Winepress - September 2019

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 297 / SEPTEMBER 2019

WINE SHOW

OVERSEAS OWNERSHIP

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

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this issue...

REGULARS

FEATURES

3 4

12

6 24 26 28 30 32

Editorial

From the Board - Stuart Dudley Tasman Crop Met Report - Rob Agnew Forgotten Corners Whitehaven Wines Generation Y-ine - Emily Gaspard-Clark

Industry News

18

That which does not kill grapevine cells might just make them stronger. That’s the premise of a science programme fast-tracking genetic adaptations to create a diverse population of New Zealand clones.

22 Master Pruner

Cover: Budburst as dawn breaks. Photo by Jim Tannock

Overseas Ownership Foreign companies controlled a third of New Zealand’s total grape crush in the 2018 vintage, and paid more per tonne for grapes. That’s a far cry from the turn of the century, when international entities owned the lion’s share of the industry.

18 Grapevine Improvement

Biosecurity Watch - Sophie Badland

Wine Happenings

10

Unimpeded sap movement is crucial for a healthy vine, but often foiled by pruning techniques, says Simonit & Sirch master pruner Mia Fischer. “I’d like you to start thinking of the vine as a living thing”, she told a group of growers in Marlborough last month.

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Winepress September 2019 / 1

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

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From the Editor We’re cautioned to not judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to Winepress, I hope you do.

For the past 12 years, Jim Tannock has supplied photos of our people, landscapes, vines, wines, wetlands, presses, tanks and barrels, so that every month this magazine perfectly portrays Marlborough’s wine industry.

Many are images he’s caught at dawn, having scoped a shot in the dark, then waited for dramatic light and deep shadows - including this month’s vines in budburst, with the Richmond Range a moody backdrop.

Others capture the faces of our industry, from young Katie Bruce in an Awatere Vineyard at first light, to industry stalwart Rengasamy Balasubramaniam amid the flax of Fault Lake, to RSE worker Judah Woyo in a performance for Hortus’s 10th birthday.

Some capture moments of change, and Jim’s shot of a tank being manufactured after the November 2016 earthquake spoke volumes about the rapid winery rebuild, while July’s cover of sheep and shepherd at Dog Point Vineyard got to the heart of the edition’s organic conference stories.

Almost all of the cover photos - each a work of art - has been supplied for free, as Jim’s offering to the industry, and every single one is brilliant.

So, by all means, do judge this book by its cover.

You’ll find a slight design change inside this month’s Winepress, with tabs at the top of the page to demonstrate Wine Marlborough’s commitment to its pillars - celebrate, educate, grow and protect. They’re small tabs, but key elements to protecting the reputation, culture and future of our wine industry.

SOPHIE PREECE

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

Winepress September 2019 / 3

From the Board STUART DUDLEY

ANOTHER WINTER is nearly finished, and hopefully you have all had a chance to catch your breath, look back on what was a high quality vintage in 2019, and begin to get excited for what vintage 2020 will bring.

As everyone is aware, sustainability is becoming a bigger and bigger part of not only our industry but also everyday life. We often discuss this in the form of spray use, irrigation, biodiversity, our carbon footprint and so on. Recently, the dirt beneath our vineyards has been getting more attention and I think this is a good thing.

A recent article in the Marlborough Express highlighted the “gradual” decline in Marlborough’s soils, pointing out the potential detrimental effects of misuse of fertiliser, excess tractor passes and other agricultural practices.

Bob Campbell followed this up last month on social media, where he cited a lecture he attended in Dijon where it was stated, “while viticulturists cannot prevent the death of soil, careful management can significantly extend its life”. As soil is the very start of the entire wine making process, this was not great reading, but perhaps a wakeup call that the industry needed.

As many of our vineyards reach the end of their productive cycle, and replanting accelerates, more and more focus will be on the land. Questions will need to be asked around whether it has been looked after well enough to take the new vineyard through the next 50 years and beyond.

Thankfully, I feel there is increasing awareness to change the way we manage our soil. The main focus at the recent Organic

4 / Winepress September 2019

and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference in June was around creating and maintaining healthy soils. Keynote speaker Robyn O’Brien raised concerning issues around food production worldwide and the depletion of soil fertility, but then shed some light on how agriculture can also be one of the solutions to this problem. The idea of having healthier soils will not only mean we can produce better wine, but by increasing organic matter in the soil it becomes the biggest carbon sink we

“Recently, the dirt beneath our vineyards has been getting more attention.”

Stuart Dudley have. Many of these practices are not limited to organic producers, so we can all take steps in the right direction.

Soil health is also one of the seven pillars of Sustainable Winegrowers standards, and there is good information online around what practitioners can do to work towards increasing their soil health. I hope that members look at this as an opportunity to add value back into their land, and not a list of things that should be done as a minimum to achieve accreditation.

Unlike the lecturer in Dijon, I feel that we as viticulturists can improve our soils, rather than simply extend their life.

Numerous vineyard operations are already well down the path of sustainable, or better still, regenerative soil management, showing that it can be done. My experience is that almost all are happy to discuss what they are doing and why, so if you are interested in looking at ways to enhance your soil, that is a good place to start. Otherwise, keep an eye out for workshops and conferences where soil health is becoming more and more prevalent as the cornerstone of making good wine.

On another note, the annual elections for the Marlborough Winegrowers Board are coming up, and I would encourage anyone interested in standing for the growers’ seat to put their hand up, and all of our eligible members to cast a vote. The vacated seat is that of Simon Bishell.

Simon’s passion for enhancing the reputation of Marlborough wine is upheld and has rubbed off on us all and we will miss his input after six years.

All the best.

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Winepress September 2019 / 5

MET REPORT Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – August 2019

August August 2019 August Period August

2019 compared LTA of LTA 2018

to LTA GDD’s for month -Max/Min¹ 11.7 62% 19.0 (1996-2018) 20.6 GDD’s for month – Mean² 34.8 97% 35.8 (1996-2018) 39.4 Growing Degree Days Total Jul – Aug 19 – Max/Min 29.6 104% 28.5 (1996-2018) 36.1 Jul - Aug 19 – Mean 71.3 120% 59.6 (1996-2018) 71.2 Mean Maximum (°C) 14.5 +0.3°C 14.2 (1986-2018) 15.2 Mean Minimum (°C) 3.0 -0.9°C 3.9 (1986-2018) 4.9 Mean Temp (°C) 8.8 -0.3°C 9.1 (1986-2018) 10.0 Grass Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 13 3 more 10.2 (1986-2018) 6 Air Frosts (0.0°C) 3 1 less 3.7 (1986-2018) 0 Sunshine hours 221.9 121% 183.5 (1986-2018) 179.7 Sunshine hours – lowest 129.2 1941 Sunshine hours – highest 235.0 2011 Sunshine hours total – 2019 1788 113% 1582.7 (1986-2018) 1572.3 Rainfall (mm) 56.6 91% 62.1 (1986-2018) 59.6 Rainfall (mm) – lowest 4.6 1969 Rainfall (mm) – highest 172.1 1990 Rainfall total (mm) -2019 435.8 100.5% 433.8 (1986-2018) 623.4 Evapotranspiration – mm 57.2 117% 48.8 (1996-2018) 47.9 Windrun (km) 243.4 105% 232.7 (1996-2018) 188.6 Mean soil temp – 10cm 5.7 -0.9°C 6.6 (1986-2018) 7.9 Mean soil temp – 30cm 8.0 -0.6°C 8.6 (1986-2018) 9.8 ¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures Temperature August’s mean temperature of 8.8°C was 0.3°C below the long-term average (LTA) (1986-2018). The first three weeks of August 2019 all recorded below average

temperatures with the first week of the month being the coldest. The mean maximum temperatures over the final ten days of August were 2-3°C warmer than in the first three weeks (Table 1) and those temperatures dragged the mean temperature for the month up considerably. However, the mean minimum temperature for August was well below average and consequently the overall mean temperature for the month was also below average.

The August 2019 mean temperature was well below the very warm mean temperatures recorded in August 2017 and 2018. However, while the August temperature was cooler than the LTA, there have been a number of years over the period 1986 to 2019 when August has recorded a much cooler mean.

Frosts There were three air frosts and 13 ground frosts in August 2019. The coldest air minimum temperature was -1.2°C recorded on 18th August. The coldest ground minimum temperature was -5.9°C recorded on 2nd August.

Soil Temperatures 10 cm mean soil temperature = 5.7°C; 0.9°C below average 20 cm mean soil temperature = 6.7°C; 1.0°C below average

Table 2: Weekly weather data during August 2019

Mean

Max (°C) 1st - 7th 13.8 8th - 14th 13.8 15th - 21st 13.4 22nd - 28th 16.1 29th – 31st (3 days) 16.6 1st – 31st 14.5 August 2019 (+0.3) August LTA 14.2 (1986-2018) LTA – Long Term Average 6 / Winepress September 2019

Mean Mean Ground Air Min (°C) (°C) Deviation Frosts Frosts 1.2 7.5 (-1.6) 5 2 4.3 9.0 (-0.1) 1 0 2.7 8.1 (-1.0) 3 1 3.4 9.8 (+0.7) 3 0 4.3 10.4 (+1.3) 1 0 3.0 8.8 (-0.3) 13 3 (-0.9) 3.9 9.1 10.2 3.7

Rainfall Sunshine (mm) (hours) 0 52.4 28.6 34.2 21.2 40.7 6.8 65.0 0 29.6 56.6 221.9 (91%) (121%) 62.1 183.5

30 cm mean soil temperature = 8.0°C; 0.6°C below average 100 cm mean soil temperature = 10.6°C; 0.6°C below average In keeping with the below average air temperature for August 2019, the soil temperatures at all four depths were also below average. August 2016 was the last time that the August soil temperatures were below average. Of the 36 months from September 2016 to August 2019, only three months have recorded a below average 30 cm soil temperature.

Sunshine

Sunniest town in New Zealand

August 2019 recorded 221.9 hours sunshine, 121% of the LTA. This is now the third sunniest August on record for the 90 years 1930 to 2019. Total sunshine for Blenheim for the eight months January to August 2019 is 1788 hours, or 113% of the long-term average. January to August 2019 is the sunniest first eight months of any year on record for Blenheim, for the 90 years 1930 to 2019.

Blenheim was the sunniest town in New Zealand in August 2019. Blenheim recorded 5.9 hours more sunshine than Richmond. However, at the end of August 2019 Richmond has a lead of 25.8 hours sunshine, for the first eight months of 2019.

Table 3: Summary of winter weather parameters for Blenheim for the five years 2015 to 2019 compared to the long-term average June, July, August Mean air temp (°C) Mean 30 cm soil temp (°C) Number of ground frosts Mean ground frost temp (°C) Total rainfall Total sunshine Average daily wind-run (km)

LTA 8.6 8.0 37.4 NA 190.4 497.9 228.7

2015 8.6 7.9 41 -3.1 172.0 560.4 240.8

2016 9.0 8.6 32 -2.8 150.4 537.5 229.6

2017 9.0 9.5 30 -3.0 146.6 504.6 195.1

2018 9.3 9.0 36 -2.1 170.6 504.8 207.9

2019 9.0 8.5 36 -2.8 194.2 529.2 208.9

Figure 1: Mean air temperature in Blenheim over winter (June, July, August) 1932 to 2019 and trend in temperature over the 88 years

Rainfall August 2019 recorded 56.6 mm rain, 91% of the LTA. Eight days during August recorded rainfall. The main rain event was 27.6 mm recorded over the 10th and 11th August. Total rainfall for the eight months January to August 2019 is 435.8 mm or 100.5% of the LTA of 433.8 mm.

Wind Average daily wind run for August 2019 was 243.4 km, slightly above average, with an average wind speed of 10.1 km/hr. The LTA wind-run for August is 232.7 km (1996-2018). August 2019 is the first month to have recorded above average wind-run since May 2018; i.e.

Blenheim had 14 months in a row with below average wind-run (June 2018 to July 2019).

Winter 2019 Table 3 summarises the main weather parameters over the three winter months of June, July and August for the five years 2015 to 2019, compared to the LTA. For the three winter months in 2019, June 2019 mean temperature was slightly below average (-0.2°C), July 2019 mean temperature was the equal

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Winepress September 2019 / 7

Figure 2: Total number of ground frosts in Blenheim over winter (June, July, August) 1932 to 2019 and trend in frost numbers over the 88 years

about the wet weather, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Blenheim recorded rainfall on 28 out of 92 days during winter (33 days in 2018). On a monthly basis there were 6 rain days in June with a total of 18.0 mm, 13 rain days in July with a total of 119.6 mm and 8 rain days in August with a total of 56.6 mm.

In contrast Auckland recorded rain on 29 of the 31 days in August 2019, with a total of 189.4 mm rain. To quote Fred Dagg “We don’t know how lucky we are” in Marlborough.

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

warmest July on record (+1.8°C) and August 2019 mean air temperature was below average (-0.3°C), (individual monthly data not shown in Table 3).

The mean winter air temperature of 9.0°C was 0.4°C warmer than the LTA, entirely due to the very warm July. In Met Report one year ago I reported that the winter of 2018 was the third equal warmest on record (1932-2018). The winter of 2019 is now the eighth warmest on record, and the eight warmest winters on record for Blenheim (1932 to 2018), have all occurred since the year 2000.

Figure 1 clearly indicates the increasing winter temperature in

Blenheim and Figure 2 highlights the decreasing total number of ground frosts in association with the warmer winters. There will always be some years with cooler temperatures and a higher number of frosts, however, these years are now the exception rather than the rule. The temperature trend line in Figure 1 indicates an increase in mean winter temperature of 2.0°C, over the 88 years. The frost trend line in Figure 2 indicates a decrease in number of ground frosts from 62 to 32 over the 88 years.

Total rainfall for the winter of 2019 was only slightly above average, so although a lot of people were moaning

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EDUCATE

Global Tastes CREATING AUSTRALIA’S top wine list is just the latest in a long line of successes for Bhatia Dheeraj, international judge at this year’s QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show. Bhatia is head sommelier at two-hatted restaurant Est. Merivale Sydney, which recently took out the Gourmet Traveller’s Wine List of the Year Awards. Bhatia was consequently awarded the Judy Hirst Award for the Sommelier Responsible for the Best List. In 2017, he won the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge in Australia, and has previously taken second and third places in the Hong Kong challenges.

We ask him a few questions about the value of wine shows.

How did you become part of the wine world?

It all started when I was pursuing my Bachelor of Hospitality Management and I was fascinated by the world of wines. Although I wanted to be a chef, I believe the wine industry was where I was meant to be.

What satisfies you most about being a sommelier?

It’s when I have patrons coming back, as that’s when we have established a relationship of trust. I also get a sense of job satisfaction when I have been able to make our guests discover wines they didn’t know, and indulge them on a food and wine journey. Another satisfying aspect is to inspire young talented sommeliers and steer them in the right direction.

What role do wine awards play for sommeliers and consumers?

When I was working in Singapore and Hong Kong, most patrons would discuss the point system of different critics. Robert Parker played a significant role then, especially

10 / Winepress September 2019

for Bordeaux and California. Then came a few other wine awards that influenced the markets globally, such as Decanter Asia, which I judge every year. Australia and New Zealand have a history of wine awards, over decades. I have only been part of the Royal Adelaide Wine Show where the systems are very disciplined, and consumers are directed by scores on the bottles. I feel wine awards identify and elevate wines. It’s like a GPS in a car that possibly can give you the right direction, with the collective opinions of professional palates as to what they think and conclude as a group. I really enjoy judging with winemakers as they come from a technical perspective, as opposed to when I judge with fellow sommeliers and journalists, only because the approach to wine is different. It’s consistent judging with winemakers. At the end, wine is simple, so I always say each to their own.

How important is the story of a wine to the experience of a consumer?

We all like to get inspired, and the story or connection I feel is very important. Guests love to hear the story of the wine that’s in their glass.

The story could be about historic vineyards or about winemakers, their approach and their philosophies. I feel the most important thing is how this is

communicated, and as a sommelier my job is to make it fascinating for guests.

What’s the most memorable wine you have tasted?

1900 Château d'yquem at Raffles hotel Singapore with winemaker Sandrine Garbay. We had organised a wine dinner at Raffles Grill and I was the Head Sommelier then.

What comes to mind when you think of Marlborough wine?

To me Marlborough has put Sauvignon Blanc on a global map. Not that France didn’t exist, but as a new world country, New Zealand got everyone thinking about it. My first vineyard visit was in 2011, when my mate, who was the winemaker at Terravin, showed me around. Since then a lot has changed, with sustainability, organic wines and so many new interesting producers that even I am yet to discover. There are also changes in styles of winemaking, perhaps because of climate change. For me, all Marlborough wines tasted similar in the past, but it’s not the case today, and site, climate and winemaking philosophies can be sensed.

Marlborough doesn’t have a long history, but it is definitely is playing a significant role in the wine world out there.

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Show Support Getting wine out of Marlborough and around the world is big business for QuayConnect. So this month the transport company is supporting a celebration of the region’s wine and people, as naming sponsor of the QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show General Manager Eugene Beneke (pictured) says the company is proud to be the key supporter of the event.

“QuayConnect’s commitment to the wine industry is extremely important as we continue to invest and focus on getting our great New Zealand wine to the world in a safe, transparent and sustainable manner.”

Other changes afoot in this year’s wine show, now owned by Wine Marlborough, is a new student wine class, which will allow students at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology to enter wine they have made as part of their studies. Wine Marlborough marketing and communications manager Harriet Wadworth says the wines will be judged as a separate class, with a focus on education.

Continuing that theme, Emily Gaspard-Clark (see pg 26), the Marlborough Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2019, will be an associate judge at the competition, allowed to hone her skills among some of the country’s best judges. She and

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four other associate judges will be joined by former young winemaker Jordan Hogg, while Abby Maxwell, winner of the inaugural Marlborough young winemaker competition in 2015, will join the panel of nine senior judges. Harriet says the competition is a celebration of the industry and its wines, “and also an opportunity to nurture the region’s future leaders”.

Judging for the QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show will run from September 25 to27, with the celebratory long lunch on October 25.

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EDUCATE

Global Interests International owners are big players in Marlborough’s wine industry SOPHIE PREECE

FOREIGN COMPANIES controlled a third of New Zealand’s total grape crush in the 2018 vintage, and paid more per tonne for grapes. That’s a far cry from the turn of the century, when international entities - including Allied Domecq’s Montana – were clearly dominant. New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan says “the simple fact is that there has been rapid growth in production of both foreign owned entities and New Zealand based companies”.

Getting a handle on land ownership is difficult, because of the range of models, Philip says. “You can have a wholly owned New Zealand company, but it might be leasing land and that land is actually owned by an offshore company, and we have got no visibility of that.” But findings from the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) 2018 strategic review of the New Zealand wine industry brings some clarity to the ratio of national and international players. It revealed that foreign entities controlled 33.5% of New Zealand’s total grape crush in the 2018 vintage, with 36.7% of total New Zealand wine sales achieved by foreign owned wineries.

Approximately 50% of large category 3 wineries, with sales above 4 million litres per annum, were foreign owned.

According to the PwC report, foreign owned wineries exported 31.7% of total unpackaged wine exports, which is a lower proportion than their wine sales, “indicating foreign owned wineries are less involved in the unpackaged wine trade than New Zealand owned wineries”.

They also tend to pay more for 12 / Winepress September 2019

grapes, it says. In the 2017 vintage, foreign owned companies International companies pay more for grapes, says Simon Towns paid more on average for a tonne of Sauvignon Blanc Zealand to source elements they ($1,804) than their domestically-owned cannot get anywhere else in the world, such as Marlborough Sauvignon counterparts ($1,702). The difference Blanc, Central Otago Pinot Noir, and was greater in ‘other varieties’, with Hawke’s Bay Syrah - “those things with $2,086 paid per tonne, compared reputation” - which could explain their to $1,675. Over all varieties, foreign willingness to pay more for the fruit owned companies paid $1,886 per they seek. tonne, which is $191 more than the The PwC report notes that benefits $1,695 paid by New Zealand-owned of foreign ownership for the New companies.

Zealand wine industry include higher Philip says foreign owned returns to growers, increased local companies are working in New investment, and access to new markets and routes to market. “The scale and global networks of foreign owned entities help to build the reputation and presence of all New Zealand wine,” it says. International companies also bring global expertise and technology transfer, which “permeate” the industry at large.

Michael Wentworth, general manager of external relations and sustainability at New Zealand-owned wine company Yealands Estate, says domestic companies have benefitted from routes to market laid down by international players. Exporting requires burnt shoe leather to establish new contacts, and investment to gain a presence on shelves and wine lists.

“It is certainly a lot easier in markets where there is already a New Zealand presence – and typically that has either come about through a high profile wine accolade, or on the back of a larger

On average, International companies paid 6% more per tonne for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and 11% more for ‘all grapes’ than New Zealandowned wineries

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international company utilising their distribution strength to establish a presence in market,” he says.

Not everyone sees it that way.

Haysley MacDonald of te Pā Family Vineyards believes the amount of overseas ownership in Marlborough is far higher than the PwC data indicates, when the holdings of the biggest foreign companies in the region are taken into account, along with land owned offshore and leased to wine companies in Marlborough.

And while there are positives, including growing Marlborough’s wine reputation globally, he also sees a swathe of negatives in foreign ownership, such as profits heading offshore. Some of the multinationals are able to produce and sell wine at a rate that domestic companies cannot match, while the cost of land in the region is pushed up and New Zealand companies have to compete with, and often lose out to, international

interests, he says. That land, along with the water sustaining it, is in short supply, and selling it off to overseas interests makes no sense, says Haysley.

The PWC report considers the changing regulatory environment, with foreign ownership under increasing scrutiny by the New Zealand government. Its publication preceded the changes to the Overseas Investment Act (2005), which came into force in October 2018, but it warned that new rules requiring profit à prendre to be considered by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) if the term exceeds three years, will increase costs for some foreign owned entities (see sidebox).

That’s a clause Haysley submitted to the Government on, frustrated to see land locked up for 30-year leases, followed by renewals, while the lessees escaped the scrutiny of the OIO. The new rules also place more onus on offshore companies in buying land,

where that land is deemed sensitive.

Land Information New Zealand reports that the OIO has not approved any profit à prendre consents for Marlborough vineyard land since October 2018.

Philip says the tighter OIO rules are likely to impact on companies that have played a major role in the formation of New Zealand’s wine industry. “Is that going to have a constraining impact on them being able to continue to play a positive role in the industry? That may be debated, but it’s the question that needs to be asked. On the face of it you would say ‘yes’.”

Constellation Brands New Zealand has developed more than 700ha of company vineyards over the past five years, including a 250ha block in the Upper Wairau Valley that came on stream in time for the 2019 vintage.

Managing director Simon Towns says the company doesn’t own all the land

Vineyards and the Overseas Investment Act A vineyard that is five hectares or greater is sensitive land requiring consent, says Overseas Investment Office (OIO) group manager Vanessa Horne. Other sensitivities listed in Schedule 1 to the Overseas Investment Act might also apply, for instance if the land is next to a reserve. The new Ministerial Directive Letter that came into effect in December 2017 raised the bar for overseas investors wanting to buy rural land, including vineyards. It stresses that New Zealanders are world leaders in the primary sector “and that it’s a privilege for overseas people to own rural land”, she says. “The Government is concerned to ensure the benefits of overseas investment in rural land are genuinely substantial and identifiable.”

The main change, relating to vineyards, made in 2018 is that profit à prendre is now also considered an interest in land requiring consent. So an overseas person wishing to enter a profit à prendre of three years or more in relation to sensitive land will now require consent. A profit à prendre is a different type of interest to a lease, which was already captured before the changes to the Act. Short-term leases or profits à prendre that are renewed and become longer-term interests (of more than three years) may require consent under the Act, says Vanessa.

The OIO has not approved any profit à prendre consents for Marlborough vineyard land since October 2018. It is however, currently assessing two other applications that involve Marlborough vineyards.

A table of consents that involved grape growing or wine manufacturing in Marlborough in the past decade reveals there were none in 2018 and just one Haysley MacDonald says wine land is so far this year. scarce, so why sell it offshore?

The number of approvals peaked in 2014, at 13. The $4.5 billion paid for five acquisitions in 2009 is mainly accounted for by the Kirin purchase of Lion Nathan. Kirin’s consent included 20ha of leasehold land at Omaka Aerodrome, Marlborough, and 443ha of freehold land at other Marlborough sites. The consent was also for land near Auckland and 53.9 percent of the shares of Lion Nathan.

Vanessa says there is no data on the area of Marlborough vineyard land, either developed or undeveloped, currently in foreign ownership. That’s because the information doesn’t include vineyards of less than 5ha, and doesn’t capture land that was subsequently sold to a New Zealand person.

Winepress September 2019 / 13

EDUCATE

it farms, with “a variety of models” to source its grapes, and has no plans for further expansion, “as we are looking at maximising our existing vines for quality and having the right varietals planted to meet our forecasted demand”.

He says it remains to be seen exactly how the OIO changes could influence Constellation’s ability to grow. “What we do know is that the changes will add cost and time to any acquisition, which will make it less attractive compared to other growth opportunities available to Constellation Brands globally.”

When the company sells the Kim Crawford and Nobilo stories overseas, it needs a quality product from New Zealand, he says. “In order to do this it is important that Constellation maintains a balance of company and grower fruit in its portfolio. The changes will make this more difficult.”

As well as stimulating demand in export markets, international companies provide good returns to growers, he adds, quoting vintage data from 2017 which showed that, on average, international companies paid 6% more per tonne for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and 11% more for all grapes than New Zealand owned wineries.

International companies

have been instrumental in the success of Marlborough’s wine industry, he adds.

“Constellation has driven the New Zealand category in North America, building consumer awareness and opening up shelf space in supermarkets that has Overseas companies have been vital, says Jim White provided opportunity for including distribution arm Negociants, others.” gives Nautilus excellent routes to Nautilus Estate winemaker Clive Jones says overseas owners add “colour market and investment on the ground in Marlborough, while retaining all the and diversity” to the industry, and in stability of a family-owned company. the case of premium companies like “Our owners have a very long-term Nautilus, Clos Henri and Fromm, they view of the wine industry,” he says. “I bring the winemaking traditions of think foreign ownership is part of that their owners. Nautilus was established whole mix of size, scale, experience in 1985 by Robert Hill Smith, whose and business structure that adds colour family started Yalumba - Australia’s to the industry.” oldest family-owned winery - in 1849.

Cloudy Bay was launched in “We have a 170-year-old winemaking 1985 by Australian David Hohnen, heritage we can call on, for expertise whose “spirit and determination” and experience,” says Clive. took the wines of Marlborough to the Meanwhile, international ownership,

Overseas buyers remain in market Overseas Investment Office rules are a hurdle, not a brick wall, says Bayleys wine industry specialist Mike Poff.

Many international companies are able to demonstrate that the land they seek to buy - much of it not considered sensitive - will be improved by their ownership, through replanting or other developments, he says. Response times are reducing and, where assets fit within the terms and conditions of the act, “we are definitely seeing more properties being sold”, he adds. That’s good news for an industry that relies, “more than many people realise”, on the influence and investment of international owners, he says. “Without them, we would have a small presence globally.”

There is increasing tension in Marlborough’s property market for both leasing and sales, as available grape land dwindles. However, both domestic and international companies are beginning to look strategically at their

14 / Winepress September 2019

business models and are finding some of their land holdings are a poor fit, meaning more vineyards should come to the market, says Mike.

The OIO is a hurdle, not a brick wall, says Any analysis Mike Poff of land ownership in Marlborough should also note the impact of heavily invested local families, who continue to grow their portfolio of property, he adds. Some of the region’s oldest farming names now have significant vineyard holdings, and “they are a significant part of the Marlborough industry”.

EDUCATE

world, says the company’s technical director Jim White. In the 1990s, the company moved into the hands of French owners Veuve Clicquot, which introduced opportunities of capital and distribution, and was then amalgamated into LVMH, which takes the wine to more than 90 countries today. “In each of those countries there is, of course, marketing, advertising and promotion, which has a reach far greater than just our own products, increasing the profile of New Zealand wine across the globe,” says Jim. Meanwhile, LVMH has provided access to significant capital “to allow us to invest heavily in our vineyards and winery to focus on quality rather than quantity”, with a focus on long-term brand health and returns rather than short-term gains, he says.

Another benefit of foreign ownership is the “global movement of talent”, which allows New Zealand staff to grow their knowledge and experience through secondments at sister wineries around

the world, while Marlborough gets an injection of experts from around the world, “building the knowledge of the whole New Zealand team”.

When it comes to the OIO, Cloudy Bay made several concessions in 1986 when the winery site was purchased and parcels of land had to be sold off, as the then Australian company was not allowed to own more than 20ha of land. “Some of those parcels were sold to growers who still grow for Cloudy Bay today,” says Jim. In the years since, Cloudy Bay has continued to make regular investments in bare land and established vineyards by being able to demonstrate the advantages of its ownership, he adds. “Today we continue to plan investments in vineyards, in our preferred locations in Marlborough, to secure our long-term grape supply vision.”

Jim says the OIO process is time consuming, which can mean foreign companies are not the preferred purchasers. “New Zealand vineyard

vendors are forced to shoulder the uncertainty of the OIO approval process, to wait extended periods for settlement, while the purchasers end up paying inflated prices due to the risks to the seller of having an investment application turned down.”

Recent changes to the OIO have made the process even more difficult, but the company is determined to continue its investment plans “for the benefit not just of Cloudy Bay but for the New Zealand wine industry as a whole”, he says. “To grow value and quality over volume, and grow the value of the industry’s contribution to employment, export earnings and international market awareness of the brilliant new world wines produced on the other side of the globe, here in New Zealand.”

The October edition of Winepress will feature the growth and place of New Zealand-owned wine companies.

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Winepress September 2019 / 15

ADVERTORIAL

Disease happens: actions determine outcomes STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEBORAH WALTON-DERRY

As the push towards non-synthetic chemistry builds momentum, efficacy is under the spotlight.

It’s time to look at not just what we’re using in the vineyard, but how we are using it.

CHRIS AND HELEN Henry of Henry Manufacturing understand that long-term profitability and sustainability go hand in hand. They are convinced that the best way to achieve this for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a slight shift in cultural practice within the vineyard.

Chris is adamant, “This isn’t about organics (as organics isn’t just about fungicidal products), it’s about giving growers a good financial outcome while using alternatives to synthetic chemistry - and all the advantages that delivers.

How do we get people engaged in long term thinking as opposed to short term gain?”

Science supports this view. Dr David Gadoury, an expert on powdery mildew, has demonstrated that if berries are protected from infection, they will develop ontogenic resistance to powdery mildew 21 days after fruit set. From this point, the canopy can be allowed to grow back.

The Henrys will work alongside a diverse group of growers in the coming season to evaluate changes in vine management and the results they deliver.

Henry Manufacturing has been involved in grape disease research for over two decades. The company has not only produced a range of effective fungicides, but each year invests back into testing and field trials to determine the best viticultural practice needed to deliver optimal results.

Trials in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne have proven the effectiveness of contact fungicides when vines are managed appropriately. Chris believes this occurs when growers are already attuned to the importance of head thinning and leaf removal around the bunch line to ensure the sprays meet their target.

Traditionally, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grapes are grown differently. However, with the rise in incidence and severity of powdery mildew, the need to reassess viticultural practice is more pressing than at any time in the past.

Typically, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has high vigour. The well-fertilised, amply irrigated vines grow a dense canopy that reflects the widely held belief that the fruit delivers better flavours when grown behind leaves. The variable efficacy of fungicide sprays in some Marlborough vineyards is a result of this prevailing practice.

With a slight change in vine management, all fungicide options will have a better chance of working.

As an example: for the cost of a head thin pre-flowering, growers gain the immediate benefit of sprays working much more effectively.

‘The hypothesis is do it once, do it early, reach your target, and the benefits will flow down the line,’ says Chris.

Get it wrong and growers can be confronted with marginally effective spray rounds, additional labour costs and the stress of labour shortages to halt disease spread and clean up fruit.

16 / Winepress September 2019

Mark Allen, of Allen Vineyard Advisory says an effective head shoot thin at the right time is integral to good canopy management.

“If you can see through the canopy you can spray through the canopy and get good coverage.”

“When Smart and Robinson wrote “Sunlight into Wine” in 1991, they encapsulated what is required in the vineyard; it’s about spatial gaps and the cheapest fungicide in the world – sunlight.

“Chasmothecia loves the area around the crown and hates sunshine. Mealy bugs love humidity and shade. Sauvignon blanc is such a vigorous variety, it really does need head thinning.

“It’s a win-win cycle, the canes you’re left with become sun canes and initiation for the following year increases. Light makes the canes more fruitful and cane selection at pruning easier. The best money ever spent is spent on a head thin.”

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Jason Flowerday, co-owner of Te Whare Ra has a clear message: stop farming disease and start shoot thinning.

‘IT’S ABOUT doing the basics properly,’ he says.

‘Contact sprays need contact with the target. If this doesn’t occur, then the sprays won’t work.’

‘Therefore, by shoot thinning, leaf reduction and trimming you allow for more open canopies, providing the correct conditions for contact sprays to do their job. This also allows nature to help, by creating an environment of lower humidity, increased air flow, light and heat.’

‘Taking the long-term view with an early shoot thin has a flow on effect to next year’s growth. Why grow excess cane for no extra gain in fruit quality?’

Stuart Dudley, regional viticulturist for Villa Maria says good cultural practice has always been a priority.

“IN YEARS gone by, some systemic sprays have allowed growers to get away with congested canopies, but this is no longer the case. With increasing reliance on contact sprays good canopy management is essential. The open canopy allows the spray to hit its target, it also changes the environment around the bunch.

“We use a range of methods including shoot thinning early in the season, especially around the head. Later, targeted leaf plucking allows good air flow while dappled light helps with flavour development.”

Stephen Bradley, Head of Viticulture at Constellation Brands says it’s time to move beyond the joke about sauvignon blanc being the ‘anti-grape’.

“THE GRAPE is managed differently to all other varieties; well fed, well irrigated and vigorous to the point effective spraying is unlikely without use of systemic sprays.

“Simple changes ultimately save money and increase the efficacy of contact sprays. A quick head thin or ‘grab’ and eliminating overlapping cane ends will go a long way towards improved vine health.

“Good spraying practice will also help,” Stephen says.

“Watch tractor speed and don’t skimp with water rates. It’s about coverage: better contact, better outcome.”

Effective spraying requires effective preparation Canopy management, including pruning, is the foundation for everything else a grower does in the vineyard. In the fight against powdery mildew and other pathogens, alternatives to toxic chemistry are highly effective when used correctly.

The pathway to sustainability and profitability is not a search for further fungicides, but a shift in vine management to allow every spray round to hit its target.

Visit www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz Call Chris Henry on 027 294 1490 email chris@henrymanufacturing.co.nz

Winepress September 2019 / 17

GROW

Vine Improvement Growing our grapevine population by increasing natural diversity SOPHIE PREECE

THAT WHICH does not kill grapevine cells might just make them stronger.

That’s the premise of a science programme fast tracking genetic adaptations to create a diverse population of New Zealand clones.

“They retain the potential to adapt if they are in an adverse environment in which they might die,” says Dr Darrell Lizamore, the Bragato Research Institute’s (BRI) new principal research scientist for grapevine improvement.

“We use the inherent ability of the genome to change, but at an accelerated rate.”

Genetic changes naturally occur at a higher rate when conditions are negative, says Darrell, who moved to Marlborough last month for his role at BRI. For the past decade, his work at Lincoln University, in partnership with Plant & Food Research, has involved exploiting that phenomenon by putting plant cells in environments that are too hot or too cold, for example.

“Their natural response is to relax the silencing that prevents their genes from changing.”

After around 24 hours in the negative environment, researchers grow new plants from the grapevine cells, and test these for changes. The resulting population of clones is an opportunity to recognise and exploit characteristics that make sense for New Zealand conditions, whether that be drought resistance, disease resistance, or changes in branching or vigour. It could see vines created to thrive with the changing climate, or in areas not currently suitable for

18 / Winepress September 2019

grapes. “In three to five years we could produce an extra 2,000 or 4,000 clones,” Darrell says.

He notes that New Zealand’s billion dollar Sauvignon Blanc industry is rooted in approximately a dozen clones. None of them have been bred for New Zealand conditions, but were instead plucked from California or France. “We are producing a diversity of new clones so we can select those that are optimal for New Zealand’s environment.”

“With an excellent team and worldclass facilities coming together in Blenheim, this is an exciting time for grapevine research.”

Darrell Lizamore

At last month’s Bragato Conference, Darrell spoke of the large spectrum of techniques around the world when it comes to grapevine improvement. They range from traditional selective breeding to smart breeding techniques using natural potential, as per the Lincoln and BRI project, all the way through to molecular techniques like CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats), which allows existing genes to be edited in a precise way, without adding any DNA. Countries like Japan are already using CRISPR on grapevines, and do not consider it to be gene editing, so could potentially market a wine that results from the technology without labelling it as a GMO (genetically modified organism), he says. “There’s no evidence that’s happening yet, but there’s no way for us to track it either…

Because of the way technology like CRISPR works, there is no way of distinguishing the genetic change from what happens naturally.”

It’s a far cry from the Lincoln

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Winepress September 2019 / 19

GROW

work, which simply taps in to a natural ability, he says. “It is about speeding up the natural evolution of a crop, by increasing the rate at which the species tries new genetic combinations.”

With the support of New Zealand Winegrowers, Lincoln and Plant & Food have already created around 2,500 new plants, with 1,600 planted, some of which appear to demonstrate new characteristics. The BRI intends to work with both organisations to progress its Vine Improvement Programme, which will include screening the DNA of the population for genetic changes and developing a catalogue that can be checked against the genes already known for their function, such as disease resistance.

The Lincoln project began with Chardonnay, but is expanding into Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Meanwhile, given the vine project has provided proof of concept, with vines a relatively easy genome to sequence, the initiative is now being trialed with the more complex crops of kiwifruit and hops.

Fingerprinting Vines Selective breeding and natural mutations mean there are thousands of types of vines in the world, some of them similar in almost every way. For the past few centuries, ampelographers have been called on to identify varieties and clones where growers are unsure, using differences in leaf contour, growing shoots and other tells.

These days the job is more cut and dry, with DNA sequencing offering exact results, says Bragato Research Institute principal research scientist for grapevine improvement Darrell Lizamore, who founded Zebra Biotech to do just that. “We recently had a team of French ampelographers come through and look at the New Zealand Wine Grapevine Collection we hold on (Lincoln University) campus,” and around a third of the vines could not be determined, he says.

“Whereas genetically, all these plants are different, so by reading the DNA we can tell which plant it is, and quite conclusively.”

Around a quarter of the vines they test are not what the grower thought they were, “which is incredibly high really, given people’s businesses are based on what varieties they are growing”, he says. The most common cause for confusion is in rootstock, which can be a game changer for the success of a crop, but there are also mistaken varieties and clones.

The results can be unwelcome news, as it was for producers in the Barossa Valley in 2009, when they discovered that the Albariño that was forging a name for itself was actually from Savagnin grapes, requiring rebranding and a new pitch to their markets, says Darrell. “It’s a bit like a paternity test - if you ask, you have to be ready to get the news.”

20 / Winepress September 2019

Darrell has been immersed in genetics since he went to Stellenbosch to study medicine, but soon realised he didn’t want to become a doctor. The human genome project was being released, DNA sequencing was “taking off”, and his time spent in the genetics department was “fascinating”.

Despite growing up in the South African wine region, and enjoying the traditional Friday afternoon wine tastings, his postgraduate work focused on aquaculture, not vines, with the development of genetic profile tests for abalone to assist police in tracking smuggled seafood.

But when he moved to Christchurch for his PhD at Lincoln University, via a few years teaching in Korea to pay his student loans, his focus shifted to vines. The research, supervised by Dr Chris Winefield, looked at the activity of transposons - regions of genetic code that respond during times of environmental stress, such as drought. These elements shuffle the genetic information of an organism, occasionally resulting in new adaptations, and Darrell’s work identified which transposon types are active in modern cultivated vines, along with conditions that trigger the grapevine’s DNA to change.

He says the move to Marlborough with his young family is a chance to interact with industry while doing the work.

“With an excellent team and world-class facilities coming together in Blenheim, this is an exciting time for grapevine research. And I look forward to being spoilt for choice on a Friday afternoon.”

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Winepress September 2019 / 21

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Living Wood Going with the flow to combat trunk disease SOPHIE PREECE Master pruner Mia Fischer

UNIMPEDED SAP movement is crucial for a healthy vine, but often foiled by pruning techniques, says Simonit & Sirch master pruner Mia Fischer. “I’d like you to start thinking of the vine as a living thing”, she told a group of growers eagerly huddled around the vines in Marlborough last month, when she visited for a workshop and pruning demonstration.

Mia emphasised the need to ensure vascular health from the root up, using a controlled branching structure, small cuts and protective wood to minimise and mitigate the impact of desiccation. The objective was to reestablish uniformity, improve quality and production, extend vine age and reduce susceptibility to trunk disease, by respecting the vine‘s own natural defence mechanism, taking into consideration the area allocated for it to grow into in its lifetime, she said. “Year-on-year pruning results in desiccation - the quality and quantity is determined by the pruner with each cut annually made to the plant structure.”

Simonit & Sirch is an Italian training and consultancy company that has spent more than 30 years

22 / Winepress September 2019

researching vine health and longevity via winter pruning and spring shoot thinning. Its pruning model is based on the formation of a sturdy branching structure and incorporating cut separation by keeping cuts on one side of the vine in cane pruning , so that sap can flow unimpeded on the other.

Once growers had forged the desired structure, decision-making became simple, with an established procedure for where year-on-year pruning cuts could be made, she said.

The quantity of cuts needed would be reduced to a minimum, speeding up the process in winter and spring. “It’s a clear message for the pruner and the plants, so it is a lot easier.”

Mia wielded Felco 13 Secateurs as she demonstrated in the Farmlands/ Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative Innovation Vineyard, and turned down offers of larger loppers to take out canes, explaining that no one should need them for a well-structured vine. Small cuts reduce desiccation (dead wood) and heal sooner, putting less pressure on the plant and providing a smaller entry point for pathogens like Eutypa.

Where and how these cuts are

made is important, she added. “Our objective is to move away from the need to make a big cut. If we need to make a big cut we will do it in a respectful way, avoiding having to make another one in the future, by respecting space allocated and using controlled branching.“ Looking at an older vine with damaged head and non-uniform canes, Mia described how in restructuring the vine, a well-positioned “anchor” could be used to encourage uninterrupted sap flow along the “productive highway“ of the plant. “The position and quality of living wood on the structure can act as a stopper to the accumulated desiccation,” she said, advising growers to never cut flush to the trunk, but instead to utilise the vine‘s own defences by focusing on cut quality.

Adapting Marlborough pruning styles to the model will require a change in mindset, but can begin with a “gentle shift” in which people “start seeing their vines”. She demonstrated on six-year-old vines with an abundance of dead wood and crowded canes of various diameters. “When you go into your vineyards, consider

EDUCATE

vine structure for the future by looking at your plants and thinking about the build-up of living wood… Living wood is vital to the sustainability of a vineyard and it cannot grow where there is dead wood.” Current pruning practices result in a “randomisation“ of many cuts to the plant structure, resulting in big cuts made to control growth, she said. That increases the risk of pathogens entering the plant structure, “resulting in premature vine decline“.

The risk of Eutypa was revealed at the demonstration, when older vines were cross-sectioned with a chainsaw, revealing the extent of trunk disease and dearth of sap movement. “They were basically beyond repair,” says Mart Verstappen, technical leader viticulture at Farmlands, which sponsored the event. People had pruned on price for decades “and at the end of the day you get what you pay for”, he says. The cost of adopting the pruning model was discussed during the day, with an acknowledgement that it will take time to establish the necessary structure, says Mart. “But what is the true cost if you don’t do it?”

With many Marlborough vineyards being removed and replanted due to trunk disease, it is a perfect time to look at a better way forward, he adds.

Implementing the new model will take time and require regionally specific research looking at different varietal needs, yield data and ultimately wine style, Mart says.

Having commercial partners in Marlborough working with Simonit & Sirch on various varieties and trellising systems will be “imperative”.

Ultimately, he would like to see New Zealand’s viticulture training institutes take the method on board, “something that Simonit & Sirch have achieved successfully in several other countries”, so it becomes embedded in the New Zealand industry and its vineyards.

Te Whare Ra’s Jason Flowerday has already put up his hand to work with Simonit & Sirch. “We are already doing some of what is taught, but we need to learn more.” He hopes to see the

Small cuts require only secateurs

model taken on by the wider industry, NMIT, the New Zealand School of Winegrowing and the Bragato Research Institute.

Marlborough vines are already being struck by trunk disease, potentially due to current management methods, which have made vines vulnerable, he says. “We have this problem now and our techniques aren’t helping it.” Better pruning and canopy management is about “going back to basics” and taking the time to understand the plant, with a longterm view, he adds. “The importance of shoot thinning in spring cannot be underestimated or undervalued. We need to take a more holistic approach to our canopy management throughout the season.”

Jason says the new model might cost more initially, due to training and other factors, but once the vine is set up properly it will cost less. “If we don’t change, we will be facing productivity and quality losses, or having to replant vineyards prematurely, which will in turn affect vineyard valuations. So, adapting our management methods will save us money in the long term.”

The industry needs to put emphasis on training and educating the labour force, he says. “Vineyard workers are dealing with millions of dollars of assets on a daily basis and we need to value them and the work they do… The quality of the job is as important as the cost, for the long term health of our

industry here in Marlborough.”

Grape grower and Silver Secateurs organiser James Jones says the session was “refreshing” for operators like him, who are “pretty passionate about pruning”. Adopting the method entirely would require skilled labour for detailed spring head thinning, which would be a formidable challenge on a large scale, he says. But operators could easily take on board important aspects of the training, such as protecting the plant’s “vascular highway”, limiting dead wood (the “desiccation cone”), and promoting living wood around the head area.

Those elements are already being implemented by some in the industry, including his own Starborough vineyards, he says. “We are fully immersed in that philosophy.”

Simonit & Sirch - the method 1 Shaping the structure - drive branching development.

2 Respect the vascular flow separating desiccated areas from the main sap flow.

3 Reduce cutting surfaces and respect the crowns - make small cuts on the same side on one or two-year-old wood.

4 Allow for protective wood when cutting wood two-years or older, retain a portion of protective wood. simonitesirch.com

Winepress September 2019 / 23

CELEBRATE

Forgotten Corners A buzz of biodiversity at Whitehaven Wines SOPHIE PREECE Whitehaven’s Narrows Vineyard. Photos by Paul Jones

STACKS OF beehives and embankments of grasses are just some of the biodiversity measures put in place by Whitehaven Wines, with a philosophy wider than vineyards and tanks. There are long lines of buckwheat, tall trees in a winery woodlot, sheep grazing rows in winter, and pockets of native plantings wherever there’s space.

“Practicing environmental and social responsibility is an important part of what we do and our culture,” says general manager Simon Toneycliffe.

What is HAIL?

The company follows six pillars of sustainability, including biodiversity, soil, water, energy and by-products, as well as people and relationships. The pillars often work in harmony, such as the thriving woodlot behind the winery, which is irrigated by an onsite treated wastewater plant, and in the enthusiasm of staff members wanting to work in a healthy and biodiverse workplace.

The winery itself has beautiful plantings, sustained with collected rainwater. They include groves of

olives in internal courtyards, pockets of flax and native boundary plantings, and an entrance of grasses, which gleam in the sun and roll in the wind, softening the lines of the building.

Straight lines of Podocarpus totara and garden beds were designed to echo the patterns of the vineyards, in a design that won Nelson firm Canopy the Award of Excellence in the Commercial Category at the 2017 New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architecture Pride of Place Awards.

The design also won the 2017

With vineyard development starting for the season, you may need information about contaminated, or HAIL-classified land.

Contact Environmental Scientist Sarah Brand for further information. Sarah is also the Council’s air quality scientist.

Check out the Council’s air quality and HAIL pages on our website.

Sarah Brand Environmental Scientist

DDI: 03 520 7400 | M: 027 214 0196 sarah.brand@marlborough.govt.nz

www.marlborough.govt.nz

24 / Winepress September 2019

CELEBRATE

Garden Marlborough award for Best Commercial Frontage.

Beyond the winery, the Narrows vineyard has a boundary of olive trees, which create a Whitehaven olive oil each winter, while bees forage in and around the vineyard.

In the Southern Valleys Little Alfred Vineyard, Whitehaven has planted buckwheat between rows of Pinot Noir vines, adding nutrients to the soil while attracting the small native wasp, Dolichogenidea Tasmanica, which predates on the leaf roller caterpillar pest. The wasp also helps control mealy bug, the primary vector for Grapevine leafroll (associated virus type 3).

Simon says all of the sustainability measures protect the environment while helping Whitehaven ensure healthy vines and the best possible wines. But they also help protect the reputation of Marlborough’s wine industry. “We aspire to having an authentic and very visible respect for our environment, ensuring we play our role as custodian of Marlborough’s wine valleys,” he says. “That drives our commitment to enhancing all aspects of our social and environmental footprint.”

Family at the helm – 25 years of Whitehaven In the 1990s, Greg and Sue White shed corporate jobs in Auckland to set sail on a 48-foot yacht named Chanticleer.

Years spent sailing the Pacific, then around the New Zealand coastline, didn’t stop when their daughter Samantha was born, and she spent her first six months on the yacht.

But in 1994, the family set a new direction and established Whitehaven Wines, choosing an anchor for its insignia and a name that marks the importance of family and the ‘haven’ they’d found while anchoring in Marlborough.

Twenty-five years on, with a stunning winery on Pauls Road, new cellar door at the Vines Village, and global reputation as a premium wine producer, Whitehaven has had quite a journey. The first vintage in 1994 yielded 50 tonnes of Riesling from their Dodson Street winery (see photo), but by 2002 they had grown too big for its 600 tonne capacity, and bought the Pauls Road property.

The next year Greg secured distribution into North America, and today Whitehaven remains largely export

focused to the North American ultra-premium market, says Sue, who remains at the helm. She is a strong advocate for Marlborough, with a community focus that includes support of the ASB Theatre Whitehaven Wine Room and the upcoming Whitehaven Marlborough PGA Golf Tournament. “All our fruit is 100% Marlborough and everything is processed here in Marlborough,” she says.

“Authenticity is vital to us so it is a pleasure to be able to give back to the region.”

In 2007, Greg lost a long battle with cancer, but Sue continues to keep the adventurous couple’s dream alive.

“I still find it hugely rewarding to see the dream that Greg and I shared being enjoyed by people throughout the world.”

Winepress September 2019 / 25

CELEBRATE

Generation Y-ine Busy month for winning winemaker SOPHIE PREECE

BLENDING WINE, finding faults, conducting trials, rolling barrels, peeling grapes and spitting water across a wide stretch of lawn were just some of the challenges Emily GaspardClark took in her stride to become the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2019 last month.

But the 28-year-old Spy Valley assistant winemaker says none of the day’s tasks were as daunting as judging wines under the gaze of some of the region’s top winemakers. “It’s always really hard when you are tasting alongside people who have been in the industry for so long, to say what you think.”

It’s something she’ll get used to pretty quickly though, because the prize package includes a place as associate judge at this month’s QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show, where she’ll have three days assessing the region’s wines. “It’s a fantastic opportunity,” Emily says, planning to “take some cues” from Spy’s new chief winemaker - and seasoned wine judge - Wendy Stuckey.

The show makes it a busy month for Emily, who will compete in the national Young Winemaker Competition just a week before the judging begins. In the meantime, she’ll be honing her knowledge and quizzing former competitors, although she knows it’s a hard event to prepare for. “You’ll study one area and it won’t show up.”

Regardless of the outcome, Emily says the regional competition, which she entered in for the first time last year, has been a boost to her 26 / Winepress September 2019

confidence and a chance to assess what she does and doesn’t know.

Emily’s entry to the wine industry “happened by chance” when she visited a Lincoln University stand at a careers evening, offering information on its viticulture and oenology course.

She’d already decided to study food science and wasn’t much of a wine drinker, but was caught by the prospect of a job that balanced science and function. “I loved the practical side of it, with a product you could see at the end.”

She went to Lincoln, and spent her summers working in vineyards round the country, relishing the active roles and the ability to follow a product from start to finish. Her first job on graduation was at Delegat, before years of travelling for harvests, interspersing her New Zealand vintages with ones in

the Barossa, Canada and France.

When she decided it was time to settle down, Emily worked for two years in Australia, before joining Spy Valley in spring 2017. Emily loves to make aromatics, but says since she has been back in Marlborough she has “learned to love Sauv again” with recognition that “there is a lot more you can put into it”.

She says it’s a great industry and region to work in, with a collegiality that has survived its growth. “You can call someone down the road and catch up for a chat. Everyone is involved and knows each other, which is great.”

Tough competition Peter Russell from Matua came second in this year’s Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year, with Michael Hearn from VinLink in third position. The other contestants were Kelly Stuart from Cloudy Bay, Mary-Ann Kuhn from Waimea in Nelson, Kathleen Zelter from Constellation, Tom Hindmarsh from The Coterie and Alun Kirby from Marisco.

Emily will represent Marlborough in the national final at the Nelson Malborough Institute of Technology on September 17. The winner wins a trip to Burgundy to visit Tonnellerie de Mercurey, as well as a $2,000 Programmed Property Services Education Scholarship, a bespoke trophy, a Riedel decanter and cash. The winner will also be an associate judge at the New Zealand Wine of the Year competition.

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Winepress September 2019 / 27

PROTECT

Biosecurity Watch Wine industry imports: what you need to know SOPHIE BADLAND

PLANNING TO import new vineyard or winery machinery for Vintage 2020?

Here’s a quick update (and refresher) on the biosecurity requirements applicable to imported vehicles and machinery for vineyards and wineries.

Import health standards Under the Biosecurity Act 1993, importers have a duty to comply with requirements in the applicable import health standards when importing any items deemed to be biosecurity risk goods. Import health standards are one of the key tools to ensure biosecurity risks remain offshore. The standards describe the criteria that imported items must meet, including any treatment that may be required, before they can be given biosecurity clearance to enter New Zealand. The standards are available to view on The Ministry for Primary Industry’s (MPI) website at www.biosecurity.govt.nz/law-andpolicy/requirements/ihs-importhealth-standards/.

As the biosecurity risk associated with different goods from a range of different countries varies, not all standards are the same. For example, new and used vehicles (including tractors), machinery (such as presses, destemmers, sprayers, trimmers, harvesters) and equipment used in

wine making (tanks, filtration systems) are currently covered by an import health standard called Vehicles, Machinery and Parts, while wooden barrels are covered by a separate standard - Woodware from All Countries. There are also import health standards that govern the import of plant germplasm, including Vitis.

While preborder and border precautions should take care of most biosecurity risk, no system is perfect.

Importing vineyard vehicles and machinery Because of the high risk of hitchhiking pests such as the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) on this pathway and numerous interceptions at the border, MPI has designed the import health

standard so that, as much as possible, the risk is now managed offshore prior to arrival in New Zealand. Under the standard, imported vehicles and machinery from 33 countries (including the US, Japan and several European countries) now have targeted measures in place, including offshore treatment requirements during the BMSB high-risk season. New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) supports these changes as they will make it more difficult for hitchhiking BMSB to arrive on our shores. Treatment options for vehicles and machinery include fumigation with methyl bromide or sulfuryl fluoride, or heat treatment.

Any used outdoor machinery (or indoor machinery used with plant material) must also be thoroughly cleaned in a dismantled state, and a Cleaning Certificate supplied to MPI, prior to import. If you plan to import vineyard vehicles or machinery from these countries between September 1 and April 30, be aware these targeted measures are likely to apply and expect it may take longer to receive your goods.

Importing barrels Oak barrels fall under the Woodware import health standard. Commercially imported barrels may be (but don’t

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL

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Call MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66 28 / Winepress September 2019

PROTECT

have to be) pre-treated before arrival in New Zealand. If they are pre-treated, ensure the appropriate treatment certificates and manufacturers declarations are supplied to MPI. The barrels may be inspected on arrival to verify the treatment has worked.

If they are untreated, expect them to be inspected by MPI officials at your expense. The inspection looks for evidence of bark, soil, pests or other contaminants. If contamination is found, the consignment will need to be treated. Treatment options for barrels are fumigation with methyl bromide or sulfuryl fluoride, heat treatment, or kiln drying.

Treatment implications Methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride are currently used as fumigants due to their ability to quickly penetrate materials but dissipate after a period of aeration, leaving minimal residue.

They are effective broad-spectrum insecticides which kill a range of pests. Vehicles and machinery should not sustain any damage as a result of fumigation or heat treatment. In Australia, which employs similar measures for imported machinery and equipment, some winemakers raised concerns about the possibility of fumigant residues in oak barrels causing taint to wine. The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) found that this is highly unlikely unless a strong oxidising agent such as ozone or hypochlorite is also present, or unless the barrel is already tainted with a halophenol. However, if barrels have a high moisture content, there is a possibility they may retain bromide or fluoride ions from the fumigants. The AWRI therefore advise that fumigated barrels be filled with treated (nonchlorinated) water for 48 hours after airing, to minimise this risk. If barrels are heat-treated, there is a slight risk of drying out, and potential for leakage as a result. If it is possible, contact your supplier for reassurance that barrels will be clean of biosecurity

Imported vineyard and winery machinery, such as harvesters, are subject to new offshore treatment requirements from September 1, when the BMSB high-risk season begins.

contaminants when they arrive in New Zealand; this may help avoid the need to apply treatment on arrival.

Containers from Italy Due to extremely high BMSB populations, all incoming shipping containers from Italy during the highrisk season (September 1 to April 30) must be treated before arrival in New Zealand, regardless of the goods they contain. The only exception to this is where goods may be sensitive to fumigants (for example food, animals, seeds, pharmaceutical products), in which case the container is subject to inspection by MPI officials on arrival.

Vehicles and machinery from Italy are still subject to the requirements of the Vehicles, Machinery and Parts standard.

Receiving imported goods Upon arrival in New Zealand, risk goods must go to a transitional facility until all biosecurity requirements (treatment, inspection, certification) have been completed and clearance has been given by MPI. Your supplier,

shipping agent or customs broker should be able to give you an idea of how long your items might take to arrive, and unless you are personally handling the importation process, they will also have copies of the Biosecurity Authority Clearance Certificate (BACC). A BACC is issued by MPI for all imported risk goods and lists the biosecurity requirements your goods must comply with before MPI can release them. While pre-border and border precautions should take care of most biosecurity risk, no system is perfect, so stay vigilant for the presence of unwanted pests or diseases when receiving your goods. Open them up in an enclosed room, shed or garage. Check all compartments and inspect the packaging. If you see anything suspicious, catch it, take a photo, and call the Biosecurity NZ hotline on 0800 80 99 66. If you have questions about importing vineyard or winery machinery, you can email standards@mpi.govt.nz, or get in touch with the NZW biosecurity team at biosecurity@nzwine.com.

Winepress September 2019 / 29

Industry News A maker’s dozen Tasting some of the world’s best wines with some of the world’s most passionate wine lovers proved a validation of Arbour’s wine list, says Liz Buttimore, co-owner of the Marlborough restaurant. Liz was one of 12 wine professionals at the second annual Family of Twelve Wine Tutorial, selected from a long list of applicants from Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Family chair Paul Donaldson says the tutorial has become an “institution with a life of its own that will help take fine New Zealand wine into the future”. Eight workshops over two and a half days involved 2,000 wines from 84 different producers, 57 wine regions and 14 countries. Blind-tasting workshops tutored by Family members and external Master of Wine (MW) Stephen Wong included pours of Domaine Leflaive PulignyMontrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2015 and a Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Grand Cru Bonnes Mares 2010, alongside Family wines, in a once of a lifetime experience, says Liz. Her highest scores were for New Zealand wines, she says. “And it wasn’t just my palate that was picking that… these are great wines anywhere in the world.” Liz says Arbour’s wine list “is fiercely backyard”. Sometime she doubts herself on those choices, but has returned to the

restaurant with renewed confidence. “We are doing exactly the right thing selling New Zealand wines first, and in particular local wines first, because they are good.”

Tutorial wine chair Blair Walter, of Felton Road, says the workshops and dinners were once again “superb experiences”, with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir line-ups the “true” standouts.

“Our Kumeu River, Villa Maria, Pegasus Bay and Neudorf Chardonnays totally held their own tasted blind with white Burgundies from several exalted domaines. The Pinot Noir story was the same… our Family wines were captivating, tasted blind against some of the rarest red Burgundies, including Grand Crus, we could find.”

Melissa Moore, of Sydney, Australia, won The Family of Twelve Award and the co-owner of Wellington’s Noble Rot, Josh Pointon (pictured), won the Institute of Masters of Wine Prize, as the participant showing most promise for the MW education programme.

is a pioneer of Marlborough’s wine industry, the managing director of Hunter’s Wines, and supportive of a number of mentoring schemes in both the wine industry and the wider business world, says the Young Enterprise scheme is about inspiring young people to be innovative and to get them thinking about their own possibilities, “something which I think is very important for the future of business in New Zealand”.

Waste Not Hall of Fame Jane Hunter has been inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, with the award presented to her by Minister for Justice Andrew Little, at a black tie dinner in Auckland last month. The initiative is run by the Young Enterprise Trust and acknowledges the work of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders throughout the country. Jane, who 30 / Winepress September 2019

The Marlborough District Council has been awarded $320,000 in funding from the 2018 Waste Minimisation Fund to progress two new projects to tackle the region’s waste. The money includes a grant of $127,711 to assist a council-commissioned research project run by Massey University on grape marc. Marlborough produces up to 65,000 tonnes of grape marc each year, which can contain up to 60% liquid

and requires careful management to minimise its impacts on the environment. “This research project will consider options for turning this material into a stable, reusable and marketable product, whilst minimising its environmental impact,” says council’s solid waste manager Alec McNeil. The total cost of the grape marc project is $170,282.

Wine Marlborough Update VANCE KERSLAKE

There was a great turnout for the Vintage staff – AIPs & Essential Skills Visas session with Immigration NZ (INZ) and Ministry of Social Development (MSD). This was a good opportunity for INZ and MSD to hear about the challenges and frustrations of the process experienced by members. Wine Marlborough is working with INZ and MSD on the issues raised by

members, as well as following up on some specific complaints. This year 28 wineries participated in the Harvest Remuneration Survey. The survey covers pay and benefits for fixed-term/casual staff in wineries over harvest. The next regular Marlborough Winegrowers meeting with the Marlborough District Council is September 3. Already on the agenda are our requests for an annual update of the vineyard coverage map, a council project to estimate the land area available for vineyard development and to find out about council’s research project run by Massey University on grape marc. If you have any issues you want us to raise with Council email Vance Kerslake, Advocacy Manager advocacy@winemarlborough.nz

Photo from Churton

Organic Wine Week Organic Winegrowers New Zealand is running its Organic Wine Week from September 17 to 23. The week includes a selection of restaurants and retailers around the New Zealand and in London, with events to celebrate organic wines. In Marlborough, there’s Tall Tales, Empty Bottles with Rippon and Te Whare Ra at Arbour on September 18, hosted by Anna Flowerday and Leslie Johnston. Then on September 20, the wine week is back at Arbour, with Claire Allan of Huia and Nadine Cross of Peregrine.

Jeff Poole of Fine Wine Delivery says he is “thrilled” to be partnering with Organic Wine Week. “As our customers become increasingly aware of what they are consuming and the provenance of their food and beverage, we see these more natural winemaking processes becoming mainstream in the near future....” More than 30 organic

Weather Watch JAMES MORRISON

Spring is upon us, but we certainly got a late taste of winter and a few heavy frosts across Marlborough.

The consistent west to southwest pattern is expected to last for much of September and the next few weeks are going to be very unsettled, with plenty of fast-moving and fastchanging conditions over all of New Zealand. The long range indicators are still pointing at a weak El Nino but there is a growing commentary now that El Nino will fade out in early October and we will return to neutral Photo by Jim Tannock conditions by November. These conditions are expected to remain through summer and into 2020.

The outlook for Marlborough still remains quite mixed. I am expecting strong westerly winds to buffet the region through September, but we will need to watch out for the odd frost if the timing is right. Although it is more difficult with fast moving systems, a late clearance of a front could make for frosty conditions. October and November should see high pressure systems start to dominate more often and this is likely to lead to a number of cool, calm nights.

The other thing to watch for is the development of afternoon thunderstorms this spring. Sea temperatures have cooled a little, but still remain above average to the north of New Zealand and any northerly flows are likely to bring a little extra moisture with them.

Overall, I am expecting rainfall totals to be near or a little below average for September. Rainfall totals in October and November could be quite mixed with longer dry periods possible. Mean temperatures have been close to average for the past few weeks and should continue that way through much of spring. Winds are likely to remain strong through September, then become lighter after that with the development of sea breezes by early October.

James Morrison runs Weatherstation Frost Forecasting Ltd wineries will participate in live events during the week, and several of New Zealand’s top restaurants will host dinners with organic winemakers sharing their wines in person.

For more information go to the OWNZ Facebook page.

Mandarin Superstar Marlborough’s Mike Insley is working as chief operating officer at Yealands Estate Wines after four years in Ningxia, northwest China, looking after Pernod Ricard’s Helan Mountains operation. Mike’s experience in China has led to him being selected as one of this year’s Mandarin Superstars by the

trust which runs New Zealand Chinese Language Week. “My Chinese speaking ability is extremely basic. However, just using a few words lets people know that you are trying to learn and respect their culture. In that way it opens doors and new friendships develop.” New Zealand Chinese Language Week runs from 22 to 28 September 2019. www.nzclw.com

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Winepress September 2019 / 31

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

To have your event included in next month’s Wine Happenings or Industry News pages, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by September 20.

For more information on these events, email Harriet Wadworth at harriet@wine–marlborough.co.nz

SEPTEMBER 6 Entries close for Marlborough Wine Show 13 Marlborough Winegrowers Election voting opens 17 Tonnellerie de Mercury Young Winemaker National final - NMIT Marlborough 17 NZW Advocacy Team Compliance Roadshow - Blenheim 17-23 Organic Wine Week (see pg 31) 20 Voting begins in local body elections 25-27 QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show judging 26-27 QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show industry tastings OCTOBER 12 Voting closes in local body elections 25 QuayConnect Marlborough Wine Show Long Lunch 25 WineWorks Marlborough Wine Race 26-28 National Cellarbration - nationwide cellar door weekend NOVEMBER 16 New Zealand Wine Awards, Marlborough, nzwine.com/nzwa

Organic Wine Week - September 17-23

Marlborough Wine Show Lunch - October 25

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MIKE POFF Your Wine Industry Specialist Sales and Leasing 027 6655 477 | mike.poff@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

FOR SALE

Boundary lines are indicative only

Marlborough 164 Lanark Lane 23.3 hectares of premium Sauvignon Blanc Consisting of 23.3 hectares of solid performing Sauvignon Blanc and a two storied brick and cedar four bedroom home this significant property offers a rare opportunity. The cropping history for this property is very consistent at an 18 tonne to the hectare on a 5 year average offering great returns and a reliable income. The vineyard was planted over four years starting in 2001 giving the new purchasers plenty of time to capitalize on the balance of the vineyards productive life span. Renovated in 2014, the living and kitchen areas of the house have been tastefully redone with the addition of a large expansive deck offering great indoor outdoor living flow. Large vineyard blocks of this size are not often seen on the market and with the house being not over capitalized it helps to balance this capital investment. Call Mike to find out more!

Tender 3pm, Thu 24 Oct 2019 33 Seymour Street, Blenheim Mike Poff 027 6655 477 mike.poff@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

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Boundary lines are indicative only

Waipara 167 Bain Road Land lease - significant viticulture development opportunity in Waipara Situated alongside the Waipara River this 140 - 150 hectare river terrace at the base of the north west Waipara foothills has plenty of water for viticulture and is a great opportunity to plant a variety that you need in your portfolio. With a gentle sloping aspect to the south east the property has good air drainage. The area is proven with vineyards bounding the property to the west supplying creditable wine companies. The lease of this piece of land offers limestone silt loam soils and excellent water right with extra land to the north suitable to build a reservoir. There is a potential total canopy area of approximately 120 - 130 hectares yet to be surveyed.

This is excellent grape growing land with solid yields per hectare and proven great flavour profile for aromatic varieties. The vendor is looking for a long term land lease with a compatible party where they will convert the property into viticulture. Call Mike today!

Tender 3pm, Wed 23 Oct 2019 33 Seymour Street, Blenheim Mike Poff 027 6655 477 mike.poff@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

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