Winepress - October 2014 by Winepress Magazine

Issue No. 241 / October 2014

Chenin Blanc

Sustainability Tiers

Chilean Pest

Chinese Development

Photo: Jim Tannock

@marlboroughwine

The Official Magazine of

www.wine-marlborough.co.nz

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In this issue... Regulars

Features

Editorial

Tasman Crop Met Report

Alternative Varieties -

Generation Y-ine

NZW Export News

Wine Happenings

News From Home and Away

25 Chenin Blanc

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Is the time right for there to be a system within Sustainable Winegrowing, where you can be rewarded for doing more than just the basics? That was a question raised at the recent Romeo Bragato conference.

15 Chinese Company Show Faith in Marlborough

Editor: Tessa Nicholson 16 Bank Street Blenheim 7201 T: 021 709 571 E: tessa.nicholson@me.com

WINEPRESS is printed with vegetable oil based inks on elemental chlorine free paper which is sourced 100% from well managed forrests and manufactured under ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.

This is one South American import you do not want to have in your vineyard. Chilean Needle Grass is a pest that has an incredible survival instinct. It is also very easily transferred from one site to another. How can you help prevent it spreading? Find out this month.

13 Sustainability Tiers

Printed by: Blenheim Print Ltd. T: 03 578 1322

Chilean Needle Grass

Earlier this year a Chinese company purchased a large tract of land in the Awatere. While a small plot of grapes is already planted, the company is looking to expand, and is also keen to turn the property into a highlevel tourist venture.

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17 New Board Members

There has been a changing of the guard within Wine Marlborough’s Board. Four familiar faces have left, and four new ones are coming in. We meet two of those new members this month; Samantha Wickham and Stuart Dudley.

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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From the Editor Farewell and Thanks Wine Marlborough said farewell to four long-term board members last month. James Jones, Ivan Sutherland, Blair Gibbs and Ben Glover have between them provided more than 56 years of service to the members of Wine Marlborough. Which given the region’s wine industry is only 41 years-old, is pretty amazing. Ben Glover has been on the board for the past seven years, James eight, Blair nine and Ivan – well, not even he knows exactly how long he has been involved. He was part of the initial Marlborough Grape Growers Association, way back before there was even such a thing as Wine Marlborough. And a tiger for punishment, some might think, he has been involved ever since. Each of these four men has provided expertise that has helped create the organisation as we know it today. Blair as GM of Spy Valley Wines has been involved in environment, marketing, and advocacy committees and was Chair of the board for a number of years. James, who brought a mix of talents given he is not only a grape grower, but also the owner of a small boutique winery (Starborough Wines) has been a strong advocate of grower seminars, and the backbone of events such as silver secateurs. He also played a major role in the Pruning DVD - Sharpen Up. He has been involved in the finance and advocacy committees. Ben, Chief winemaker for Mud House Wines is going on to be the Chair of the Pinot Noir 2017 committee, which will help to ensure that Marlborough retains a strong voice in the future celebrations. He has provided a great deal of input into the wine selections for international visitors, has been on the marketing and winemaker committees. And Ivan, from Dog Point, well there’s not too much that he hasn’t done over his 30 odd years at this level. His breadth of experience, which dates back to the late 70s will be sorely missed. Every one of these guys has ensured they leave the board in an even better situation than it was when they came in and have done it all for no remuneration, no kudos or special privileges. They have done their board work on top of everything else they have had to do in their own businesses. So I think it is only appropriate to thank them all for their expertise, knowledge and willingness to share those attributes for the betterment of Marlborough’s wine industry. Your shoes will be big ones to fill.

TESSA NICHOLSON tessa.nicholson@me.com WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – September 2014

Sept Sept 2014 Sept Period Sept 2014 compared to LTA LTA of LTA 2013

GDD’s for month -Max/Min¹ GDD’s for month – Mean2²

63.9 68.3

113% 97%

56.5 70.5

(199602013) (1996-2013)

69.2 75.2

Growing Degree Days Total Jul – Sep 14 – Max/Min Jul - Sep 14 – Mean

82.9 123.9

100% 98%

82.5 (1996-2013) 126.8 (1996-2013)

127.1 168.4

Mean Maximum (°C) Mean Minimum (°C) Mean Temp (°C)

16.5 7.0 11.8

+0.3°C +1.1°C +0.7°C

16.2 5.9 11.1

(1986-2013) (1986-2013) (1986-2013)

16.8 7.0 11.9

Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C)

2.6 fewer

4.6

(1986-2013)

Air Frosts

0.8 fewer

0.8

(1986-2013)

(0.0°C)

Sunshine hours 196.7 102% 193.0 (1930-2013) 169.4 Sunshine hours – lowest 129.6 1989 Sunshine hours – highest 248.9 2011 Sunshine hours total – 2014 1741.8 100% 1745.0 (1930-2013) 1775.1 Rainfall (mm) 41.0 80% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2014 448.5 91%

51.3 3.0 191.5 490.8

(1930-2013) 1951 1943 (1930-2013)

67.2 578.5

Evapotranspiration – mm

66.7

92 %

72.3

(1996-2013)

72.7

Avg. Daily Windrun (km)

247.4

87 %

285.0

(1996-2013)

273.0

Mean soil temp – 10cm

10.2

+1.1°C

9.1

(1986-2013)

10.1

Mean soil temp – 30cm

11.6

+0.9°C

10.7

(1986-2013)

11.3

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures Table 2: Weekly temperatures during September 2014

Mean Max (°C)

Mean Min (°C)

Mean (°C)

1st - 7th

14.9

6.6

10.8

8th - 14th

17.5

9.3

13.4

15th - 21st

16.1

6.6

11.3

22nd - 28th

18.0

6.6

12.3

29th – 30th (2 days) 1st – 31st 2014 August

14.6 3.0 8.8 16.5 7.0 11.8 (+0.3°C) (+1.1°C) (+0.7°C)

Long-term average (1986 – 2013)

16.2

5.9

September 2014 in summary Blenheim was warmer, drier and less windy than average during September 2014. Temperature The mean temperature for September 2014 was 0.7°C above average and almost the same as September 2013. The average daily maximum temperature of 16.5°C was 0.3°C above average and the average daily minimum temperature of 7.0°C was 1.1°C above average. Frosts Despite what felt like some cool nights during September2014, only two ground frosts were recorded. No air frosts were recorded. This was the least number of frosts since 2010, when only one ground frost was recorded. The coldest morning was Tuesday 23rd September with a ground frost of -2.5°C in Blenheim. The corresponding air minimum on the 23rd was +0.3°C. As I have pointed out on previous occasions, Blenheim is warmer than further west on the Wairau plains. Hence the reason that frost damage to grapes rarely occurs on vineyards from Blenheim to the coast. Sunshine 196.7 sunshine hours for September 2014 were fractionally higher than the long-term average and 27.3 hours higher than September 2013. Total sunshine hours for the first nine months

11.1

WINEPRESS October 2014

of 2014 are almost identical to the long-term average. Wind Average daily wind-run for Blenheim during September 2014 was 247.4 km. This was well below the long-term average of 285 km. Average daily wind speed was 10.3 km/hr compared to the long-term average of 11.9 km/hr. The windiest day of the month was the 10th September with 508.1 km wind run. Remarkably 10th September was also the windiest day in September 2013 with a very high wind-run total of 711 km. Rainfall September’s rainfall total was 41.0 mm; 80% of the long-term average. This is the 3rd month in a row with below average rainfall. Rainfall for the three months July (10.0 mm), August (9.6 mm), September (41.0 mm) 2014 was only 60.6 mm. This is the lowest total on record for these three months for the 85 years 1930-2014.

Table 3: Monthly rainfall July, August, September comparisons

2008 2009

2010

2011 2012 2013 2014

July

152.6 50.8

57.6

40.6

73 34.8

August

131.4 82.2

83.2

52.6 123.2 65.4

9.6

September 75.8 50.2

33.8 32.4 67.2

Total

359.8 183.2

233.8

rainfall the total rainfall for January to September 2014 (448.5 mm) was 91% of average (490.8 mm). This nine month total was boosted by high rainfall in April (149.8 mm) and June (98.3 mm). Soil Moisture Figure 1 displays the soil moisture over the 12 months October 2013 to September 2014. The high April rainfall significantly boosted the soil moisture down to 120 cm depth (Figure 1 green line). However, it took the additional high rainfall in June before the deep soil moisture at 150-180 cm depth showed a significant increase (Figure 1 purple line). Had these two months only received average or below average

127.0 228.6 167.4 60.6

rainfall, then the soil profile would have been going into the spring with a substantial deficit. If you look at the position of each of the soil moisture lines on the extreme left and right hand sides of the graph you are able to contrast the soil moisture one year apart. At 1 October 2014 the shallow soil moisture (0-30 cm) is about 5% lower. The deeper soil moisture is only slightly lower than at 1 October 2013, despite the very low July to September 2014 rainfall. This would suggest that the deeper soil moisture was close to field capacity towards the end of June 2014 and it has held this position from July to September with no water being extracted from the

Table 3 clearly contrasts the monthly rainfall July to Figure 1: Soil moisture at three depths in an irrigated vineyard in Rapaura September and the total (Wairau stony/sandy alluvium) and shallow unirrigated soil moisture in for the three months, Blenheim, 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2014. over the seven years 2008 to 2014. 60.6 mm is less than 50% of the 2011 total and only 17% of the massive total in 2008. A winter drought often goes unnoticed, as there is low evaporative demand and most plants are largely dormant. Were similar low rainfall to be recorded over three summer months then Marlborough would be in the grips of a noticeable drought. However, despite six months so far in 2014 with well below average

WINEPRESS October 2014

soil while the grapevines have been dormant. Figure 2 updates the seasonal water balance. This a way of contrasting the difference between rainfall and evapotranspiration over a three month period and it gives a picture of the water balance throughout the year; i.e. is there a water surplus or a water deficit. A water surplus normally occurs between mid June and mid October and this is the normal time of soil moisture recharge. At the end of June 2014 the yellow line was above average with high rainfall as previously outlined. However, the blue line for July 2014 dropped dramatically and has dropped

further in September, showing the effect of the low rainfall. In an average season the water balance would become negative on 15 October. The blue line for the current season went negative on 8 September, five weeks earlier than normal. Growing degree-days For grapes the start of the new growing season is generally considered as 1 September. Table 1 indicates that growing-degree days for September 2014 were very similar to September 2013. The growing degree days recorded in July and August have little relevance to the early season

development of grapes in Marlborough. This is highlighted by the fact that July and August 2013 were very warm and recorded double the growing degreedays of July and August 2014. However, phenology assessments on Sauvignon blanc in Rapaura on 29 September 2014 indicated that budburst in 2014 was slightly ahead of 2013. However, the first week of October 2013 was very warm and budburst progressed very rapidly. Budburst is unlikely to be as rapid in 2014. Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

Figure 2: Seasonal water balance for Blenheim: difference between 3-month totals of rainfall and potential evapotranspiration

WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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Chilean Needle Grass – A Major Threat Tessa Nicholson

While Chilean wines may be making their mark on the world, it is a grass from that country that is causing concern here in Marlborough. Chilean Needle Grass is a cousin of the Nassella tussock, coming from South America, probably back in the 1920’s. Already established within parts of the Awatere, it is a major threat to pastoral production – and should be of concern to all vineyard owners. Shona Sam is one of Marlborough District Council’s Senior Biosecurity Officers and says the grass, once established, is extremely hard to get rid of. “It germinates very quickly and rapidly in reproduction terms and it will cover any space quickly. Glyphosate has been used for a few years to try and control it. But farmers found it was coming back thicker than ever.

“You do not want needle grass within your vineyard, as we don’t have an effective control tool for you to use with vines,” Shona says. In terms of livestock, the Chilean Needle Grass can be seriously damaging. “It is unpalatable when it has its seed head up and reduces land productivity. It also has a very sharp seed tip and a screw tip tail, almost like a drill. It keeps drilling into the sheep’s wool and into the skin. Sometimes it can get into the organs of the sheep. If lambs are in seeding needle grass areas, it can cause blindness, deafness and big abscesses can form.” While it can be hard to recognise

against other grasses throughout most of the year, Shona says during November and December and sometimes April/ May its pannicle seedheads appear, making it more distinctive. “It is quite an erect grass and is distinctive in that it has these purplishtinged spikelets that stick up like alien heads and it forms dense clumps.” As a grass, it is a survivor of the greatest order. Not only does it have the seed heads, it also has stem seeds and basal seeds. “So even if you mow it, the seeds will drop to the ground and it will slowly keep rolling out and spreading. If you do start mowing, it modifies in a way that its seed heads stick up and it will

WINEPRESS October 2014

start moving laterally along the ground.” It is no surprise that it has become a major pest in the Blind River area, given the conditions it likes most, are dry and hot. But the Awatere isn’t the only area under threat from this invasive pest. Pockets of Chilean Needle Grass have also been found around Blenheim and Renwick and up the Wairau Valley, and another patch has been discovered in the Ward area. Given the seeds are not normally air blown, the most likely way of it spreading, is via animals, humans or machinery carrying the seeds from an infected site. Which is why Shona is urging all vineyard owners to be very cautious with hygiene. “There is a lot of mobility within vineyards, so potentially there may be a risk if there is a block or property you know has needle grass, of transferring the seeds to a clean area.You need to ensure whatever vehicle has been in a known needle grass area, is cleaned down before it moves.” With sheep being used in vineyards during the spring and early summer

WINEPRESS October 2014

Chilean Needle Grass

months, owners need to be certain they are not from areas with the grass, as they could well be carrying seeds within their wool. The same goes for dogs and even human clothing. Biosecurity signs are available for vineyards, highlighting the need for vehicles to be clean before entering a property, and Shona says with most properties having a wash-down area, it is good practice to ensure they are used.

A Chilean Needle Grass Action Group, a community-led group has recently been formed, with the aim of eradicating the pest within 15 years. They are working in close conjunction with the MDC. Shona says anyone wanting more information, can visit the MDC’s website.

Mapping Marlborough Ever wondered how much land space all of Marlborough’s vineyards would cover in a city like Auckland or Wellington? Well Wine Marlborough’s GM Marcus Pickens certainly has. Marcus, along with Nick Lane, is behind the Mapping Marlborough project, where they hope to create a visual map showing clones, varieties and age of vines throughout the region. All the digital inputting is being undertaken by staff at the Marlborough District Council. (See September Winepress for more on this story). As part of the project, Marcus wondered if there was any way to create a map that showed the sheer size of Marlborough’s vineyards, in a way that visitors could comprehend. “People we host, both local and international literally can’t fathom just how much of Marlborough is dedicated to the wine industry,” he said. “Whenever I mention that we have over 23,000 hectares, the reaction is a blank look. I honestly believe I could say we have 2,300 hectares and I would get the same blank look. I thought it would be interesting to see if we could overlay those 23,000 hectares on a map of say Auckland and Wellington.” He asked Malcolm Jacobson, the MDC staff member involved in the digital mapping, if that was possible. The end

result was so astounding that neither Malcolm nor Marcus could believe the result. The findings were consequently double-checked and triple-checked.

Malcolm’s initial results proved to be correct. See for yourself why the initial maps shocked them both.

WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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The Future of Sustainability Tessa Nicholson

Many other industries have a tier system that rewards commitment and excellence, so why not Sustainable Winegrowing? That was a question raised at the recent Romeo Bragato conference. After all our wines already undergo scrutiny, and levels of excellence are acknowledged in the form of Gold, Silver or Bronze medals. Could this same system be applied to vineyards and wineries who are members of the Sustainable Winegrowing programme? Into its 20th year, the programme has “stalled” somewhat in terms of progress, according to the Chairman of NZW’s sustainability committee, Gwyn Williams. “The programme has developed into a solid foundation which I believe we can develop further,” he said. “From our base I think we should improve, build and strengthen our programme. I think we should accept sustainability as a direction and not as an end point.” New Zealand’s sustainable winegrowing programme is based on the internationally accepted OIV standards. Industry members can choose whether they practice the bare minimum allowed to gain accreditation, or take it to the furthest point possible. Which is where the conundrum lies. Everyone, regardless of how much work and effort they put in, is acknowledged just as sustainable. New Zealand wine organic guru, James Millton believes that is something that needs to be remedied. “The problem is that you come up to a level or goal and then once you are standing on top of that goal, you want to know where do I go from here?” he said. “What I would like to see, is a SWNZ plus or green tick or something that recognises that you don’t use systemic herbicides or soluble fertilisers.”

James Dicey from Central Otago and another member of the NZW sustainability committee, said he is just one of many who have taken the practices of sustainability further than the current guideline. With a large tract of his property farmed organically, (it is not certified by his own choice) he is still ranked on a similar basis to other growers who are doing just the basics of sustainability to ensure they gain accreditation. “We need to enable differentiation based on different levels of sustainability. I have christened it as SWNZ plus. It goes beyond basic sustainability. The compulsory questions at the moment

standards. He wanted to know if now was the time to develop our own unique version of sustainability, for the rest of the world to follow. James said that was good in theory, but what would the point be if internationally, no one recognised it. “There isn’t an alternative that has international legitimacy and buy in from as many people as the OIV document has. There has been a review conducted on all the standards that are out there and the OIV is the most internationally credible one there is at the moment.Yes it is an imperfect document, but it is the best we are able to use.” Villa Maria’s Fabian Yukich said the remarkable growth of the New Zealand wine industry has been based on the quality of our product, and the reputation it has garnered. “Our sustainability programme has helped our reputation. In the early 2000’s when I was travelling to markets, we didn’t talk about the environment or sustainability. It wasn’t on people’s minds. That has changed now.You travel anywhere and people want to know about it. It does give you a competitive advantage over other wine industries around the world. But we need to maintain that competitive edge and the only way we can do that, is to be at the front.” Fabian said the aim of the discussions at Bragato was not to provide members with the answers, but to gain feedback on where they want to see the programme go in the future. If you have any views on the future of Sustainable Winegrowing, NZW would like to hear from you. Email Philip Manson; pmanson@nzwine.com

“Personally I think a SWNZ plus is absolutely key, where we allow our members to tell their individual stories in a credited way.” James Dicey are based on the lowest possible denominator. Everybody does it. But where is my point of difference? How can I say that I am more sustainable than my neighbour over there? Personally I think a SWNZ plus is absolutely key, where we allow our members to tell their individual stories in a credited way. We need to be able to provide recognition and also value that differentiation.” One of those attending the conference questioned speakers on why our guidelines were based on OIV

WINEPRESS October 2014

Leafroll3 App A new app that provides all the information you need on Leafroll3 is now available to download, just in time for the growing season. New Zealand Winegrowers’Virus Elimination Project, cofunded by the Sustainable Farming Fund (MPI), has released the free-to-download app, designed for mobile devices. Ruby Andrew, who manages the project’s communications says most people these days have a smart phone or tablet, and are accessing information on them during the day, so this communication method is timely. “In terms of features and benefits, the app talks about things by topic. So you can learn more about the virus, how to assess the symptoms, management steps in vine removal and replants, and how to control mealybug, which spread the disease,” she says. All of the fact sheets have been reformatted for the smaller screen of smart phones, and links are included to the videos, flickr image library and other resources. You can now also take a photo on your smartphone’s camera of something you are unsure about and send it to the Virus Elimination Project team for verification. The free app is able to be downloaded now from Apple and Android stores

WINEPRESS October 2014

Chinese Plan Major Development Tessa Nicholson

A 100ha vineyard, winery and tourist venue are on the cards for the Awatere Valley, following investment by a Chinese company. The Ling Hai Group from China purchased the large 741ha Castlebrae farm earlier this year, after receiving approval from the Overseas Investment Office. Formerly owned by Geoff and Polly Marfell and David and Diane Marfell, the property is already home to a 20ha vineyard with all fruit contracted to Delegat’s Wine. Ling Hai spokesman Feng Liang, says the company intends expanding that vineyard further, with 27ha of Sauvignon Blanc about to be planted in

the next few weeks. The property is bordered by Castles and Renners Roads, and the Pacific Ocean and the Awatere River. Feng describes it as a unique block of land. “It was one of the few large farms left in this part of Marlborough,” he said. With substantial tracts of flat land, rolling hills and steeper slopes, the property has been a sheep, cattle and stock farm, with the 20ha vineyard planted in 2003. Leng says they want to make the most of the beauty of the site and the Ling Hai group is keen to

develop a tourist venture there. “Everything beautiful about New Zealand is here. The views, the farm, the culture and the clean, green image this country is known for. We want to make the most of that in the future.” The views from the property were a big selling point he says. With Mt Tapuaenuku in the background and the Pacific Ocean looking out to the North Island in the foreground, he says the property is not overlooked by any neighbours. The privacy will be a major tourist attraction he believes.

The stunning views over the Pacific Ocean from one area of Castlebrae farm.

WINEPRESS October 2014

The new vineyard plantings will be alongside the current vines, bordering Renners Road. Fences and shelterbelts have been removed and the land cleared, ready for development. Feng says they have also identified a number of other potential sites that would suit grapes, particularly some of the gentler slopes which will be ideal for Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay. In total he expects a further 70 – 80 ha will be planted, over the next five-years. To deal with the fruit, the Ling Hai group intend building a winery on site. It is expected the majority of the wine will be exported back to China. Feng says the decision of a major Chinese company to invest in Marlborough, shows the respect they have for this region’s wine. “When we promote the wine back in China, we also promote the Marlborough area. It should be seen as very positive that the Chinese want to invest here.” It is the first time the Ling Hai group have invested in New Zealand. Based in China they are known for sugar refining, and believed to have the largest sugar refinery in the world, based in Rizhao City, in the south east of the Shandong province. The Castlebrae property is being managed for the group by Tim Struthers.

WINEPRESS October 2014

Feng Liang, the New Zealand spokesman for the Ling Hai group is also a winemaker.

Producing His Own Wine Feng Liang is no stranger to the New Zealand wine industry. In 2002 he arrived in New Zealand as a student and studied viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University. Since then he has gained experience working with Giesens and Constellation Wines. While based in Auckland now, he is still keeping his hand in when it comes to wine. In the past two years he has created his own label, Le Feng, based around Hawke’s Bay Bordeaux blends. All of it is exported back to his home country. This year he has also made a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, which will again be exported. Feng says he is always asked why he decided to undertake the winemaking course at Lincoln. “I came to New Zealand as a foreign student and I wanted to do something different. I thought if I do IT or business, I could do that in China. But winemaking, I could not do that. So I enrolled in the Lincoln course.” His connections with the Ling Hai group, plus his own experience within the wine industry saw him searching for suitable land for the company to invest in. He says he looked at a number of properties throughout the country, but Castlebrae was the one that best suited the intentions of the Ling Hai group and provided the most opportunities.

New Board Members Tessa Nicholson

Wine Marlborough has four new board members, following the recent elections.With no election for grape growers, both Stuart Dudley and Samantha Wickham were elected unopposed. Stuart Dudley The former National Young Viticulturist of the Year and New Zealand Horticulturist of the Year winner, Stuart Dudley is one of two new grape grower representatives on Wine Marlborough’s Board. The 32-year-old is the Marlborough viticulturist for Villa Maria. While he has made his name in the wine industry, it was Biochemistry and Genetics that first caught his attention. He completed a BSc in both at Otago University in 2004, prior to travelling overseas. During a trip to Argentina his fascination with wine began, so much so that he left the genetics behind and after returning to New Zealand completed a Viticulture and Oenology Diploma at Lincoln University. For the next six years he worked at Delegats Wine Estate, where he liaised between growers and the company. At the end of 2011 he joined the Villa Maria team as Marlborough viticulturist and has been with the company ever since. His experience working for two large companies and liaising with growers has provided Stuart with a vast knowledge of the entire Marlborough region. “In my role as a viticulturists I have seen a lot of different vineyard setups and met a large number of growers. So I think I have a good overview of the industry and the individuals within it.” He made the decision to stand for the board, to gain an even wider perspective and help in its future growth.

“We have made some massive strides forward in the last decade, and that is thanks to many of those board members who are standing down. There are some very large shoes to fill, but hopefully I can bring my knowledge of growers and the background as a member of a large company to help as we move forward.” Stuart believes the biggest issues that will face the board in the years to come, will be supply and quality. “There has been so much growth and there is likely to be even more, so the big challenge will be managing that growth while maintaining the quality position we have built up. We need to ensure that quality is never compromised.” Samantha Wickham Samantha is a director at Ormond Nurseries Ltd, responsible for client relations and future orders. Originally from North Carolina in America, Samantha completed a postgraduate degree at Lincoln in 2001, and has worked in a range of wine industry fields ever since. “Since I arrived in Marlborough I have worked in the bottling area, quality control, wine laboratories, and was an assistant winemaker at The Crossings. So I have worked in all the fields from the nursery right through to exporting the finished wine.” The 37-year-old may well be the first representative of a vine nursery

to hold a seat on the board of Wine Marlborough. Given the changes occurring in the region at the moment, she believes her job will provide a different perspective. “I want to help people when it comes to replanting, as I think that is a major issue that is coming to light now.” Samantha has always had an interest in primary products, with her family involved in the wholesale distribution of dried and preserved flowers. “I did a lot of travelling in my younger years and spent quite a bit of time in South America. I wanted to combine travel with exploring primary products. So I looked at primary products between North and South America. I looked at sugar, coffee, bananas and wine, but only wine seemed to tick the boxes for me.” She applied to Lincoln University and was accepted to undertake a postgraduate degree in Viticulture and Oenology. Her intention was to use her degree back in the South American wine industry. Instead she has put her degree to good use here in Marlborough. (While undertaking the degree she met Marcus Wickham, whom she is now married to). Admitting to loving the community aspect of the Marlborough wine industry, she is looking forward to taking a more active role. “I talk to grape growers all the time, due to my job here at Ormond Nurseries, so hopefully I can channel the information I gain, back into the board itself.” Next month we talk to the two newly elected board members from the winemaking sector.

WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

Making Our Cool Climate Work Tessa Nicholson

New Zealand viticulturists have been labelled as heroes by international scientist Dr Mark Krasnow, for continually producing quality fruit despite growing it in cool climate conditions. Mark was one of the speakers at the recent Bragato conference, and said he hadn’t realised until he came to New Zealand, how difficult that task was. “I studied in California, which is the easiest place in the world to grow grapes. It wasn’t until I came over to New Zealand and experienced a couple of very difficult vintages, that I realised what heroes you are for making this work as often and as well as you do.” Given the short growing season experienced in cool climates, Mark’s presentation at the conference was on ways you can help hasten the ripening of fruit, in an effort to reach desired brix levels. One of those is to place the vines under water stress. While vines might look as though they need a good drink, Mark said the liquid nourishment can cause problems further down the line, requiring canopy management and fruit thinning. Instead growers should be concentrating on getting their vines into a fruiting cycle, rather than a vigorous one. Water and too many nutrients will ensure vigorous growth, which may come at the expense of fruit. Cover crops between rows will help to soak up some of those extra nutrients and are particularly good for absorbing the inevitable summer rains, diverting the water away from the vines. Canopy management is the next big key Mark said. “You need enough leaf to ripen that fruit. So a metre squared to a metre and a half squared of leaf area, per one kilogram of fruit. Any more than that

does not accelerate ripening and it will lead to problems with rot.” Some varieties are better for producing smaller berries. To help achieve those smaller berries, Mark said the period post set and pre veraison is the allimportant time. “This period is one of very rapid cell expansion and cell division. That is an energetic process that requires photosynthesis. But if your vines are stressed for water in this period, they do less photosynthesis, therefore they create smaller berries. “Another way of getting smaller berries is limiting photosynthesis.You can spray antitranspirants onto your vine or you could permanently remove those leaves, defoliate. That leaves fewer berries being set and those berries will be smaller and more open, so less prone to issues with rot.” Making decisions early on in the season is paramount he said. Being proactive is better than reactive, and often far cheaper. “If you know you are going to be dropping fruit later in the season, think

about water stress or leaf removal to reduce bunch compactness and berry size. Get your yield reduction from smaller berries, especially in reds, rather than fewer bunches. “I have seen people dropping fruit two weeks before harvest. That reduces your yield, no doubt about it, but the benefits gained from crop thinning is lost when you do it this late.” Thinking ahead and considering what the downstream effects will be, may save a number of headaches. For instance, Mark said if you are using water as frost protection, how much growth are you encouraging? Would you better off using some other method of control? Any leaf plucking, crop thinning and shoot removal should be undertaken as necessary, but he said it is better to do these activities early on the season. “Crop thinning may be the exception to that rule. If you thin too early the vine has an amazing capacity to undo your work.You remove these bunches, but the berries in the other bunches get bigger and your yield doesn’t go down as much as you think.”

Shoot thinning, an important task in our cool climate.

WINEPRESS October 2014

Interim Prices Show Increase Tessa Nicholson

The interim grape prices released last month, show Marlborough had an average increase of $65, in 2014, when compared with figures from last year. The figures are very much interim, given not all growers have had their final payments. So in terms of comparing the figures with 2013, Winepress looked at the interim 2013 prices, released in August last year, rather than the final prices released in February. Overall, the average increase across all varieties was $65 per tonne, up to $1,643. The biggest mover was Pinot Gris, rising $97 a tonne to $1,643. • Sauvignon Blanc was up $65 to $1,583 • Pinot Noir Table was up $58 to $2,777 VARIETY Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir Table Pinot Noir Sparkling Chardonnay (Clone 15 and Mendoza) Pinot Gris Riesling MARLBOROUGH AVERAGE

• Pinot Noir Sparkling was down $200 to $2,118 • Chardonnay table Clones 15 and Mendoza was up $77 to $1,934 The table below shows how the prices change between interim and final, and compares with the most recent prices released. The good news is that there is an increase between interim and final pricing, going by last year’s figures, in all major varieties with the exception of Pinot Noir for sparkling wine. So the recent figures for 2014, are likely to be higher yet, once final payments are made.

AUG 2013 FINAL (Interim) 2013 $1,158 $1,610 $2,719 $2,865 $2,318 $1,991

SEP 2014 (Interim) $1,582 $2,777 $2,118

$1,749 $1,578 $1,569

$1,965 $1,934 $1,645 $1,675 $1,610 $1,650

$1,578

$1,701 $1,643

WINEPRESS October 2014

The increases are likely to be part of the reason Marlborough NZW members showed such a strong sense of optimism in the recent member’s survey. While every region in the country reported more optimism than at this time last year, it was Marlborough members who were the most positive. On the national level, growers were more positive than wineries, exporters were also on a whole more positive than wineries and large wineries and large growers, along with Marlborough members were the most positive of all.

Generation Y-ine Samantha Young - Wine Marlborough’s New Events Manager Well she may not quite fit in the Gen Y category – but Sam Young is certainly one of the new breed of wine industry personnel who are making a difference in the region. Sam this month takes over as Wine Marlborough’s Events Manager – a job she says is a dream come true. “I just love the whole events thing. I love doing something from beginning to end, and there is nothing more of a rush than having to juggle so many things to meet a deadline. And to combine wine and food in one event such as at the Festival, what could be more perfect?” London born and bred, Sam has been living in Marlborough for the past six years, and she comes into the new job with a wealth of knowledge about the region. For the past five and a half years she has been at Herzog’s, initially as the Office Administrator Incorporating Tourism Marketing. Over her period there, she moved into office manager and leaves as the operation manager, or deputy to Therese Herzog. Prior to arriving in New Zealand with her husband Craig, Sam had undertaken a Marketing with Management degree in London. Initially she says, she started out undertaking a degree in hotel and restaurant management – only to realise it wasn’t what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. “Marketing with management was much more up my street, more creative than the hotel and restaurant one. There was so much more potential and flexibility for me with marketing.” Although having gained her degree, she admits, she never got to fully put her skills to the test for the next 10 years, given she went on to be the editor of the Royal Institute of

British Architects publication. “It sounds a lot more exciting that what it actually was. It was a construction journal. What I don’t know about septic tanks is probably not worth knowing,” she jokes. Like many their age, she and Craig decided they wanted to get out of the rat race, and with his family here in Marlborough, this looked like the perfect spot for the couple. And no, she hasn’t found it difficult to acclimatise to small town living after London. “I had been travelling here for something like 18 years before we moved here and I just love it. For us, we love the outdoors and we love food and wine, so it ticks all the boxes. It is perfect.” Taking on the job at Herzog’s provided Sam with the perfect opportunity to merge her love of food, wine and event management. She helped organise a number of events for the company, in particular what has become one of the

highlights of the year, the annual Harvest Weekend. “We invite some of the sommeliers we work with in Australia and New Zealand and also a number of members of the public. So we have the professionals and the genuine wine and food lovers all together for two days. They join us on a Saturday morning picking grapes in the vineyard for a couple of hours and then we sit down to a hearty harvest lunch. In the evening we do a five-course degustation meal and a blind tasting competition. That’s hysterical because the sommeliers get fiercely competitive and yet they don’t always win. It’s often joe public that wins much to the dismay of the professionals. But it is all lighthearted fun! “Then on the second day we

WINEPRESS October 2014

do a seminar. This year we did one on organics and why we do what we do. And it all ends with another big lunch before everyone heads off.” While the Harvest Weekend deals with around 60 people, Sam will now take on the major upgrade to organising the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival, which attracts up to 8000. Quite a jump she admits. “Yes it sure is, but I think you still need to have the same skills and organisation, despite the much larger number of people attending.You still have to be able to work with people. And I love working with people.” Having attended the festival every year since she arrived in New Zealand, she has seen first hand the subtle changes that have turned the event into what she describes as a more gourmet occasion. “It has dramatically improved. It has really upped its game in so far as the level of people it is attracting. It’s not just an event that people come along to to just get drunk, which I think it was a

number of years back.” She says the increased emphasis on food and Marlborough’s gourmet produce has helped that a lot. “The two go hand in hand really. Usually if you have a wine lover they love food. It’s very rare that they love one without loving the other. The festival now has such a lovely balance to it.” In terms of other events she would like to see undertaken here in Marlborough, Sam says she would like to highlight what it takes to create a bottle of wine. “I like getting people into the nitty gritty, for them to fully understand where it’s coming from. There’s a huge amount of difference in people’s enjoyment if they get into the vineyard and appreciate that a wine doesn’t just appear on the shelf. I would like an event targeted round that a little bit more, where people are more hands on and get to learn a little bit about the process. I have seen so many people come into the cellar door and they have no idea how wine gets to the stage that

they are able to drink it. So I think it would be interesting to do something along the educational lines rather than just bringing people in to try lots of different wines.” There are challenges ahead in the job though, she freely admits. One being the vast array of people involved in Marlborough’s wine industry and the varying sizes of those member’s companies. Trying to organise events that will keep everyone happy is likely to be one challenge. And the other she says, is breaking through the understated pride the industry has in its product. Sam believes we are all a little reticent about shouting from the rooftops about how good we are. “Sometimes we are a little too humble. It’s only non New-Zealanders like myself who can come over here and say, ‘hey you are really good at what you are doing, tell people about it.’” She is determined to do that on behalf of those who feel they can’t do it themselves.

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Frost Fan Law Changes

Battlefield Tactics: Timing is everything

Pere Hawes – Manager Environemntal Policy, MDC

Changes to the provisions of the Wairau/Awatere Resource Management Plan and Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan applying to the installation and operation of new frost fans came into force on October 2nd. The plan changes were publicly notified and took effect in September 2009. The plan changes were notified to address increasing conflicts between viticulturists wanting to protect their crops from frost damage and neighbouring property owners with amenity expectations that were not being met. The Council decisions confirming the plan changes, released in May 2010, were appealed by New Zealand Winegrowers. After some time in the Environment Court, and a series of Court decisions, the plan changes have finally been confirmed. The most substantive change to the existing rules for frost fans is that a controlled activity status now applies. This means that, while resource consent is required to install and operate a new frost fan, the application must be granted if the standards and terms will be met. It effectively means that the Council will be able to establish compliance with noise standards prior to installation, rather than Council attempting to establish compliance post installation in response to a complaint. The other key changes to the rules applying to frost fans are: • The noise standard is now 55 dB LA eq (15 min); • The noise standard is measured at a distance of 300 metres, or at any point within the notional boundary of any existing habitable building on another property, whichever is less; • A 5 dB penalty applies to frost fans with special audible characteristics, except when the frost fan is to be installed in the Awatere Catchment; • The frost fans may only be operated when the temperature is less than 1 degree; • The frost fans must not be operated in wind speeds exceeding 8km/hour. Rules for new buildings proposed to be located in close proximity to existing frost fans have also been introduced to ensure that there is appropriate noise insulation. For more information on the rules applying to new frost fans please access the Council website: http://www.marlborough. govt.nz/Your-Council/RMA/Wairau-Awatere-ResourceManagement-Plan/Plan-Changes/PC58-Frost-Fans.aspx or ask to speak to the Duty Planner.

Protectorhml and HML 32: armour plate for grapes

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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Chenin Blanc in Marlborough Tessa Nicholson

Chenin Blanc is a noble grape variety that makes some stunning wines. But in Marlborough there are only 6.7ha of the variety. Has it been marred by past attempts to grow it here? There are only a few New Zealand producers of Chenin Blanc, with Astrolabe here in Marlborough one of them. Owner/winemaker Simon Waghorn is a great fan and believes it has more lineage than many of the other alternative varieties currently being trialled. Viticulture – Simon Waghorn There were a few who tried to grow Chenin back in the 80s or 90s, Simon

says, but viticultural practices of over cropping, probably put many of them off. “They couldn’t get it ripe, which I suspect was because they were over cropping, or cropping it as they would Muller Thurgau. It just never got across the line in our climate, and I think it was almost forgotten about.” Being a later ripener, and one that can crop quite heavily if allowed to, Simon says Chenin Blanc needs to be carefully

managed. Astrolabe take fruit from a warm, north facing, clay hillside at The Wrekin. The aspect and soil type helps to limit the growth, but it still requires quite a bit of work he admits. “We cane prune, two canes only. We have to do almost as much work as we do for Pinot, certainly as much work as we do on our Chardonnay. There are limited bud numbers, relatively close plantings and some judicious thinning.” The bunches tend to be big, although

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WINEPRESS October 2014

Chenin grapes

being quite loose they are not as prone to rot as many other varieties. “The canopy can be vigorous, but on that site, with very tight clays and with moderately young vines we are able to manage the crop levels. I suspect on very fertile flats, the canopy would be dense, although no more so than Sauvignon Blanc.You have to approach it in the way you would a Chardonnay or a premium Sauvignon.” Winemaking The real beauty of Chenin Blanc according to Simon, is the versatility of the variety. He describes it as being as close to Riesling as you can get “in terms of its ubiquitous nature.” “You can make really good late harvest Chenin.You can make wood aged Chenin, or a dry spritzy Chenin and right through the sugar levels. And like Riesling, if you make it right, it will age magnificently. It has a good acid structure and the flavour profile increases in complexity, it develops interest in the bottle. Unlike Riesling it can handle a little bit of oak. So if anything it is even more versatile than Riesling.” Astrolabe hand picks all the fruit, it is then whole cluster pressed, using a Champagne pressing cycle. “We only use the cuvée fraction of that pressing cycle,” he says. “For what we end up with in the bottle, we are taking

WINEPRESS October 2014

about no more than 500 litres a tonne from the whole cluster pressed fruit. So premium production values are going into it.” The free run juice is split into two programmes. Both are left on light to medium grape solids. “We ferment with the inclusion of grape solids and about 30% ends up in old French oak barrels and goes through wild ferment there. The other 70 odd percent we ferment in stainless steel using one of our favourite Chardonnay yeasts and ferment it at a fairly low temperature to try and get it as dry as we can. I am not really aiming for a malolactic fermentation, as I want to hold on to the raciness and tight mineral line and keep a wine that hopefully will look as good or maybe even better in 10 years time.” Due to the style Simon wants to produce, the wine stays in oak for around a year, although he says he could ferment in stainless steel and bottle in the same year as vintage, similar to the way they produce Pinot Gris. “But the style I have chosen to make has time on yeast lees and time in the old oak to help with a bit of textural complexity and some aromatic nuances that aren’t related to the fruit.” He admits even he finds it difficult to describe the aromas or flavour profile accurately. But if he was trying to place it among other varietals, he would say

if sits somewhere between a Sauvignon and a Chardonnay. “Structurally it doesn’t have the raciness or herbaceousness of a Sauvignon, or the weight of a Chardonnay. It could get closer, depending on how the wine was made though. It also has some of the aromatic attributes of a Riesling. I consider it to be an aromatic style.” A good food matching wine, he believes Chenin Blanc could well be a better option than many of the other alternative white varieties being trialled currently in Marlborough. “Partly because it has the added value to be aged well. It is a versatile variety, in terms of what you can do with it, and it is a classic French variety with some pedigree.” But, as with many other alternatives, it is hard to gain traction with Chenin. “There is a lot of support through people in the wine media and quite a lot from the wine trade. But it’s a bit like Riesling, it’s hard to translate that into volume at the consumer end. We have no plans at this stage to push on, unless the market encourages us to.” Which is a bit of a shame, given Simon says the 2012 Chenin Blanc, just released, is one he is more than proud of. “I like the drinkability, the balance, the aromatics. Of all the wines I have made here in Marlborough over the 20 years I have been here, I consider this to be one of my best.” Master of Wine Perspective – Emma Jenkins A wonderfully versatile grape, Chenin Blanc inspires much loyalty from those producers and drinkers who have fallen in love with its complexity, longevity and sheer deliciousness. Chenin is perhaps best known as the noble grape of France’s Loire Valley (where there are references to plantings as far back as 1496) though it has also found a wider home throughout the globe. While French plantings are on the wane, California and South Africa’s considerable acreages have helped keep the grape on the consumer radar, albeit for the most part in the form of

high volume, regrettably bland wine. A few enthusiastic Californian and Washington State producers offer quality examples, as of course do our own fair vineyards, where notably Gisborne’s Millton Vineyard has helped to keep the variety alive (literally - just 23 hectares were producing fruit nationwide in 2014). Chenin Blanc is a vigorous and relatively fertile vine, early budding and midto-late-ripening but perhaps its most marked characteristic is its strong susceptibility to botrytis – a unwelcome habit most parts of the growing season but at other times giving rise to some of Chenin’s finest and most longlived examples. The late-picked wines of the Loire appellations Vouvray, Montlouis and in particular Bonnezeaux and Quarts de Chaume are some of the most gloriously decadent and vivacious of all the world’s dessert styles, combining as they do heady aromatics, mesmerizing complexity, unctuous intensity and Chenin’s hallmark high tangy acidity. The Loire Valley also best displays Chenin’s virtuosity across an enormous range of styles, not only making superlative sweet wines but also forming the backbone of the region’s dry, delicate sparkling wines and producing table wines ranging from bone dry (top Saviennières a minerally highlight here) to medium-sweet (aged Vouvray in this style can look deceptively fresh many decades on from vintage). The key to all is Chenin Blanc’s impressively high acidity, which can make wines appear austere in early years but also provides an admirably firm backbone for its nuanced apple, quince, wet wool, floral and honeyed richness.

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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Wine Members Stump Opposition Tessa Nicholson

The Marlborough wine industry and its personnel are well used to winning when it comes to our end product. Now some of those individuals are diversifying – into cricket of all things. Last year a new look cricket club emerged in the Marlborough second grade competition – the UCVC. That acronym stands for United Country and Vineyard Cricket, a bona fide club, that has close to 30 members. While not all are involved in the wine industry, the vast majority are – close to 95 percent. Co founder Nick Lane, who along with Dave Clouston established the club, says it came in to being from the combination of a Marlborough Winery XI in 2011 that played John Saker’s Wellington team and the proud history of the former United Country Club of which Dave Clouston’s father was a member. The Marlborough team drew on a vast number of wine industry members; winemakers, viticulturists and marketers, many who had not played competitively for some years, says Nick. “I gathered from that, that there was a lot of interest to play cricket among the winemaking fraternity. While they could have joined a club here in Marlborough, Dave and I thought it would be good to harness players like me who are in their 30s and have a bit of time to slip on the boots and roll their arm over again. “Most played as teenagers, some quite competitively and some less so. But they are all keen to play on a regular basis, at a competitive level rather than a social one.” A hard core of members will play nearly every game, but with family responsibilities, being on the road for work and of course harvest taking its

toll, Nick says having a decent pool of players makes it easier to front up each week with a competitive team. And competitive they are – this is no hit a ball and then go have a beer on the side-line, sort of team. Nick says they are adamant about that. “This is designed to be a proper competitive grade, it’s certainly not hit and giggle cricket. We can be as silly as we want off the field, but once we are on the field, we want to play proper limited overs cricket. There’s no beer on the side-line, we leave the socialising until after the game and there is always plenty of that too. “Part of the motivation for me, who has played second grade cricket here for about 10 years, is that I have seen the quality of the competition drop. I became a little bit disillusioned. There were never enough people, so we had to have ring ins of people who hadn’t played before. It was getting a bit sad. So I thought why not start our own team and club?

What’s more the team has been highly successful. In their first season together, they won the second grade competition. In fact they only lost one 45 over match all season – and that was the very first one. (They also played four 20/20 games, winning two of them). So in this coming 2014/15 season, which kicks off later this month, the UCVC team will once again don their whites, pick up their bats and take on the opposition as reigning champions. And according to Nick, they will not let that title go in a hurry. They aim to be as consistently successful, as the wines they are all involved in producing. The UCVC club is always looking for new members. If you are interested, and have played cricket before, contact either Nick; nick.lane@cloudybay.co.nz or Dave; dave@tworivers.co.nz

Last year’s winning UCVC team, which took out the Marlborough second grade cricket title.

WINEPRESS October 2014

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Foreign Investment, Yes or No? Brenton O’Riley Marlborough’s Young Viticulturist Brenton O’Riley was given an interesting topic for his speech at the National competition. I thought it was well worth re-printing in Winepress.

The topic was; “An attractive investment – is terrior impacted by the ownership of the vineyard? Should we be worried about overseas investment in our iconic vineyards?” Here is Brenton’s response. The moment I read this question, the recent rants of ‘Winston Peters’ quickly sprang to mind and his not so delicate opinions on Foreign Ownership and Investment. Now don’t worry. I am NOT a politician, nor am I going to let loose any politically incorrect right or wong jokes. I do however, feel that the question of overseas investment and the impact of foreign ownership on New Zealand is a topical issue. In considering the future impact of ownership on our terrior, we need to be mindful of the complex mix of cultural influences that are already an important part of our industry. Terroir is loosely defined as sense of place; culture, climate, soil and

people. No matter the nationality of the vineyard owner, the majority of terroir cannot be changed. Foreign investment is a touchy subject, because New Zealanders have an unspoken connection that ties us to the land, regardless of whose name is actually on the title. This is a country full of potential - but the reality is, New Zealand is small. We have big ideas, great intentions and a culture that is clean and green. But, and it is a big but, our wallets don’t necessarily match the size of our goals, that we want to achieve. Just imagine this if you can. If Montana had not had overseas investors back in 1973, would Frank Yuckich have been able to buy hundreds of hectares of local land and then plant it in grapes? Frankly, excuse the pun, I don’t think so. Would the brand of New Zealand wine have reached such heights in the 80s without the investment of Australian David Honen of the Cloudy Bay fame? Would Marlborough have grown to

encompass more than 23,000 hectares of vineyard, if relying on just New Zealand investment over the past 40 years? Would export markets have opened up as readily without the established distribution channels supplied by foreign investors? The answer is quite simply, no. New Zealand, and more so – Marlborough would not be what it is today without the aid of foreign investment. Of course there needs to be a balance of foreign investment. Not enough and we won’t keep our heads above water long enough to make the impact we desire. But too much foreign influence, and we lose our New Zealand touch and impact on the industry. While foreign investors may take some of the profits back to their home country - they can never take our soils, our iconic vineyards or our terroir with them. They are here to stay - no matter whose name is on the title.

WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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NZW Export News August 2014 Key Points • MAT June 2014 export value is $1.328 billion, up 10% on the previous year. • MAT July 2014 exports are 187.6 m. litres, up 8% on the previous year; packaged exports are +7% for the period and other exports are up 9%. • Average value MAT June 2014 is $7.11 per litre down 0.3% on the previous year; packaged export value is $8.32 per litre down 1% on the previous year. Total Export Volume & Value • MAT June 2014 total value of exports is $1.328 billion, up 10% on the previous year. • Value of June 2014 exports was $94.8 m. up 2% on June 2013. • MAT July 2014 exports are 187.6m. litres, up 8% (17.2 m. litres) on the previous year. Export Value per Litre - All wines • June 2014 average value was $7.62 per litre, up $0.12 per litre on June 2013. • MAT June 2014 average price is $7.11 per litre, up $0.01 per litre from the previous month and down 0.3% or $0.02 per litre on MAT June 2013. - Packaged wines • Excluding unpackaged wine from the data, the June 2014 average value was $8.54 per litre, up $0.02 per litre on June 2013. • MAT June 2014 the average price is $8.32 per litre, down $0.10 per litre (1.2%) on MAT June 2013. • MAT June 2014 prices are up 4.6% to the UK and 0.5% to the USA, but are down 6.6% to Australia and 4.4% to Canada.

Export Volume by Country of Destination • In July, for the major markets, exports were up 21% to the USA and 10% to Australia, but were down 26% to the UK. Canada was up 13% for the month, while performance of other markets was mixed, with the best performers being Denmark & the Netherlands. • MAT July 2014 growth is led by the USA +10%, Australia +6% and the UK +2%. Canada shipments are +9% for the year. Performance of other tracked markets is mixed with Denmark, Germany & Netherlands the strongest performers. Export Volume by Packaging Type • Exports of packaged wines MAT July 2014 are 131.9 m. litres up 7.1% (8.7 m. litres) on the previous year and are 70.3% of total export volume. • MAT July 2014 packaged exports are up to all major markets led by the USA 9.0%. • July 2014 packaged exports were 10.1 m. litres, down 10.0% on July 2013. • Other (non-packaged) wine shipments MAT July 2014 are 55.8 m. litres up 8.6% (29.7% of export volume). Non- packaged shipments growth is led by the USA (+12%). • July 2014 non-packaged shipments were 5.8 m. litres, up 20.5% on July 2013. Exports by Variety/Style • In July 2014 Sauvignon Blanc exports were 13.3 m. litres, down 2% from the previous year, accounting for 83.7% of export volume. Of the Sauvignon Blanc exported in July, 10.3 m litres was from Vintage 2014 and 2.4 m litres was from Vintage 2013. As such July

was the vintage changeover month – this is the same as last year. • Performance of other styles was mixed in July but major varieties – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Gris - all grew 10%+. • MAT July 2014, Sauvignon Blanc shipments are 160.3 m. litres up 9% from the previous year. Performance of other styles is generally weak with only Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Sparkling growing. • Production of Sauvignon Blanc in 2014 is estimated to have been 231.1 m. litres, 36% up on the previous year. Shipments of vintage 2014 Sauvignon Blanc since release are 17.5 m. litres or 7.6% of estimated production – this is a lower share than at the same time in 2013 reflecting the larger 2014 vintage. Exports by Winery Category • July 2014 export growth was led by the medium wineries +29%, but the large wineries were -6% with the small wineries -20%. • MAT July 2014 growth is led by the small wineries +21% with the large wineries +15%; medium wineries are down 6% for the period. • MAT2 June 2014 export value is $1.328 billion, up 10% on the previous year. • MAT July 2014 exports are 187.6 m. litres, up 8% on the previous year; packaged exports are +7% for the period and other exports are up 9%. • Average value MAT June 2014 is $7.11 per litre down 0.3% on the previous year; packaged export value is $8.32 per litre down 1% on the previous year.

WINEPRESS October 2014

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WINEPRESS October 2014

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Wine Happenings A monthly list of events within the Marlborough wine industry. To have your event included in next month’s calendar please email details to tessa.nicholson@me.com

October 4-6 7-8 26

International Aromatic Wine Competition (Canterbury A&P Show) Christchurch Marlborough Wine Show Judging – Marlborough Gisborne Wine and Food Festival - Gisborne

November 1-2 8 14 16 22 25

Vinexpo Nippon 2014 – Tokyo , Japan Marlborough Wine Show Awards Dinner - Blenheim Wineworks Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Yacht Race Toast Martinborough, Martinborough Air New Zealand Wine Awards Dinner - Hawke’s Bay Air New Zealand Wine Awards Regional Tasting - Marlborough

DECEMBER 6:

The Christchurch/South Island Wine and Food Festival - Christchurch

JANUARY 3 29-31

Cromwell Wine and Food Festival – Cromwell, Central Otago Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration 2015

FEBRUARY 14

Marlborough Wine and Food Festival starring The Black Seeds

GREAT FOOD, GREAT WINES AND GREAT FRIENDS COME TOGETHER AT HERZOG’S BISTRO! With a cosy, unpretentious atmosphere and stunning fare at a modest price, what's not to love? Indulge in lusty cooking with brilliant traditional Bistro dishes such as Chateaubriand with handmade chips or an unctuous chocolate fondant cake. The menu is simple and always changing, but consistently fresh, flavoursome and unswervingly Herzog’s. No flounce, just good food in a warm and friendly atmosphere. PS. Hans’ amazing wines and one of New Zealand’s largest International wine lists makes you want to linger for hours… Herzog’s Bistro - Open for Lunch & Dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, Wine Downs, High Tea and so much more...

WINEPRESS October 2014

News From Home and Away event included chopper rides, dinner at Mahi’s cellar door, wine tasting in the Awatere, Brancott and Rapaura areas and a special lunch at Herzog’s. The over riding comment from all involved, was “brilliant wines, brilliant scenery, brilliant people.” Marlborough Wine and Food Festival Tickets are now on sale for the 31st Wine and Food Festival, which will be held on Valentine’s Day next year. Coinciding with the ticket release, Wine Marlborough has announced that the Black Seeds will be the headline act for the festival. Described recently by the German Rolling Stone as ‘The best reggae band in the world right now’, The Black Seeds live show oozes good vibes wherever they go making the band a regular fixture at the world’s leading music festivals. Even more acts are yet to be announced. Marketing Team Wowed

The NZW international marketing team found out first hand just how spectacular the Marlborough wine region is recently, with a whirlwind, 24hour tour of the province. The team members from America, Canada, the UK, Australia, Asia and New Zealand were in the province at the end of the Bragato conference making it the ideal opportunity to showcase Marlborough. The daylong

Mud House Sponsors Kaipupu Point

Mud House has become a Rimu Sponsor of the Sanctuary located within Marlborough’s Queen Charlotte Sound. The past seven years has seen volunteers and community groups create a 2.5km walking track, jetty for boat access and an abundance of native wildlife returning to the Sanctuary. The Rimu partnership with Mud House is a three-year commitment, which will support ongoing track maintenance, pest monitoring and native plantings. Mud House is also supporting fundraising efforts, through donation of their wines to various Kaipupu Point events. The Sanctuary has been open to the public since March 2013. Mud House first became involved with Kaipupu Point Sanctuary by sponsoring the Kaipupu Point ‘Pestival’ bar and donating wine, with all profits going back to the Sanctuary. Terrifying Wine The making of wine should not be a terrifying experience, although there are some in China that might disagree, after a major ingredient in a local wine

escaped. The ingredient concerned was live snakes. More than 150 venomous cobras measuring between 20cm and 30cm, escaped from a distillery, where they had been being kept as ingredients for an ancient delicacy – snake wine. The scene must have been reminiscent of a recent movie starring Samuel L Jackson, when the snakes began popping through cracks in walls, down gutters, out of drains and in alleyways in Foshan, in southern-eastern Guangdong province of China. The tradition of drinking snake wine dates back more than 3,000 years in China to the early Zhou Dynasty. It is an alcoholic beverage produced by infusing whole snakes in rice wine or grain alcohol. Fans believe the snake’s venom - diluted in alcohol - becomes a health tonic that can restore the body’s natural balance.

CLASSIFIEDS Contract Winemaking, Bottling & Warehousing - Pask Winery, Hastings has contract winemaking and/or bottling and warehousing available. Dejuicing, fermentation, maturation and wine preparation for bottling available. A new bottling facility is available for 375ml, 750ml and 1.5l bottles under screwcap closure – small and large runs can be accommodated. All enquiries to Russell Wiggins, ph. 027 2928116 or info@pask.co.nz

Disclaimer: The views and articles that are expressed and appear in Winepress are those 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.

36 | WINEPRESS October 2014

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Built for Purpose It is well established that calcium plays a key role in fruit physiology and that increasing fruit calcium levels can reduce physiological issues and increase cell wall strength in many fruit crops. However, the challenge is delivering this calcium into the fruit safely and effectively. Calcium from the soil moves via the xylem into the leaves, and unfortunately there is little phloem transfer from the leaves to the fruit, resulting in a deficit of fruit calcium. Therefore foliar applied calcium that targets the fruit zone is a very effective way of elevating the fruit calcium status YaraVita Stopit was developed over 30 years ago in conjunction with the East Malling Research Station, the principal supplier of horticultural research in the UK. The main focus when developing Stopit was crop safety. Other materials and products containing calcium were available but getting reasonable levels into the fruit often came at a cost; fruit damage. The secret of YaraVita Stopit’s unmatched safety profile is in the formulation of the product. The main raw material used in YaraVita Stopit contains a high concentration of calcium, but under normal conditions, can be quite aggressive when applied to a fruit crop. The material used in YaraVita Stopit is manufactured using a unique production process that creates a formulation that is safe, even at application rates as high as 10 l/ha. The fact that this process is not reproducible by other producers means that YaraVita Stopit truly is a unique product. Stopit has been used extensively on NZ vineyards for over 20 years. When used in a foliar programme starting at berry set, it will help to improve the berry cell wall strength, therefore making the berries less susceptible to splitting and botrytis. Trial work undertaken in 1998 in NZ reduced the incidence of splitting in sauvignon Blanc from 80% to 50%. Other researchers have also shown it is important to start these foliar applications early to ensure adequate calcium supply to the developing berries Benefits: • Crop safe • Cost effective • Widely tank mixable • Proven reliable performance • High quality, consistent product. • ISO 9001 quality assurance standards • Easy to use liquid formulation • Local agronomic backup

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