there is still a chance there may be some BMSB out there that remain undetected. BMSB prefers to overwinter indoors, particularly in people’s houses or other outbuildings, so keep an eye out during the cold season. If you think you see a BMSB Catch it, Snap it and Report it immediately to Biosecurity New Zealand on 0800 80 99 66. Don’t forget to let the NZW biosecurity team know too.

Winepress April 2021 / 25

18/03/21 2:51 PM

Industry News A Feast of flavours this Sauvignon Blanc Day This year’s Bayleys Friday Night Feast shares its place on the calendar with International Sauvignon Blanc Day. Feast Marlborough chair Fiona Fenwick says the event, to be held in central Blenheim on Friday May 7, has “treats in store for Marlborough foodies”, with street food vendors encouraged to use as much local Marlborough produce as they can in their dishes. “And how exciting that this year we also share the date with International Sauvignon Blanc Day,” says Fiona. Wine Marlborough will have a Sauvignon Blanc Lounge at Feast, matching some of the region‘s best wines with some of its best food, says general manager Marcus Pickens. “We’ll be celebrating the variety within our own community by showcasing Sauvignon Blancs that won gold at the 2020 Marlborough Wine Show.” He says the lounge, which will be set up on Wynen Street, behind CPR, is “the perfect place to enjoy a feast of flavours on International Sauvignon Blanc Day”.

Fiona says Feast is an opportunity to demonstrate to visiting celebrity chefs what makes Marlborough food and wine so special. Feast is a family friendly event, with music and entertainment, as well as a “future foodie” area with games for the kids. Over 5,000 people attended last year’s event and similar numbers are expected this year, with the event falling the night before the Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon.

Bayleys Friday Night Feast will be held in and around The Forum in Blenheim from 3.30pm to 8.30pm on May 7.

Cellar doors

Sydney International Wine Competition

Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith’s proposed bill to parliament to allow cellar doors and wineries to charge for tastings without needing an on licence has been welcomed by the industry.

Customer experience manager at Cloudy Bay Nicky Hewett says by charging for tastings, cellar doors can be better resourced and staff better trained allowing for an enhanced overall customer experience. Cloudy Bay is not directly affected, as it charges for its tastings but Nicky welcomes standardisation in the industry saying it allows wineries to provide a quality product. “It means wineries can offer back vintages and rare wines and a range of wines you wouldn’t get if you weren’t charging,” she says. It also allows staff to manage their host responsibility better, she says.

Currently, cellar doors and wineries cannot charge for tastings if they don’t have an on-licence and with that comes responsibilities such as offering a range of food and non-alcoholic beverages. Stuart says the required law change was “simple but important” and if accepted would make it much easier for wineries to run a successful cellar door operation. His proposed bill has been put in the ballot and it is now a case of waiting for it to be drawn, then it needs to go through various stages such as readings and select committees.

The Sydney International Wine Competition will return this year, with entries accepted from July 12, and judging to take place in late October.

The 2021 competition will have a panel of 13 judges from Australia and New Zealand, including four Masters of Wine, chaired by Warren Gibson (pictured). The final 400 wines will be set aside for rejudging with appropriate food, leading to about 250 wines being awarded Top 100, Blue Gold and Gold medals, along with 25 trophies. Competition co-convenor Brett Ling says that given the difficulties faced by the wine industry over the past year, it’s important for competitions such as the Sydney International to proceed, to highlight to consumers the exceptional range of food-friendly wines available to be enjoyed at restaurants and at home. “This is a very important year for the Australian and New Zealand wine industries as they come out of Covid and have to face additional issues with international distribution.” He says there will be greater emphasis on wines from Australia and New Zealand this year because of logistical issues, but he expects “very keen interest in the competition from across the world”. sydneywinecomp.com

26 / Winepress April 2021

New Zealand Landcare Trust

Marlborough Biodiversity Forum

The New Zealand Landcare Trust now has a Marlborough catchments coordinator in Marlborough, with Wendy Sullivan coming on as one of seven new staff members funded through the Ministry for Primary Industry’s Productive and Sustainable Land Use Fund. The New Zealand Landcare Trust is an independent charitable trust that works with farmers, landowners and community groups to improve the sustainability of land and waterways.

Wendy previously worked for the Department of Conservation as both biodiversity ranger and community ranger, and says she enjoys seeing landowners feeling empowered to protect the natural assets on their land and develop a deeper understanding on how to enhance what is there. Her main role is to support landowners in their projects, and to coordinate workshops, field days and other learning opportunities for land managers to gain the confidence and technical ability to manage fresh water and biodiversity on their properties. “I see my role as a connector. Connecting landowners with resources; to offer or source technical advice; help with funding applications or to gain support for on the ground mahi.”

She wants the trust to form partnerships with the viticulture industry. “Many vineyards in Marlborough have already shown huge commitment to restoring wetlands and streams on their land, and I believe that we can showcase these to other land users. I’m looking forward to supporting winegrowers with the Sustainability Guardians programme.”

Wendy encourages any winegrowers needing support to manage their waterways or natural areas to get in touch at wendy.sullivan@landcare.org.nz

The Marlborough Biodiversity forum, on Sunday May 2 from 9am to 3pm at the Renwick Sports and Events Centre, is a platform for community groups, landowners, iwi, youth and agencies to network, support and learn from each other to grow conservation in Marlborough. The day will consist of a morning speaker series, and in the afternoon participants will join one of two discussion groups on weed control or pest control, with the theme ‘how can we advance these topics in Marlborough’.

To receive information and/or to register please contact biodiversitymarlborough@gmail.com

CLASSIFIEDS

Carbon zero at Lawson’s Lawson’s Dry Hills has achieved carbon zero status, receiving accreditation from Toitū having met the requirements of ISO14064 which specifies the principles and requirements for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals, and includes requirements for the design, development, management, reporting and verification of an organisation’s GHG inventory. “We have always considered sustainability in our decision-making across the business and to attain carbon zero status is an achievement we are very proud of,” says General Manager and shareholder Sion Barnsley. Group Marketing Manager, Belinda Jackson says sustainability is becoming increasingly important for those making purchasing decisions, “So we’re delighted that our environmental credentials add further value to those enjoying our wines”. Lawson’s Dry Hills is the only New Zealand wine producer to be certified with both ISO14001 and ISO14064.

Zephyr’s zeal for organics Award-winning Marlborough winemaker Ben Glover has released Zephyr’s first certified organic wines from the Glover Family Vineyards. The winemaker and owner behind Zephyr says it has been an exciting road to release the first tranche of his organic wines from the 17 hectare home vineyard in Dillons Point, which he and his wife Susie converted to organic farming in 2017. Ben, who was awarded the Leadership Award at the 2021 Gourmet Traveller Wine New Zealand Winemaker of the Year Awards, says Zephyr’s approach to organic certification through BioGro New Zealand has been to keep things pure and simple, “concentrating on creating a good growing environment through soil health and biodiversity and continuing through to mindful consumption”.

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

To have your event included in the March Wine Happenings, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by April 20. Due to uncertainty around Covid-19, there may be changes to some of these events. For more information, please use the contact supplied or email sarah@winemarlborough.nz

APRIL 1 4 9 17 20 23 24

Summer Feast – through to April 25 – marlboroughnz.com/events Forrest Wines Sunday Sessions. Every Sunday, from 1pm to 4pm, until April 25 Wither Hills Perfect Pairs Dinner Vinyl in the Vines, Lawson’s Dry Hills, 2pm – 5.30pm. See Facebook Wine Marlborough Pruning Workshop Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards Whitehaven GrapeRide – graperide.co.nz

MAY 2 7 7 8 19

Marlborough Biodiversity Forum, 9am to 3pm, Renwick Sports Centre Sauvignon Blanc Day - #SauvBlanc Day Bayleys Friday Night Feast Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon – vineyardhalf.com The Corteva Marlborough Young Viticulturist Education Day

JUNE 16 Grape Days Marlborough, ASB Theatre JULY 1

The Corteva Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition

Pre-season pruning day - April 20

28 / Winepress April 2021

#SauvBlanc Day - May 7

Grape days - June 16

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