From the Board

Grounded Kiwi winemakers

JAMES MACDONALD

AS I write this column our borders are still closed and there is no indication of when they may reopen. The loss of international travel has had me reflecting on my time spent travelling to wine regions far away and the impact these opportunities have had on my winemaking.

Growing up in Marlborough, there was never any question that I would leave New Zealand to work in other wine regions as soon as possible. My 18th birthday was celebrated after night shift with a tin of West End beer in the carpark of a Renmark winery. On finishing my degree at Lincoln University, I was unable to attend my graduation because I was back in South Australia doing another vintage.

When a day off came along, I would head to the Central Market in Adelaide or arrange to tour another winery. A visit to Henschke in the Barossa Valley gave me the first glimpse of a different way of thinking. They were making great wines using 100-year-old concrete fermenters without refrigeration. They were proud of their old equipment, which they believed helped to define their style. This was a far cry from the shimmering tank farms I had grown up around.

Following my time in Australia, I moved to Bordeaux where I became a flying winemaker for a large UK retailer. They tasked me with making Sauvignon Blanc that tasted like the New Zealand stuff. I gave it my best shot. Living in Bordeaux was a life changing experience. I was at the centre of the wine universe. I visited countless wineries with my job and talked my way into others through friends I made along the way. At every turn I found winemakers and growers just like me who were more than happy to share their knowledge. You just had to ask.

On a trip to Petrus, I discovered that on the day of harvest they send a team of gardeners out with leaf blowers to get the dew off the bunches. I am yet to see this technique being employed in Marlborough. I guess you need to own 10 chateaux to have enough gardeners.

I had my own place with a spare room that was usually occupied by fellow antipodean winemakers who were themselves discovering Europe’s rich wine culture. Most would only stay for a few days as they were trying to cover as much ground as possible. We would swap notes over wine late into the evening.

Visiting great estates taught me to ask questions and gave me perspective on Marlborough’s unique position in the wine world. When borders do reopen, there will understandably be a desire by many winemakers to head overseas. Employers will need to be flexible and amenable to travel if young talent is to be retained.

A good wine culture is invaluable to any winery. Weekly tastings are a great way to introduce wines from outside of Marlborough that create discussion and educate palates. The longstanding Wine Options competition does a great job of showcasing the world of wine to groups that are keen to learn. We need to prioritise the return of this event in the winter.

The Australian wine industry has the famous Len Evans Tutorial where 12 lucky winemakers are selected each year to attend a five-day residential tutorial, tasting worldclass examples of varieties. Think of a vertical tasting of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or a deep dive into the wines of Raveneau. Perhaps it is time to implement a similar programme in New Zealand with some industry backing. We have no shortage of knowledgeable winemakers and educators who could run proceedings and inspire our leaders of tomorrow.

All the best for the coming harvest. It has the potential to become challenging, but we have done it before. We still have five rows of Merlot. You should give me a wave if you see me out there with the leaf blower.