Winepress - April 2022

Winepress THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 328 / APRIL 2022

VINTAGE 2022

CELLAR SCHOOL

RETIRED RECRUIT

WINE TOURISM

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

15 10

this issue...

REGULARS

FEATURES

3 4

10

6 22 24

Editorial - Sophie Preece Destination Management Plan Jacqui Lloyd Tasman Crop Met Report Rob Agnew Generation Y-ine Irene Tozzi

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Biosecurity Watch Jim Herdman

26

Industry News

28

Wine Happenings

Cover: Rose Family Estate cellar hand Zoe Holcroft is learning a huge amount in vintage 2022, thanks to seasoned winemakers like Mary Schneier and Tommaso Tadiello. Photo Jim Tannock.

See pages 13 -14

18

Vintage 2022 Amid the temptation to replenish empty pipelines with bountiful yields, Marlborough producers face winery limitations, labour shortages and the complexity of La Niña conditions.

16

Workforce Diversity The 2022 vintage has drawn a more diverse labour supply than ever before. Meet wine degree graduate Zoe Holcroft (page 14) photographer Santiago Vadillo (page 15) and retiree Henny Vervaart (page 16) Wine Tourism Cellar doors and wine tour operators are excited by the tourism “reset” offered by the handbrake of Covid-19 and a new Destination Management Plan.

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Winepress April 2022 / 1

BAYLEYS

Marlborough

Alabama Road

Idyllic in Alabama Road Right on the boundary of Blenheim Alabama Road is a very sought after address and this is an exceptional opportunity for buyers to secure a very tightly held piece of land right on the edge of town. Offering a fully renovated executive three bedroom two bathroom home with all new glazing, appliances, roof and gib throughout.

This home is as neat as a pin which is currently listed on Air BnB which is located on a 4.68 hectare piece of land in the heart of Blenheim with 3.87 canopy hectares of vineyard. This property offers an excellent opportunity to have dual income as an investment or a lifestyle property for the family. There are ample sheds for all your toys, hobbies and sports equipment and nice easy care gardens that will not swallow your weekends allowing you to enjoy this superb location in the heart of Marlborough. The property comes free of grape supply agreement but if preferred this could be arranged. Smaller vineyard properties like this are rare to the market and offer a great entry level investment in an outstanding location for buyers. We expect very strong interest in this property if you would like further information then please contact the exclusive listing agent Mike Poff.

Marlborough

Deadline Sale 1pm, Tuesday 3rd May 2022 33 Seymour Street, Blenheim Mike Poff 027 6655 477 mike.poff@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

15 Alma Street

Income, development or lifestyle, you choose The opportunities are endless with this 2.56ha Sauvignon Blanc vineyard with breath taking views located on the lower terrace in Renwick, the heart of Marlborough's wine region. You could build your dream home amongst the vines with multiple building sites available while receiving a proven income or simply purchase the income producing contract free vineyard as an investment. The block has a five year average of 38 tonnes and can be easily maintained by an owner operator. Another option is to develop the property into lifestyle sections (subject to resource consent). A survey plan of three sections with a minimum area of 7,500 sqm is available.

There could also be the potential to subdivide into smaller sections in time. Due to the location on the edge of Renwick this is a great property to land bank surrounded with vineyards with scope to further develop in the future- possibilities are plenty. The rectangular shaped block stretches from Alma through to Brook street providing good access options. A favourable water right is included with the property. Expressions of interest over $1.4m plus GST (if any) with all offers to be considered on the deadline date. bayleys.co.nz/4135056

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Deadline Sale 1pm, Wednesday, 11 May 2022 33 Seymour Street, Blenheim Mike Poff 027 6655 477 mike.poff@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Michael Ryan 021 325 477 michael.ryan@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

li=Vii!=U-JI bayleys.co.nz

General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 or 021 831 820 marcus@winemarlborough.nz Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Marketing and Communications: Sarah Linklater 021 704 733 sarah@winemarlborough.nz Events Manager: Loren Coffey loren@winemarlborough.nz Advocacy Manager: Nicci Armour advocacy@winemarlborough.nz Finance Administrator: Joanna May accounts@winemarlborough.nz Grape Grower Directors: Anna Laugesen anna.laugesen@xtra.co.nz Kirsty Harkness kirsty@mountbase.co.nz Michiel Eradus michiel@eraduswines.co.nz Nigel Sowman nigel@dogpoint.co.nz Tracy Johnston tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz Wine Company Directors: Beth Forrest beth@forrest.co.nz Damien Yvon damien@closhenri.com Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net James Macdonald james@hunters.co.nz Jamie Marfell Jamie.Marfell@pernod-ricard.com 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 KEEP CALM and carry on. It may be a terribly overused teacup quote, but seems apt as the 2022 vintage progresses amidst an array of extraordinary challenges and seasonal vagaries.

It’s a harvest that will be remembered for myriad reasons, from managing wineries with Covid-depleted staff numbers, to managing harvest amid the fear of botrytis incursions; from the high Sauvignon Blanc yields so many wished for, to the inclement weather stealing some of their shine; and from verdant vintage recruits in the winery (with the subsequent supervisory burden on winemakers) to the shortage of hand pickers in some vineyards. Perhaps it will be remembered for face masks, social distancing and teetering stacks of rapid antigen tests.

“It’s a harvest that seems to have more of the community in its grip than I’ve seen before.”

It’s a season that requires a shift in mindset, says Sophie Parker-Thomson, MW, on page 10, noting the temptation to “replenish the very empty pipelines with the bountiful yields”, following three consecutive drought years and a very small volume harvest last year. That temptation has to be balanced against winery capacity, labour shortages, Omicron, and the “dynamics of ripening crops in La Niña conditions”, says Sophie. “Quality this year is going to be defined by those who managed their crops appropriately, adapting to the vintage conditions.”

It’s a harvest that seems to have more of the community in its grip than I’ve seen before, with people who’ve never considered working vintage opting for the opportunity this year, while friends and families hook in for hand harvests around the province.

I’m writing this editorial two years after New Zealand went into its first Alert Level 4 lockdown, as the wine industry continued to harvest, relieved to be considered an essential service. You got through, learning countless lessons that will have been vital this vintage. We’ve all said it before, and it gets harder to believe each year, but here’s hoping next year is memorable only for its abundance of beautiful wine.

SOPHIE PREECE

Winepress April 2022 / 3

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Opinion Piece

Jacqui Lloyd

Forging a Destination Management Plan JACQUI LLOYD

I’VE OFTEN wondered if harvest and vintage is a time for reflection for those in the wine sector. A time to reflect on the work undertaken throughout the year and have the results of that work captured in a bottle. Then, because I’m a great over-thinker, I wonder if I were to reflect on the work that Destination Marlborough and the visitor economy has undertaken over the last two years of border closures, pandemic, and lockdowns, what would be captured in our bottle?

The pandemic has given us all time to pause and time to re-look at visitation. There has been a global movement over the last two years in all tourism boards, be they regional or national, to move from a focus of solely destination marketing to that of destination marketing and destination management. The key destination management question all of us are asking is, “when visitation returns, how do we want people to experience our regions that best benefits communities, iwi, economy, and our visitors?”

Pre-pandemic Marlborough was not in a position of ‘over tourism’ like some other regions, but depending on the season, travel style, or location, we had pinch points, and social licence for visitation had the strong potential to wane.

Certainly, there had been pressures on our wine tourism sector and cellar doors through a high season and, as wine tourism is an important part of the overall Marlborough offering, here was a chance to collectively reflect on what we could do better in future.

Destination Marlborough has always had a great relationship with Wine Marlborough and cellar doors, and has worked with many over the years building visitor experiences and additional products that can be purchased by visitors. Over lockdown, Destination Marlborough was invited to join Wine Marlborough’s regular Zoom meetings with cellar doors, where we were all trying to grapple with the current situation, but also look to what the future might hold. After lockdown, these meetings moved to face to face group sessions and became almost cathartic for those involved - a chance to have open, frank discussions about business and the vision for Marlborough’s wine tourism future. It was clear that there were common challenges across all business sizes – supply of staff, managing visitor volume, seasonality, developing new products, tour operator relations, and sharing each other’s unique story and environmental commitments.

Fortuitously, in late 2020 the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) tasked all regional tourism boards and economic development agencies to deliver Destination Management Plans (DMP) to achieve the common goal of developing a well-managed, sustainable visitor destination that provides the best possible outcome for communities, environment and visitors alike. This planning process and funding to do so has enabled discussions that started in June 2020 to come to life.

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Destination Marlborough’s draft DMP is identifying a vision for the region and key strategies to help us get there.

Wine Tourism, Cycling, and Cruise are three of the key strategies that support the wine sector. Work continues with consultation; we have monthly meetings with our good friends at Wine Marlborough, and we’ve engaged in multiple cellar door group sector meetings and ongoing discussions with industry groups, communities and iwi.

The summer of 2020/2021 exceeded all our expectations here in Marlborough. Destination Marlborough undertook a strong domestic marketing campaign, backed by our tourism sector with their own marketing and social media work. Our domestic visitor spend was up over 25% on an already high domestic base. While New Zealanders travel differently to internationals and tend to spend less on attractions and activities, they did an amazing job supporting the cellar doors, and the Covid-19 Alert Level 2 experience was surprisingly popular for visitors and wineries. Level 2 guidelines meant visitors required seated tastings where cellar door staff could take time to really personalise the tastings and this was enjoyable to all - and bottle sales increased too.

The 2021/2022 summer has not been as easy. Wisely, the decision was made to again postpone the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, and since the arrival of Omicron a proportion of cellar doors have closed to protect harvest.

While this is difficult for visitation and for those that are

within the wine tourism sector, it is understandable. The wine industry is Marlborough’s biggest economy and arguably the region’s largest employer and Destination Marlborough has been working with Wine Marlborough and operators to reflect the closures through our i-SITEs and to the wider tourism and hospitality sector. A number of cellar doors are still open, with our brilliant wine tour operators connecting the experience for visitors. Wine tour operators are key to giving visitors an enhanced experience by providing much needed narrative and storytelling of the Marlborough region - and providing door to door service too. So, what I think will be in our reflection bottle is the way our industries and sectors have come together over the last two years to work towards a better Marlborough visitor experience. This work is ongoing, and the collaboration is something we should all be immensely proud of. Despite being Zealand’s largest wine region, our wineries, our cellar doors, and our wine tour operators are a close-knit community, and Destination Marlborough is privileged to be part of the community too.

We look forward to continuing to work with the wine tourism sector as our destination management work moves into the implementation phase, and as we work to enhance the lives of our local community and develop a vibrant diversified economy and profitable tourism businesses throughout the region.

Jacqui Lloyd is Destination Marlborough general manager

Marlborough

Northbank 68 Cat Creek Road

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Large Scale Development Opportunity

Situated on Northbank soil, directly across the river from the Wairau Valley township lies ‘Allandale’, a 234ha property in two titles. Currently grazing stock with approx.

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Marlborough Real Estate 2008 Licensed Agent REAA 2008

Marlborough Real Estate 2008 Ltd | Licensed Agent REAA 2008 marlborough.harcourts.co.nz | 03 578 0888 | 1 Scott Street Blenheim

Winepress April 2022 / 5

MET REPORT Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – March 2022 March 2022

March 2022 March compared to LTA LTA

GDD’s for: Month - Max/Min¹ 195.3 99% Month – Mean² 188.7 97% Growing Degree Days Total Jul 21 - Mar 22 – Max/Min 1331.1 108% Jul 21 - Mar 22 – Mean 1340.0 106% Mean Maximum (°C) 21.2 -0.3°C Mean Minimum (°C) 11.4 +0.8°C Mean Temp (°C) 16.3 +0.2°C Grass Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 0 Air Frosts (0.0°C) 0 Equal Sunshine hours 238.0 104% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2022 708.2 98% Rainfall (mm) 17.0 41% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2022 183.0 141% Evapotranspiration – mm 87.0 87% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 163.9 68% Mean soil temp – 10cm 16.7 +1.1°C Mean soil temp – 30cm 18.7 +0.4°C

Period of LTA

March 2021

197.8 194.3

(1996-2021) (1996-2021)

191.4 186.7

1235.4 1264.3 21.5 10.6 16.1 0.17 0.0 229.9 146.7 281.0 725.7 41.7 2.8 118.0 129.8 99.7 241.9 15.6 18.3

(1996-2021) 1285.7 (1996-2021) 1307.0 (1986-2021) 21.5 (1986-2021) 10.8 (1986-2021) 16.2 (1986-2021) 0 (1986-2021) 0 (1986-2021) 208.8 1980 1969 (1986-2021) 781.7 (1986-2021) 79.2 1969 1979 (1986-2021) 109.8 (1996-2021) 99.9 (1996-2021) 214.2 (1986-2021) 15.9 (1986-2021) 18.1

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

The hottest maximum temperature of 25.9°C was recorded on 16 March.

No frosts were recorded during March 2022. The last time that a ground frost was recorded in Blenheim in March was in 2014. The LTA number of frosts for March (1986-2021) is 0.17 indicating that a ground frost has been recorded about once every 6 years over that 36 year period. However, in the latter part of the 36 year period (2000 to 2022) only two ground frosts have been recorded, so the trend for fewer frosts is continuing.

Sunshine

Blenheim recorded 238.0 hours sunshine in March, 104% of the LTA. Total sunshine for the first three months of 2022 is 708.2 hours, 98% of the LTA. However, Blenheim was only in 10th place for sunniest town in New Zealand in March 2022, a similar position as in January and February.

New Plymouth has been the sunniest town in NZ in all 3-months so far in 2022 and at the end of March New Plymouth was 160.4 hours ahead of Blenheim.

Temperature

Rainfall

Blenheim’s mean air temperature in March was 16.3°C, 0.2°C above the longterm average (LTA). This was fractionally warmer than March 2021 (Table 1). The weekly mean temperature values in Table 2 indicate that temperatures were up and down during March 2022. The coldest minimum air temperature of 4.8°C and the coldest minimum grass temperature of 1.0°C were both recorded on 19 March.

Blenheim recorded 17.0 mm rain in March, 41% of the LTA. The first 20 days of March 2022 were virtually dry, with only 0.2 mm on 1 March and 0.4 mm on 11 March. The four days from

Table 2: Weekly temperatures, rainfall and sunshine during March 2022 Mean Max Mean Min Mean Rainfall Sunshine Windrun (°C) (°C) (°C) (mm) (hours) (km) 1st - 7th 22.3 (+1.1) 10.7 (+0.1) 16.5 (+0.4) 0.2 73.9 191.0 8th - 14th 22.4 (+1.2) 13.9 (+3.3) 18.2 (+2.1) 0.4 55.0 188.0 15th - 21st 19.0 (-2.5) 8.7 (-1.9) 13.9 (-2.2) 9.6 47.2 151.4 22nd - 28th 21.2 (=) 12.5 (+1.9) 16.8 (+0.7) 6.8 38.3 139.0 29th – 31st 21.4 (+0.2) 10.4 (-0.2) 15.9 (-0.2) 0.0 23.6 131.7

1 – 31 March 21.2 (-0.3°C) 11.4 (+0.8°C) 16.3 (+0.2°C) 17.0 41% 238.0 104% 163.9 68% LTA 1986-2021 21.5 10.6 16.1 41.7 229.9 241.9 6 / Winepress April 2022

21 to 24 March were overcast bringing 16.4 mm rain. The final 7-days from 25 to 31 March all recorded no rainfall. While last year’s (2021) March rainfall total was well above average, a reminder is necessary with regard to how that rainfall was received. The first 27 days of March 2021 were very dry, with only 1.4 mm of rain recorded over that period. The final four days of March 2021 (28-31) recorded 77.8 mm rain. The large amount of rain in the last four days of March 2021 was the first substantial rainfall event that Blenheim had received since early November 2020.

Soil moisture

Average shallow soil moisture (5-35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station during March was 25%. This was 5% above the LTA March value of 20%. The reason for the shallow soil moisture being above average in March 2022 when rainfall was low was due to the high rainfall in February and the much higher soil moisture that carried over into March.

However, due to the low rainfall in March, soil moisture during March fell by 6.9%, whereas the LTA change in soil moisture in March is an increase of 3.1%.

Wind Run

March 2022 recorded average daily wind run of 163.9 km, 68% of the LTA of 241.9 km (1996-2021); i.e. March 2022 was very calm. This is by far the lowest March wind-run recorded over the 27 years 1996 to 2022. The previous lowest was 181.1 km recorded in March 2017. This is the 12th year in a row that March has recorded lower than average wind-run. Only two days in March 2022 recorded above average daily wind-run; i.e. greater than 241.9 km (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Daily wind-run during March 2022 compared to the long-term average

Botrytis infection at harvest in Marlborough in 2022 Botrytis bunch rot made an appearance at harvest in 2022, especially in later ripening fruit that was still to be harvested in the last week of March and early April. Whereas in the previous three seasons (2019, 2020 and 2021), Botrytis was only present at low levels. In mid-February 2022 we were wondering what the consequences of the high rainfall in early February would be on botrytis bunch rot at harvest in 2022. However, as has happened in some previous seasons, the rain largely turned off for a large portion of the ripening period from mid-February to mid-March, which kept botrytis bunch rot at manageable levels on most blocks up until about 25-26 March 2022.

Marlborough was also fortunate that the large amount of rain forecast for 21-23 March 2022 did not eventuate. On Saturday 19 March 2022, Met Service were forecasting 91.6 mm rain for Blenheim from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 March. As it turned out only 16.4 mm rain was received. If the forecast high rain had eventuated it would have posed some problems for harvest logistics. However, even though the rainfall received was a lot lower than forecast, it appears to have been the trigger for the rapid increase in botrytis bunch rot severity on some blocks between 25 and 30 March, especially in the form of slip skin botrytis. Table 3 outlines the Botrytis infection events that occurred over the four days from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 March. Figure 2 illustrates the subsequent slip-skin botrytis on Sauvignon blanc in a vineyard on Tuesday 29 March.

Winepress April 2022 / 7

Table 3: Botrytis infection periods at the Blenheim weather station, between 21 and 24 March 2022 Infection period start time Mon 21 Mar 2pm Tue 22 Mar 7pm Wed 23 Mar 4pm

Infection period stop time Tue 22 Mar 8am Wed 23 Mar 9am Thu 24 Mar 7pm

Wetness length 18 hours 14 hours 27 hours

Total rainfall during event 9.6 mm 4.6 mm 2.2 mm

Average temp. during event 16.4°C 16.7°C 17.6°C

Infection severity Severe Moderate Severe

olliers.com A BRI Tip of the week describing slip skin botrytis was included in VineFacts Issue 22 on 24 February 2022. New Zealand Winegrowers members can access this article on the NZW website.

The following text is taken from the article.

Figure 2: Slip skin botrytis, with typical purple berries, on Sauvignon blanc on 29 March 2022

The difference between slipskin and botrytis bunch rot

Botrytis bunch rot and slip skin are two related but different outcomes of a latent botrytis infection in grapes.

Under normal autumn conditions in New Zealand’s main winegrowing regions, botrytis bunch rot will develop relatively slowly as bunches ripen from véraison onwards. There is the possibility of an acceleration of bunch rot development, where warm and wet conditions support weather driven infections.

On the other hand, slip skin is a very aggressive form of infection that can occur much closer to harvest and can lead to total crop loss in a matter of days. Thankfully, slip skin is a less

ty Limited EAA 2008

common outcome of a latent infection compared to botrytis bunch rot. Slip skin is only likely to form when ripe berries (about 20 degrees Brix or riper) remain wet for an extended period due to persistent rainfall or overhead sprinklers. Grapes with slip skin symptoms quickly become rotten and unusable, often falling from the bunch when the vine is shaken.

The symptoms of slip skin are different to Botrytis bunch rot. Berries develop a brown patch, which extends from the base of the berry where it attaches to the stalk. When gently squeezed the skin completely separates (slips) from the pulp.

Grey mould will not necessarily be visible on bunches infected with slip skin.

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113 Renners Road, Marlborough Winepress April 2022 / 9

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Balancing Act

Dave Tyney. Photo Jim Tannock

Omicron and weather hinder a fruitful vintage SOPHIE PREECE

VINTAGE 2022 has been “edge-of-your-seat” stuff, with higher yields, inclement weather and the impact of Covid infections on crews, says Sophie Parker-Thomson, MW. And it’s required a change in mindset from industry, following three consecutive drought years and light crops last year.

“There has been a temptation to replenish the very empty pipelines with the bountiful yields - principally Sauvignon Blanc,” says Sophie, who owns and runs Blank Canvas Wines with her husband Matt Thomson.

But producers have needed to be “scrupulous” in balancing that against the processing capacity of their wineries, a widespread shortage of labour, and an Omicron impacted workforce, “as well as the dynamics of ripening crops in La Niña conditions”, she says. “Quality this year is going to be defined by those who managed their crops appropriately, adapting to the vintage conditions.”

Covid-19’s impact on labour supply means hand harvesting has been more challenging than ever, but Sophie and Matt expected all the company’s fruit to be picked by the first few days of April. Speaking on March 25, Matt – amid his 30th Marlborough harvest - says another 10

But he is nervous about heightened disease pressure following inclement weather in mid-March, which “magnified” the botrytis initiated by February rain. “Trying to dry that out at this late stage gets harder and harder,” says Dave, noting that harvest will be accelerated by disease pressure.

That has been complicated by the increasing impact of Omicron on hand pick crews, says Dave, who pushed a hand pick to machine harvest the preceding weekend.

Despite the “tough year”, he is happy with the quality of fruit coming in, and with the “slightly” higher than typical yields and extraction this harvest, thanks to bigger berries.

“Quality this year is going to be defined by those who managed their crops appropriately, adapting to the vintage conditions.”

Sophie Parker-Thomson days of good weather would have a very positive effect on quality. “Flavours do seem strong in the Sauvignon. Acidity levels are high, but the warmer nights over the past week have seen these come down, so now all we need is the weather to hold.”

Speaking on March 29, Cirro Wines owner and winemaker Dave Tyney notes that sugar accumulation and flavour have been slightly ahead this year, “so it’s about managing flavours around picking sugar, which is good”.

10 / Winepress April 2022

“It’s going to be nice to have a normal yield this year to help our markets along, that’s for sure”, says Dave, who’s seen export demand boosted by the quality of the 2021 wines.

“We’re hoping to capitalise on that this year as well.”

He exports to Australia, UK and Asia, and is seeing sales in China increase year on year. Recently winning the best in country class at the South Korean Wine show, for an organic Sauvignon Blanc, has added energy to an already buoyant market there, he says.

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Licensed REAA 2008 Winepress April 2022 / 11

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Whitehaven started harvest with Chardonnay in the second week of March, with bubbles coming in at the end of that week, says winemaker Peter Jackson. He’d been “a bit nervous” after February rain, “but things had a chance to dry out. We were in pretty good shape heading into vintage,” he says, noting the good season for sparkling wine.

The “little bites” of rain that followed those picks, exacerbated by still days, were painful in terms of active

botrytis growth, he says. “You can normally rely on some breeze to dry things out”. But the industry learned valuable lessons in 2017 and 2018, “and know how to handle these situations”, he adds, flagging the possibility of an accelerated harvest, to ensure the wines remain fresh.

When it comes to the size of the harvest, there might be some “juggling” in the winery, “but we certainly have enough space to bring everything in”, Peter says.

Omicron depletes staff numbers Wither Hills planned for a potential loss of 30% of staff to Omicron, and that’s what they got in mid-March, isolating a third of their day shift due to either a positive Covid test or close contact to one.

Head winemaker Matt Large says the company’s business continuity plan kicked in after a person staying in the day shift house tested positive for Covid-19, followed by several more cases. The affected staff were moved to caravans ready for that role, with three meals a day delivered to the door.

Meanwhile, others in the house not in close contact with positive cases went through Critical Worker dispensations to allow them to return to work if they could isolate in the house, with rigorous cleaning and distancing, and tested negative each morning. “Every day one of the senior staff would ring them and they would send a photo of negative RAT (rapid antigen tests), and ask some questions about how they were feeling,” says Matt, noting that the “rough patch” for the winery would have been “a whole lot harder” without that critical worker status.

The blow was also softened by timing, before the main Sauvignon Blanc harvest and during a cool period that slowed ripening, meaning they could limit the daytime intake, with office staff chipping in to help, while boosting the night harvest, with that crew unaffected.

Matt, speaking a few weeks later, at the end of a long night processing Sauvignon Blanc, says they are “in the middle of it now”, and back up to speed. But it’s proving a challenging vintage for senior staff pulled in multiple directions, says Matt. “A lot of the more experienced staff are trying to do their own job plus teach someone else how to do something. It’s a revolving door as far as who is doing what.”

12 / Winepress April 2022

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The vintage has its challenges but it’s an easy year to keep some perspective, he adds. “It could be a lot worse.

There are a lot of other things going on in the world that make this weather seem petty.” And he’s “fairly optimistic”, based on what he’s seeing in the tank so far. “It’s looking really good”, he says, with “fingers crossed” for some fine and breezy weather.

Going into harvest, the inexperienced workforce was one of the potential headaches flagged, but “they have done a fantastic job”, says Peter. “They have been listening and learning quickly. And our supervisors have done a magnificent job training them up.”

Whitehaven is one of a handful of cellar doors that has stayed open in the lead-up to vintage, as many wineries

shut the doors to Covid risk. The operation is independent from the winery, so with appropriate protocols could stay open without risking the vintage, says cellar door manager Nanette Kirk.

“We want to offer visitors to the region the opportunity to have great experiences while they are in Marlborough and remaining open allows that to occur, provided we operate within the guidelines.” If Omicron depleted the Whitehaven winery workforce, all other staff, including cellar door crew were ready to step up, says Nanette.

“Acknowledging that the most important aspect over the coming weeks is to be able to bring harvest in.”

Growing skills under pressure SOPHIE PREECE It was case of green on green this vintage, as heavy Sauvignon Blanc yields landed on inexperienced cellar staff. Ten of the 12 seasonal crew at Rose Family Estate’s winery were in their first harvest this year, raising the stakes for supervisors. “You have to be on top of everything and never lose focus of the little things that can make a huge difference to the quality”, says winemaker Tommaso Tadiello, who has spent vintage balancing his own roles with frequent checks on cellar hands. “To be able to do your part, but also be able to teach and supervise the newbies in a proper manner, has kept us busy.”

Winemaker Nick Entwistle notes that the most diligent consideration of standard operating procedures is a great start, “but when the grapes are coming in and everything is happening it’s a completely different experience. You cannot leave them to it, and especially in the receival area,” he says. “So poor old Tommaso is back and forward every five minutes to make sure everything is running smoothly, no one is doing anything dangerous, and the juice is going into the right tank.”

Some green cellar hands have hit the floor running, with resilience and adaptability shining through this season, while others have struggled somewhat under the added pressure. Bringing some in early to school them up on a few select tasks has been gold, says Tommaso, grateful to see some new cellar hands able to independently train others in the likes of cleaning tanks and making additions.

Winemaker Mary Schneier, who has been with Rose Family Estate for five years, says the cellar crew ranges from people who have never worked in a winery before, including those interested in a wine career, to her assistant Zoe Holcroft (see page 14), who is a Lincoln University wine degree graduate, with base knowledge but few practical cellar skills.

Zoe is “learning heaps” about how to relate her lab analysis skills to the winemaking process, and “it makes

From left, Winemakers Tommaso Tadiello and Mary Schneier, with wine degree graduate Zoe Holcroft. Photo Jim Tannock

you remember what it was like to do your first vintage”, says Mary. “You do so many vintages, it becomes second nature, and you do all these things without explaining them. Then, all of a sudden, you are handed someone who has never done a vintage before, and you remember what it was like walking around the winery with all these questions.” It’s a difficult process, she adds. “It’s humbling putting yourself in those shoes and having to look at them and saying, ‘if that was me, what would I like my boss to say?’”

The vintage doesn’t look much like a typical harvest, due to inexperience and layers of Covid-19 precautions, but new recruits have nothing to compare it with, says Mary, hoping they’ll have hooked some for future seasons.

“For the permanents… it feels like we want to hit the ground running and crank into harvest, but you have more cautious because of social distancing, do a lot more cleaning and be really careful about Covid; about not spreading it and not bringing it into the winery.”

Despite the verdant shades of experience on the cellar floor, she reckons Rose Family Estate has been lucky with its crew. “Everybody is really keen to help out and get stuck into vintage. As long as you put some good music on, have some amazing food and keep them happy and healthy, they’ll do anything that you ask them to.”

There’s an excitement about it, agrees Tommaso. “They are keen on learning and seeing new things, it’s refreshing to have this much enthusiasm and nervous excitement in the cellar.”

Winepress April 2022 / 13

CELEBRATE

Cellar Opportunities

Zoe Holcroft with Winemakers Tommaso Tadiello and Mary Schneier. Photo Jim Tannock

Loving life in the lab KAT DUGGAN

A CAREER in the wine industry is a far cry from the arts scene Zoe Holcroft thought she would find herself in.

Born and raised in Hamilton, she originally had dreams of becoming a professional dancer or actress, and wine was a drink only her mum liked.

Upon beginning her NCEA qualifications in Year 11, Zoe dived deeper into the sciences, and the prospect of a complete change of direction was born. “I started doing biology and I fell in love with plant science - I realised that that’s what I wanted to do,” she says. “I was talking to a family friend and they suggested wine.”

Growing grapes for the production of wine piqued Zoe’s interest, and she made her way to Canterbury to attend an open day at Lincoln University. The 17-year-old then enrolled in a Bachelor of Viticulture at Lincoln, which she completed last year, before quickly landing a job with Rose Family Estate as a cellar hand and lab assistant in December.

“At the end of my degree I didn’t know where I wanted to go, so I emailed heaps of wineries who had wines I loved, but I didn’t know much about the people or anything,” she says. “I feel so lucky; the people here are so lovely.”

Despite originally being drawn to the vineyard due to her love of plant and soil science, Zoe is enjoying putting her lab experience into play at Rose Family Estate, and discovering the impact the plant and soil health has on the resulting fruit and wines.

“I realised that I had a huge love for chemistry. We had to do heaps of labs at uni and I just loved the accuracy and finding the results of all of the samples,” Zoe says.

“We’ve just started fruit sampling and I love the lab, that’s my biggest interest now… I get to do a range of everything… It’s really cool to have heaps of variety in the day and not just be doing one thing.”

The work has taught her a lot about the differences between varietals from various blocks. “They’re not even that far apart but they have different sugar levels and acid levels. It’s really, really cool… I have realised how much of an impact it has on the actual wine.”

Zoe is surrounded by vineyards at work and at home in Marlborough, a far cry from her native surroundings in 14 / Winepress April 2022

“We’ve just started fruit sampling and I love the lab, that’s my biggest interest now.”

Zoe Holcroft Hamilton, and is loving every minute of living and working in New Zealand’s wine capital.

She is soaking up all she can about grapes, soils and wines, and was excited to be getting stuck into her very first vintage this year. “Even just the anticipation of harvest, I’m getting pumped for it,” she says.

Her studies, and subsequent work in the industry, has given her a taste for wine she never thought she would have.

Her favourite varieties are currently Viognier and Albariño, and she’s even enjoying sharing a glass with her mum when she is able. “I have a huge appreciation for wine now… when I started, red wine tasted gross to me, but now, I’m a huge fan.”

CELEBRATE

Heads & Tails Enjoying both side of the winegrowing coin KAT DUGGAN

“They’re two sides of the same coin, and at the end of the day it’s a beautiful coin.”

Santiago Vadillo FOR SANTIAGO Vadillo and his wife Andrea, the Marlborough wine industry offered the ultimate opportunity to set up a new life, thousands of miles from home.

Originally from Mexico, the couple moved to New Zealand on a working holiday in 2016, settling in Wellington for just over three years before setting their sights on a new adventure in the South Island.

Santiago had spent his time in Wellington working in the photography, film and marketing industry, a career he’d spent more than a decade working on. On leaving the city, he wanted to experience the true ‘working holiday’ life, picking up different jobs as they explored New Zealand. “We ended up at Punga Cove, I took a job there as a pizza chef for six months,” he says.

While at Punga Cove, Andrea got pregnant with the couple’s first son, León, and they made the decision to set up a more permanent home in Marlborough.

With the Covid-19 pandemic limiting options workwise, Santiago decided the time was right to make a long-term career change, and opted for the wine industry.

“I always loved the food and wine industry and I knew Blenheim was the capital of wine in New Zealand, so I decided it was the best place to jump into the industry.”

Santiago landed a cadetship with Villa Maria, which would see him spend six months working in the winery cellar, along with a further six months in the vineyard.

He also took part in vintage at the winery in 2021, which he is doing again this year.

So far, he’s not leaning toward one side of the job over the other, and has also enrolled in the Level 3 Certificate in Cellar Operations at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology to further his knowledge. “Both sides have their own perks - you can’t beat sunrises in Marlborough,

driving to work in Seddon and you see the sun rising and it’s orange, and you see the sun hitting the vineyards, it’s beautiful,” Santiago says.

“I enjoy learning about how the vines grow and the stages of the vine, and the pests and diseases we need to look out for… But the winery side is also really interesting, and you get some amazing views from the top of the big tanks.”

Santiago praises the work culture at Villa Maria, saying both the winery and vineyard offer a good atmosphere, made so by good people. He has also had the opportunity to put his film experience to good use, helping with staff training videos.

“It’s something I don’t need to leave behind; it’s something I can keep doing [and] I want to keep learning this stuff… I think, at the end of the day, if you have passion and you like to learn new stuff, you can always perform in whatever industry you want to perform in,” he says.

The young family is enjoying living in Marlborough, describing it as peaceful, beautiful and safe, says Santiago.

“I’m looking forward to the end of the pandemic or going back to a new normal and seeing the region thrive with festivals and all that kind of stuff that brings people together in happiness and celebrates the great achievement that is New Zealand wine.”

Despite missing aspects of his former career, Santiago plans to continue his wine journey following the end of his cadetship in November. “At this stage in my life it’s important for me to recognise opportunities,” he says, noting that he’ll be happy moving forward in the vines or winery.

“They’re two sides of the same coin, and at the end of the day it’s a beautiful coin.”

Winepress April 2022 / 15

Henny Vervaart at Valley Harvesting

CELEBRATE

Pausing Retirement Henny’s harvest helping hands SOPHIE PREECE

“Once you retire you have to do something.

You have to keep your mind and body active.”

Henny Vervaart HENNY VERVAART became a joinery apprentice at 15, when his father died and “I had to get out and work”.

Sixty-two years after joining the workforce in Tasmania to support his family, Henny’s labours are still often about helping others, from volunteering for Rotary and Alzheimers Marlborough, to pausing retirement and donning his steel caps for an annual harvest job.

The 2022 vintage was Henny’s 15th season working at Valley Harvesting in Marlborough, putting his time and skills to good use. “Once you retire you have to do something. You have to keep your mind and body active,” says Henny, now 77, who started out driving gondolas for Valley Harvesting and now describes himself as a gofer fuelling, checking and relocating harvesting machinery to help keep the wheels of harvest turning.

He brings with him an abundance of experience and common sense, earned over “umpteem years” in the joinery industry, including running his own factory in Blenheim from 1986 to his ‘retirement’ in 1999. And Henny reckons there are plenty of other retirees that have valuable skills and nouse the wine industry should tap into. “We still have a lot to offer.”

Harvest is far from the only hand Henny offers Marlborough, a community he’s lived in since he and his 16 / Winepress April 2022

wife moved from Tasmania to her home town in 1967. “The guys at home said, ‘you’ll be back in a fortnight’,” he says.

“Well 55 years later I’m still here, aren’t I? I’ve never looked back since. Marlborough’s been great.”

It’s a fact he’s rewarded the province for many times over, with an incredibly generous spirit ready to knuckle down and help. Henny has long been a stalwart of Rotary and has worked with the Blenheim South club at every Marlborough Wine & Food Festival since its inception. He’s also spent nearly 20 years as a volunteer with Alzheimers Marlborough.

Fifteen years ago, Henny’s neighbour urged him to help out with Valley Harvesting’s vintage as well. “He said, ‘you can drive can’t you?’… That’s how I got hooked.” Henny began as a gondola driver for several years, and eventually moved to the Riverlands headquarters to help ensure things run smoothly, coming in early to check all the diesel tanks are topped up, or filling machines for relocation. “I do what they tell me,” he says of the “guys upstairs”. But he’s swift to call on his own initiative to ensure what needs doing gets done. And he loves the work at this busy time of the season.

“I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

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Winepress April 2022 / 17

Tourism Reset

Wine tourism Wairau River

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The unexpected boon of border closures SOPHIE PREECE

A SLOW climb back to pre-Covid tourist numbers is a blessing in disguise, says Wine Tours by Bike operator Steve Hill. “It gives us all opportunity to think about what we want it to look like moving forward.”

The 2019/2020 summer was crowded, and “on the limit of being a good experience”, says Steve. “It was so busy; the cruise ships were too big and too frequent”, and the consequence was ”underwhelming” for visitors.

In contrast, during the “rollercoaster” of the past two years, a burgeoning number of domestic visitors have given “incredible” feedback on the less crowded, less frantic wine tasting experience in Marlborough, Steve adds, excited by Destination Marlborough’s Destination Management Plan (DMP), with its key strategies for wine, cycle and cruise tourism. “We want to know, as a tour operator, what the wine operators would like to see from us, and how they envisage a better customer experience going forward.”

Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd (see page 4) says the regional tourism organisation (RTO) and Wine Marlborough worked with cellar door operators after the 2020 lockdown period, to assist through the crisis period and plan for the future.

The process was given a boost later that year when the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment tasked RTOs and economic development agencies to develop DMPs to ensure well-managed, sustainable visitor destinations, for the benefit of communities, environment and visitors.

As part of the process, Wine Marlborough and Destination Marlborough have sent a survey out to cellar door operators, to gain insights and test the themes they see emerging, “especially around cruise and return visitation”, says Wine Marlborough marketing and communications manager Sarah Linklater, also excited by the potential for a more cohesive and valuable visitor strategy.

Wairau River Wines general manager Lindsay Parkinson says Covid-19 was “probably one of the best things that ever happened” to Marlborough’s cellar doors 18 / Winepress April 2022

and winery restaurants, talking to people five deep at the bar before the pandemic put on a handbrake. “You couldn’t hear yourself think, and you were trying to talk over the top of others. There was just too much going on to give the customer a good experience and tell your story in a way that actually means something. You were literally just pouring wine away.”

Lindsay has been involved in the discussions with Wine Marlborough and Destination Marlborough since the winter of 2020, and is excited by the potential for a vision of what wine tourism looks like in the future, “and how Marlborough could work a little more seamlessly and in a more collegial way to allow them to get more than a day out of people”, he says.

Covid-19 has offered an opportunity “to stop and breathe for a moment and then reflect on how we wanted to run our cellar door and restaurant business”, he adds. “I actually don’t know what would have happened if we didn’t have the chance for that lockdown.”

Steve says that’s not the only silver lining of Covid-19.

Before borders closed, at least 80% of his business was from international visitors, but in the 2020/2021 summer his Kiwi contingent nearly doubled. “That was really buoyant and good for us, in that we got that local support which was fantastic”, he says, referring in part to “really local” customers, who discovered wineries that have been here for decades, “but they didn’t even know existed”.

The past year has been a bit slower, but he is “heartened” by the lift in domestic support, particularly given the higher return rate for New Zealand customers. “It’s been great for building that loyal customer base that’s keen to return.”

He and other commentators predict a slow climb back for international tourist numbers with three to five years to return to pre-Covid expectations, “and it might take even longer than that”, says Steve. But he has a glass half full view. “It gives us all opportunity to think about what we want it to look like moving forward.”

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Winepress April 2022 / 19

EDUCATE

Local Expertise PAUL O’DONNELL AND ROSIE JARVIS

AMORTISATION & VINEYARD DEVELOPMENT Demand for additional grape supply remains strong, with even more large tracts of land currently under development.

So, if you’re looking to increase your access to fruit, amortisation of development costs and tax implications should be considered when purchasing an existing block or looking to develop land yourself.

The capital costs to establish a vineyard are classed as Vineyard Development Expenditure, which can be amortised or written off over the life of the asset. This becomes a tax-deductible expense each year. Development costs such as the earthworks to clear the land, the costs of establishing the full trellis structure, which includes posts and wires, the grape plants themselves, and the irrigation lines will have a diminishing value (DV) rate of 5% or 10% applied (rates specified by the IRD). Note these rates were previously 6% and 12% respectively.

When you acquire/purchase an existing vineyard with vineyard development costs included, whilst it gives you immediate access to grape income, the downside is that the deductions available in the way of amortisation of vineyard improvements are often very low.

Many vineyards are getting upwards of 25 years old and prior owners have already had the benefit of the amortisation. As the purchaser you can only pick up the book value of vineyard improvements from the vendor and continue to amortise from that book value. For example, you’ve bought a vineyard for $2.5 million, with land valued at, say, $1.5m and vineyard improvements at $1m. The book value of vineyard improvements from the vendor might be

Paul O’Donnell

only $30,000. As the purchaser you can only amortise the $30,000, not the $1m you have paid for the improvements so not great as a purchaser.

When comparing two similar sized vineyards to purchase, a newer block will generally have a higher book value of improvements and therefore more amortisation can be claimed. The due diligence of a vineyard purchase should include obtaining details of the book value of vineyard improvements from the vendor and the sale and purchase agreement should also include a requirement for the vendor to provide this information.

From a vendor’s perspective, the rules are really quite favourable. You are able to dispose of the vineyard development improvements at book value, so this does not result in any recovery of the amortisation previously claimed by you; so no big tax bill. Developing a vineyard rather than buying gets you a higher amortisation claim and provides more potential for capital gain and a likely lower entry cost, subject to land cost and water access.

As always when buying or selling vineyards, make sure you obtain appropriate professional advice early in the process.

Paul O’Donnell is managing director and Rosie Jarvis an associate of BDO Marlborough. If you have a question for BDO Marlborough that could be answered in this column, please email sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz The comments here are general in nature. You should obtain your own specific tax advice.

Industry expertise, locally.

Backed by BDO, globally.

20 / Winepress April 2022

GROW

Vineyard Monitoring Programme After a year off in 2021, Fruition Horticulture has again been contracted to collect vineyard financial data as part of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and New Zealand Winegrower (NZW) Vineyard Monitoring Programme, starting in May 2022. In the first year, data will be collected for 2021 and 2022 to maintain continuity of the data set.

MPI and NZW require up to date information on the production and financial performance of vineyards in Marlborough and a good understanding of emerging trends and issues facing the industry.

The data and reports are used by MPI and NZW as a source of independent and reliable information on vineyard profitability and trends and issues for situational awareness and analysis, policy development and advice, and to help assess the impacts of government policies and adverse economic or climatic events on the industry.

An independent review of the programme was completed in 2021, and the ongoing programme takes into account the findings and recommendations of this review.

Greg Dryden and Jim Mercer of Fruition

GREG DRYDEN

Participants include both contract grape growers (>5 hectares) and growers supplying their own winery, with each participant receiving an individualised confidential financial benchmarking report.

Fruition will be seeking some additional participants in the programme in May. To express your interest, contact gregdryden@fruition.net.nz Greg Dryden is a Horticultural Consultant with Fruition Horticulture

Winepress April 2022 / 21

CELEBRATE Irene Tozzi handpicking research blocks this harvest. Photo BRI

Generation Y-ine Research makes Irene Tozzi tick KAT DUGGAN

BECOMING A winemaker was a happy accident for Irene Tozzi. Despite being born and raised in Italy, one of the world’s largest producers of wine, the drop was never on the table at home. “I never drank a glass of wine before I was 18. My parents are vegetarian, and they don’t drink - very unconventional for an Italian family,” Irene says.

It was during a backpacking trip that she discovered wine, when she visited an ice wine producer in Canada.

“I went back to Italy, still with a backpack on, and I just decided to enrol in a winemaking and viticulture course.

After two months, I told my parents,” she says. “They were happy; they knew I was a wanderer by then.”

Irene’s love of travel, languages and wine has seen her visit and work in many wine regions throughout the world over the past 10 years. During her travels, she completed her Bachelor and Master of Science in Viticulture and Oenology, working and studying in Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and South Africa.

that continues to drive Irene a decade on from that fateful tasting in Canada. “Wine became more and more part of my life. I find the entire industry really fascinating and that has never changed,” she says.

Her fascination lies with both viticulture and winemaking, however, it’s research that really makes Irene tick. BRI, she says, is the perfect place to mix her love of all three.

“Of course, there are and there will be a lot of challenges for everyone, in both the vineyard and winery, and sometimes it’s hard to find solutions. Research can surely help with that. I think there should be more focus on it,” she says. “BRI is a really good fit for me; it’s a perfect bridge

“BRI is a really good fit for me; it’s a perfect bridge between the commercial and the academic world.”

Irene Tozzi Following her studies, Irene worked in Germany before making her way to New Zealand for what was meant to be a fleeting visit. “I was supposed to stay in New Zealand only four months; I had work back in Italy and Spain waiting for me.” But her flights were repeatedly cancelled because of Covid-19, she says. “Just after the first lockdown I thought, I may as well stay. I started to love the industry here and this beautiful country.” In another brush with serendipity, Irene met her Blenheim-based partner on a cruise in Doubtful Sound, giving her even more reason to stay.

Initially working in the wine industry in Otago, Irene made the move to Marlborough in 2021, and in January this year landed the role of research assistant winemaker at Bragato Research Institute (BRI). Despite her unexpected introduction into the world of wine, the industry is one 22 / Winepress April 2022

between the commercial and the academic world.”

Alongside being able to conduct trials for clients, Irene is looking forward to being able to complete BRI research trials using grapes purchased by the institute. “This vintage we have designed BRI-led trials based on industry needs.

The findings will be available together with a case of research wines to taste, compare and discuss,” Irene says.

“We’re trying to get more people involved in research and this could be a fun way to do it.”

Long term, Irene is not sure whether she’ll stay involved with research, or get back into commercial winemaking armed with her knowledge. “I love what I am doing,” she says. “I’ve just started, and I’d like to see the outcome of various projects we are working on in a few years’ time, and then who knows? You never know.”

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ecotrellis.com Winepress April 2022 / 23

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Biosecurity Watch Biosecurity perspectives: A chat with Dion Mundy JIM HERDMAN

RECENTLY, I sat down with Dion Mundy, a plant pathologist working for Plant & Food Research in Blenheim, and asked him his thoughts on vineyard biosecurity. Dion has spent the past 24 years predominantly working with grapevines, although he has worked with apples and a few other crops. His focus has been on fungal pathogens, but he’s also done some entomology work. “When you work in the regions, you get to diversify,” he says with a smile.

Dion has recently assisted with the compilation of a book, Grapevine Diseases in New Zealand by Ian C Harvey, which is available for purchase online. As well as his work at Plant & Food (PFR), Dion teaches classes about pests, weeds, and diseases of grapes at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), and “that means I’m often in contact with a range of students who are out there in the industry”, he says. “And I get contacted by those students later in their careers when they’ve got a question, or if they see something strange they will let me know.”

One of the most significant biosecurity issues facing the wine industry in Dion’s mind is the large amount of Sauvignon Blanc in the Marlborough wine region and its susceptibility to a number of diseases, some of which we don’t have in New Zealand yet. “We don’t have the ESCA complex trunk disease. Overseas Sauvignon Blanc is very susceptible to ESCA. If we got a white rot that joined with a fungi that we do have, and they formed that complex, it could have quite a significant effect on those Sauvignon Blanc vines here in Marlborough, and that’s not to say that wouldn’t be a problem for other varieties or in other regions as well. It’s just the sheer concentration of vines that makes it quite scary. I’m quite aware with PSA and kiwifruit, how quickly it spread when it was new, and the vines were susceptible, most being one variety, and the resources that had to be thrown into that. I think we had 140 staff from PFR working on the PSA outbreak at one stage.”

The science that was undertaken at that time was

recognised recently with the Prime Minister’s Science Award, “because the researchers came together to provide the industry with a solution to a new problem”, Dion says. “It had a huge effect on the growers because they had to change varieties. That’s what we often face with a biosecurity issue; we need a new solution for a new problem.”

Dion enjoys his teaching role at NMIT, helping the students take up the biosecurity message. “Students now are not always younger - we do have mid-career changes; particularly during Covid, there have been some changes in what people do. With students, it’s about an awareness of what is normal. We teach them to understand a lifecycle in order to have the confidence to diagnose when there is a problem. Biosecurity is part of what they’re taught. It’s one of the questions at the end of the year or the end of the course. They have to sit down and think about what biosecurity means to the industry. What does it mean to them? What could the industry be doing that it’s not doing?

How to protect their investment and the vineyards that we have now. We quite Caption A Sauvignon Blanc vine in often use phylloxera Lodi, California with Esca. Photo as an example, Dion Mundy because I grew up on a vineyard without phylloxera and for 40 years that vineyard remained phylloxera free. We also use the glassy winged sharpshooter invasion into California as an example of what can go wrong - things that we don’t want. Still, we need to learn from international work

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL

CATCH IT . SNAP IT . REPORT IT .

Call MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66 24 / Winepress April 2022

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On Dion’s last trip to California, he made sure Dion Mundy at Spray Days Waiheke that he got Island 2021. Talking to growers about images of ESCA trunk disease – image NZW. on Sauvignon Blanc, because the symptoms look different depending on the variety. He wanted to know what Sauvignon Blanc symptoms were, as opposed to how it looked on other varieties, and be able to share this information with growers here in New Zealand.

Dion advises you can’t go past good practice, starting with knowing and recording where planting material comes from. Once when completing some vine root disease work, he dug up some plants and found a different nursery’s tag still on the vines, strangling them. Good record keeping is critical - talk to the nursery and ensure they’re using the Grafted Grapevine Standard that is industry best practice.

Talk to the nursery about where you are going to plant and what you are doing. Growers invest a lot of money into young vines, and it’s important to take the time to make sure vines get the best possible start, says Dion.

A big part of his work revolves around trunk disease, and he’s been looking at its economic impacts on the industry and in vineyards, to develop a set of scenarios that will allow growers to calculate how much it is costing and how to manage accordingly.

Dion advises that the big things to remember for trunk diseases are not to prune in the rain, cover pruning wounds, and remove dead wood from the vineyard, because that’s where the spores come from. Dead trunks, dead arms, or even dead stubs can produce spores if they’re infected. If you can’t take it off the property, immediately cover it with a tarp so it stays dry; dead wood only releases spores when it gets wet. Prevention requires wound protection on new pruning cuts. As a result of the research being done in New Zealand, we have more wound protection products in New Zealand than anywhere else to protect our vines from trunk disease.

Survey work shows that vineyards that are doing wound protection consistently have fewer dead vines than the neighboring vineyards of the same age and the same variety that aren’t using wound protection. That one management practice makes a significant difference in vine deaths.

Dion has seen Sauvignon Blanc blocks in Marlborough less than 20 years old that have had to be removed because of trunk disease, whereas some vineyard blocks are over 40 years old and are still producing commercially. “It makes so much sense to protect your vineyard from these preventable diseases,” he says.

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Dan Gardner Dan Gardner M +64 27 533 3343 | P +64 6 879 8312 M +64 27 533 3343 | P +64 6 879 8312 E info@nzfrostfans.com E info@nzfrostfans.com or visit nzfrostfans.com or visit nzfrostfans.com

Winepress April 2022 / 25

Industry News Marlborough MW’s research recognised Marlborough-based Master of Wine Sophie Parker-Thomson has won the prestigious Quinta do Noval Award 2021, announced at the IMW ceremony at Vintners Hall in London in March.

The prize is given to the best research paper by a new MW, and recognises the “very rigorous scientific approach” behind Sophie’s paper, ‘What is the relationship between the use of Sulphur Sophie Parker Thomson.

Dioxide and Biogenic Amine levels in wine?’

Photo Jim Tannock The award’s judge Christian Seely, managing director of AXA Millesimes - Quinta do Noval’s owners - calls it an “excellent piece of research” that was also “compulsive reading, fascinating, with some original insights and thought-provoking ideas”. It was, she says, “without question the best of the papers submitted”.

Sophie, who accepted the award via a video link from her home in Marlborough, amid the 2022 harvest (see page 10), says she is “overwhelmed” by the accolade. “This was a daunting paper to research and write, but the significant public interest element and importance of this topic to the industry was undeniable.”

She wins a cheque for £1000, a framed print of Quinta do Noval, a trip to the iconic property in the Douro, and a case of wines and ports – including Noval’s fabled Nacional Vintage.

Sophie’s paper can be seen at mastersofwine.org/rp

Biocontrol & Biosecurity Beef & Lamb New Zealand is hosting a workshop on biocontrol and biosecurity on farms and vineyards, in Seddon on April 20. The event will offer the latest research on managing Chilean needle grass and Nassella tussock, information on managing biosecurity on farm and vineyard, and insights into implementing management plans. Representatives from Marlborough District Council, New Zealand Winegrowers, Lincoln University, New Zealand Landcare Trust and Beef & Lamb New Zealand will attend.

April 20, 2pm to 4:30pm, Yealands Memorial Hall, Seddon. Register at beeflambnz.com/events

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26 / Winepress April 2022

Hark & Zander

Advocacy update

A hempseed skin care company forged in Marlborough has received Editor’s Choice Awards for three of its products in the 2022 Beauty Shortlist Awards.

Hark & Zander is the brand of Marlborough grape grower Kirsty Harkness (pictured). Winepress talked to Kirsty in 2018, when she was looking at hemp to improve soil health in vineyards. She says she soon discovered hemp improves the health of skin too, and has been growing Hark & Zander as she learns more about the “ancient wondercrop”.

“In a year that was strong for indie brands, we are incredibly proud to be bringing luxury, natural, innovative and effective New Zealand made skincare to the world stage,” says Kirsty. The “hero ingredient” - organically grown New Zealand hempseed oil - has presented the company with plenty of challenges, because she cannot advertise on Facebook or Instagram, “which means we have to constantly look for new and innovative ways to get our name out there”, she adds. “Awards like the Beauty Shortlist Awards are invaluable platforms which allow us to showcase our world class products to a wider audience.”

The Editor’s Choice Award went to Hark & Zander’s HempTonic Face Oil, HempPurify Emulsifying Oil Cleanser and HempLavish Nourishing Body Oil

NICCI ARMOUR The lead up to vintage was fraught with challenges, and on the labour front, massive individual and collaborative efforts were put in to prepare for vintage 2022. While we know the industry’s resilience runs deep, do get in touch if you need some support.

Post-vintage will see Wine Marlborough up our activity in coordinating efforts in the workforce space, with the Marlborough Winegrowers board supporting the development of a workforce action plan for the Marlborough wine sector. We anticipate broad consultation and collaboration on this plan, and we’d like to hear from our members who wish to participate.

Annual excise has increased consistently over the past several years. New Zealand Wine have invited all wineries to outline directly to Ministers the likely impacts of the annual excise increase on their business in a campaign to stop the annual excise increase.

Please email nicola@nzwine.com to share the impact on your business or for more information. As we move through vintage, preparation for pruning is getting underway with collaborative efforts between Wine Marlborough, New Zealand Ethical Employers, and the participants of the Marlborough Labour Governance Group. We are also preparing for the annual pruning field day on May 25.

Please email me at advocacy@winemarlborough.nz if you have any feedback or issues you would like to discuss.

Nicci Armour is advocacy manager at Wine Marlborough

Bohlaboration As part of the celebrations for Boh Runga Jewellery’s 15th anniversary, Boh is launching a ‘Bohsé’ in ‘bohlaboration’ with Ant Moore Wines.

“Bohsé is best paired best with new season fruits and cheese, beach sunsets, cosy nights in, and your most favourite friends.

It’s for raising a toast and enjoying with those that you love to be with the most,” say Boh. Ant says creating Bohsé with Boh and her creative team was a fun and inspiring process. “I think people will love Bohsé and I can’t wait to see what we come up with together in the future.”

Winepress April 2022 / 27

Wine Happenings

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

To have your event included in the January Wine Happenings, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by April 21. 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 3 Forrest Sunday Sessions, with live music from 1pm to 4pm every Sunday in April 9 – 10 A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Barden Party (Shakespeare and a Garden Party) – Forrest Estate Winery Cellar Door (eventfinda.co.nz) 10 Tūpari Wines Harvest Tasting Masterclass with Olivia Doonan. Bookings at info@tupari.co.nz MAY 6 7 7 17 20-21 23-26 25 26

International Sauvignon Blanc Day - #SauvBlancDay The Framingham Harvest Concert (marlboroughnz.com) Saint Clair Vineyard Half (vineyardhalf.com) Pinot Gris Day Winetopia Auckland (winetopia.co.nz) Green Wine Future conference (greenwinefuture.com) Marlborough Pruning Field Day (see advocacy update page 27) Chardonnay Day

JUNE 15 Grape Days Marlborough (nzwine.com/en/events/grape-days) 22 2021 Young Winemaker National Final (nzwine.com/young-winemaker)

Sauvignon Blanc Day - May 6

28 / Winepress April 2022

Harvest Concert - May 7

Vineyard Half - May 7

Winepress April 2022 / 29