Winepress - December 2022

Photo: Jim Tannock

this issue... 27

16 Seasonal Labour spotlight

It is hoped a government review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme will help ensure it is a winwin for industry and migrant workers. Brendon Burns talks to Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale in Samoa about the scheme, while Tanya Pouwhare discusses a valuable worker survey in New Zealand.

20 Environment Awards

Happenings

As part of a series on entrants in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, Annabelle Latz explores Patriarch Vineyard and the purifying power of a wetland.

22 So Long 2022

Cover: Hard work, good luck and enduring relationships have characterised Allan Scott’s 49-year journey in Marlborough’s wine industry. Photo Jim Tannock. See page 10

As 2022 draws to a close, we look back at some of the highs and lows reported in Winepress, with bumper yields but light labour force, and stellar demand but slippery supply lines, along with myriad other examples of our rocky road to recovery.

Editorial - Sophie Preece

Yealands. Photo Jim Tannock

• Marlborough is beginning their redevelopment cycle and utilising reusable stakes is cost-effective as vineyards only need to buy their stakes once, then they can reuse them multiple times.

• Vineyards around the world are becoming more automated and mechanised and uniformity to the vineyard plant trunk is key. By keeping vineyard stakes in the ground for three to four years the vine trunk will grow straight and aligned with your trellis.

• The ECO STAKE is fully recyclable.

• ECO STAKE aligns with the wine and viticulture industry sustainable grape growing practices.

• A solid stake protects young plants from cultivators.

• There is a clip option available for using Klima Pruning Machines.

ECO TRAINING STAKE

General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 or 021 831 820 marcus@winemarlborough.nz

Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz

Marketing and Communications: Sarah Linklater 021 704 733 sarah@winemarlborough.nz

Events Manager: Loren Coffey loren@winemarlborough.nz

Advocacy Manager: Nicci Armour advocacy@winemarlborough.nz

Advertising: Joanna May advertising@winemarlborough.nz

Grape Grower Directors: Andrew Nation nationa@gmail.com

Anna Laugesen anna@craiglochart.co.nz Michiel Eradus michiel@eraduswines.co.nz

Nigel Sowman nigel@dogpoint.co.nz

Tracy Johnston tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz

Wine Company Directors: Beth Forrest beth@forrest.co.nz Damien Yvon damien@closhenri.com Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net

James Macdonald james@hunters.co.nz

Jamie Marfell Jamie.Marfell@pernod-ricard.com

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

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

From the Editor

IN 2020 we talked of wine industry agility, as a global pandemic pulled the rug out from under us in the midst of vintage, requiring vineyard, winery and sales crews to transform the way they picked, made, and sold wine. Light footedness continued throughout the year, as labour shortages threatened pruning, and lockdowns walloped restaurant sales, while retail spending soared. Wine companies pivoted to digital platforms and zoom tastings became ubiquitous. Meanwhile Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers stranded in the country became a lifeline for the industry.

In 2021 we talked of industry resilience, as closed borders fuelled the labour crisis, unreliable shipping stymied supply chains, low yields frustrated stellar demand, and many migrant workers went through another year separated from their families. Contractors worked to hone their pastoral care, but the wellbeing of RSE workers became an increasing concern.

As 2022 draws to a close (see page 22), I’m tempted to characterise it as a rocky road to recovery, with the record harvest boosting much-needed supplies, two years of Covid experience ensuring better (though still arduous and stressful) solutions to the labour shortage, shipping schedules improving (though far from perfect) and long stay RSE workers repatriated, while borders have opened to workers and wine tourism.

It’s still been incredibly taxing, particularly on winery and vineyard staff carrying the weight of a workforce light on numbers and experience; those in logistics, juggling shipping schedules and road closures with emptying or empty supply lines around the world; and human resource teams, dealing with unrelenting shortages of the people needed.

It’s also been a year spent considering the RSE scheme, which had weaknesses revealed over the long stay, further highlighted by mistreatment allegations made earlier this year. While the Labour Inspectorate investigation has found the company involved did not breach RSE standards (see page 5), the discussion has been a valuable one, particularly in light of a government review of RSE policy and operations.

We have to ensure the scheme is a win-win - for the region’s wine industry and the Pacific people who leave families and homes who ensure Marlborough’s vineyards get pruned, preened and harvested. Our debt to these people is large, and it’s vital that it’s paid - financially, socially and ethically. That’s a moral and legal obligation, but it’s also an economic imperative, because we want migrant labour to thrive here, to help their families thrive at home, and to want to come here for this work in the future.

Here’s hoping 2023 is a year of industry transformation, as hard lessons learned are put to good use, from training new recruits and streamlining systems, to protecting the wellbeing of our wine-folk, including experienced staff who’ve shouldered a huge load, green recruits who’ve had a baptism of fire, and visiting workers, who deserve all the manaakitanga Aotearoa is known for.

Wishing you’re a marvellous growing season, a safe new year, and a 2023 that celebrates all you’ve weathered. Meri Kirihimete!

SOPHIE PREECE

From the Board

TRACY JOHNSTON

THERE ARE a number of exciting future initiatives that have recently been announced or are in the pipeline that will build our sector capability and resilience for the future, especially in the space of education. As a member of the Marlborough Regional Skills Leadership Group, and until recently chair of NMIT Ltd (Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology) and director of EIT Ltd (Eastern Institute of Technology), I have had the benefit of being across the progression of the Reform of Vocational Education, more commonly referred to as ROVE.

Over the past couple of months all 16 Institutes of Technology and nine Industry Training Organisations across Aotearoa have come together to become Te Pūkenga. Te Pūkenga has an important role in working with the sector to develop the talent and skills that underpin Marlborough’s reputation as a world class wine region.

Te Pūkenga will give learners more choices and flexibility in what, where, and how they learn. Learning that fits around life, rather than having to fit life around learning. This is especially relevant to anyone looking for a career in the wine industry, as we all know the journey from vine to wine does not always conform to academic calendars or keep you in one location.

One of the great benefits of the reform is the ability to freely collaborate with others in the network, who are no longer operating in a competitive environment. Regional providers across the network - formerly NMIT, EIT, Otago Polytechnic and the Primary ITO - continue to plan and explore how to deliver a suite of integrated national qualifications in viticulture and winemaking.

Te Pūkenga NMIT and EIT also have education partnerships in China, delivering viticulture and wine science programmes including in Ningxia - Marlborough’s sister province, the third largest wine region in China, and one of the largest in the world.

The Marlborough campus will undoubtedly be a critical component of future delivery. The recent official opening of the New Zealand Wine Centre - Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa on campus provides a superb facility where the brains trust of viticulture and wine education, research,

innovation, industry and sector agencies can thrive in one space.

At the opening Prime Minister Rt. Hon Jacinda Ardern also announced funding for a new Experimental Future Vineyard to be developed on campus.

The facility will be operated by Plant & Food Research (PFR) to provide a valuable resource for research into wine grape production, and will provide practical education and work experience opportunities for viticulture and winemaking ākonga (students).

To complement this, Te Pūkenga will be funding the development of two additional enclosed areas. One will be a “wet lab” to support delivery of practical workshops under cover that will be used by students and would also be accessible for industry field day events. This will sit alongside a “dry lab” facility with workstations for data input, a large monitor for presentations and a secure space for equipment and materials. PFR expect the facility to be open and ready for use in time for vintage 2024.

Te Pūkenga NMIT has around 20 students a year graduating with a Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking, and many others completing winegrowing, cellar door, and other industry related programmes. The existing and new campus facilities, depth of experience of the Te Pūkenga staff, and collaboration between industry and research entities bodes well for the sector.

Being all together on campus allows tutors, researchers and students to rub shoulders with today’s industry leaders, experts and passionate advocates of the wine sector. After all, the future students of Te Pūkenga are the next generation of innovators and future leaders of our industry.

The challenge now is to make the most of the growing educational resources available to the sector and for you to connect your workforce in to the opportunities to lift capability and productivity.

“The future students of Te Pūkenga are the next generation of innovators and future leaders of our industry”

Tracy Johnston

Investigation clears contracting company

SOPHIE PREECE

A Marlborough labour contracting company has been cleared of wrongdoing by the Labour Inspectorate, which ran an investigation following allegations about non-compliance with the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.

Meenu Gaur - a partner in Vine Strength Limited - says it is a relief to have the Labour Inspectorate’s investigation completed and findings released. “We knew we had not done anything wrong and wanted our case to be cleared, by having it checked the correct way,” she says.

The investigation followed allegations made by Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’I Karanina Sumeo, but did not find any breaches of minimum employment standards or RSE standards.

Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens says the findings are a comfort, but recent discussions have shone a spotlight on the RSE scheme and some of its shortcomings. “Wine Marlborough looks forward to the RSE review, but this is a crucial reminder that we as an industry need to advocate for the people working in our vines, and make sure that their employment standards meet ethical and legal requirements,” he says. “It’s not good enough to leave this to the Labour Inspectorate, because we’re the ones here on the ground, able to ask questions and keep a watch out for disreputable behaviour from employers.”

Labour Inspectorate regional manager Natalie Gardiner says Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and the Labour Inspectorate take any allegations of concerns about RSE scheme working conditions seriously. She says the inspectorate’s role in the RSE scheme is to, at the request of INZ, assess the employer’s compliance with accommodation and pastoral care requirements. INZ is the decision maker on accreditation of employers under the

RSE scheme and on compliance with the RSE policy.

Natalie says the Inspectorate has made several recommendations around areas for improvement to the current RSE accommodation and pastoral care standards “to lift conditions for workers under the scheme across the board”. These are being considered through the Ministry for Business and Innovation’s (MBIE) current policy review of the RSE scheme, which is expected to be completed by mid-2023. MBIE is engaging with industry, unions and Pacific stakeholders on the review, which will include workstreams on RSE scheme worker wellbeing (including the rules around wage deductions), supply and quality of accommodation, the cap-setting process, method of allocation, strengthened compliance framework, streamlined labour market test, and flexibility options in the scheme.

Meanwhile, inspectors are “actively working with the sector” to educate and encourage uptake of industry best practice, “particularly on accommodation provided to workers”, Natalie says. As part of the recent RSE cap increase, Minister for Immigration Michael Wood announced that a tripartite group of industry and unions will continue to work on further short-term improvements and employee safeguards to provide greater protections to RSE workers. This will include looking at ensuring that deductions for recovery of costs are deducted over the full period of employment as opposed to the first few weeks. To read more about the RSE scheme, go to page 16

“It’s not good enough to leave this to the Labour Inspectorate.”

Marcus Pickens

Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – November 2022

November Nov 2022 Nov Period Nov 2022 compared to LTA LTA of LTA 2021

GDD’s for:

Month - Max/Min¹ 194.2 130% 149.7 (1996-2021) 189.6

Month – Mean² 185.0 124% 149.7 (1996-2021) 183.2

Growing Degree Days Total

Jul - Nov 22 – Max/Min 419.8 123% 341.7 (1996-2021) 407.4

Jul - Nov 22 – Mean 450.3 114% 393.4 (1996-2021) 445.3

Mean Maximum (°C) 21.3 +1.7°C 20.0 (1986-2021) 21.0

Mean Minimum (°C) 11.7 +1.3°C 9.6 (1986-2021) 11.6

Mean Temp (°C) 16.5 +2.1°C 14.8 (1986-2021) 16.3

Grass Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 0 - 0.47 (1986-2021) 0

Air Frosts (0.0°C) 0 Equal 0.0 (1986-2021) 0

Sunshine hours 239.3 107% 239.3 (1986-2021) 2282

Sunshine hours – lowest 158.9 1985

Sunshine hours – highest 322.5 1997

Sunshine hours total – 2022 2242.6 99% 2258.7 (1986-2021) 2321.3

Rainfall (mm) 72.6 146% 49.6 (1986-2021) 14.2

Rainfall (mm) – lowest 4.6 1930

Rainfall (mm) – highest 154.6 1999

Rainfall total (mm) – 2022 781.8 132% 590.6 (1986-2021) 633.2

Evapotranspiration – mm 128.6 105% 122.5 (1996-2021) 126.7

Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 254.4 87% 291.4 (1996-2021) 247.7

Mean soil temp – 10cm 16.3 +1.2°C 15.1 (1986-2021) 16.5

Mean soil temp – 30cm 17.1 +0.4°C 16.7 (1986-2021) 17.2

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

²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures

Air Temperature

The mean temperature of 16.5°C was 1.7°C above the long-term average temperature (LTA) for November of 14.8°C. November 2022 is the 10th year in a row (2013-2022) when the November mean temperature has been above average.

Table 2: Weekly weather data during November 2022

The 3-years 2019, 2021 and 2022 are all in the top six warmest November’s on record for the 91 years 1932-2022.

The hottest maximum air temperature of 27.8°C was recorded on 15 November (26.7°C on 29 Nov 2021). The coldest minimum air temperature of 6.4°C was recorded on 25 November (6.3°C on 18 Nov 2021).

The coldest minimum grass temperature of 1.9°C was recorded on 25 November (1.0°C on 18 Nov 2021).

Growing degree days

The black GDD line in Figure 1 for the 3-months September to November 2022 has followed a very similar path to the yellow GDD line in 2021. Temperatures in September and October 2022 were up and down and consequently the GDD line stayed close to the horizontal LTA through until the last week of October. However, with November’s mean temperature 1.7°C above average the GDD line climbed quite steeply.

At this point in the season, I normally include GDD projections assuming that the mean temperature over the coming months is going to be +1.0°C or +1.5°C above the LTA. At the start of December 2022 NIWA are still confident that average temperatures in the top of the South Island will be

Mean Mean Max Mean Min Rainfall Sunshine Wind-run (°C) Deviation (°C) (°C) (mm) (hours) (km)

1st - 7th 16.7 (+1.9) 21.4 (+1.4) 12.1 (+2.5) 7.2 69.4 330.1

8th - 14th 15.0 (+0.2) 19.3 (-0.7) 10.7 (+1.1) 14.2 65.0 233.9

15th - 21st 17.8 (+3.0) 22.8 (+2.8) 12.7 (+3.1) 38.4 47.5 175.1

22nd - 28th 16.1 (+1.3) 21.0 (+1.0) 11.2 (+1.6) 9.0 64.2 289.0 29th – 30th (2 days) 17.4 (+2.6) 23.1 (+3.1) 11.8 (+2.2) 3.8 11.0 217.5

1st – 30th 16.5 21.3 11.7 72.6 257.1 254.4 November 2022 (+1.7) (+1.3) (+2.1) (146%) (107%) 87% November LTA (1986 – 2021) 14.8 20.0 9.6 49.6 239.3 291.4

LTA – Long Term Average

above average over the 3-months December 2022 to February 2023. The GDD line for 2021/22 (yellow) followed the +1.5°C trajectory through December 2021 and into the second week of January 2022. However, from that point in January onwards the temperatures were close to average and the GDD line was fairly flat. The only recent season to have maintained the GDD line on the +1.5°C trajectory is 2017/18. I would suggest that it is highly unlikely that the GDD line will follow the +1.5°C in 2022/23, however, I would be happy to be proven wrong.

Sunshine

Blenheim recorded 257.1 hours sunshine in November 2022, 107% of the LTA of 239.3 hours. Total sunshine for the 11 months January to November 2022 is 2242.6 hours; 99% of the LTA of 2258.7 hours.

Figure 1: Normalized growing degree days for Blenheim: days above (+) or below (-) the long-term average (1990-2021) for the period 1 September to 30 April

Sunniest towns in November 2022

Blenheim 257.1 hours Richmond 252.8 hours Napier 243.0 hours

Sunniest towns in New Zealand to the end of November 2022: New Plymouth 2361.1 hours Whakatane 2297.4 hours (63.7 hours behind New Plymouth) Richmond 2291.0 hours (70.1 hours behind New Plymouth) Blenheim 2242.6 hours 118.5 hours behind New Plymouth)

Blenheim was the sunniest town in New Zealand in November. Unfortunately, Blenheim has left its run too late in the year. At the end of November, New Plymouth has an almost unassailable lead in the race for the sunniest town in New Zealand for 2022. It is 63.7 hours ahead of second placed Whakatane. Richmond is in third place and Blenheim in fourth place, 118.5 hours behind New Plymouth.

Rainfall

Total rainfall for November was 72.6 mm, 146% of the LTA. Rain was reasonably well spread throughout the month, with 10 rain days greater than 1.0 mm recorded, in comparison to the LTA of 6.4 rain days. Total rainfall for the 11 months January to November 2022 was 781.8 mm; 132% of the LTA of 590.6 mm (Figure 2). Blenheim’s LTA annual rainfall total is 639 mm (1986-2021). Blenheim exceeded its LTA rainfall total on 19 August 2022, with four and a half months of the year still to be completed. 2022 will be one of Blenheim’s wettest years on record. Only 9 years between 1930 and 2021 have exceeded 781.8 mm. However, 2022 is highly unlikely to be the wettest year on record. That record was set in 1995, with total rainfall of 1003.4 mm. December 2022 would have to record 221.6 mm rain for that to happen and July 2022 has already set the record for highest monthly total on record for Blenheim, with 220.6 mm.

Soil Moisture

Shallow soil moisture (0 to 35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station on 1 November 2022 was 21.5%, well below the average value at the start of November (2003 to 2021) of 27.4%. On 30 November following rain the soil moisture had risen to 26.9%, which was well above the LTA for 30 November of 21.7%; i.e. LTA shallow soil moisture drops by 5.7% during November.

Wind Run

Average daily wind-run during November 2022 was 254.4 km; 87% of the LTA wind-run for November of 291.4 km. The windiest day of the month was 3 November 2022, with total wind-run of 458 km and average wind speed of 19.1 km/hr. The calmest day of the month was 27 November, with total wind run of 118 km and average wind speed of 4.9 km/hr. The absolute maximum wind speed during the month was 63.7 km/hr recorded on 3 November.

Figure 2: Blenheim monthly and cumulative rainfall from January to November 2021 and 2022 compared to the long-term average

Sunshine September to November 2022 recorded 700.2 hours sunshine, 105% of the long-term average.

Rainfall September to November 2022 recorded 128.0 mm rain, 80% of the LTA. It is interesting to note that the well below average spring rainfall total in 2022 was in marked contrast to the winter rainfall. 2022 recorded the wettest winter (June, July, August) on record with a total of 413.4 mm (215% of the LTA).

Temperature

September to November 2022 recorded a mean temperature of 13.7°C. This was 0.7°C above the LTA (1986-2021). This is the 11th warmest spring on record for the 91 years 1932 to 2022.

Spring Summary – September to November 2022

Table 3: Monthly sunshine, rainfall and mean temperature over spring in 2022 compared to average Month Sunshine Sushine Rainfall Rainfall Mean temp Mean temp Hours 2022 Hours LTA mm 2022 mm LTA °C 2022 °C LTA September 195.4 196.1 38.6 52.8 11.6 11.1 October 247.7 230.7 16.8 57.2 12.9 13.2 November 257.1 239.3 72.6 49.6 16.5 14.8 Total Sun & Rain 700.2 666.1 128.0 159.6 Mean temp 13.7 13.0

Rob Agnew - Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

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Accidental Pioneer

Allan Scott’s remarkable wine journey

SOPHIE PREECE

ALLAN SCOTT took a punt on a new job in August 1973, joining 90 bewildered workers in the dry and dusty Brancott Valley. A few months later only a dozen of the team remained, toiling to plant Montana’s first Marlborough vineyard, with little idea of what they were doing or why.

“Having to carve out a whole new life I didn’t know about was probably one of the best decisions I made,” says the recipient of the 2022 Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises his enormous contribution over the past 50 years.

In that time, Allan’s life story has run in parallel to the extraordinary development of Marlborough wine, punctuated by the hurdles and highlights of a transformative industry. It’s a story of good luck, good instincts, strategic risks and a lot of hard work, starting with knocking down fences and digging posts on Montana’s first 400-hectare development, amidst “a great deal of uncertainty”.

Allan’s stubborn work ethic and enquiring mind stood him in good stead, and Jim Hamilton, sent by Montana to manage the development, became something of a mentor. “I thrived off his experience and knowledge and developed a much keener interest for the future,” Allan says. By the time the Fairhall block was being developed later that year, Allan was supervisor, on a wildly different path to the stock work, shearing and truck driving he’d done until then.

Not bad for a boy who’d attended one school in a rural town near Hawarden in North Canterbury, then learned a whole lot more working alongside his stockman father and in shearing sheds, gleaning insights into people and their interactions. When Allan and his wife Cathy left the tiny

Allan Scott

town to move to Blenheim in 1972, aged in their mid-20s, “everyone said ‘you’ll be back. You won’t go far’,” he recalls. Having just returned from an international sales trip with his son Josh, visiting some of the 29 markets Allan Scott Family Winemakers is now sold in, it turns out he went very far indeed.

That’s thanks to auspicious timing, an appetite for opportunity, “and taking the chances that are a hallmark of my life”, he says. “You take a punt and think, ‘oh that’ll work’.”

Meanwhile, there’s been a hell of a lot of work, says Josh, who bought the family company with his sister Sara Stocker two years ago, with the duo having managed the business for the past four years. “Both mum and dad worked so bloody hard all their life. Not only for us, but also helping Marlborough establish itself as one of the most well-known regions for wine in the world.”

Despite his stockman career path, viticulture work “suddenly gelled” for Allan, who’d spent his childhood planting the gully behind his family home, delighted with the ability to grow trees. By 1975, he and Cathy were planting their own Müller-Thurgau vineyard on Old Renwick Road, among the first 10 Montana winegrowers and industry pioneers, three of whom worked for the company. In 1985, the Scotts planted Sauvignon Blanc on

“You take a punt and think, ‘oh that’ll work’.”

Allan Scott.

Photo Jim Tannock

Jacksons Road, growing fruit, raising a young family, and working days jobs to pay the bills.

By then Allan was working at Corbans, where another stroke of good timing saw him visiting Auckland when the company’s winemaker was looking to avoid a meeting with an Australian wanting some grapes. Allan agreed to take the meeting with David Hohnen instead, and went on to organise the purchase of Marlborough land that would soon become Cloudy Bay. “That was a wee bit life-changing,” says Allan, who negotiated for a slice of the property, across the road from the Scott’s own vineyard, where he and Cathy would build their beautiful home.

In 1990 they forged their label, with Allan somewhat reluctantly agreeing to use his own name. Three decades on, he says Cathy was right to push for the eponymous label, but is still embarrassed when he is asked for his name when ordering a coffee.

If the meeting with David in 1984 was a memorable “coincidence”, then the chance encounter with their first UK importer a decade later was another, says Allan. In the early 1990s a Lay & Wheeler rep was staying at The Shack at Cloudy Bay, and paused at the Allan Scott wine shop while out on a run. The Scott’s eldest daughter Victoria, in her late teens at the time, came running out to the vineyard to say, “there’s a man here who wants to take our wine to the UK”, recalls Allan, who’s remained friends with the drop-in runner ever since. “Relationships are the key thing,” he adds,

noting that the recent trip with Josh was in part, “passing on the baton” for some of the fast friendships forged over the years.

Allan says his kids grew up with the business and have it in their blood, comparing that to his own experiences with his dad on their farm, mesmerised by his work. ”You learned things and it because a natural instinct. You could pick a good sheep or pick a good cow or pig or whatever. And Josh and Sara have that same natural inherited instinct.”

“It’s been a 40-year apprenticeship for Sara and me,” says Josh, who took his first sales trip with his dad when he was 16, “learning about the sales and relationship side”. Part of that equation is never burning bridges, says Allan. “You just never known when it will come back and haunt you… There might be something you really need and you can’t go back because you’ve burnt a bridge - and it’s hard to eat humble pie.”

He sees the Lifetime Achievement Award as recognition of the people who have worked alongside him, including workmates, mentors, advisors and family, and “especially Cathy, Victoria, Josh and Sara, who have been unfailing support through thick and thin”.

Looking back at that “punt” in 1973 and the subsequent stellar success story of both Allan Scott and Marlborough wine, it’s hard to imagine his alternative path as a farmer, which he says would likely have been on a high-country station. “That would have been a disaster”.

Growing Longevity

Mark Allen’s viticulture legacy

TESSA NICHOLSON

“WHAT WILL your vineyard look like in 10 years with no intervention?” That’s the question Mark Allen likes to ask vineyard owners, given the risks of trunk disease and virus, and the opportunities of replanting. “Marlborough is in a huge transitional phase at the moment,” says Mark, who was awarded a Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award in late October, recognising his relentless commitment to viticulture over the past 35 years. “Now is the time to think about the future.”

Mark began his career in kiwifruit in Tauranga but was lured over to grape vines when his good friend and neighbour Morton Brown established Morton Estate Vineyards. His kiwifruit skillsets served him well in his new field, with soils and vines and canopy management key to the success of both crops, he says.

In 2003 Mark moved to Marlborough and established Mark Allen Vineyard Advisory, taking on vineyard developments in a rapidly expanding industry, and by 2011 he was the face of mechanical shaking, managing a three-

required, and future proofing with clonal diversity and vineyard design. “The Sauvignon Blanc industry is not robust, given it is built on a single clone,” he says. “If something hits that clone, the industry is in real danger.”

That’s why he sees such opportunity in this “transitional phase”, through which growers can assess clonal alternatives, canopy management and vineyard spacing. “Trunk disease is a huge challenge but also a huge opportunity, because it gives you a chance to replant.”

year trial focused on thinning crops. The project expanded into seven years of trials after the research unexpectedly revealed that the shaking could also help reduce botrytis infections. “Botrytis was always a major problem in Hawke’s Bay, so this was an amazing breakthrough,” says Mark. “It was a non-chemical way of attacking one of our most limiting diseases.”

It isn’t the only passionate call Mark has made to growers over the years, also championing subsurface irrigation and increased pruning mechanisation through adopting Sauvignon Blanc longspur pruning. Now, two decades after his arrival in Marlborough, having walked the majority of the region’s vineyards, he is focused on protecting – and optimising - growers’ interests in terms of vineyard longevity. That means guarding against trunk disease and virus, developing a replanting plan where

The status quo is not viable for the next quarter century, he adds. “We need to be getting 35 to 40 years of viability from a vineyard, not the 25 we are currently facing.”

As well as better vineyard design, there’s a need for better management, to keep trunk disease and virus spread at a minimum, which is “fundamentally all about maintaining as high a vine health status as possible”, Mark says.

More than three decades after he left kiwifruit country in Tauranga, Mark has returned to the region, for his own transition to ‘retirement’. That includes a week in Marlborough every month, ensuring the best outcomes for his clients. “The big thing about the Marlborough wine industry is that nobody planned it. It was largely about luck and serendipity over time,” says Mark. “Now at the end of my career, I want people to hang on to it carefully.”

“We need to be getting 35 to 40 years of viability from a vineyard, not the 25 we are currently facing.”

Mark Allen

Mark Allen accepting his Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award at the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. Photo Richard Briggs

Counting Crops

SOPHIE PREECE

MARLBOROUGH WINE companies will need empty cellars for vintage 2023, if potential yields come to fruition. Constellation Brands New Zealand head of viticulture Stephen Bradley says yields could well top volumes of the 2022 vintage, putting pressure on tank space around the region. “We had an inkling it was going to be another above average harvest this year because the weather during bud initiation was very good too. That indicated that when we came to do inflorescence counts, they would be around 10% up, and it is looking that way.”

With the bud initiation as a harbinger, Constellation started focussing on clearing its cellars early on and “appropriately managing its supply chain” to ensure tanks are empty in time for the 2023 intake, as they were for 2022.

Rob Agnew of Plant & Food Research, who writes the Winepress MetReport and New Zealand Winegrowers’ VineFacts, says it’s too early to make final yield predictions

have a similar flowering, it will be another solid harvest.”

Viticultural consultant Stephen Dempster says the Lower Awatere and Wairau Plains blocks he works with have potential for good crops in Vintage 2023, especially for Sauvignon Blanc. “The inflorescences are up a bit from last year and they seem to have more shoulders and be larger than they appeared last year.” If they get a good flowering, it should be “a good to above average crop”, he says.

te Pā Family Vineyards owner Haysley MacDonald says early numbers show the Awatere looking fairly typical and the Lower Wairau above in some parts. But, speaking in late November with a stint of bad weather on the horizon, he notes that it’s too early to tell. “As always it’s a long game, with flowering and fruit set to get through.”

Damien Gillman, general manager of WineWorks Marlborough, says the pressure has been on since July this year, and he expects the company to be under the pump

for Sauvignon Blanc, apart from the bunch number calculations made through Dr Junqi Zhu’s prediction model for the variety in Marlborough, which indicated potential bunch numbers should be 8 to 10% higher than average.

“We have to wait until about a week after flowering of Sauvignon Blanc before Junqi’s model can predict the number of berries per bunch,” he says, noting the temperatures over flowering from about mid-November until mid-December play a major part in determining whether berry number per bunch will be above or below average. “And then in late January, the model can predict berry weight.”

Stephen says it’s a case of “watch this space”, and prepare for a larger than average crop that could exceed 2022. “Last year we had low inflorescence counts and we were down at this time, because there were not that many bunches around. But then they set really well. Right now we are sitting where we were at the end of last year and if we

until mid-April 23. They are currently bottling around 200,000 dozen a week, “which is the most we have ever consistently achieved”, he says. “I think with a bit of manoeuvring, we will generally get what our clients need bottled by the time vintage rolls around.”

The closure of the main route between Blenheim and Nelson has exacerbated the challenges posed by the record 2022 vintage and stellar international demand, impacting on the movement of supplies into Blenheim, and bottled wine out for exporting, he says. Meanwhile, glass supplies are constrained and warehouses are “100% full”, meaning stock is being moved multiple times to fit, stymying operational efficiency. “Overall though, I am immensely proud of what our team has achieved so far this season,” he says, hoping staff will get a good break over Christmas, “and then push on for a busy few months to mop up the remaining volume before harvest starts”.

“As always it’s a long game, with flowering and fruit set to get through.”

Haysley MacDonald

Good flowering could yield bumper crop

te Pā Family Vineyards

Challenging vintage sees drop in compliance

The 2022 vintage - big on yields and low on labour - tripped up several wine companies when it came to their winery waste. The Marlborough District Council (MDC) Winery Wastewater and Grape Marc Monitoring Report, presented to the Environment Committee in late November, reveals that half of the 38 wineries monitored were fully compliant (34%) or technically non-compliant (16%) with waste discharge conditions this year, with the remaining 19 assessed as non-compliant.

No wineries were assessed as significantly non-compliant, compared to one last year, but the results show an overall drop in compliance compared to the low-yielding 2021 vintage, when nearly three quarters of Marlborough’s monitored wineries were either fully compliant or technically non-compliant, the latter of which indicates minor breaches with no-adverse environmental effects.

“It is concerning to note the significant increase in non-compliant winery wastewater discharges for the 2021/2022 monitoring period,” says the report, while noting that the harvest was a challenging year for wineries, in terms of Covid-19 pressures, labour shortages, weather events and high volumes of grapes, with a total of 414,649 tonnes processed, up 51% up on the 269,521 tonnes in 2021. However, winery wastewater systems and management processes need to be sufficient for the wastewater quantities received, the report’s authors conclude.

Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Nicci Armour says the result is disappointing, given the ongoing trend of improvement, year on year, before the 2022 decline in compliance. Staffing shortages are likely to have played a role, given many companies were “just managing” through the Covid-afflicted vintage, on a staffing base that was inexperienced and far lighter than that required. Wineries need to ensure wastewater and grape marc are managed, regardless of the size of the vintage and adeptness of the workforce,” she says. “It needs to be a priority.” Nicci says Wine Marlborough will look to support the industry in doing better, including through sharing information from wineries that managed well in 2022, “despite the difficulties”, compared to those that struggled.

MDC compliance manager Glen McMurdo says there has been a general increase in compliance with consent conditions and plan rules when it comes to winery waste. Common trends for non-compliance in the 2021/ 2022 season were wastewater discharge ponding and not providing correct and/or complete sampling and/or reporting information. It is a positive that there were no significant non compliances recorded for the reporting period, he says, adding that the council’s compliance group continues to engage with the wine industry to address compliance trends.

Managing tala and tradition

THIS SUMMER, the Poutasi Development Trust will source and send nearly 300 workers to New Zealand under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, with most to Hawke’s Bay orchards. It will send even more to Australia under that nation’s seasonal migration programme. The RSE scheme began 15 years ago, and the trust has been the biggest private recruiter of Samoan workers. Trust founder and chair Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale says workers initially came from his home village, but now they’re selected from all over Samoa.

In 2007, about 5,000 RSE workers from nine Pacific countries came to New Zealand, and the cap is currently 16,000.

We meet at Poutasi’s Memorial Hall, built on the site of a former school demolished in the 2009 tsunami, which hit the village particularly hard and which RSE funds have helped rebuild. Some 200 villagers are vigorously practising their cultural performance for Samoa’s 60th anniversary of independence. They arrive in dozens of late model Japanese import vehicles. “We call them the RSE cars,” says Tuatagaloa. The performers do a Samoan version of Pokarekare Ana which includes the lines in English: “I love New Zealand. I love Australia.”

Tuatagaloa says the trust inspects to see what’s been done with the money earned. If there’s no new family fale, fishing boat, car, beef cattle

investment in education,

stay home. He once suggested to a viticulture conference in Blenheim that workers be limited to three visits; this was strongly resisted by orchardists and grape growers who wanted experienced workers returning.

There’s no shortage of initial recruits in Samoa. Several thousand students finish school each year in an economy with few paying jobs. Tourism – second only to RSE and other remittances in Samoa’s economy – is only just starting to recover.

Last year’s change of Samoan government has seen it initiate its own review of the RSE scheme. What began as a way to get the unemployed into work now also recruits police officers, teachers and other public servants. Other Pacific nations share concerns about losing skills. With its tourism industry rebuilding, Fiji is struggling to retain hospitality workers, particularly after Australia widened its Pacific mobility scheme to include hospitality and aged care staff. New Zealand is now recruiting 12,000 more Pacific workers for our seafood and meat industries, beyond RSE.

or

then workers

It is hoped a government review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme will halt rogue contractors. But how do its workers currently view the scheme? Brendon Burns visited Poutasi village in Samoa to find out.

Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale

Auseuga Uti Lagavale will make just one more visit to New Zealand

“You’ve got to look at the bigger picture. They are so grateful for what they are able to earn under the programme.”

Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale

Ethical Voice a valuable ‘litmus test’

Vineyard contractors are making measurable differences to their employment procedures, thanks to an anonymous survey of workers. New Zealand Ethical Employers (NZEE) chief executive Tanya Pouwhare says the Ethical Voice survey tool is about asking workers what can be done better, then using data and comments to address concerns. “That’s actually human rights in action; that’s due diligence in action.”

After NZEE was launched in June this year, 14 members - including six Marlborough vineyard contractors - were involved in a Worker Voice Baseline Survey with AskYourTeam (askyourteam.com). “As an organisation, NZEE wanted to know where the main labour rights issues were, to create relevant tools and resources to support our membership,” says Tanya.

The contractor organisation has processes and policies in place to ensure employment standards were high, but the survey is an opportunity to use data to “transparently demonstrate how that’s working”, she says. “When it is a worker’s voice, that’s the true litmus test on whether or not the policies and all of the resources and all of the effort employers are going to, being NZEE members, are working.”

There were 854 responses to the baseline survey, with seasonal and permanent workers, including Kiwis, backpackers, and those on the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme. NZEE then received aggregated survey data, which protects the anonymity of the respondents while growing the insights of employers.

The data shows 96% of the respondents have never witnessed sexual assault or harassment at work and 96% have never witnessed bullying or intimidation at work. That’s compared to a report by the Human Rights Commission surveying 2,500 workers in different industries around Aotearoa, that found 30% of workers experienced sexual harassment in the past five years, 39% experienced racial harassment in the past five years and 20% experienced bullying behaviour frequently in the past 12 months.

But there was room for improvement, and several employers took immediate steps to try to remedy employee concerns. “We got feedback that our vans felt unsafe, so we sold the older ones, and are leasing some newer ones,” reported one employer, while another noted a change in process for checking a ‘draft’ payslip before payment, “which gives us time to correct anything before payday”. Accommodation was highlighted as an issue, with comments of too many people in one room resulting in an employer ending its contract with that accommodation provider and signing up with a new one. “This wasn’t easy as there’s not a lot of accommodation floating around, but we needed to address it,” they said. “We got a comment that said deductions starting in week three would be better,” noted one contractor, who has changed their procedures to comply. “We now have a rostered pastoral care person on call every weekend so there is always cover and the workers know who to contact,” was another comment, along with one who said, “our big change was around our induction and making sure that the workers understood clearly how things work, and why”.

Employers share those changes with the workers, “which builds trust in the whole framework”, says Tanya. “The next time they go to answer a survey there’s a mechanism through which they can raise their concerns and know they’ll be dealt with by their employer.”

NZEE is working with AskYourTeam to kick off another NZEE Ethical Voice Survey, with an expectation that every member of NZEE will participate

Tanya Pouwhare

Tuatagaloa, who co-founded Samoa’s prestigious Sinalei Reef Resort and Spa is losing cooks, kitchenhands, and even his electrician and plumber. He’s agreed to them all goingthey are earning between NZ$1.80- $3.60 an hour in Samoa when New Zealand’s minimum wage is $21.20. One RSE visit means his staff can come back to build a house or buy a car. “How can you say no?”

One requirement of his departing staff is a commitment to return to the job after their time away. As well as generally higher wages, Australia now offers three-year contracts concluding with potential residency. The resort has lost two key staff permanently and Tuatagaloa favours New Zealand’s scheme and its six-month terms. “Our people must come back home.”

The trust works with three companies: Johnny Appleseed and Mr Apple based in Hawkes Bay, and JR Orchards in Wairarapa. Most work is in apple orchards, extending to grape pruning and kiwifruit. “They look after our people very well.”

He’s aware of the reports of rogue contractors and says there can be issues with the standard of accommodation for some Samoan workers recruited by New Zealand contractors. “But you’ve got to look at the bigger picture. They are so grateful for what they are able to earn under the programme.”

He is much more concerned with the welfare of the trust’s workers who go to Australia, with huge numbers sought to work in often remote locations, including under its version of RSE. “That’s where the real challenges are. They don’t run it as well as the New Zealanders.”

Like much Pacific-sourced labour, the trust applies strict rules for its workers while here or in Australia. No alcohol, kava, or nights away from supplied accommodation. Tuatagaloa accepts this creates a clash of cultures when these can be viewed as basic human rights, but says RSE workers are removed for months at a time from the disciplines of their own traditions. “Here we have a culture that maintains law and order in the village.”

Matai (chiefs) like Tuatagaloa have much mana and say the churches remain very strong, and that most Samoans don’t have much money to indulge themselves. “Then from

nothing, you put 1000 tala ($NZ598) a week in their hands. If you put temptation in their way, they’ll fall for it.”

Tuatagaloa often has to resolve issues when a worker from the trust falls foul of the rules. Resident Samoan families are a mixed blessing, with cultural support to RSE workers sometimes offset by offered temptations that breach the requirements signed by every recruit. “I tell my people, be patient. It is only six months. Think of the benefits.”

Auseuga Uti Lagavale has worked in New Zealand under RSE every year since 2013, mostly in Hawke’s Bay apple orchards. Usually, it’s a six-month stint but Auseuga returned home to Poutasi in June after 18 months away, helping meet New Zealand’s critical labour shortage as RSE and backpacker numbers dwindled.

He will now do one more season, at most, as he says being away can create stresses in families. “Sometimes my wife calls asking me to discipline one of the children.” That’s hard at the best of times but imagine doing this over a video or phone link. “It’s very hard for some of our men to be away from their families for six months,” he says, let alone his year and a half.

The reason he has stuck it out so long is stark. As a trained primary school teacher, he was earning NZ$4,200 a year. In a normal RSE season he can bring home about NZ$20,000 as well as sending money home every fortnight. As a supervisor of 100 men, he earns $4 an hour above the base rate of $22 an hour.

Auseuga’s family now has two cars and has completely rebuilt their basic fale. He’s also opening a new takeaway food business built with his RSE savings.

In New Zealand, his men mostly stay in purpose-built accommodation in Hastings with two men to a room. “It’s really warm and there’s a big space for sports. It’s like living in a village.” They pay $130 a week for their rooms, including power, wi-fi, linen and cleaning.

Auseuga’s workers come from all over Samoa and include carpenters and mechanics, but are mostly young men who have left their families’ taro plantations. He says there are always some who misbehave and need to be disciplined which can extend to being sent home.

He draws on his teaching background and his role as conductor of Poutasi’s cultural group to remind them of where they come from – and where they will soon return.

The so called RSE vehicles

“It’s very hard for some of our men to be away from their families for six months.”

Auseuga Uti Lagavale

Wetland Wonder

As part of a series on entrants in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, ANNABELLE LATZ hears about the purifying power of a wetland.

Wetlands are the “kidneys of the planet”, and members of Marlborough’s wine industry are embracing the concept. The 73-hectare Patriarch Vineyard at Upper Wairau Village is home to a 3.8ha long and narrow wetland, at the foot of an escarpment.

An entrant in the upcoming Marlborough Environment Awards, this four-year project to create a haven for bird life and clean flowing water has seen great results so far. At the helm of project is Robert Fryer, managing director of Nelson based FuturEcology, who saw the site for the first time in September 2019, finding an area of grassland and puddles, previously grazed and impacted by earthworks. He was immediately excited by plans to restore it. “There was water there, and if there’s water, there is potential,” says Robert. MyFarm Investments owns the Patriarch Vineyard Limited Partnership and worked closely with Robert to create a plan,

The project has come with challenges, including “enemy pasture grass”, which they combat with biodegradable plant guards and a spray release programme. “We can’t emphasise that enough - to use plant guards,” he says.

The protection and shading of clean flowing water, and provision for a habitat for lizards, birds, and other wildlife, have been the two main physical benefits observed from the wetland as it becomes established. Healthy wetlands clean water - the “kidneys of the planet” - prevent sediment run off, provide good riparian margins, and enable significant biodiversity, says Robert. He says anyone considering establishing a wetland should seek advice on the likes of engineering, hydrology, and biodiversity. “It can be way more achievable than you think.”

which they’ve stuck to. The wetland is close to the village, with three identified areas for planting and restoration. This has involved willow and pest control, fencing, and planting out 9,000 plants, including tussocks, mingimingi, toetoe, cabbage trees, kahikatea, flaxes, manuka, ribbonwood, lacebark, tree daisy, kowhai, swamp nettle, and porcupine scrub.

Robert says a successful wetland restoration comes down to good planning, determining what the values are, what the threats are, and packaging it up into an achievable project. “It’s about taking people on a journey. It’s interesting, because wetlands have become sexy, whereas they used to be swamps.”

Planting the right species in the right place is key, and FuturEcology’s skill at this was evident in this winter’s flood events, when the wetland was flooded, but plants survived and thrived. “It is huge, you have got to understand what you are trying to achieve, and you plant for that,” says Robert.

It’s something of an expectation for new generations entering the workforce, that businesses will protect and enhance natural areas. It’s also becoming a necessityespecially as significant weather events are becoming more common, Robert says. “It’s asking ourselves how we can live better, be a little more resilient, and treat the planet better. Collectively we can make a difference, and we’ve got to remain positive.”

The project is partly funded by MyFarm and by Marlborough District Council, which has identified it as a significant wetland. “The Patriarch Vineyard owners have decided they can’t use it, so let’s protect it,” says Robert. “It’s about doing the right thing, and it aligns with their values and our values.”

People driving past Patriarch see grapes - not the water, streams and wetlands - and he would ultimately like a way for people to visit them. “The most important thing we can do at the moment is plant trees, for the planet.”

Being part of the Environment Awards is an opportunity for Robert, and those with similar values to collectively celebrate the great work that is going on, he adds. “Good on Marlborough for doing this. I can only see win win for everyone.”

“Wetlands have become sexy, whereas they used to be swamps.”

Robert Fryer

Bridget Kenny of FuturEcology

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• 2200m³/day water consent, exp 2047

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So long 2022

Twelve months of rocky recovery

SOPHIE PREECE

IF 2020 was the year of wine industry agility, as Covid vetoed ‘business as normal’, and 2021 was a year of resilience, as companies continued to pivot, then 2022 could perhaps be characterised as the rocky road to recovery. There were boons, including a bumper harvest to satisfy markets, and blows, such as managing that bountiful vintage with skimpy cellar crews depleted by an Omicron outbreak. On one hand shipping schedules started to recover, and on the other floods closed the route between Blenheim and Nelson, complicating the movement of wine to port. Here’s a wrap of the year, as reported in Winepress, with boons and blows aplenty. Thanks as always to Jim Tannock for the beautiful cover shots throughout the year.

January 2022

Mount Riley Winemaker Matt Murphy graced our January cover, pictured with some of the 3,000 native plantings established by the company. Insights from industry leaders remained Covid-centric in this edition, including the plethora of pandemic challenges carried through from 2021. Predictions for the year ahead included looming labour shortages for the 2022 harvest, with lean numbers and light experience on the cellar floor. WineWorks was preparing for the consequences of a slow supply chain and the low yielding 2021 vintage, with many companies booking for an earlier bottling to get stock to market. “We know it’s going to come in hot,” said general manager Damien Gillman.

Cellar doors were preparing for a return of international visitors, and Tanya Pouwhare of New Zealand Ethical Employers warned of the chronic stress among contractors in their third year of a Covid labour crisis. The edition also explained the decision to press pause on the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, in order to safeguard the industry against the risks of Covid-19. “The safety of the community remains a priority,” said Marlborough Winegrowers chair Beth Forrest.

February 2022

As Marlborough hurtled towards a bumper vintage, with crop levels far higher than the diminutive 2021, Omicron also hurtled down the country. “The timing couldn’t be worse,” said Wither Hills head winemaker Matt Large, who was on the cover of the February Winepress. Wine companies prepared with layers and layers of contingency planning, using the learnings of pandemic precautions of 2020 and 2021 to protect their people and processes. The February edition introduced some of the stellar cellar hands jumping into preparations for harvest.

March 2022

Greywacke Winemaker Richelle Tyney was on the cover of the March Winepress, and spoke of potential for an incredibly complex vintage, with Omicron looming, tropical cyclones swooping, and labour supply thin on the ground.

As harvest took over, stress levels in Marlborough were high, while wine supplies began running out in markets around the world, due to the light 2021 harvest and sluggish supply lines. “For some wineries, there has been quite simply just not enough wine to go around,” New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan said at the time. Bradley Hook of the Resilience Institute shared advice with the industry in the lead up to vintage, explaining that identifying emotions like anger, sadness and fear can be a powerful tool in building resilience. “Name them, tame them and try to

reframe them.” Despite the myriad pressures, the industry could call on learnings from the previous two years to prepare, said Spy Valley’s Amanda Johnson. If 2020 was a “dress rehearsal” for Covid-19 vintage, then 2022 was showtime.

April 2022

Vintage was a baptism of fire for many young cellar hands, with labour shortages putting inexperienced crews under the pump. That in turn put pressure on supervisors, said Rose Family Estate winemaker Tommaso Tadiello in the April edition, talking of balancing his own roles with frequent checks on green recruits. “To be able to do your own part, but also be able to teach and supervise the newbies in a proper manner, has kept us busy.” Tommaso was joined by cellar hand Zoe Holcroft, and winemaker Mary Schneier, on the cover of the April edition, which continued a series of stories on new talent in the wine industry. Santiago Vadillo, originally from Mexico, talked of enjoying both the wine and vine side of his cadetship with Villa Maria. “They’re two sides of the same coin, and at the end of the day it’s a beautiful coin.” The edition also focussed on a tourism reset underway since Covid-19 closed borders and crash-landed international wine tourism. A slow climb back to pre-Covid tourism numbers was a blessing in disguise, said Wine Tours by Bike operator Steve Hill. “It gives is all opportunity to think about what we want it to look like moving forward.

May 2022

Marlborough dodged a bullet in vintage 2022, “but not entirely”. That was the theme of a vintage wrap in the May Winepress, noting the impact of rainfall and Omicron on the season. “All harvests are different and this one was more different than most, with disease pressure on both fronts – Covid and botrytis,” said Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative chief executive Mike Brown. The edition also looked at the “ship show” of supply lines, as companies lined up to get the 2022 vintage into bottles and off to market. On the bright side, the May edition checked out new technology being developed in Marlborough, along with aspirations for the region to become a recognised leader in agritech solutions in Australasia. Aimee Jay, the cover story for the May edition, spoke of her company Tātou, with a vineyard workforce management app that allows viticulture businesses to track productivity and incentivise good performance.

June 2022

Winter brought plenty of pruning pressure, with the June Winepress carrying predictions that 70% of the pruning workforce would be inexperienced in 2022. Many of the long-stay Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers, stranded by Covid-19 and in the region for the 2021 pruning season, had been able to return home to their families in the Pacific Islands. Their repatriation was a priority, with some having been in the country for nearly three years, but it left a hole in the workforce. However, the tough times of recent years resulted in strengthened relationships between wine companies, growers and contractors. “A good partnership will go a long way in getting a block pruned this year” said Marlborough Winegrowers Association board member Gus Altschwager at the Wine Marlborough Pruning Field Day, covered in the June edition. The 2021 Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award was presented at the field day, with Dominic Pecchenino - cover model for the June Winepresshonoured for his service to the industry.

July 2022

Vintage stats were revealed in the July edition of Winepress, with Marlborough’s harvest coming in at 414,649 tonnes, up a welcome 54% on 2021’s meagre tally. The increase in volume came as a relief said Lawson’s Dry Hills group marketing manager Belinda Jackson in this edition. “We were desperately trying to keep up supply to our existing customers while attempting to put new opportunities on hold… Despite the challenges of the 2022 harvest, we are very pleased with our wines and relieved to be able to get back to full supply.” This edition also looked at the work done to repair vineyards in the year since the July 2021 floods, and checked out some ‘double hub-ble’, with both QuayConnect and Port Marlborough promising inland ports at Riverlands, to ease supply chain pressures. Our cover story was Matariki, with our nation’s first public holiday to mark the day. Jeff Sinnott and a crew from Constellation Brands were some of the many to rise early to greet the day. “There were tears, there was plenty of laughter, but most of all there was an expression of aroha towards each other.”

August 2022

With New Zealand borders open and cruise ships on the horizon, the August edition introduced Marlborough’s Cellar Door Steering Group, which works with wine tourism operators and Destination Marlborough to improve the region’s wine visitor experience. That includes ensuring local support – so vital in the past few years – is rewarded, said Rock Ferry Cellar Door and Marketing Manager Sarah Fix. “Our communities have been so good to us, and now that borders are reopening, we’re not going to forget that.”

Meanwhile Wine Marlborough kicked off a six-month push to develop a wine industry workforce development plan. “For Marlborough to thrive, our industry, and our people need to thrive,” said Wine Marlborough Advocacy Manager Nicci Armour in the August edition. Among the challenges were celebrations, including Tahryn Mason taking the 2022 Corteva Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year, before going on to win the national title. “I don’t do things in half-measures, that’s for sure,” said the Villa Maria Viticulturist in August’s edition.

Next year Marlborough will celebrate 50 years since Montana’s first planting of vineyards in Marlborough, and the August edition included a piece from Mike Insley, who is on the trail of details about the first days of our modern wine industry.

September 2022

Volunteer firefighter Ryan Anderson took the cover of the September edition, in a reminder to the industry of what an asset these volunteers are to the industry and community. The edition was also a reminder of the responsibility we owe RSE scheme workers. As allegations of mistreatment put a spotlight on the scheme, Winepress talked to those trying to ensure a gold standard experience for migrant workers.

The edition notes that the wine industry “barely dropped a beat” following an August deluge that damaged vineyards and stalled pruning across region, but the closure of the main route between Blenheim and Nelson was a headache for those trying to get wine on ships.

Meanwhile on the celebration front, judges were gearing up for the 2022 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, and its recognition of our unique pockets of terroir. “When you start drilling down there are so many expressions of all three valleys,” said judge Stu Marfell. “There is so much diversity in the region.”

October 2022

The October cover shot showcased Constellation Brands’ planting day at Blind River, with vineyard managers Matt Gallop, left, and Greg Gill part of the workplace event, which merges health, safety and the environment.

With vintage 2023 looming, the October edition checked out the Muka Tangata Workforce Development Council, Wine Marlborough’s industry workforce plan, the new visa requirements following an immigration reset, and some of the insights from the Vintage Planning Survey.

Meanwhile, wine research proved an exciting realm this spring, with the Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems conference in Christchurch followed swiftly by news that a Future Experimental Vineyard will be developed alongside the just-launched New Zealand Wine Centre, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, and Bragato Research Institute in Blenheim. Also on the science front, Winepress was delighted to report that Plant & Food Research weather and phenology guru Rob Agnew – author of the Winepress MetReport and New Zealand Winegrowers’ VineFacts –had been awarded the Marlborough Research Centre Award.

We also celebrated the success of Marisco production winemaker Alun Kilby, who became 2022 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker, and would go on to take the national title.

November 2022

Jim Tannock’s dawn photo shoot captured an October frost that proved a “wake up call” for the industry. With a trend towards earlier budburst, Winepress looked at the impact of climate change on frost risk. “Although we might see a reduced number of frosts in spring, the problem we have is that the risk increases,” said James Morrison of Weatherstation Frost Forecasting. Companies certainly aren’t complacent, with frost fan numbers soaring year on year.

The November edition celebrated the region’s people, places and wines, via coverage of the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. It turns out the Champion Wine of Show - Marisco’s The King’s Wrath Pinot Noir 2021 - has a 50-year-old connection to Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award winner Allan Scott. The industry stalwart was given his first wine job - planting Montana’s earliest Marlborough vineyard in August 1973 - by John Marris, the father of Marisco founder Brent Marris. Congratulations too to Mark Allen, who also won a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The November edition also celebrated sustainability efforts, with a new series on entrants in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards beginning with Repost co-founder Stu Dudley and his work to transform broken vineyard posts into a valued farming resource.

December 2022

Allan Scott graces the cover of this edition, both in recognition of his Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award, and of the milestone Marlborough (and Allan) will celebrate next year, 50 years after the first Montana vineyard was planted in the region. The edition also looks at the RSE scheme and work to ensure it does its best for the migrant workers who toil in Marlborough vineyards. Yield predictions and winery waste are also part of this last edition of 2022, along with the second part of a series on entrants in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, with Patriarch Vineyard and the purifying power of a wetland.

Industry News

Winning Winemaker

Marlborough winemaker Alun Kilby has been named 2022 Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year. Alun, who is production winemaker at Marisco Vineyards, took the regional title in late September, followed by the national win in early November. To read about Alun, check out the October 2022 Winepress.

Wine Marlborough Advocacy Update

NICCI ARMOUR

People and workforce are top of mind as the season intensifies through summer. While many folks take a break over the holiday season, vine physiology doesn’t. As we move into a crucial summer period, and many tasks remain, remember to look after yourself, your colleagues and contractors, and to connect in with your wider community where you can.

After nearly three years of border closures, summer labour this year should be less challenging. It will be important to see how the 17,000 visitors currently in New Zealand on Working Holiday Visas (WHV) factor into completing summer vineyard tasks. Prior to 2020, most summer work was conducted by Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme teams. And while that trend has not changed, we must recognise the RSE scheme is also undergoing a rebalance, as staff are repatriated, flight schedules and processes in the Pacific normalise, and employers aim to reset back to a regular cycle.

Recruitment for seasonal vintage labour looks promising, with a lot of interest from potential staff overseas. The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) was introduced as New Zealand re-opened, and requires that staff are paid at or above the median wage. Alongside WHVs, this is the main pathway for non-citizens or residents to be employed for vintage. Through a series of vintage surveys and discussions, we are gathering as much information as possible to understand the impact of these changed pathways on vintage staffing.

There are several regulatory changes underway that may impact the Marlborough wine industry, including Resource Management Act reforms and the introduction of the Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA). As part of this reform process, Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson were slated to prepare a combined plan. Through a lengthy process, Marlborough has managed to retain self-determination in terms of planning processes. The final outcome of the NBA is subject to public submission, and could lead to reversal of the current Bill content. Public submissions are expected by January 30, 2022.

Please email advocacy@winemarlborough.nz if you have any questions, feedback, or information to share. Nicci Armour is advocacy manager at Wine Marlborough.

Alternative Varietals

The New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology Alternative Varietals Workshop canvassed the opportunities and limitations in expanding New Zealand’s varietal offering, while tasting examples from throughout the country and around the world. Among the topics of discussion were available clones, suitability of sites, trials in vineyard and winery, and marketability of wines – from the sale-stopping potential of a hard-to-pronounce names, to the wallet-opening appeal of Albariño, which sounds “exotic” but is easy to say.

Several passionate producers talked of growing and making wines on the fringe of New Zealand production, while an engaged audience jumped in with insights from their own experience.

New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology (NZSVO) chair Jeff Sinnott says a take home from the event is to ensure that, whatever you endeavour to do, there’s a customer at the end of the value chain. “Because you can try making all you like and think it’s wonderful yourself, but if no one is willing to fork out for it, what’s the point?” On the flipside, back in 1970s New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc was deemed an “outlier”, so a visionary approach is sometimes required to see not just what customers want now, but what they will want in the future. “That is, I guess you’d say, the delicious contradiction.”

He says the NZSVO workshops strive to keep industry members “up with the play” by giving them information “they might not necessarily stumble over every day”, in a focussed environment “where people can sit down in one room and discuss and taste and listen and absorb information and, more importantly, hear about experiences from practitioners –here’s what worked and here’s what didn’t.”

NZSVO members can now access presenter videos on the resources page of nzsvo.org.nz. The videos sit alongside information and recordings of past technical seminars including Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling.

A million trees at Yealands

Yealands Wine Group plans to plant 270 hectares of its Awatere Valley vineyard with more than a million native trees, to improve water quality and protect and enhance sensitive natural areas.

The company’s 30-year Biodiversity Plan saw it win golds in the Regeneration and Carbon Reduction categories of the 2022 International Green Apple Awards, presented at London’s Houses of Parliament on November 21. “Establishing a vineyard is usually about optimising “productive” land, which can involve large scale earthwork, diverting waterways and long-lasting environmental harm,” says Michael Wentworth, general manager sustainability and strategic projects at Yealands. “But we want to show that large-scale organisations can exist in harmony with nature, creating ‘beautifully biodiverse’ wines. By sharing our story and learnings we want to support our partners, the wider industry, and consumers to make a positive impact.”

Yealands partnered with Wild Lab to develop the plan, with input from Marlborough District Council and iwi. It builds on existing initiatives, including extensive restoration of native vegetation within the vineyard to provide a habitat for rare and native birds and insects, the installation of New Zealand’s largest solar panel array at the time, and a boiler that converts vine prunings into energy.

Yealands was the first wine producer in the world to be Toitū carbonzero certified from inception, and has always measured, reduced and offset all emissions, says Michael. “When we launched, we had an ambition

Sound of Summer

Catalina Sounds’ Sound of Summer is on January 28, with Marlborough wine, beer and gin, along with food from Boom Chef BBQ, Cloudy Bay Clams and La Ruca. The event, held at Catalina Sounds’ Sound of White Vineyard in the Waihopai Valley, will once again have the Vinyl in the Vines DJ crew centre stage and mid-vineyard, in a celebration of Marlborough and music. Winemaker Matthew Ward says Sound of Summer, set against the backdrop of the Waihopai Valley range, will include a sound stage, “ultrastylish marquee” kitted out with wine, beer and gin bars, premium but relaxed dining and picnic areas, and an outdoor games and kids’ zone. “For our Sound of Summer event we have partnered with like-minded suppliers that Marlborough locals adore and visitors will absolutely love.”

Tickets are $20, with children under the age of 16 free. Buses are available from Blenheim for a $45 return and admission included. Tickets are available on Under the Radar.

to become a world leader in sustainable wine production. We believe creating a more biodiverse environment makes for a healthier, more resilient vineyard – one that’s also more resilient to climate change.”

Last month, Yealands – which is a founding member of International Wineries for Climate Action – became the first winery in New Zealand to sign a Sustainability Linked Loan in partnership with ASB, with borrowing costs adjusted based on its performance against key environmental, social or governance targets. This aims to reduce total emissions and intensity by 5% per annum. Yealands’ Biodiversity Plan begins with the restoration of Station Creek to collect runoff and improve water quality, followed by hillside planting, wetland planting that will create a habitat for freshwater species, and further plantings along the coast and gateway to the site. Yealands plans to make the plantings and development areas open to the public, while providing opportunities for students at schools and higher learning institutions, as well as other members of the industry, to participate and learn from its experience.

The International Green Apple Awards are run by global not-for -profit The Green Organisation, to recognise environmental best practice around the world.

CLASSIFIEDS

WINERY PLANT FOR SALE

Located at Heaphy Vineyard / Nelson

2 tonne Diemme AR23 Wine press with hopper & separate juice tray $35,000 + GST

Enoveneta Zero 433 destemmer $7000 + GST

2 x 960 litre V/C’s with stands (no cooling) $1400 + GST each

2 x 1250 litre fixed tanks with cooling pads $1700 + GST each

7 x white picking bins @ $120 each + GST

10 x double barrel racks @ $100 each + GST

1 x 6000 litre tank with cooling pads $7500 + GST

Avery bin scales $1200 + GST

Spadoni 2000 CE Lees and wine filter with full sets of inserts $10,000 + GST

Earth Filter Model DCBL-80 $8000 + GST

MOBILE WINE BOTTLING SERVICE

Vinpro Nelson Ltd has spare capacity at the moment to undertake either bottling at our warehouse in Nelson or for a minimum quantity we can bring our mobile plant to your winery.

Contact Greg Day for further details

021 227 7669 or greg@heaphywine.co.nz

Yealands biodiversity plantings. Photo Jim Tannock

Wine Happenings

A monthly list of events within the New Zealand wine industry. To have your event included in the February Wine Happenings, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by January 20. Due to uncertainty around Covid-19, there may be changes to some of these listed events. For more information, please use the contact supplied or email sarah@winemarlborough.nz

DECEMBER

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Cachito X Spy kitchen takeover, Spy Valley Cellar Door, 12pm to 6pm (marlboroughnz.com) 4

Forrest Estate Summer Sunday Sessions, 1pm to 4pm until April 23, 2023 (marlboroughnz.com) 10

Rock Ferry Wine’s Laid Back & Live Music Sessions, 1pm to 4pm 11

Awatere Wine Tasting Summer Series, Tūpari Cellar Door, 12.30 to 1.30 14 Rock Ferry Wine’s Twilight Market, 4-7pm Wednesdays until March 8

JANUARY

Awatere Wine Tasting Summer Series, Tūpari Cellar Door, 12.30 to 1.30 14

Rock Ferry Wine’s Laid Back & Live Music Sessions, 1pm to 4pm 28 Catalina Sounds’ Sound of Summer (see page 27) 28 Rock Ferry Wine’s Laid Back & Live Music Sessions, 1pm to 4pm

FEBRUARY

Marlborough Wine & Food Festival (marlboroughwinefestival.com) 12

Awatere Wine Tasting Summer Series, Tūpari Cellar Door, 12.30 to 1.30 25 Rock Ferry Wine’s Laid Back & Live Music Sessions, 1pm to 4pm

MARCH

Framingham Wines 2023 Harvest Concert (R18), 6pm to 11pm (marlboroughnz.com) 12 Awatere Wine Tasting Summer Series, Tūpari Cellar Door, 12.30 to 1.30

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