Winepress August 2018 by Winepress Magazine

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 284 / AUGUST 2018

BOARD ELECTIONS

GRAPE MARC

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

TUKU COLLECTIVE

ORGANIC APPETITE

this issue... REGULARS

FEATURES

3 4

10 Grape Marc

36 39 40

Editorial

From the General Manager Marcus Pickens Generation Y-ine - Greg Lane Generation Y-ine - Ben Richards Biosecurity Watch - Dr Edwin Massey

Industry News

ANZ Wine Happenings

Marlborough’s wine industry may face major grape marc challenges in vintage 2019, after the doors closed on a massive composting facility.

16 Tuku Māori Collective

Five Māori winemakers have joined forces to take their stories - and their wine - to the world.

26 Organic Appetite

New Zealand’s organic sector has grown 30% since 2015 and is worth $600 million per year, according to the 2018 OANZ Organic Market Report.

16 Cover: Yealands Estate and snowy peaks. Photo Jim Tannock.

Winepress August 2018 / 1

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General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 marcus@wine-marlborough.co.nz Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Advertising: Harriet Wadworth 03 577 9299 harriet@wine-marlborough.co.nz Wine Marlborough Board: Ben Ensor ben.lisa@clear.net.nz Callum Linklater callum@csviticulture.co.nz Jack Glover jack.glover@accolade-wines.co.nz Nick Entwistle nick@wairauriverwines.co.nz Simon Bishell simon@caythorpe.nz Stuart Dudley (Deputy Chair) stuartd@villamaria.co.nz Tom Trolove (Chair) tom.trolove@framingham.co.nz Tracy Johnston Tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz

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From the Editor You’ll find two Generation Y-ine profiles in this month’s Winepress, because there are just so many inspiring young people working hard to make a difference in Marlborough’s Wine Industry. Several of them were put to the test last month, with the South Island Tonnellerie De Mercurey Young Winemaker competition following hard on the heels of the Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year competition. The standard of entrants in both events was high, in a reassuring indication that the future of the Marlborough wine industry is safe. Our future leaders include winning viticulturist Ben Richards, who at 23 wants to be part of bringing innovations to the industry, while working his way through operational roles. “I don’t want to be in a position where I haven’t done the job that one day I am telling someone else to do,” he says. Meanwhile the South Island’s top young winemaker, Greg Lane, reiterates the message that won him the speech module of his event, saying he sees the future of the industry as one of gender equality and greater environmental responsibility. Jaimee Whitehead, who came in second in the Bayer competition, has already made a mark on the wine industry, thanks to her report Hitting the Marc in Marlborough, written as part of a Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme. The report talks of the need for an evolution in grape marc processes in the region, rather than a revolution. Grape marc is the main feature of this Winepress, as the Marlborough District Council and individual businesses deal with the rug being pulled out from under them in the lead up to Vintage 2019. With the huge GrowCo facility no longer taking marc for the next harvest the wine community needs a “rethink” of their approach, says Marlborough District Council chief executive Mark Wheeler. “If you are not going to have an industry-wide solution, each individual needs a solution that works.” One of those might be spreading marc back to the vineyard, as Wairau River and Wither Hills do, but that is simply not feasible for some companies. Winepress will continue to look at options over the coming months, so please get in touch if you know of a grape marc innovation worth sharing. There are various options for dealing with grape marc, says Wine Marlborough’s Vance Kerslake, “but doing nothing is not one of them”. Finally, please take the time to read the election piece on page 4 and to mark the dates in your diary, especially if your company wants to nominate a candidate. Wine Marlborough is in the midst of an exciting strategic development project, so it’s a great time to be at the table. SOPHIE PREECE

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.

Winepress August 2018 / 3

From the General Manager Marlborough Winegrower Elections MARCUS PICKENS

THERE IS something Wine Marlborough has been doing every year since the inception of a grape growing body in 1992 – and that is to hold an annual election. I am constantly in awe of the great number of people who have put their hand up to give their support to the industry organisation that is Marlborough Winegrowers. Their names roll off the tongue as some of the most recognised people in our industry. That group of people, and every board member since, has put themselves forward and taken time out of their day jobs to give some of their focus, skill, intel, and passion to make the Marlborough wine industry the best it can be. It is encouraging that there seems to be enough interest in people coming through the industry to take the next crank at the handle and help move the industry forward but there are a few things that people must do to enable them to get involved. Every election as I am sure everyone can guess will be bound by several rules. Ours is no different and there are a few key rules anyone who wants to get involved and step up to be a candidate has to understand. I will explain some of the key points. First, how bluntly do I have to say this – if you want to stand for election to the board and if you aren’t the owner of a levy paying business or the CEO, Director, Managing Director, General Manager etc. that does not mean you cannot stand for election, but it does mean that you have to talk to that person as they are most likely to be the registered voter for the entity

4 / Winepress August 2018

you work for. Each business has one single voter. They will have received an email about the election. So, if you are keen to stand for election, you must get your name replaced over the existing name as the voter for the entity – the voter is the only person who can vote or stand for election. The easiest way for that to occur is to chat to the person and articulate why you want to get involved and what it means to you. Just a note here; it is expected that all board members front up to board meetings with an industry wide view, not a company specific view, although

“It is encouraging that there seems to be enough interest in people coming through the industry to take the next crank at the handle.” in most cases this has a significant bearing on how you view the industry. You must do this and return the completed form before 5pm on Monday August 20. Step two are nomination forms. These are sent out on Thursday August

23 and these go to the registered voter for each entity – nominations close at 12pm Monday September 3. Wine Marlborough’s board is made up to five growers and five wine company representatives, with board members retiring on a three-year cycle. Current board members who reach the end of a three-year cycle can choose to re-stand or step aside. This year there are four wine company places up for election and two grape grower places. To trigger an actual election where votes are cast, there have to be more candidates than there are vacancies, or else everyone who stands is straight in – no election! If there is an election, voting opens on September 14 and closes on October 1. The commitment of a board member really revolves around board meetings, representing the organisation, adding value to the organisations strategic direction and sometimes through support of our activities. For instance, Tracy Johnston is also the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival chair, Nick Entwistle has led the way with the Young Winemaker National Competition and Stuart Dudley has chaired the Marlborough Young Viticulturist event admirably for a few years now. I would certainly encourage anyone who believes they have the interest in challenging themselves and capability to add value to our industry body to step up and take the next crank at the handle.

Winepress August 2018 / 5

MET REPORT Frosts

Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – July 2018 July July 2018 2018 compared to LTA GDD’s for month -Max/Min¹ 15.5 - GDD’s for month – Mean² 31.8 - Mean Maximum (°C) 14.5 +1.4°C Mean Minimum (°C) 3.8 +1.2°C Mean Temp (°C) 9.2 +1.3°C Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 17 2 more Air Frosts (<0.0°C) 1 6 less Sunshine hours 174.2 107% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2018 1392.6 99.5% Rainfall (mm) 71.6 116% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2018 563.8 154% Evapotranspiration – mm 42.4 118% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 225.7 98% Mean 9am soil temp – 10cm 6.3 +1.4°C Mean 9am soil temp – 30cm 8.1 +1.0°C

July LTA 9.6 23.2 13.1 2.6 7.9 15.1 7.4 162.6 119.6 230.8 1399.4 61.6 9.9 174. 365.7 36.0 229.8 4.9 7.1

Period of LTA

July 2017

(1996-2017) 4.3 (1996-2017) 18.9 (1986-2017) 13.2 (1986-2017) 2.8 (1986-2017) 8.0 (1986-2017) 13 (1986-2017) 7 (1986-2017) 157.0 1996 1952 (1986-2017) 1423.3 (1986-2017) 62.4 2014 1998 (1986-2017) 405.4 (1996-2017) 36.4 (1996-2017) 189.1 (1986-2017) 7.5 (1986-2017) 8.9

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures Temperature July’s mean temperature of 9.2°C was 1.3°C above the long-term average (LTA) temperature (1986-2017). July 2018 is now the fourth warmest July on record in Blenheim for the 86 years 1932 to 2017. The warmest on record is July 2005 with a mean temperature of 9.7°C. The average daily maximum temperature of 14.5°C was 1.4°C above the LTA. The average daily minimum temperature of 3.8°C was 1.2°C above the LTA.

July 2018 recorded a higher number of ground frosts than in 2016 and 2017 and slightly above the LTA over the past 32 years (Table 3). However, July 2018 recorded only one air frost, less than in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and well below the LTA. You are probably asking the question “how is it possible to have more ground frosts than in the previous two years, but have fewer air frosts?” The total number of ground or air frosts doesn’t tell you how cold the frosts were. The average and coldest ground and air frost temperatures are also presented in Table 3. In July 2018, although there were a higher number of ground frosts, those frosts were not very cold. The average ground and air frost temperatures in July 2018 were the warmest of the four years 2015 to 2018. Comparison of Blenheim and Woodbourne Air Frosts As Blenheim is relatively close to the coast it records less frosts than locations further west on the Wairau Plains. Figure 1 presents the number of air frosts in July at the Blenheim

Table 2: Weekly temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and frosts recorded in Blenheim during July 2018 Rainfall Sunshine Total Mean Mean (mm) (hours) Ground Max Min Mean. Diff. Frosts Frosts 1-7 July 14.2 2.1 8.2 +0.3 12.8 37.8 5 8-14 July 14.2 4.4 9.3 +1.4 35.8 39.1 4 15-21 July 15.4 4.0 9.7 +1.8 16.2 39.3 3 22-28 July 14.1 5.0 9.6 +1.7 4.6 38.3 3 29-31 July 14.8 3.3 9.1 +1.2 2.2 19.7 2 1-31 14.5 3.8 9.2 +1.3 71.6 174.2 17 LTA 1986-2017 13.1 2.6 7.9 61.6 162.6 15.1 6 / Winepress August 2018

Total Air 1 0 0 0 0 1 7.4

Table 3: Comparison of ground and air frosts in Blenheim in July over recent years No. of Average Coldest ground ground ground frosts frost temp frost July 2018 17 -2.0°C -3.8°C July 2017 13 -3.5°C -6.8°C July 2016 12 -2.9°C -4.6°C July 2015 19 -3.4°C -5.3°C L.T.A. (1986-2017) 15.1

No. of air frosts 1 7 2 11 7.4

Average air frost temp -0.6°C -1.2°C -0.5°C -1.5°C

Coldest air frost -0.6°C -2.0°C -0.7°C -2.7°C

and Woodbourne weather stations for the period 1991 to 2018. 1991 is the chosen starting point as that is when the Woodbourne weather station was moved to its current location. The graph displays both the individual yearly frosts in July as well as the trend over the 18 year period. Blenheim has seen a downward trend in July frost numbers over the 18 year period, whereas Woodbourne has seen a very

Figure 1: Air frost numbers recorded in July at the Blenheim and Woodbourne weather stations

Figure 2: Total annual air frost numbers recorded at the Blenheim and Woodbourne weather stations

Winepress August 2018 / 7

slight increase in July frost numbers. Figure 2 presents the total annual number of air frosts at both Blenheim and Woodbourne. This graph indicates that the number of annual frosts at Woodbourne has decreased slightly and in Blenheim the decrease has been more marked. The reason that Woodbourne shows a downward trend in annual frost numbers is that the number of frosts in both June and August has dropped markedly (data not shown). It is somewhat surprising that July frost numbers at Woodbourne are not showing the same downwards trend.

10 cm = 6.3°C (+1.4°C) 20 cm = 7.4°C (+1.2°C) 30 cm = 8.1°C (+1.0°C) 100 cm = 10.2°C (+0.3°C) Sunshine July 2018 recorded 174.2 hours sunshine, 107% of the LTA. Total sunshine hours for Blenheim for January to July 2018 are 1392.6; or 99.5% of the LTA. March and July are the only months in 2018 to have recorded slightly above average sunshine hours. So 2018 is certainly not going to break any sunshine records.

Rainfall July 2018 recorded 71.6 mm rain, 116% of the LTA. Nine days during July recorded rainfall. The highest 24-hour total was 35.8 mm, recorded on Sunday 8 July. Total rainfall for January to July 2018 of 563.8 mm is 154% of the LTA of 365.7 mm.

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

Soil Temperature The three shallow soil temperatures (10, 20, 30 cm) recorded at the Blenheim weather station were well above average during July, as a consequence of the above average air temperatures and mild ground frost temperatures.

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Yield 2019 Next vintage could be a bumper crop THE PREDICTION model for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc yields is indicating an above average crop next year, assuming climate and vineyard management is typical. Marlborough Plant & Food Research senior scientist Dr Mike Trought says the model uses information from the initiation period, between December 2017 and January 2018, to predict potential yields. Initiation averages from that period were the third highest since he began running the model in 1988, indicating a potential bumper crop in 2019. “There’s a long way to go before then, but at the moment things are looking well above average. Assuming an ordinary flowering, we are looking in the top quartile.” However, he notes that flowering can seriously change the outlook, increasing or decreasing the potential yields, as happened in the lead-up to the 2018 harvest, when perfect flowering conditions saw a boost to

Jim Tannock

yield estimates for the vintage. The subsequent summer rainfall and disease pressure in vintage 2018 dropped the actual yields down, showing there’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip. Pruning decisions and cane size,

along with the carbohydrate reserves in the vines, also have an impact, with reserves determining how well the shoots grow in the spring and the cane size determining the number and structure of the bunches, says Mike.

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Remarcable Rethinking grape marc solutions SOPHIE PREECE As Marlborough’s vineyard land grows, so does its grape marc. Photo by Richard Briggs

MARLBOROUGH’S WINE industry may face major grape marc challenges in vintage 2019, after the doors closed on a massive composting facility. Many companies had seen GrowCo as a simple solution to the spiralling problem of marc - the skins, stems, seeds and pulp left over after grapes are pressed for wine, says Mark Wheeler, chief executive of the Marlborough District Council (MDC). That means the wine community needs a “rethink” of their approach, he says. “If you are not going to have an industry-wide solution, each individual needs a solution that works.” GrowCo received resource consent from the MDC last year to build a facility that would take up to 40,000 tonnes of grape marc a year, promising a welcome answer to the increasingly concerning question of what to do with grape marc. But in May this year the company sent an email to clients, explaining that it would not be in a position to take grape marc next vintage. “GrowCo has experienced many issues with compliance from inception and this last vintage has been no exception,” the email stated. Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Vance Kerslake says grape marc is a continuing challenge for the industry. “There is just going to be more of it, so coming up with new ways to manage our grape marc is important.” The industry trades on

10 / Winepress August 2018

its sustainability credentials - “being clean and green” - and has to live up to that brand promise. “Grape marc that is not handled correctly can lead to environmental damage and that can lead to enforcement action - that’s not good for Marlborough’s wine brand or an individual company’s brand reputation,” he says. “There are various options for dealing with grape marc, but doing nothing is not one of them.”

“If you are not going to have an industrywide solution, each individual needs a solution that works.” Mark Wheeler The MDC’s environmental scientist for land management, Matt Oliver, says council is very aware of the predicament industry faces for vintage 2019, with grape marc

volumes soaring as producing vineyard expands. “While some large companies are planning a larger scale facility, they are unlikely to be able to accommodate the total volume produced,” he says. When stored incorrectly, grape marc creates leachates that pose an environmental risk for waterways and soil, and following vintage 2016 the council issued abatement notices to several companies for their storage of grape marc, and proceeded to prosecute some of them. Matt says council is obliged to respond when the Resource Management Act is breached, but that takes a lot of ratepayer money and time that they would prefer to save. Council also has an obvious interest in helping protect the reputation of the wine industry, which is so vital to the economic security of the region, he adds. “What we would like to do is work with industry to avoid those things happening. Council will be surveying wineries pre-vintage to assess how planning is going.” Rather than being seen as a “nosy parker” that tells people what to do, council would like to help companies from the outset, says Matt, who has worked 15 years in the wine industry. “They will have to think about it before next vintage, and well in advance.” Some options for grape marc are listed on page 11. Matt Oliver says there are three

obvious grape marc options currently available to companies: 1. Give it to a stock feed company. This is seen as easy, because a trucking company picks it up and the farmer pays for that service and gets free stock feed, says Matt. But good practice requires the wine company to know where it’s going, what it will be used for and how it will be stored. “Talk to the trucking company. Talk to the farmer. Know what is happening to it. We are just asking the wineries to take a bit of social responsibility and say ‘this could be a problem, so let’s make sure it’s not’.” 2. Composting. This is still a valid method of dealing with grape marc and several wine companies are doing so with good results. But the pitfalls are huge, including the issue of leachates polluting waterways and aquifers, says Matt. “You really have to know what you are doing…It’s not a natural thing to put a 1000 tonnes of grape marc in one spot and expect there to be no effect.” Simply adding sawdust to grape marc causes it to putrify rather than compost, creating

leachates. To do it right, grape marc can only make up about 20% of your compost, so if you have 3,000 tonnes of grape marc you need a 15,000 tonne compost heap, filled with fresh grass, vine prunings, hay and manure, to bring the nitrogen content up. Weekly turning is also required along with effective methods of containing leachate. 3. Spread it direct to land. This is the option council is keen on right now, with a few “lightweight” restrictions to the permitted activity. Matt says about a quarter of the harvested fruit will return to the vineyard as grape marc and recommends putting it inter row at a maximum depth of 50mm. With grass below and prunings on top, by the end of winter it will be gone. The concept seems simple, but he admits the resources required - a tractor and a spreader - will need to be sourced by many companies. There are also logistical issues, because people using a contractor will want their own marc in their own vines. “But if you can get 10 tonnes of grapes from a vineyard to winery for a

duly appointed time to be crushed and pressed and turned into wine, you should have the ability to get a quarter of that spread out in the vineyard.” They might have to plan, assign a staff member and buy a spreader, he says. “But there’s also a huge opportunity for a contractor here to say ‘I have trucks, I have tractors and guys prepared and ready to go. All you need to do is tell me when your grape marc is being pressed and I will come and take it away from the winery.’ For larger companies the solution is likely to require the temporary storage of grape marc awaiting spreading, but he says that responsible short term storage wouldn’t be an issue in the short term. “If you were storing it for six months you will cause problems. But planning for temporary storage with good leachate control ahead of spreading would be possible.” Anyone considering composting or the short or long term storage of grape marc should call council’s winery waste team - Rachel Neal or Matt Oliver - on 520 7400

Good Marcs A number of Marlborough wine companies have long front -footed their grape marc responsibilities, including Lion’s Wither Hills winery. When the company put in a new receival area five years ago, they added two sealed and bunded grape marc bays to the winery, which allow them to pile up grape marc during vintage, and capture any moisture as it drains away. Three large piles are temporarily stored on the pads, and then collected by an employee whose full time role over harvest is to collect and spread the grape marc around the vineyard adjoining the winery, apart from the organic blocks. Viticulture Operations Manager Samantha Scarratt says they are lucky that the vineyard and winery are so close, and that the parent company is large enough to invest in the facilities, machinery and staff required. “We spread it as much as possible at the start of harvest, but after the peak period

we get quite a mound going on.” At that stage they put in on a truck and take it to the back of Wither Hills’ Taylor River vineyard, to another storage pad that is suitable for holding the marc until the pressures of harvest ease and it can be spread onto the vineyard. The Taylor River pad and tanks were put in nearly a decade ago, as the original marc pad and compost making location, but now, “through necessity”, have become a great place to store marc before spreading, says Samantha. She says spreading grape marc is not the perfect solution, but it has proved a good option for the company. While disease is not a Winepress August 2018does / 11 concern for her, the viticulture team check soil samples each year, to ensure the marc is not compromising vineyard health. “It’s about trying to make sure we are rotating where we spread it and not spreading too much,” she says. “You have to work at it.”

“We spread it as much as possible at the start of harvest.”

Samantha Scarratt

A Good Spread SOPHIE PREECE

WAITING FOR a silver bullet to hit Marlborough’s grape marc issues is asking for trouble, says Wairau River Winery Operations Manager Nick Entwistle. “Many have been pinning their hopes to a large scale single solution that solves everyone’s problem at once. But I think everyone has to take charge of their own waste streams.” Nick has spent more hours than most pondering winery waste, both in his role at Wairau River - where they spread marc directly back to the vineyard around the winery - and as a Wine Marlborough board member, where he realises that a good fit for one company may not work for another.

“The improper storage and disposal of grape marc by some is a real blight on our industry.” Nick Entwistle “This is a problem we have all seen coming,” he says of concerns over marc prospects for vintage 2019. “The improper storage and disposal of grape marc by some is a real blight on our industry, and still people continue to bury their heads in the sand.” 12 / Winepress August 2018

Nick with the purpose built marc spreader

It’s been many years since Wairau River began dressing rows with grape marc over vintage, taking advantage of 40 hectares of vineyard surrounding the winery, which can easily handle the marc generated from their production. The system has evolved over the years, both in response to changes in regulations, including allowable nitrogen loads, and also as a result of experience. That means the old spreader trailer, which once dropped occasional clumps of grape marc across the vines, resulting in some thick patches and some thin, now has paddles that disperse the marc as it is spread, ensuring a light and even layer. The modification has worked so well that they built a second identical trailer from scratch, and have both operating over vintage. “Spreading it back is not the perfect solution, but if you do it at

the right level we haven’t seen any detriment to our vineyards,” Nick says. It is certainly preferable to piling it up long term, resulting in leachate run off, he adds. While composting is an ideal scenario, it is technically and logistically challenging, particularly in large-scale operations, he says. And when it’s not done properly, the outcomes are poor for the environment and the company, with potential for abatement notices. When spreading the marc, Wairau River uses nitrogen calculations, to ensure not too much goes out. They also regulate the thickness so there’s no anaerobic decomposition, and leave un-spread areas around boundaries and waterways, and avoid spreading near neighbouring houses. They also do it straightaway, throughout harvest, so that no marc storage is required. “Timing is a really

big thing for us, because we don’t have a big marc pad,” Nick says. Having two trailers and two operators means they can take their time in spreading it, getting a better result and utilising the available area more effectively, he adds. “Then in the off-season, before pruning starts, we send a tractor through with a mulcher on the back. That picks up any thicker areas and spreads them out. At that point it breaks down pretty quickly.” The areas are then mulched again with the prunings, “and by the time it gets to summer, you wouldn’t be able to say there had been any marc there”. Wairau River has not had issues with disease or pests spreading through grape marc, but he recommends a precautionary approach, with a careful consideration given to marc spread from another block that has been under pressure. While it’s a good solution for

Wairau River and Wither Hills (see pg 13), Nick appreciates that spreading grape marc won’t work for everyone, particularly if it needs to be trucked from the winery to another site. And if contractors are employed by wineries, growers may be concerned that the marc they are spreading is not their own, raising the spectre of disease transfer. “There needs to be some sort of discussion around that. If you are putting anything on your vineyard you

need to know what it is and where it is coming from.” Looking forward, he thinks other solutions may be created, including the likes of composting grape marc on site in silage bags, for later distribution. One way or another, growers and wineries need to find the best way to deal with grape marc, he says. “It is often at the bottom of the list but it is something you have to do as part of your business.”

Clean compost Nautilus has been composting its grape marc for more than a decade, using the Bokashi anaerobic method to create an under vine mulch. The company makes around 300 cubic metres of compost each year by combining approximately 250 tonnes of grape marc with aged bark and lime on a concrete pad, where leachates can be collected. The pile is inoculated with effective microorganisms (EM) then covered and left for three to four months to ferment and break down.

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Benchmarking 2018 Rising costs, static prices and wild weather hit vineyard profits Photo by Richard Briggs

TWO TOUGH seasons in a row have taken their toll on Marlborough grape growers’ morale and profit, according to this year’s Vineyard Benchmarking report. Only half of the 47 respondents felt positive about their business, compared with more than three quarters in 2017, partly due to the weather, it says. “A number of growers are concerned that prices are remaining static, yet costs are going up, reducing profitability and leaving increasing yield as the only way to maintain or improve returns.” The report, released by New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) late last month, shows a decrease in yields and increase in costs for Vintage 2018, with profits before tax dropping 14% on 2017 and 8% on the five-year average. However, growers are “cautiously optimistic” regarding the year ahead, forecasting a 6% increase in crop for vintage 2019 and prices consistent with the 2018 average of $1930 per tonne, the report says. “Underlying industry confidence remains strong, with some concern around labour, climate change, biosecurity and succession.” The Vineyard Model seeks to typify an average Marlborough vineyard, based on 30 producing hectares, using data and interviews from 47 vineyards, including 12 in the Awatere Valley and five that are BioGro certified. The report notes that the season

14 / Winepress August 2018

started nicely, with perfect flowering conditions and excellent fruit set. But 315mm of rain for the months of January, February and March - 260% of the long-term average - hit the region hard. Regular rainfall and warm temperatures boosted disease pressure and vegetative growth, and rain events around harvest caused quality issues with botrytis and put pressure on operators. Winemakers report that despite the difficult conditions they are generally very pleased with what’s in the tank, although there is less than expected. The model vineyard average yield was 12.7 tonnes per hectare, which is a 4% decrease compared with the 2013-17 average, but still 4% up on the 10-year average. Sauvignon Blanc yields of 14 tonnes per hectare were 5% down on the five-year average. The average grape price was $1930 per tonne, which is up 5% on 2017, partly due to less production and fewer quality penalties. Sauvignon Blanc is the main driver of price, at $1825 per tonne, up 4% on 2017. Only 1.3% of Sauvignon Blanc over winery yield limits was sold at the lower price (an average of $990 per tonne), compared with 2.5% in 2017 and 5% in 2016. Working expenses of $11,135 per hectare were up 3% on the previous vintage, which is a big step up from 2012, when expenses were tallied at $7,647 per hectare. The expenses of the 2018 model vineyard were 15% higher than the average of 2013-17. Disease, pest and weed control costs climbed,

with the labour component up 12% on 2017, and chemical costs up 10%. Labour expenses in general rose 6% on 2017, reflecting both increased labour rates and extra canopy management and mowing costs. Growers can see expenses jumping again in 2019, as the minimum wage increases, the report says.

Risky Business Growers’ concerns for the future include • Climate Change: Recent wet vintages are a sign of general climate change that will cause more frequent extreme and negative weather events • Pests and Disease: The increasing time and expense required to combat diseases, pests and weeds • Labour: increasing labour costs and labour shortages • Reputation: A number of growers expressed concern about commoditisation of Sauvignon Blanc with high volume and low prices •Brand Marlborough: Allowing 15% out of region juice in blends and a perceived lack of control of bulk wine once overseas •Biosecurity: Psa in kiwifruit and Mycoplasma bovis in the dairy industry are reminders of the risks To see the full Vineyard Benchmarking report go to nzwine.com

Marlborough Model - 2018 Viticulture Benchmarking Key Performance Indicators

Profit Before Tax

$10,000 14%

$10,000 $6,100

Profit $ Per Ha Last 5 years

Per Hectare

Working Expenses Per Hectare

$24,690

$11,135

to June 2018

$11,600

per hectare

to June 2018

Income

$14,800

$12,300

EBIT1 total capital, for the Model

5.2%

to June 2018

13% 5%

Production

Average Yield

S Blanc Yield

12.7 tonnes per hectare

9% Vintage 2019 Outlook

14.0 tonnes per hectare

10%

1 Earnings before interest and tax reflects vineyard profit before tax and interest payments, then relates this figure to total capital employed.

Price

S Blanc Price

$1,825 dollars per tonne

grape grower view as at May 2018

Growers are cautiously optimistic regarding the year ahead with growers forecasting a sizable crop up 6 percent on the outturn achieved in 2018. Growers also anticipate similar grape prices, in 2019. Underlying industry confidence remains strong, with some concern around labour, climate change, biosecurity and succession.

*figures are rounded for ease of reading

MARLBOROUGH VINEYARD MODEL The Marlborough model remains at 30 producing hectares and for 2018 data was sourced from 47 vineyards. 12 vineyards are located in the Awatere Valley and 35 vineyards in the Wairau Valley. There are 33 contract growers and 14 winery operated vineyards in the survey group. Seven of the vineyards are 0-10 hectares, 11 are 10-20 hectares, 17 are 20-50 hectares and 12 are 50 nzwine.com 1 hectares or larger. Sauvignon Blanc is the dominant grape variety in the model representing 77 percent of the producing area, followed by Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Five vineyards are BioGro NZ certified.

Winepress August 2018 / 15

Recruitment Survey Plenty of jobs but no one to fill them SOPHIE PREECE

MARLBOROUGH’S WINE industry is far from alone in its labour woes, according to responses to a recruitment survey sent out last month. Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Vance Kerslake sent the survey to employers in a range of Marlborough industries, including forestry, aquaculture and tourism, to question how they are filling roles. “Marlborough’s growth depends on attracting, accommodating and supporting a growing number of workers,” he wrote in a letter introducing the survey. “As part of Wine Marlborough’s strategy for responding to growth, we need good quality information about recruitment challenges.” The survey was driven by the Workforce Planning and Development work stream in Wine Marlborough’s White Paper strategy. “They felt that the next most important course of action was to get some good quality information,” says Vance. Gaining a better understanding of the size of the issue will allow industry, government and the Marlborough District Council to jointly address the issues of attracting and retaining employees, he says, “because these challenges are wider than the wine industry and bigger than we can solve on our own”. Early responses from a wide range of industries have confirmed the anecdotal message that employers in every industry are facing the same barriers, says Vance. “If there’s one surprise, it’s maybe that while we knew that companies were struggling to

16 / Winepress August 2018

There are a range of jobs available in the wine industry, from bookwork to lab work, winery to vineyard. Photo Richard Briggs

recruit highly skilled staff and people for professional and technical roles, actually we are seeing that companies have difficulty recruiting more or less across the board.” He says the biggest barriers for wine industry employers fall into two

“These challenges are wider than the wine industry and bigger than we can solve on our own.” Vance Kerslake camps - one is the undeniable fact of Marlborough’s low unemployment figures, exacerbated by the stellar growth in many industries. But there’s also fiction, with a widespread perception that all wine jobs are low paid, he says. “It’s very clear from the

feedback on the publicity around the survey that many people think that the wine industry in particular only has seasonal low paid jobs,” he says. “Whereas the reality is that there are plenty of permanent well-paid vacancies.” It’s a myth the industry can bust, “but it will take a concerted effort over time”, he says. The results of the survey will be shared “far and wide”, says Vance. “Wine Marlborough has held three successful labour summits for the wine industry. We are really hoping that the next labour summit will be a pan industry event led by council and supported by us.” Marlborough District Council economic development advisor Alistair Schorn says the survey results will provide a “useful evidence base” for council’s work on employment attraction, skills development and innovation in Marlborough. “We are also working with our counterparts in Nelson City and Tasman District on economic development initiatives for the Top of the South, and the survey will be helpful for that too.”

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Tuku Collective Five Māori winemakers join forces SOPHIE PREECE The Tuku Collective. Left to right, Hayden Johnston (Kuru Kuru Wines), Haysley MacDonald (te Pā Family Vineyards), Royce McKean (Tiki Wine & Vineyards), Jeff Sinnott (Ostler Wine), and Steve Bird (Steve Bird Wines)

HAYSLEY MACDONALD can picture a team of suits “biffing” darts at a map, to find a Māori place name for their wine. “The sad part is that there are a lot of companies that think it’s trendy to have something Māori, but they have no connection. No anything,” says the founder of te Pā, whose ancestors landed at the Wairau Bar 800 years ago. “We are seeing a lot of that - not only here but we are seeing it abroad.” He is speaking after the launch of Tuku, a collective of te Pā and four other Māori winemakers - Hayden Johnston of Kuru Kuru Wines, Royce McKean of Tiki Wine & Vineyards, Jeff Sinnott of Ostler Wine, and Steve Bird of Steve Bird Wines - whose indigenous stories begin not with a dart, but with a waka, and the forbears that first landed in New Zealand. “It is what we are and who we are,” says Haysley. “At the end of the day we are only telling our own stories and the way that we live and breathe. It’s not anything special. It’s just day-to-day life.” 18 / Winepress August 2018

However, there’s no doubt that those stories have marketing oomph in a world with an appetite for provenance, he says. “We hear brand stories that are great, and they are maybe 20 or 25 years old. Ours is a lot older than that.” All of the companies have long views forward, as well as back, with future generations always in mind, says Haysley. “We have a 300 to 500 year plan.” Important Māori concepts like whakapapa (lineage), manaakitanga

(hospitality), whanaungatanga (kinship), turangawaewae (place) and kaitiakitanga (environmental guardianship) are so closely aligned to the aspirations of wine marketing, that it’s easy to see why Māori branding and stories are so sought-after on the world stage. For each of the wine companies involved in Tuku, those concepts are second nature, passed through families and integral to the winery philosophies, says Haysley. “We

Hui with Alibaba The five wine companies in Tuku are also part of the new Hui Māori Collective, which comprises 13 companies and a range of premium products. The Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta says it will be the first Māori business collective to have a presence on one of China’s main e-commerce platforms, Tmall Global, which is part of the Alibaba Group. Their Māori-branded product suite will be hosted on NZ Post’s flagship store on Tmall Global. Chinese customers can order online, and NZ Post will then package the order from its airport warehouse and send direct to Chinese consumers in a partnership with China Post, she says. “It is exciting to see Māori companies combine their products in such an innovative manner for an important export market.”

all pretty much sing from the same hymn book. The beauty of us being collaborative at this stage is that the common goal is Māori and to have our values and desires at the forefront.” The companies also happen to cover the country, so that the cooperative can offer the full breadth of New Zealand’s wine offering. The businesses will still operate as individuals in the market, but come together when there are events or opportunities that require a combined effort. That includes the Hui Māori Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, Collective, established to give a engari he toa takitini: My success group of 13 companies a presence is not mine alone, as it was not the on Tmall Global, which is part of work of one, but the contribution of the e-commerce Alibaba Group the collective. Māori Proverb (see sidebox). te Pā marketing manager authentic and safe. “We have the Mikela Dennison-Burgess says ancient history in the story of families one of the most exciting parts of like Haysley’s, as well as this exciting the Hui Collective is the work with and innovative model,” says Mikela. AsureQuality to provide “absolute The new quality assurance model will traceability”, using cutting edge verify the vineyard and bottling of the blockchain technology that will give wines, as well as the authenticity of customers assurance that the wine is

the indigenous story. Once verified, each member company will be able to use the AsureQuality assurance mark on all their products, she says. “There is a real rigour around the programme, which is really exciting. We see applications not only in China but all around the world.”

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Winepress July August / 19

Marlborough Wine Show A celebration of Marlborough’s success THE MARLBOROUGH Wine Show is recognition of more than just award winning wines, says chair of judges Jack Glover. “It is something celebrated by yourself and your peers. I think that if delivered well, the entire week, and particularly the celebration on the Friday, can be an event the industry as a whole looks forward to with anticipation.” Wine Marlborough bought the show last year, and has adjusted the format to have a celebration lunch on October 26, in lieu of the black tie dinner. “We won’t tinker with the delivery of the competition, because the process is already world class, but we saw the chance to put our stamp on the celebration,” says Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens. “We see it as the opportunity to bring the whole industry together to celebrate its success.” It is easy to forget just how far Marlborough’s wine industry has come, and the global recognition it has achieved, he adds. “We are used to riding this wave of success. It’s good to pause and think about how incredible it is.” The 2018 event will include a Lifetime Achievement award, as well as other awards that recognise some of the “unsung heroes” of the industry, says Marcus. “There are so many people that work under the radar, but make such a difference to our industry.” Belinda Jackson and Margaret Cresswell started the event eight years ago, and Wine Marlborough will retain the unique aspects they developed, including judging wines in sub regional classes, and a Legacy class to recognise the ability of Marlborough wines to age

20 / Winepress August 2018

well across a range of varieties. The wines, which must be produced from a minimum of 95% Marlborough grapes, are judged by three panels of judges, including qualified and experienced local winemakers as well as non-winemaker judges, such as wine educators and writers. Jack says one of the reasons he joined the Marlborough Winegrowers board was with the hope he could help Wine Marlborough become more

“We see it as the opportunity to bring the whole industry together to celebrate its success.” Marcus Pickens involved with the show, recognising its key role in supporting and celebrating the local industry The job now is to building on what Belinda and Margaret have done, he says. “The wine show and celebration,

if done right, is a fantastic way of giving the industry an opportunity to get together - not only to celebrate those that have entered the show, but to recognise the industry as a whole.” Jack says the calibre of judges is high, with a selection of international judges and local winemakers, with a balance of knowledge. “The intention with any show is to make sure we have some diversity. We want to make sure we have a combination of the best that is available, while also developing new talent.” The chair’s role is to ensure there is a team of judges and an environment that gets good results but is also enjoyable, he says. “So that we give the Marlborough Wine Show a reputation as one of the shows to be involved in.” Key dates August 27 Entries open September 21 Entries close October 15-17 Judging and industry tastings October 26 Awards lunch

1.7 Copy Photo description A photo description field has been added in each template allowing you to enter text over images within the template, rather than photoshopping the text within the images prior to uploading. This function ensures all text is in the same position, font and size across all ads. The text will appear in the bottom left hand corner of the photo selected. This feature is intended to be used to display information critical to the sale of the property. It should not be used to include sentences about certain features of the property. Examples of suitable descriptions are noted below: • Boundary lines are indicative only • Photo not taken from site • Artist’s impression

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1.9 Photography Professional photography is a minimum requirement for all properties advertised by Bayleys. For images to be good enough to reproduce on a printed page, they need to be high resolution. The picture must consist of at least 300dpi (dots per inch) at the size that is to be reproduced. You will lose quality if you enlarge the image and this will make the image pixelate. It will look out of focus and will degrade the image, having large ‘dots’ or ‘squares’ in it. Therefore photographs must be taken at high resolution and they must be large enough in size to be reproduced in print. Any photos taken on cell phones, or downloaded/screenshotted from websites such as Google Maps or Property Guru cannot be accepted. All photos promoting properties for sale or lease need to be taken in colour. They can then be retouched by a professional as required e.g. brightening/blueing the sky, removing graffiti or competitor agency signs etc. However, please ensure this isn’t taken too far with the end result becoming a misrepresentation of the actual property. Importantly, please avoid using any filters/treatments or altering the colours within the image at all. Your photographer should be briefed thoroughly prior to commencing the job, and ideally shown examples of how the photos will be used across various marketing channels including print, online and outdoor. This way they can be sure to capture the angles required, with sufficient landscape and portrait options. As people are increasingly viewing listings on mobile phones, these portrait photos will become increasingly important to ensure we are displaying properties for sale in the best possible light. Any artist’s impressions, maps or subdivision plans should be drawn professionally and signed off by a member of the Bayleys Realty Group marketing team prior to use. Remember you need to be able to read any text displayed within a plan.

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Winepress August 2018 / 21

Wine of the Year Amalgamation and celebration of national wine awards Ben Glover

THE NEW Zealand Wine of the Year Awards replaces the Bragato and Air New Zealand Wine competitions, while retaining the best of both, says deputy chair of judges Ben Glover. The new competition will adopt the Bragato Wine Awards’ focus on growers and single vineyard wines, while also showcasing New Zealand wine excellence on a larger scale, which was a key objective of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Ben, who was chair of the Bragato judges, admits it will be a challenge to protect - not dilute - the unique attributes of both events, “like combining the Academy, Emmy and Bafta awards into one show”. But he is confident that he and chair of judges Warren Gibson will be able to use the best and shed the rest, creating an event that celebrates the people, their turangawaewae and their wines. “I think what came out of the PWC review of New Zealand Winegrowers is that they need the event as a space to get together and celebrate the industry. So, the awards dinner won’t

22 / Winepress August 2018

just be about wine, it will be about the people,” he says. “It will be an industry celebration with a collegial feel, because the only other time we see people is at some trade fair in Shanghai.” The Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year and Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year will be

“It will be an industry celebration with a collegial feel.” Ben Glover celebrated at the event, as will a new organic trophy, something Bragato was on the cusp of introducing. John Clarke, New Zealand Winegrowers board chair, says the

New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards is a “fresh approach” to celebrating excellence in New Zealand wine. “The opportunity to recognise the achievements of our grape growers and winemakers in one competition is exciting.” Warren, who was chair of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, says the new competition is an exciting opportunity to “completely refresh” the country’s wine awards scene. “The New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards 2018 is more than an amalgamation of the previous two; it is the development of a new, fresh and exciting format. The focus is strongly towards celebrating the entire New Zealand wine industry, with a particular focus on vineyard excellence and regionality.” Entries for the New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards open on August 1, with the winners celebrated at the New Zealand Wine Awards on Saturday, November 3 in Wellington.

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Winepress August 2018 / 23

Wine Mentors Women in Wine initiative kicks off SOPHIE PREECE

A NEW nationwide mentoring programme is a fantastic opportunity for ambitious women within the wine industry, says Women in Wine national coordinator Nicky Grandorge. Women in any role within the wine industry were invited to apply to become a mentor or mentee in the sixmonth pilot project, with the calibre of entries very high, says Nicky. The mentors - Carol Bunn, Natalie Christensen, Erica Crawford, Jane Hunter, Priscila Muir, Jen Parr, Kate Radburnd and Tracy Taylor - met in Auckland last month for a training and networking session. “Having eight highly experienced women in wine in one room, who are passionate about wine and the future of our industry, created a very exciting and dynamic buzz,” says Nicky. “It sets a very high standard for the mentoring programme from the very start.” The bespoke programme was created by Fiona Fenwick, who is a member of the Marlborough Women in Wine group and has launched successful mentoring programmes in the past. Mentoring helps an individual stretch themselves, face challenges and learn how others face

Women in Wine mentors

a situation, she says. It is not about learning a template to follow, but about finding inspiration. “It is an amazing process and I have seen mentoring work incredibly well.” Fiona notes that it is not just the mentees who learn from the experience, but the mentors as well. While the pilot project is for women, she looks forward to the initiative becoming available industrywide in the future. Yealands winemaker Natalie Christensen says the one-on-one project struck her as one of the most beneficial aspects of Women in Wine, so she put her hand up to be a mentor. “I have been really lucky moving through my career, but there are always challenges that crop up here and there,” she says. Natalie has not had a formal mentor of her own, but says she has always been encouraged

and supported in her roles, including by Jane Cooper during her time in the Wairarapa. “I learned a lot from her. That helped me take the next step up.” Natalie, who is the youngest of the mentors at 37, says throughout her career there have been women in key positions in the wine industry. “I have never seen it as something that women cannot aspire to do.” New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan says mentoring is a great way to fast-track someone’s skills and knowledge. “This programme is going to play an important role in growing our future leaders and strengthening the wine industry as a whole. Not only does the individual benefit, but also those around them.”

Marlborough Women in Wine Jane Skilton had the room roaring at a Marlborough Women in Wine gathering last month, as she recounted stories from her upbringing in London and her training and career as a Master of Wine. Her father was a coalminer, her mother didn’t work, and no-one in her family drank wine, Jane told the guests, explaining that she more or less fell into working in wine. Amid hilarious stories of becoming and being a Master of Wine, she

24 / Winepress August 2018

talked of charging through obstacles along the way. More than 80 people attended the sold-out event at The Wine Station in Blenheim. Organiser Patricia Miranda-Taylor says the guests included wine and viticulture students, winemakers, viticulturists, marketers and executives from across the region. She says there will be more “fantastic events” before harvest 2019. For more information, go to the Women in Wine Facebook page.

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Winepress August 2018 / 25

Organics Booming New report shows appetite for organics SOPHIE PREECE

NEW ZEALAND’S organic sector has grown 30% since 2015, and is worth $600 million per year, according to the 2018 OANZ Organic Market Report. That includes a 13% increase in exports of organic New Zealand wine, to $46m. “The world wants what New Zealand has to offer,” says OANZ chief executive Brendan Hoare. “We have the capability to grow our share of the global market where the organic food segment alone is worth EUR85 billion and is growing at 10.5% a year.” He says the report clearly indicates that New Zealanders want to be part of the global movement towards sustainability. “At a time when humanity grapples with the complexity of global environmental, economic, social and health issues, organic continues to offer a solution that is profoundly simple.”

The 2018 Market Report includes a section on organic wine by Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) coordinator Rebecca Reider. The country’s organic wine sector continues to solidify its reputation as a source of premium quality wines, and “many of the country’s top wine producers are now certified organic”, it says. While only 4.6% of grapevine area in New Zealand was certified organic in 2017, more than 10% of the country’s wineries - 72 out of 677 - now hold organic certification. And the sector punches “well above its weight” in terms of accolades, the report says. For example, nearly

30% of the 67 wines selected for the Fine Wines of New Zealand 2018 list were certified organic, as were six of the 16 New Zealand wines chosen by a panel of Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers at a New Zealand Winegrowers’ trade tasting in Europe this year. “These results have become typical in the New Zealand wine industry,” the report explains. “Although less than 5% of the nation’s vineyard area is organic, curated lists of top New Zealand wines routinely feature 30% or more organic content.” Rebecca says the reason is likely down to both the nature of organic practices, and of the wineries involved.

Organic grapes vs organic wine New Zealand’s organic wine exports don’t tell the full economic story, says Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) coordinator Rebecca Reider. The numbers are skewed by the fact that a significant proportion of certified organic grapes in New Zealand are made into non-certified organic wine, she says. “Because the quantity of organic grapes going into non-organic or non-labelled organic wine is unknown, it is difficult to estimate the true total value of organic grape and wine production.” There are several reasons for the gap between organic grapes grown and organic wines sold, including the fact that some winegrowers choose organic viticulture for quality reasons alone, without the desire to have an organic label on the bottle, she says. Some wineries have converted large areas of vines to organic production, but will blend those grapes with non-organic fruit for particular blends, or use them in brands without organic 26 / Winepress August 2018

lines. “In some cases where organic conversion has been driven by vineyard and winery staff, marketing teams have not yet become motivated to market the wine as organic,” Rebecca says. “This sometimes reflects a gap in philosophies between viticulture/winemaking teams and corporate marketing departments.” Another key reason is that some organic wineries do not proclaim their organic status in certain markets. “For example, under US organic winemaking rules, most New Zealand organic wines can only be labelled ‘made with organic grapes’ rather than labelled as ‘organic wine’. Some New Zealand wineries therefore choose not to mention their organic status at all.” Finally, organic grape producers may sell their grapes to non-organic wineries, which pay a premium for the high quality of the fruit, but don’t have organic certification, says Rebecca.

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“Many organic grape growers report that organic production results in thicker skinned fruit, often with smaller berry sizes, and winemakers say anecdotally that these organic grapes generate more complex flavours,” she says in the report, also talking of a greater sense of place in organic wines. In the 2017-18 growing season,

there was a shortage of organic fruit on the grape market, with many wineries seeking to buy more organic fruit than they were able to obtain, the report says. “Some organic grape growers reported in 2018 that wineries paid prices 10% to 20% higher than average prices for conventional fruit.” Marlborough has 3.8% of its vineyard land under organic

certification, a statistic influenced by large new non-organic plantings, the report says. “However, smaller regions with a greater focus on artisanal production have higher percentages of organic vineyard area, including Central Otago (16.7% organic), Nelson (8.9%), North Canterbury (7.9%) and Wairarapa (7.4%).

From Churton, left, to Sherwood, right, Organic Wine Week is set to become an annual fixture

Organic Wine Week Next month’s Organic Wine Week will shine a light on the number, calibre and ethos of New Zealand organic wine producers, says organiser Stephanie McIntyre. The Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) inaugural event will run at top restaurants and retailers around New Zealand, London and beyond from September 17 to 23, which includes the Southern Hemisphere’s spring equinox. Stephanie says that as well as a chance to enjoy some incredible wines with fabulous food, the week is intended to educate consumers on why an organic wine choice is good for them and the environment. “Around 10% of New Zealand wineries now hold organic certification, including many of the country’s most acclaimed producers.” The events will also reveal the many ecological benefits of organic practices, including healthy soils and waterways, biodiversity, and a safe place for bees and other beneficial insects, she says. “Organic producers occupy a proud and

growing place in New Zealand wine.” Commonsense Organic, Huckleberry’s and Glengarry will host public organic wine tastings, and six of the country’s best restaurants - The Grove in Auckland, Bistronomy in Hawke’s Bay, Shepherd in Wellington, Arbour in Marlborough, Gatherings at Black Estate vineyard in Canterbury, and Sherwood in Queenstown - will host special events with organic winemakers over the week. Meanwhile in London, there’ll be masterclass with organic winemakers at New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) headquarters, a consumer tasting at the New Zealand Cellar and a New Zealand organic wine list focus at key restaurants. The week will also include an organic showcase at NZW tasting events in Warsaw and Hamburg. Organic Wine Week will continue as an annual event, with the intention of building momentum each year to become a global fixture, says Stephanie. “We invite organic winegrowers worldwide to join us in this celebration.”

“Organic producers occupy a proud and growing place in New Zealand wine.” Stephanie McIntyre

28 / Winepress August 2018

Winter Wonder Marlborough is spoilt for choice when it comes to winter entertainment. Here’s a taste of what’s being cooking. Photo Jim Tannock

Rock Ferry’s Winter Solstice celebration was such a success that they’re following it with an evening dedicated to the Spring Equinox. Sarah Robson says the solstice gathering had people standing around bonfires, drinking wine, listening to music by Midge McCleary, and eating food from the Karaka Cuisine food truck. “Winter is generally a time for hibernation and we wanted to break that cycle. The longest night of the year seemed the perfect opportunity.” Sarah says the seasons are a huge part of life at Rock Ferry Wines, and the Spring Equinox is another excuse for a celebration, with the Feast Merchants set to cater. The event will be held under the huge totara tree in the Rock Ferry gardens on September 22, from 6pm to 11pm. The Marlborough Book Festival drew hundreds of readers to beautiful locations, including Spy Valley’s cellar door, Hunter’s Wines, Dog Point Vineyards’ The Bell Tower and Cloudy Bay’s The Treehouse - pictured above, with Astrolabe’s Jane Forrest-Waghorn interviewing Poet Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh - photo by Jim Tannock. Spy Valley is planning more foodie forays, after the success of its Shepherd at Spy pop up restaurant last month. Chef Shepherd Elliot (pictured), from Wellington restaurant Shepherd, shared some of his dishes over two nights at the Spy Valley cellar door, assisted by Rory and Francis King of Feast Merchants, along with Shepherd restaurant manager Chelsea Godinet. Spy marketing manager Daniel Adriatico says the team also raided the Arbour kitchen to run the event - “lots of friends came on board”. Spy’s chief winemaker Paul Bourgeois selected a range of Spy wines to match each of the five courses. The match of the night was deemed the final course of caramelised kiwifruit, apple, Nutt Ranch hazelnut oat crunch, lime custard and kefir cream, paired with Spy Valley Iced Sauvignon Blanc 2015. The 7th annual Bastille Day at Clos Henri attracted more than 250 people for a day of terrine, pétanque and French food, among other entertainments. The “French market” welcomed all the visitors “à la Française”, says Cynthia Nolet. “You could have a French breakfast with a coffee and pain au chocolat, taste red or white wines, warm up with mulled wine, enjoy a French cassoulet or discover a speciality coming from this country - some chèvre chaud, delicious goat cheese with manuka honey on a piece of bread. All with background French live music.” She is already looking forward to next year’s event “rendezvous in 2019”.

Winepress August 2018 / 29

Circular Economy Nelson composting business doing the rounds SOPHIE PREECE

SALES OF compost to Marlborough vineyards have soared in recent years as companies look to nurture their soils, says Wholesale Landscapes Marketing Manager Jonathan McKeown. “The viticulturists are starting to talk about giving back to the land that has sustained them. And Steaming compost delivered to a Dillons Point Rd Vineyard. that matches in with our value proposition.” Wholesale Landscapes is a 40-year-old source for grape marc compost. Nelson company that takes waste streams from forestry With a mantra of innovative resourcefulness, Wholesale residue, freezing works, farming (sheep manure) and Landscapes sends its compost, mussel shell and fines to fisheries (from Nelson factories) to create dozens of piles Marlborough on the backloads of trucks delivering wood of steaming compost on a 35-acre block at Waimea West. chip from Marlborough to Nelson’s MDF plant, which would They also produce landscaping bark, crushed mussel shell, otherwise be empty, says Simon. potting mix and wood energy. Jonathan talks of the company’s business model as a sustainable circular economy, because it collects waste, thereby reducing another industry’s environmental impact, then uses that waste to create a resource that has environmental benefits for another industry. It is a business based on partnerships, from waste collection through to Agriculture and Viticulture resource delivery, and allows those partners to improve their environmental footprint, he says. Machinery Sales & Service Specialists When it comes to the compost, each pile is made up Introducing our new product range of materials that will give it a balance of nitrogen and ……..first shipment due late September! carbon, creating microbiology that heats the organic matter to 65 degC, before the pile is turned and tested for certain elements under strict BioGro criteria. “It’s a science”, says ‘Made in Italy with passion’ Simon Kemp, who is the company’s horticultural specialist, Established in 1920 offering a product range of 70 having worked with Wholesale Landscapes for nearly four machines with more than 250 models decades as its first ever employee. The piles are designed for Vineyard machinery: offset machines, in and out various destinations, with the FishGro and HortGro both rotary tillers, pruning machines, cultivators, disc geared towards vineyard health. harrows, mulchers New bio dynamic product line Simon has been dealing with Marlborough’s wine industry for the past 10 years, since the company (which now has 50 employees) developed its HortGro Compost specifically for soil conditioning and weed suppression in the wine industry. He says sales of that product have ratcheted up in recent years, “as they are finding an improvement in their quality of crop and weed suppression”. He also sells organic Viticulture Fines to several Sales: Jeremy Watts on 021 446 225 | jeremy@agrivit.co.nz 29 High Street, Renwick 7204, Marlborough Marlborough vineyards, for use as weed suppressant and 03 572 8787 | info@agrivit.co.nz | www.agrivit.co.nz soil conditioner in the vines, and also to provide a carbon 30 / Winepress August 2018

Winepress August 2018 / 31

So Sauvignon New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc the how, who and where ANNABELLE LATZ

NEW ZEALAND needs to showcase the diversity of Sauvignon Blanc. That was the message from Sarah Benson at the Lallemand Oenology Global Technical Wine Conference held in Blenheim in May, where she presented her consumer study on New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The Master of Wine student and wine buyer for the Co-op Wine team in the United Kingdom put four New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines, (herbaceous, tropical, citrus and barrel fermented styles) in front of 247 consumers, 24 journalists and 20 buyers. They were each asked for their preference, and comments on acidity/ freshness, mouthfeel, and body. Overall, the style of a citrusdriven Sauvignon Blanc was favoured. The majority of the consumers used words like “fresh, fruity and strong” to describe their preferred ‘citrus’ style of wine. “Does this mean ‘fresh?’” Sarah asked. “Perhaps we need to talk more about how a particular vintage went, which relates to a wine style.” New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

32 / Winepress August 2018

is well Sauvignon Blanc Day 2018 in London represented in the UK - it makes up 43% of that segment, producers talk more about “how” compared to 22.93% from Chile, they craft their product, she told the 12.56% from South Africa, 10.38% from audience. “We need to talk about Australia, 7.22% from France and 3.54% ‘how the vintage went’.” The window from the USA. But the industry is to capture the wine audience is not failing to talk about diversity of wine a huge one, given that the average with consumers, attract consumers, time spent in the wine aisle is seven and retain them, Sarah said. Beer seconds and only 14% of annual purchases at a Co-op include wine, Sarah said. Co-op makes up 9% of the off trade market in the UK, with 2,800 stores - one in every postal district. “How do we get more people excited about wine, and want to spend money on wine?” Sarah asked. Fellow UK Conference speaker MW Dirceu Vienna Junior, said the New Zealand wine industry needs to send out a message about the importance of the sub regions, in association with diversity of wine styles. “Target the customer with more selection; this is what New Zealand needs.”

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Top Winemakers Grove Mill’s Greg Lane takes top title at young winemaker event SOPHIE PREECE

ROLLING WINE barrels, cracking eggs, tasting at speed, and filling a bucket of water one carefully aimed spit after another. These are just some of the tasks eight young winemakers rushed to complete at the South Island Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year competition last month. But folding a wine packaging box seemed the most challenging task of the Vin Olympics, with most of the winemakers ignoring the flat pack instructions and ending with an alarmingly one dimensional product. The Vin Olympics is the lighthearted public face of the Young Winemaker Competition, but the rest of the day saw the entrants tested on all aspects of winemaking, from fault finding and fork lift driving to the blending and pitching of a wine. Grove Mill’s Greg Lane (see pg 36) took the title, with Kelly Stuart from Cloudy Bay claiming second place, giving Marlborough the two top spots amongst contestants also from Otago, North Canterbury and Nelson. The competition included blending a Rosé for the UK market, keeping a careful eye on the proportion of juice from other areas, and the use of added sugar, says Greg. “There were a few traps set up, but it’s all the exact same realities you face when you are blending wine anyway, so it was quite cool.” Greg, who is brand winemaker with Grove Mill at Foley Family Wines, showed consistency throughout the day, taking wins in the speech, 34 / Winepress August 2018

blending and forklift modules. But he faltered at the box folding in Kelly Stuart from Cloudy Bay tastes wine at speed. Photo the Vin Olympics. Richard Briggs “I should be better the competitors performed extremely at it,” he laughs. “We do it here, well. “Their high level of knowledge so the warehouse guys were very and skill was impressive and speaks disappointed in my efforts.” Winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst volumes for the high-quality education and workplace training that is was on the judging panels for both the available within the New Zealand wine speech component and the marketing industry.” He says the event showcases pitch, and says both can be a tough the industry’s emerging talent, “and if challenge for the competitors. “For the results of this year’s competition them it’s trying to picture themselves in a room with buyers, and understand are anything to go by, the future is looking very bright”. what those buyers are looking for,” he Greg and Kelly will now go on says of the pitch. “It’s not something to represent the South Island at the you can teach at university - it more national final on August 20, vying for comes down to experience and the top title against the top two young obviously when you are a young winemakers from the North Island winemaker you don’t have that event. Along with the prestigious title, experience, so that can make it quite the winner will walk away with prizes tough for them. It definitely separates that include a trip to the Tonnellerie out the contestants.” de Mercurey cooperage in France and Anthony says the best in the field an associate judging position at the were those that blended and pitched Marlborough Wine Show. the wine with a consumer in mind. Photos on facing page by Richard “They had thought about what their Briggs. demographic was and what price point they would SOUTH ISLAND CONTESTANTS get based on that NAME EMPLOYER consumer. You also Peter Russell Matua need to talk a little Kelly Stuart Cloudy Bay Vineyards bit about the wine Emily Gaspard Spy Valley and where it’s from Greg Lane Foley Family Wines and the qualities Brad Frederickson Mount Brown Estate around it.” Cecile Neubauer Anchorage Winery Committee Ben Tombs Peregrine Wines chair Nick Abby Gallagher Central Otago Wine Company Entwistle says

Winepress August 2018 / 35

Generation Y-ine South Island Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year SOPHIE PREECE

ONE OF the things Greg Lane loves most about winemaking is the variation in every single day. “You could be blending wine, or writing reports, or driving a forklift, or doing a sales pitch,” he says from Grove Mill, where he’s the brand winemaker for Foley Family Wines. So one of the things he loved most about last month’s South Island Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year competition, was the way all those roles were squeezed into a day, in a “turbo charged version” of a winemakers role. “It covers everything you might do as a winemaker, but it jams it all in to eight hours, which is tough but quite good fun.” The 30-year-old Australian took the title at the South Island competition, which saw him blending a Rosé and pitching it to a panel of supposed UK buyers, fault finding, and competing in the Vin Olympics obstacle and test course. He won the speech component of the competition, for his talk on the future face of the New Zealand winemaker. “I said the things that will matter will be gender equality all the way to the top of the industry, and also potentially a global presence in the winemakers of New Zealand, with winemakers from different backgrounds to help hone in on markets.” He also spoke of a greater environmental awareness, “both in making wine more sustainable and representing the terroir and 36 / Winepress August 2018

characteristics of the New Zealand environment through the wine in a clearer and louder voice”. Greg Lane Greg grew up in Adelaide, where it’s easy to get a taste for the wine industry. He worked in vineyards in his holidays, studied science at school, and made plans to become a winemaker. “I loved the idea of the creative aspect of it and also the chance to travel, so it ticked all the boxes.” He graduated from the University of Adelaide in 2010, “then basically took off to do vintages wherever I could after that”. He alternated harvests in Australia and New Zealand, with those in America, Italy and France, but it was the vintages at Peregrine in Central Otago and Wither Hills in Marlborough that stuck. He and his partner Sarah -a Kiwi winemaker - moved to South Australia in 2013, spending one year in the Clare Valley and four in the Adelaide Hills. However, the plan was always to return to New Zealand and cool climate winemaking, says Greg. “We love the purity of the wines - the brightness. The varieties that you make in a cool climate translate the region and the site better, and that’s what I like in winemaking.” So he leapt at the opportunity to work for Foley Family Wines, moving

to the Grove Mill role in November last year. Foley bought the wine label, vineyards and winery in 2012 and the new style is still evolving, Greg says. “The brand has been around for a while, but it has been relaunched and rediscovered in New Zealand and Australia.” He runs the Grove Mill site and is responsible for its wines, but is also part of a team of winemakers from the company’s other brands, including Vavasour and Martinborough Vineyard. At blending time they come together, along with chief winemaker Alastair Maling, to work on their own blends and advise on the others, getting “some fresh eyes on your wines”, he says. “I think it’s a really good model that Foley are working with, which is keeping the wineries separate, with their own identity, not consolidated under one roof,” he says. “It is certainly not the cheapest way to do it, but I think it gets the best results.” Greg and second place getter Kelly Stuart will represent the South Island at the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year on August 20.

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Clockwise from top, Jaimee Whitehead, Ben Richards, BioStart Hortisports, Dan Warman

Young Vits Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year 2018 SOPHIE PREECE

ORGANISERS “REALLY ramped up the pressure” in this year’s Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year competition, says runner up Jaimee Whitehead, of Matua. Jaimee, who has competed in the event before, says this year’s design was a little “outside the box”, with complicated modules testing the viticulturists more than previous years. The pest and disease segment, for example, had three components - identification, compatibility and the typical exam component - she says. “So, a lot more scope in the one area and a lot more to cover in the 25 minutes. It is really testing your ability to perform under pressure.” Indevin’s Ben Richards (see pg 39) took out the title this year and will compete at the national competition for the second time, having represented Hawke’s Bay last 38 / Winepress August 2018

year. At the start of this year he moved to Marlborough, following a promotion to viticultural technician for Indevin. Dan Warman from Constellation came third in the Marlborough competition, which saw eight contestants put to the test at the Giesen Cellar Door. National coordinator Nicky Grandorge says it was great to see how some of last year’s competitors had developed and upskilled over the year, and to see new faces in the competition. “This shows the value of the competition to individuals as well as the industry as a whole as we grow our future leaders.” The BioStart Hortisports attracted a large crowd of supporters from the local vineyards as the contestants raced up and down completing tasks such as mixing sprays as well as putting together a hand sprayer. The rest of the competition included a wide

range of challenges including nutrition, pests and diseases, tractor knowledge, trellising and irrigation. Speeches at the awards dinner covered topics such as the benefits of the Women in Wine New Zealand initiative, and whether the vineyard manager’s name should appear on the wine label. The national final will be held at Palliser Estate on August 27 and the winner announced at the Bragato dinner on August 30 in Wellington. The national winner receives a prize package including a Hyundai Kona for a year, $5,000 AGMARDT Travel Grant, $2,000 cash, Bahco golden secateurs, glassware and a leadership week to travel around New Zealand and meet influential people from within the wine industry, as well as leaders from other industries.

Generation Y-ine Meet Marlborough’s Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year SOPHIE PREECE

BEN RICHARDS grew up on a Waikato dairy farm, but always knew the life of 4am milking wasn’t for him. Vineyard work at 4am, on the other hand, is part and parcel of a job he loves. The 23-year-old is fresh out of EIT, a viticultural technician for Indevin in Marlborough, winner of last month’s Marlborough’s Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year competition, and about to head to the national competition for the second time, having representated Hawke’s Bay last year. That’s a lot on one plate, but given Ben chose viticulture over winemaking because he deemed the latter too quiet outside vintage, it’s simply fuel to his work ethic. “I do love winemaking, but for a full time job I felt viticulture gave me a lot more to do. I like to keep busy.” And he is. The week before we speak, he’s on early morning shifts, out in the vines in the wee small hours. But this week, he has been head down in a literature review, assessing the technology developments for better crop estimates, so Indevin is up to speed with what is available or on the horizon. The company’s desire to stay abreast of research is one of the things Ben loves about working there. “They are willing to embrace change and look at new ideas and innovations and techniques. Because they are a bigger company, there’s a bit more money behind that, and they want to be industry leaders in those sorts of

things.” It’s a sentiment he shares, with aspirations to have a positive impact on the industry. “I want to help improve the new innovations side of things, and working with Indevin is good for that.” His own career path started when he was 15, looking beyond the cows, but knowing he wanted a job outdoors, that also tapped in to his love of science, travel and hospitality. A friend suggested he consider the wine industry or beer brewing “and I went from there”, he says. On finishing school, Ben went to EIT in Hawke’s Bay to learn winemaking and viticulture, and soon decided the vineyards were where his future lay. He was two years into his course when he started working for Indevin, first turning down a full time job concerned about his studies - then later accepting a position of a few days a week. The work assisted his studies, as he put lab and book knowledge to the test in the field. “You get the people that learn everything by the book, but then get out there and they don’t have any idea about the machinery or the equipment, and don’t know how to use it,” he says. “You definitely do need the theory and the practical knowledge.” It also helped to be able to ask questions of Indevin experts throughout the

country, when assignments had him stumped. Ben says Indevin has always been supportive, allowing him time off to study when required, and supporting his preparation for last year’s Young Viticulturist Competition. He came second, but was able to go to the nationals in Marlborough when the top contender went overseas. That coincided with the end of his studies, and a quick chat with the boss while he was in Blenheim saw Ben transferred to the province, where he has enjoyed working with the grower liaison, learning more skills along the way. “I like the growing of the plants and the technical side. I also enjoy driving the tractor and being out in the field,” he says. “I don’t want to be in a position where I haven’t done the job that one day I am telling someone else to do. If something goes wrong I need to know what, why and how. I don’t want to tell them to ‘go and do a job’ when they shouldn’t, because I don’t know the hazards of working in those conditions. It’s probably the way I have been brought up. I want to start at the bottom and work my way up.”

Winepress August 2018 / 39

Biosecurity Watch Boosting vineyard biosecurity: What drives your risk management decision making? DR EDWIN MASSEY

THIS WINTER, the ongoing response to Mycoplasma bovis has put biosecurity in the headlines. There is a growing awareness that biosecurity risk management is fundamental to protect the sustainability of New Zealand’s various primary production systems. Nonetheless, questions remain whether this growing awareness is actually stimulating behaviour change on the ground and leading individual members of these different industries towards implementing steps to manage biosecurity risk at the farm/vineyard gate. One of the key goals of the New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) Biosecurity Strategy is “members’ participation in biosecurity activities is maximized”. During June’s Grape Days science research and biosecurity road show, NZW conducted a basic biosecurity survey to better understand the level of biosecurity awareness and participation in our industry, and to assess the range of biosecurity risk management activities already underway. The results of this survey highlight the heterogeneity within the New Zealand wine industry. For some respondents, biosecurity risk management is part of their day-to-day business as usual. For others, there is a low level of

awareness and participation. For NZW, the survey results will help to guide our biosecurity activities in coming months. They highlight that there is more work to do to provide information on biosecurity and to show the benefits of implementing biosecurity best practice. Key results - awareness -56% of survey respondents were aware of the NZW Ensuring Vineyard Biosecurity Best Practice guidelines, originally released in 2017. These guidelines present members with guidance on how to manage biosecurity risk on their properties in the following areas: • Promoting vineyard biosecurity awareness and controlled access to the vines • Briefing visitors/personnel on biosecurity risk management • Implementing site gate standard operating procedures for machinery and biological materials • Ensuring appropriate wash down facilities • Tool hygiene • Biosecurity at harvest time https://www.nzwine.com/ media/6788/biosecurity_guidelinesfor-best-practice-2017-final-2.pdf -29% of respondents said that they were not aware of these guidelines,

while the remaining 15% suggested that they may have been aware of them but were not certain what they contained in any detail. These results highlight that there is an ongoing need to reinforce these key biosecurity messages and to push communication through a range of channels to ensure better pick up by members. Key results - Participation Implementing NZW’s best practice guidelines is the best way that individual members can protect their assets from biosecurity risk. Lessons identified during the current Mycoplasma bovis response, and the Psa response, which hit the kiwifruit industry earlier in the decade, highlight that putting these measures in place now, rather than during an incursion when there is little time to learn and adjust to how to carry them out effectively, is most effective at managing risk. The survey asked respondents to identify all of the biosecurity risk management activities they put in place on their properties. It’s a real

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL

CATCH IT . SNAP IT . REPORT IT . Call MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66 40 / Winepress August 2018

positive that 27% of respondents said that they conducted biosecurity surveillance as part of their regular pest and disease monitoring; while 21% of respondents ensured cleaning/sterilization of vehicles and equipment prior to use in the vineyard. It was more surprising that only 7% of respondents regularly included information on biosecurity risk management as part of vineyard staff training and that only 3% of respondents regularly displayed information on the wine industry’s most unwanted pests. These results don’t necessarily indicate a high level of complacency amongst the industry. It’s quite possible that some members implement activities, such as purchasing vines certified to the NZW Grafted Grapevine Standard, regular pest and disease monitoring, or controlling entry into the vineyard, as business as usual, without even thinking about biosecurity risk management. All of these activities are in fact important ways to mitigate potential biosecurity risk. These results highlight the important distinction between being aware that a particular threat exists and actually changing your behavior or your practices to actually mitigate this risk. For NZW it highlights the need for us to do more to support our members to make proactive biosecurity risk management decisions. Over the next 18 months we will be working more closely with members, face-to-face, to boost industry biosecurity capability and create a network of regional biosecurity champions that help encourage their peers to implement appropriate risk management activities at the vineyard gate. Biosecurity remains a key threat to the sustainability of the New Zealand wine industry. Through implementing vineyard biosecurity best practice, industry members have an excellent opportunity to mitigate this risk and potential financial losses. It’s your asset and your responsibility to protect it. If you are interested in helping promote industry biosecurity by becoming a regional biosecurity champion please contact NZW Biosecurity and Emergency Response Manager Ed Massey 021 1924 924 or Edwin.massey@ nzwine.com. If you see anything unusual in the vineyard don’t forget to Catch it: Snap It: Report it! Call the MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66.

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Industry News Election Wine Marlborough is urging companies to update the representative who can stand for the Marlborough Winegrowers board and vote in the upcoming election. If someone wants to stand for one of the board places, their name must be the name on the company representation form and that form needs to be with Wine Marlborough by 5pm August 20. Each company has one representative. The category you represent in the election (winery or grower) is based on what you pay the highest levy against. The listed company representative (normally owner, director, GM or CEO) will be notified of the voting group and current representative by August 15. Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens says he hopes people will talk about the election within their business, getting a feel for what the issues are and who would be best to represent them on the board. Nominations for the board open on August 23 and close on September 6. Voting opens on September 14 and closes October 1.

Rot Wine Bar in Wellington, was the winner of the Institute of Masters of Wine Prize. Anyone interested in learning more about the next tutorial can email info@familyoftwelve.co.nz

Living vineyards in London stations Brancott Estate planted a micro vineyard at Kings Cross Station, Waterloo Station and London Bridge Station last month, with plans to relocate the vines to London Paddington this month. Commuters have had the chance to speak to wine experts and wander through the vines, and some left with samples of Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc for their homeward journey.

The Participants 2018 - Bobby Clark, Lindsay Carr, Marek Przyborek, Benji Smith, Maciej Zimny, Rosie Finn, Liz Wheadon, Adam Balasoglou, Andres Aragon Perez, Fergus Trengrove, Mark Godden, Wayne Shennen

The Family of Twelve The Family of Twelve has hosted what it calls its “most ambitious educational event yet”, with 12 participants at a tutorial in Hawke’s Bay. Over three immersive days, participants were tutored and challenged in a series of blind tasting workshops tutored by Family members and external moderator, Master of Wine Emma Jenkins. Tutorial wine chair Blair Walter says “the workshops and dinners showcased the Family’s best amongst line-ups of fine and fascinating wines from many of the world’s greatest estates; a global context for fine New Zealand wine. Over the three days a small army of volunteer sommeliers 42 / Winepress August 2018

deftly poured some 3,600 wine tastes from 85 different producers, in 57 wine regions across 11 countries from Argentina to Georgia into hundreds of Riedel glasses”. Paul Donaldson, chair of the wine fraternity, says wine is all about people, “so tasting great wines in the company of industry peers, pioneering wine growers and Masters of Wine added a deep and memorable dimension to the learning experience of these future industry leaders.” Andres Aragon Perez from the Merivale Group in Sydney was named Tutorial Dux, and wins a trip to New Zealand to tour all 12 Family wineries, as well as a collection of the Family’s “hero” wines. Maciej Zimny, of Noble

Nigel Sowman amid Dog Point Vineyards’ native plantings

Environment Awards The 2018-2019 Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards are looking for entries from the wine industry that showcase initiatives that are good for business and good for the environment. The Wine Industry category, sponsored by Wine Marlborough, is aimed at vineyards, wineries and companies servicing the industry. Three of the six winners at the 2016-2017 environment awards were from the wine industry, including

the Supreme Award winner Dog Point Vineyards, which also won the Landscape and Habitat Enhancement category. Tohu won the Wine Industry Innovation category for its extensive research into organic methods of controlling brown beetle, and the Business Innovation category was won by SWE. There are prizes of $1,000$3,000 to be won and all entrants receive an independent judges’ report that highlights positive elements and suggests improvements. Entries close on September 28, 2018. More information including case studies and the online entry form: www.cmea.org. nz Real Estate Update Several larger vineyard blocks have transacted in recent months with the New Zealand Super Fund purchase of a large Awatere vineyard a “significant bite of confidence for the viticulture sector”, says Joe Blakiston of PGG Wrightson Real Estate. Winter has seen a reduction in buyer activity and only a few smaller vineyards have sold in recent months, with vendors content to maintain price expectations over the wet winter “and look to capitalise on what looks to be another positive spring selling season”, he says. Cloudy Bay goes Central Cloudy Bay has opened a new cellar door – the Cloudy Bay Shed - in Cromwell, Central Otago. Estate Director Yang Shen says the opening was the culmination of the hard work and vision of the team. “We are so happy to have found a home in Central Otago and look forward to sharing our wine and lifestyle with visitors to The Shed.” Cloudy Bay has been making wine from Central Otago since 2010. Sommit 2019 Master Sommelier Ronan Sayburn will co-host Sommit 2019 in Hawke’s Bay next year, alongside Master of Wine Stephen Wong. The Sommit brings 18 leading international sommeliers to New Zealand to learn about the country’s wine, including the lesser

Rabobank Wine Rabobank’s latest RaboResearch Wine Quarterly report says the US has emerged as the largest wine market in the world, “and by most measures, the most profitable and attractive”. However, while wineries – both foreign and domestic – recognise the profit potential of the market, it is also widely seen as an exceptionally-difficult market to penetrate, particularly for small wineries, it says. Major changes are occurring in how wine reaches the US consumer, says Stephen Rannekleiv, RaboResearch Global Strategist – Beverages. “Changes in technology, business models and market structure are disrupting the global wine market and creating new sets of winners and losers among wholesalers, retailers and suppliers.” Responding quickly to these changes “will determine who survives, who thrives, and who fades away”, he says. US wine imports rose 14% in value, but declined by 1% in volume, during the first two months of 2018, compared with the same period in 2017. Imports from New Zealand, Italy and France saw double-digit growth in value terms in that period, more than offsetting lower purchases from Germany, Argentina, Australia and Chile. Imports from New Zealand to the US rose by 55% in volume and 65% in value, with both bottled wine (+36%) and bulk wine (+106%) volumes up and average prices in USD somewhat lower than a year earlier. known aspects. The sommeliers will all be recipients of the 2019 Sommit Scholarship which is open to Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and USA. Ronan was an attendee at the very first Sommit in 2015. Burleigh Pie Competition The second annual Great Burleigh Pie Pairing is underway, and pieloving winemakers are searching for an ins(pie)ring match. Last year, 40 matches were sampled and judged by a team of pie professionals, with a Lawson’s Dry Hills Pioneer Gewürztraminer 2015 and pork belly pie taking top spot. Competition co-founder Fiona Fenwick says the winning combo opened her eyes to the potential of a pastry and wine collaboration and now her go-to for Gewürztraminer is always a pork belly pie. This year the Burleigh has thrown a new flavour in the mix, which Fiona has a keen eye on. “I am looking

forward to this year because there’s a steak and truffled cheese pie, which is amazing. I think with a cheeky Malbec or a Pinot that could be a contender this year.” Entries open on August 1 and close on August 17. There is a small entry fee to the competition this year, with all proceeds going to three Marlborough charities. Entry forms are available from the Burleigh and more information can be found on the Great Burleigh Pie Pairing Facebook page.

CLASSIFIEDS Wanted to lease, approx. 4 ha more or less planted in old vines. Ideally ready for replacement or bare land for long term lease for replanting with perhaps the right to purchase at a later date. We are a small boutique Marlborough winery which want to have the ability to have more control over its grape supply. Warwick Foley 035737035, 0272923192

Winepress August 2018 / 43

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

To have your event included in next monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wine Happenings or Industry News pages, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by August 20. For more information on the events below email Harriet Wadworth at harriet@wine-marlborough.co.nz

AUGUST 1 Entries open for New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards 9 New Zealand Winegrowers Marketing, Events and Tourism Roadshow, 9am to 12pm 20 Final day for updating details for Marlborough Winegrowers election election (see pg 4 and 42) 20 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year - Auckland 23 Nominations open for Marlborough Winegrowers elections 26 Wine Marlborough Silver Secateurs Competition 27 Entries open to Marlborough Wine Show www.marlboroughwineshow.co.nz (see pg 20) 27 Bayer New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year 28 NZVSO Sparkling Wine Workshop 30-31 Bragato Conference, Wellington (www.bragato.org.nz) SEPTEMBER 14 Voting begins for Marlborough Winegrowers elections OCTOBER 1 Voting Closes in Marlborough Winegrowers election

NZW Tourism Roadshow - August 9

Marlborough Wine Show

44 / Winepress August 2018

Young Winemaker of the Year - August 20

Silver Secateurs Competition - August 26

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