Winepress - September 2022 by Winepress Magazine

ISSUE NO. 333 / SEPTEMBER 2022 GAUGERAIN

Winepress THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINEwine-marlborough.co.nzMARLBOROUGHFORCEFIRESPOTLIGHTRSE CANDIDATESCOUNCIL

Photo: Jim Tannock

Recent criticism of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme is a reminder to all involved, from contractors to wine companies, of their responsibility to seasonal workers in the vines. Rain Gauge

The wine industry “barely dropped a beat” following an August deluge that closed roads, damaged vineyards and stalled pruning across the region. Wine Show

The 2022 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, will celebrate Marlborough’s subregional diversity. “When you start drilling down there are so many expressions of all three valleys,” says judge Stu Marfell.

this issue... 14

JamesDavidPhoto

Winepress September 2022 / 1 301020REGULARS FEATURES 3 Editorial - Sophie Preece 4 From the Board - Beth Forrest 6 Tasman Crop Met ReportRob Agnew 30 Generation Y-ineGracie-Rose Kay 32 Biosecurity WatchSophie Badland 34 Industry News 36 Wine Happenings Cover: Volunteer firefighters like Spy Valley bottling manager Ryan Anderson are an asset to the industry and Photocommunity.JimTannock. See page 16 10 RSE Spotlight

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From Editorthe

Winepress September 2022 / 3

JoannaAdvertising:May advertising@winemarlborough.nz

Events Manager: Loren Coffey loren@winemarlborough.nz Advocacy Manager: Nicci Armour advocacy@winemarlborough.nz

Grape Grower Directors: Anna Laugesen anna@craiglochart.co.nz Kirsty Harkness kirsty@mountbase.co.nz Michiel Eradus michiel@eraduswines.co.nz Nigel Sowman nigel@dogpoint.co.nz Tracy Johnston tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz

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

General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 or 021 831 marcus@winemarlborough.nz820

SOPHIE PREECE

IT NEVER rains but it pours. That was certainly true for Marlborough’s wine industry last month, as a massive rain event left vineyards soaked, putting the brakes on key machinery work and pruning at a time the industry could least affordLabourit. is already tight, pruning was already pressured, and budburst loomed large on the horizon. Many I spoke to were frustrated but philosophical, well used to the vagaries of nature, the travails of primary production, and the constant charge of challenges in these ‘Covid-years’. To add insult to injury, the rain event knocked out both State Highway 6 across the Whangamoa Saddle, and SH63 via the Nelson Lakes, leaving the Lewis Pass as the only option for trucking wine to Port Nelson for shipping, with a costly price tag. It was a lot, but the wine industry “barely dropped a beat”, says Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director of rural communities and farming support Nick Story, after an MPI visit after the deluge. “They are very organised and we’re seeing growers and wineries supporting each other.”

Wine Company Directors: Beth Forrest beth@forrest.co.nz Damien Yvon damien@closhenri.com Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net James Macdonald james@hunters.co.nz Jamie Marfell Jamie.Marfell@pernod-ricard.com

For some, the rain was the least of the industry’s worries last month, with its reputation also on slippery ground. A Stuff story critiquing the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme set off conversations in the media and concerns from growers and wine companies. It was a reminder that a few fringe players can threaten the success of the scheme and the wellbeing of seasonal workers.The issue was hugely frustrating for those fighting to ensure a gold standard programme that offers the ‘triple win’ it was designed for - boosting outcomes for Pacific employees, for horticulture and viticulture employers, and for the governments involved. But while the news was definitely unwelcome, and the prospect of contractors breaching their responsibilities is abhorrent, the furore was a timely reminder of the responsibility of the wine industry to the people key to its“Thesuccess.basic responsibility of every employer is to provide a safe and healthy working environment, and that includes respecting each individual person’s human rights,” says Tanya Pouwhare, chief executive of New Zealand Ethical Employers, on page 10. “Many employers fulfil that responsibility with purposeful intention and understanding - not just their legal responsibility, but the moral responsibility that leads them to provide inclusive, safe and caring environments for their people.”

Marketing and Communications: Sarah Linklater 021 704 sarah@winemarlborough.nz733

Respecting and protecting our valued workforce

From Boardthe

The scheme has developed significantly since its inception in 2006 and has seen dedicated change during this time, for the mental, social, and economic wellbeing of these workers, particularly in the past two years. The latest media feature on potential issues within the scheme highlights the need to continually improve the system and make sure it remains fit for purpose in our changing industry. The scheme is considered a leading example of ‘creating a workforce’, and the World Bank describes it as “one of the most effective development interventions for which rigorous evaluations are available”. As an industry we welcome the review by government (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) to both identify the issues that may exist and highlight some of the things that are working extremely well. This process is important to help the scheme evolve with changing times and deepen the reciprocity between the people and countries involved. There is no tolerance for poor employers under the current regulations of the RSE scheme and our local contractors understand they put their accreditation and this entire industry at risk if they try to cut corners. The importance of staff and their wellbeing has been so important to Tanya Pouwhare (see page 10) and to most of the other RSE contractors in Marlborough, that they have started a further scheme to advance the safety, security, and welfare of all people. The New Zealand Ethical Employers

4 / Winepress September 2022

MEDIA attention on the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, and the current allegations against some of our Marlborough labour contractors, once again brings labour to the forefront of the minds of most of our members in Marlborough. While we are all busy - battling global pandemics, flood damage, labour shortages and increasing costs, while desperately readying ourselves for another season - we must always remain vigilant and concerned about the welfare of all our workers.

The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, implemented in 2007 with the horticultural and viticultural industries of New Zealand, allows recruitment of overseas workers – predominantly from the Pacific – for seasonal work when there are not enough workers in New Zealand.

RECENTPROTECT

BETH FORREST (NZEE) vision and mission is “to raise standards and create a rights-respecting baseline to level the playing field so that competitiveness is not at the expense of the worker”. With 95% of our Marlborough contractors on board with NZEE, we see the dedication this region shows to having people as the most important part of the scheme’s success. Our viticultural industry here in Marlborough is hugely dependent on the RSE scheme. Over the past 2.5 years, while surviving the Covid-19 pandemic, I think we have all had time to respect the huge amount of work these people put in every day to ensure our precious crops are ready come vintage. We have worked on our relationships with our contractors, their staff, and supervisors, solidified some friendships and given much more attention to how hard it is to source great, skilled labour. We are heartened by their dedication to our rows of vines and the joy they bring to each day at work come rain, hail, or shine. And I truly believe the latest allegations make us all worry for their wellbeing.Thediscussions over the Marlborough Winegrowers board table this week have very much highlighted that even we - as employers, vineyard owners and members - don’t know enough about the scheme and its moving parts. The team at NZEE have been fantastic at shedding light on the protections in place for our international workforce and how they’re continually pushing for greater transparency and security for their people. We believe it’s time that we share more about this integral part of our industry, so keep an eye out for some highlights on employees, employers, our impact on our Pacific neighbors, their individual stories, and their importance in getting that perfect glass of wine in hand throughout the globe.

Beth Forrest is chair of the Marlborough Winegrowers Board and general manager at Forrest Wines

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Evapotranspiration – mm 49.2 99% 49.6 (1996-2021) 48.8 Windrun (km) 213.8 92% 231.8 (1996-2021) 222.9 Mean soil temp – 10cm 8.3 +1.7°C 6.6 (1986-2021) 7.4 Mean soil temp – 30cm 9.9 +1.3°C 8.6 (1986-2021) 9.1

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum ²GDD’stemperaturesMean are calculated from average hourly temperatures Table 2: Weekly weather data during August 2022 Mean Mean Mean Ground Air Rainfall Sinshine Wind-run Max (°C) Min (°C) (°C) Frosts Frosts (mm) (hours) (km)

1st – 31st 15.0 5.8 10.4 11 3 112.4 156.2 213.8 August 2022 (+0.7) (+1.9) (+1.3) (182%) (84%) (92%) August LTA 14.3 3.9 9.1 10.2 3.5 61.8 185.0 231.8 (1986 – 2021)

LTA – Long Term Average Temperature

Rainfall

1st - 7th 17.1 (+2.8) 5.8 (+1.9) 11.5 (+2.4) 2 0 12.8 46.6 307.6 8th - 14th 11.5 (-2.8) 1.2 (-2.7) 6.4 (-2.7) 5 3 0.0 48.4 188.7 15th - 21st 16.8 (+2.5) 9.8 (+5.9) 13.3 (+4.2) 1 0 93.8 7.2 161.9 22nd - 28th 14.4 (+0.1) 7.2 (+3.3) 10.8 (+1.7) 1 0 5.8 29.3 178.0 29th – 31st (3 days) 15.4 (+1.1) 4.0 (+0.1) 9.7 (+0.6) 2 0 0.0 24.7 258.3

Frosts There were 3 air frosts and 11 ground frosts in August 2022, very close to average. The coldest air minimum temperature (-1.9°C) and ground minimum temperature (grass frost -5.1°C) were recorded on 11 August. This was the coldest morning of winter 2022. Sunshine August recorded 156.2 hours sunshine, 84% of the LTA. By 29 August only 135.4 hours sunshine had been recorded and it looked as if the August total was going to be one of the lowest on record. However, two sunny days finally arrived on the 30th and 31st with 10.5 and 10.3 hours sunshine respectively. In contrast, the 15th recorded 0.5 hours sunshine, followed by four consecutive days from the 16th to 19th with zero hours sunshine.

Total sunshine for Blenheim for the eight months January to August 2022 was 1542.4 hours, or 97% of the LTA of 1592.6 hours.

Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – August 2022 August August 2022 August Period August 2022 compared LTA of LTA 2021 of LTA GDD’s for month -Max/Min¹ 46.2 239% 19.3 (1996-2021) 22.2 GDD’s for month – Mean² 65.1 179% 36.4 (1996-2021) 36.2 Growing Degree Days Total Jul – Aug 22 – Max/Min 61.7 211% 29.2 (1996-2021) 42.5 Jul - Aug 22 – Mean 92.1 151% 60.8 (1996-2021) 70.0 Mean Maximum (°C) 15.0 -0.7°C 14.3 (1986-2021) 14.0 Mean Minimum (°C) 5.8 +1.9°C 3.9 (1986-2021) 5.0 Mean Temp (°C) 10.4 +1.3°C 9.1 (1986-2021) 9.5 Grass Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 11 0.8 more 10.2 (1986-2021) 11 Air Frosts (0.0°C) 3 0.5 less 3.5 (1986-2021) 2 Sunshine hours 156.2 84% 185.0 (1986-2021) 158.8 Sunshine hours – lowest 129.2 1941 Sunshine hours – highest 235.0 2011 Sunshine hours total – 2022 1542.4 97% 1592.6 (1986-2021) 1635.4 Rainfall (mm) 112.4 182% 61.8 (1986-2021) 71.2 Rainfall (mm) – lowest 4.6 1969 Rainfall (mm) – highest 172.1 1990 Rainfall total (mm) -2022 653.8 152% 431.0 (1986-2021) 496.2

The mean temperature of 10.4°C was 1.3°C above the long-term average (LTA) temperature for August of 9.1°C (1986-2021). Despite the fact that the second week of the month was very cold, August 2022 was the third warmest August on record over the 91 years 1932 to 2022. The first, third and fourth weeks of the month were very warm and were much more like temperatures we would expect in September or even October.

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Total rainfall during August of 112.4 mm was 182% of the LTA of 61.8 mm.

PFR – Plant & Food Research. MDC Marlborough District Council Wind Average daily wind run for August 2022 was 213.8 km, with an average wind speed of 8.9 km/hr. The LTA wind-run for August is 231.8 km. All 12-months from September 2021 through to August 2022 recorded lower than average wind-run. Winter 2022 Table 4 summarises the main weather parameters over the three winter months of June, July and August for the six years 2017 to 2022, compared to the LTA.

All three-winter months in 2022 recorded well above average mean temperatures. (June 9.5°C was +0.7°C; July 8.9°C was +0.9°C; August 10.4°C was +1.3°C). The mean winter air temperature of 9.59°C was 1.0°C warmer than the LTA. The winter of 2022 is now the second warmest winter on record for Blenheim (1932 to 2022). Winter 2013 is the warmest with a mean temperature of 9.61°C, which is only 0.02°C warmer than winter 2022. What is remarkable is that the winters of 2022, 2021 and 2020 are now the second, third and fourth warmest winters on record over the 91 years 1932 to 2022 (Figure 1). The trend line in figure 1 indicates that the mean winter temperature in Blenheim has warmed by 2.14°C from 1932 to 2022.

Winepress September 2022 / 7

Total rainfall for Blenheim for the eight months January to August 2022 was 653.8 mm or 152% of the LTA of 431.0 mm. This is the third highest January to August total on record for the 93 years 1930 to 2022. The highest total of 734.8 mm was recorded in 1995. The second highest total of 678.4 was recorded in Blenheim’s1962.January to August rainfall total of 653.8 mm is actually 13.6 mm higher than the LTA annual total of 640.2 mm (1930 to 2021).

Table 3 presents daily rainfall totals from a number of weather stations around Marlborough over the five days from 17 to 21 August when the extensive flood damage occurred. The first point to note is that the very high rainfall totals were largely confined to northern Marlborough. The lower Awatere Valley and Ward received very little rainfall. In contrast, the rainfall totals recorded by the Marlborough District Council over the five days at Onamalutu, Rai Valley and Tunakino were massive. The 1017.6 mm recorded at Tunakino over five days is greater than Blenheim’s highestever annual total of 1003.4 mm recorded in 1995. To put the volume of rainfall into some perspective, 1017.6 mm rain over five days is equal to 10.176 million litres of water falling per hectare, or enough water per hectare to fill 4.1 Olympic sized swimming pools. Multiply that volume by a few thousand hectares and it becomes apparent why the rivers couldn’t cope with the volume of water.

Table 3: Rainfall totals from a number of Plant & Food Research and Marlborough District Council weather stations for the 5-days from 17 to 21 August 2022 Weather station location 17 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 20 Aug 21 Aug Total mm mm mm mm mm mm PFR Seaview Awatere 5.4 3.8 19.8 0.6 0.0 29.6 PFR Blenheim 25.4 28.4 31.4 1.6 0.0 86.8 PFR Renwick 43.6 44.7 45.9 3.2 0.4 137.8 PFR Pauls Road Rapaura 58.0 56.5 57.1 4.2 0.2 176 PFR Upper Wairau Valley 72.8 44.1 90.6 1.9 0.1 209.5 MDC Ward 1.0 5.6 2.6 10.8 0 20.0 MDC Waihopai River 23.0 27.0 28.5 41.5 0.5 120.5 MDC Branch River 64.5 56.0 45.8 47.2 2.0 215.5 MDC Picton 66.9 85.7 41.1 33.5 0.6 227.8 MDC Onamalutu 353.0 106.5 58.9 55.6 0.5 574.5 MDC Rai Valley at Falls 284.5 257.9 115.5 96.0 2.5 756.4 MDC Tunakino 351.6 388.9 148.1 118.0 11.0 1017.6

Table 4: Summary of winter weather parameters for Blenheim for the six years 2017 to 2022 compared to the long-term average June, July, August LTA 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Mean air temp (°C) 8.6 9.0 9.3 9.0 9.51 9.53 9.59 Mean 30 cm soil temp (°C) 8.0 9.5 9.0 8.5 9.2 9.2 9.4 Number of ground frosts 36.9 30 36 36 23 32 28 Mean ground frost temp (°C) NA -3.0 -2.1 -2.8 -2.4 -3.0 -2.5 Total rainfall 189.2 146.6 170.6 194.2 144.0 290.4 413.4 Total sunshine 499.2 504.6 504.8 529.2 510.8 480.5 410.3 Average daily wind-run (km) 226.5 195.1 207.9 208.9 194.6 203.9 205.8

warmest winters on record over the 91 years 1932 to 2022 (Figure 1). The trend line in figure 1 indicates that the mean winter temperature in Blenheim has warmed by 2.14°C from 1932 to 2022.

Rob PlantAgnew&Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

Lo oking for p ost ha r vest supplies?

TrendTrend

Figure 1: Mean winter temperatures (June to August) for Blenheim over the 91 years 1932 to 2022

Plant & Food Research monitors grapevine phenology on 12 Marlborough vineyards as reported in VineFacts. The August and September 2020 mean temperature was 1.0°C above the LTA and as a result, budburst of grapes in 2020 was very early in comparison to almost all previous years. August and September 2021 mean temperature was only 0.2°C above the LTA and as a result budburst in 2021 was 5 to 10 days later than in 2020. As detailed above, August and winter 2022 have been very warm. At 1 September 2022 some Chardonnay is already at budburst and it appears as if budburst in 2022 will be as early as in 2020, or possibly earlier; i.e. the 2022-23 season is getting off to an early start. NIWA’s Climate Outlook at the beginning of September 2022 indicates that Marlborough can expect a 60% chance of above average, a 35% chance of average and only a 5% chance of below average temperatures over the 3-months September to November 2022.

Total rainfall over winter of 413.4 mm was 215% of the LTA of 192 mm. This is the highest winter rainfall total on record for Blenheim over the 93 years 1930 to 2022. The previous wettest winter on record was 2008 with 309.2 mm rainfall; i.e. the 2022 total exceeded the previous highest total by 104.2 mm.

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Phenology at the start of the 2022-23 season

10.09.59.08.58.07.57.06.56.05.5

Weed Control

C)°(Temperature

Actual 10 year moving mean line increase 1932 - 2022 = 2.14 C

Figure 1: Mean winter temperatures (June to August) for Blenheim over the 91 years 1932 to 2022 Total rainfall over winter of 413.4 mm was 215% of the LTA of 192 mm. This is the highest winter rainfall total on record for Blenheim over the 93 years 1930 to 2022. The previous wettest winter on record was 2008 with 309.2 mm rainfall; i.e. the 2022 total exceeded the previous highest total by 104.2 mm.

8 / Winepress September 2022

Phenology at the start of the 2022-23 season

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is welcoming a planned review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, to ensure it remains fit for purpose. The scheme has evolved in the past 15 years, but there is room for improvement “and no tolerance for unethical employers who put workers’ wellbeing at risk”, say Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens and New Zealand Ethical Employers (NZEE) chief executive Tanya Pouwhare in a joint statement.Theircomments come after media last month detailed allegations by Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo that some Pacific workers suffered economic exploitation and substandard living conditions in Marlborough. The Labour Inspectorate is undertaking an investigation into a labour contrating company, which is likely to be completed by early-October.Tanyasays

There were 21 businesses in the RSE scheme in the survey, and most of the respondents were “very happy”, says Chris. “But there were things raised, and now that these employers know what the issues are, they can make the changes they need to continually improve.”

reports of potential breaches are concerning for workers, employers, the wine industry, “and for New Ethical Voice Marlborough vineyard contractors are using a new online platform to get feedback from employees, including seasonal workers. ”We need to develop a due diligence system where every worker has a voice,” says Chris O’Reilly, chief executive and co-founder of AskYourTeam.

Tanya says policies and regulations are essential, “but if you don’t check in with the people, it’s pointless”. The survey has been translated into most of the languages of nationalities involved in the RSE scheme, and include questions such as ‘do you feel safe in your accommodation?’ and ‘do you have a copy of your contract’? as well as checking in on whether the job people are doing is what they signed up for. Tanya says the New Zealand platform is “world leading”, using anonymous disclosures to empower RSE workers and grow ethical practices, and going forward all members of NZEE will have to put Ethical Voice through their workforce.

WINEPROTECTMARLBOROUGH

By listening to the feedback and acting on it, responsible employers can reap the benefits, he says. “With an approach like this, everyone wins. We give people the respect that they deserve, strengthen the reputation of New Zealand and its produce, and prove to the world and our Pacific partners – where the majority of our RSE workers come from – that we take worker wellbeing seriously.”

Reputational risk to seasonal work scheme SOPHIE PREECE Caroline Vine, an RSE worker from the Solomon Islands, is in Marlborough with NZEE member Hortus Zealand inc”. It is the basic responsibility of every employer to provide a safe and healthy working environment, “and that includes respecting each individual person’s human rights”, she says. Many employers fulfil that responsibility with “purposeful intention and understanding”, Tanya

SpotlightRSE

10 / Winepress September 2022

New Zealand Ethical Employers (NZEE) has introduced members to AskYourTeam’s Ethical Voice platform, which offers insights into employee experience via an anonymous survey. NZEE chief executive Tanya Pouwhare says she jumped in as soon as the resource was launched and had more than 10 Marlborough NZEE vineyard contractors involved in a recent survey of 1404 workers from 12 different countries.

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Winepress September 2022 / 11 PROTECTAccelerating success. Proven Sauvignon Blanc vineyard

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The Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme has been “remarkably successful” in adjusting to challenges over the past 15 years, including those posed by Covid-19, says Professor Richard Bedford. “Let’s be careful that we don’t forget the really good thinking that underpinned the RSE, that still drives the behaviours of most people in it,” says the migration expert who, with Charlotte Bedford and Heather Nunns, conducted Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme Impact Studies from March 2018 to May 2020, across five of the nine Pacific Island countries involved in the scheme, and six New Zealand host communities.

Covid created massive challenges for employers, workers and their families back in the islands. “But the RSE system is always facing competing pressures and challenges and it has been remarkably successful as a system in adjusting to those challenges”, says Richard. He was also disappointed that the coverage did not make any reference to positive initiatives, like establishing Ethical Employers New Zealand (see page 10) “which is a major step forward”.

SOPHIE PREECE

A spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood says when done right, the RSE scheme provides benefits to Pacific Island workers in employment opportunity and money sent back to their families. “It provides benefits to the participating Pacific nations, in the skills, experience and remittances brought back home through the cyclical scheme,” they say. “And it provides benefits to employers in the horticulture and viticulture industry, directly addressing labour supply changes in this important sector for New Zealand economy.”

Marcus says the RSE scheme has been “absolutely vital” for Marlborough’s wine industry. Wine would not account for 20% of Marlborough’s GDP, or one in five local jobs, without the 3,000 RSE employees from nine Pacific nations supplementing the local workforce every year. It has also been valuable for the Pacific Island workers who come to Marlborough to work, and to the governments who helped design the scheme 15 years ago, he says. “A full review of the scheme was planned before Covid, and it’s important that government continues to push ahead with it now. The review will provide opportunity to protect those outcomes, and the people who work in our vineyards.” Marcus notes that the scheme is complex, and requires “seamless alignment” between policy, regulations, and implementation, to ensure the best outcome for RSE employees, industry and the Pacific nations involved.

NZEE was launched in June this year as a national body for employers in the primary industries, including those in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme. It is based on United Nations principles for businesses to safeguard human rights, against which all members are audited, and has 95% of Marlborough viticulture labour contractors as members, but not the company being investigated.

Richard is confident the RSE scheme review currently underway will address the concerns they raised in their report, without losing the strong platform created 15 years ago. “We have to ensure that coming out of Covid we have a really good adjustment as a result of the review… not a complete reinvention.” adds. “Not just their legal responsibility, but the moral responsibility that leads them to provide inclusive, safe and caring environments for their people.”

12 / Winepress September 2022 PROTECTRecognising the merit of RSE

He was disappointed by recent media coverage of the scheme, and in particular a lack of attention on the impacts of Covid-19, which have seen some RSE workers stranded in New Zealand for nearly three years. “It’s been a huge challenge for some growers and their pastoral care group,” says Richard. That includes finding year-round work for the long-stay employees, and securing their wellbeing. Covid border closures also exacerbated the issue of accommodation, says Richard. “It’s one thing to come and spend three or four months in fairly confined accommodation. It’s a completely different story to spend three years in such accommodation.”

The expert knows more than many about some of the scheme’s shortfalls, including downstream impacts. At a Talanoa Fa’apasifika in Blenheim in June 2021, Richard told attendees there had been some unintended consequences of the programme, such as the loss of productivity in workers’ home villages, and uneven RSE work opportunities across the islands, meaning “a rebalancing of benefits is required.” The RSE scheme’s focus had been on meeting the demands and expectations of employers, with less attention to workers’ experiences and viewpoints, which poses a risk, “given the scrutiny of international customers on socially sustainable employment practices throughout their supply chains”, said their report on RSE scheme impacts. It recommended a “recalibration of worker conditions”, including that earnings keep pace with increasing living costs and other participation costs. The report noted that while the RSE scheme has operated in a relatively stable policy environment since it was formed, it is important to ensure it “does not simply remain fit for purpose, but enhances its reputation as a best practice seasonal labour mobility scheme”.

Tanya says it is important to “call out” those not respecting people’s dignity and rights. “But we must also shine a light, just as bright, on the great employers who are getting things right, and being transparent about what they are working on to get better, because they genuinely care and know it’s the right thing to do.”

However, it is clear that this experience is not being shared by all, they say. The government has commenced a review of the wider system, which is expected to report back in the first half of 2023. “Minister Wood has also

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PROTECT directed officials to investigate whether we need to amend our current instructions and guidance on employment, accommodation and pastoral care standards to bring practice in line with the expected recommendations.” Indevin Group has asked all its growers to provide details of their current or intended vineyard contractors, and may make accreditation, such as NZEE membership, mandatory in the future. “Clearly, we need to develop ways to verify that all suppliers of labour to our businesses are complying with the law and with our expectations,” said group chief executive Duncan McFarlane in a letter to growers last month. “We will be working with our stakeholder partners over the next few months to determine how best to do this.” Indevin, which includes Villa Maria, relies on more than 700 RSE workers over the pruning season, including on company and grower blocks. “I really don’t know how we would be able to prune our vineyards without RSE workers,” says Duncan. “The viability of our industry would come into question, so we need to work hard to ensure this doesn’t happen.”Theletter says reports of exploitation were disappointing and frustrating. “I wanted to share with you our commitment and expectations to ensure that no workers are exploited in our supply chain, and the support we need from you.” As well as reiterating expectations that labour suppliers meet legal and ethical standards regarding worker accommodation, workplace health and safety, and fair pay and conditions, he says Indevin will work with Thornhill Horticultural Contracting, of which it has a 75% stake, to develop best practices for the industry. “By focusing on this issue and setting the standard, we believe we can lift the bar for the industry.” The swift action from an organisation “leading the way in the space of social compliance”, was applauded by Tanya. “They are being transparent and owning their role in protecting people’s human rights.” And growers were “overwhelmingly positive” in their response, says Duncan. “A number of growers have gone out of their way to let me know that they really appreciate and support our stance on this issue.”

He welcomes the RSE review, and hopes it will result in more rigour around the approval of RSE licences and accommodation standards “and pastoral care to ensure the right standards are in place at all times”. That could be in conjunction with existing licence holders who have a proven track record of looking after their workers and possibly via an independent audit standard, he says. Marlborough Winegrowers board member and Waihopai Valley grape grower Anna Laugesen says it was “heart breaking” to hear that some RSE workers have not had a positive experience in the province. “The people we see on the ground seem to enjoy working here, and we want them to be happy living and working in Marlborough. We’ve only had a positive experience with the scheme.” She only uses contractors with a good reputation who are members of NZEE, and is wary of a cheap deal. “If someone is coming to your gate offering you good rates, it is probably too good to be true.” Building a long-term relationship with your labour contractor allows a “degree of trust” in the relationship between contractor and grower, and she has confidence in the many checks and balances of the RSE scheme and NZEE, along with the involvement of the labourButinspectorate.theyalsospend time in the vineyard, determined that RSE workers will not be a number in the rows. “We enjoy hearing from the RSE workers about what their lives are like back home. How their families are,” Anna says. “And yes, they miss their families, but feel they are here to better their lives back home.” The RSE scheme is “vitally important” for the province, “and without it we wouldn’t be where we are today”, she adds. “We are incredibly grateful to the people who come to New Zealand on the scheme to work in our vineyards, and we love that it has a positive influence on the lives of those Pacific communities involved.” Recent media coverage should be used by growers and wine companies as impetus to gain more understanding of the scheme and any changes that are necessary to protect it and the people behind it, she adds. The scheme has evolved over time, and will continue to evolve, “and if there are any issues they have to be resolved”. Vitamin and mineral content of TCKP Natural Kelp Tea as analysed by Cawthron Research Institute | September 2012 Analysis Result Units Crude Protein 0 6 g/100 Aluminium 5 5 mg/kg Arsenic 2 6 mg/kg Boron 4 8 mg/kg Copper 15 mg/kg Iron 24 mg/kg Magnesium 290 mg/kg Nickel 0 66 mg/kg Phosphorus 120 mg/kg Potassium 3000 mg/kg Rubidium 1 2 mg/kg Strontium 22 mg/kg Zinc 7 0 mg/kg

14 / Winepress September 2022

Wither Hills vineyard at Rarangi.

Down at Rarangi, water flowed off the hills and through the Wither Hills wetland, then ponded on vineyards, with saturated soils and drainage ditches doing little to disperse the flooding. “It’s got nowhere to go” says Wither Hills vineyard manager Ben Burridge on August 25, noting that staff with the company for 15 years are seeing blocks that have never flooded before now under water.

THEPROTECTWINE

Gauging the impact of August’s downpour SOPHIE PREECE

The company pruned some blocks early this winter, having learned their lesson from the July 2021 floods, but the area has expanded this year. “Right now I am driving around and noting the rows we should prune early next year,” says Ben. “But it’s a massive area so it might be a challenge.”Thecompany, along with flood affected Rarangi residents, is working with council to ensure the drains are cleared and maintained. But Ben is already looking at deploying helicopters for spraying at budburst, “because there’s no way we can get tractors in”. In the meantime, he’s happy to have most of the pruning done, with some rows that are likely to require hand stripping, in lieu of Klima work. “And in the worst-case scenario, we will have to do some wrapping with waders on!”

CheckRain

While the Awatere recorded much lower rainfall than other areas, Vavasour Wines’ Awatere Valley vineyard manager Kevin Ryan says he heard some “horror stories” about impacts, and saw stretches of riverbank lost to the

Photo David James

industry “barely dropped a beat” following an August deluge that closed roads, damaged vineyards and stalledMinistrypruning.for Primary Industries (MPI) director of rural communities and farming support Nick Story says MPI received reports of damage on some vineyards along the Wairau River, especially in the upper and lower reaches of the valley. “There is ponding of water around vines which is delaying pruning, mulching and other routine work,” he says in the wake of the flooding. “Because a number of local growers went through a similar experience with the flooding last winter, we expect the previous experience will assist in action they take this time around.” When a team from MPI visited Marlborough the week of August 22, wine companies were also grappling with the closure of State Highway 6 to Nelson, with some looking to the longer Lewis Pass route (see page 15). “The wine industry has barely dropped a beat and have found work arounds to logistical challenges,” says Nick. Weather expert Rob Agnew, from Plant & Food Research Blenheim, says rain gauges paint a stark difference across subregions for the five days from 17 to 21 August, from a total of 29.6 mm at Seaview to 176mm on Pauls Road in Rapaura, and a high of 209.5 mm at the Upper Wairau Valley (see MetReport on page 6). “However, you need to bear in mind that there were much higher totals in the hills close to the Northbank and Upper Wairau Valley vineyards, which fed water into the Wairau and caused damage to vineyards adjacent to the river.” Some grape blocks adjoining the Wairau River are known to have had vineyard land swept away by the river, says Rob. “In some cases there is no way for tractors to safely exit vineyard rows and turn around without risking the tractor ending up in the river. In such cases the vineyards are facing having to shorten vineyard rows yet again.”Vit Management co-owner and viticulturist Stuart Dudley says the heavy mid-August rainfall stymied winter machine work in vineyards, making it “very challenging” to tidy up blocks, undertake winter maintenance and complete pruning. “You get caught between the need to get the work done and being able to get into the vineyards.”

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Trucking on through road closures

The roads closed on Saturday August 19 and crisis management teams from WineWorks in Blenheim, Port Nelson, QuayConnect and Central Express Limited worked all weekend to ensure there were trucks plying the Lewis Pass route by Sunday, with an update – signed by all parties – sent to customers before work started Monday. That was “nothing short of a miracle”, said Jaron. “Collaboration was key for creating an alternative transport model as quickly as we did.” That saw trucks taking eight to nine hours each way on a 1220km round trip, instead of the two hours on SH6. But the alternative would have had “catastrophic” consequences for Marlborough’s wine industry, with glass packaging “hand to mouth” right now because of logistical challenges in the current shipping climate, said Jaron. Glass was taken to WineWorks in Blenheim to ensure bottling could continue and returning trucks carried wine, at around five times the typical transport cost with 12 to 14 trips per day. Attempts to ship wine to Wellington’s port were stymied by the cancellation of the ferries in the wake of the flood, and “zero space” available for freight. Some shipments were redirected to Lyttleton, which halved the trucking journey and cost. Meanwhile, the companies have redirected some WineWorks wine to the QuayConnect Cloudy Bay business park warehouse, which is near capacity. rain event, as well as a photo of the Awatere River within two metres of strainer posts Speaking from Dashwood on August 24, he describes springs “popping up” across the vineyard, and water seeping out of the hills or up through the ground. A Klima machine booked for a 6.5-hectare block had to be diverted “because it’s just pure mud”, and work in another 25ha block was postponed, because it’s simply too wet for a tractor. “We have 120ha and as of today, there’s probably 9-10 hectares we can put a tractor through, otherwise you damage the ground.”It’sexacerbating an international labour shortage, and individuals who could work having expiring visas. “It’s a year for unknowns,” Kevin adds. “You have a plan in place, Sales: Jeremy Watts 021 446 225 | jeremy@agrivit.co.nz Service: Les Boyte 027 572 8787 | les@agrivit.co.nz Parts: Warrick Meiklejohn 03 572 8787 |warrick@agrivit.co.nz 29 High Street, Renwick 7204, Marlborough | 03 572 8787 | info@agrivit.co.nz | www.agrivit.co.nz

SOPHIE PREECE

and this stuff happens.” Next year he plans to start vineyard maintenance work as soon as his vineyard staff have had a post-harvest holiday, and will likely look at strategically pruning some blocks early. In the meantime, an earlier onset of woolly bud is pushing in the early varieties, says Kevin. “The ground is tanked and there is currently a lack of frosts to chill the soil temperature, so it is looking to be an early budburst.”

“I should have a firefighting suit right now,” says Jaron McLeod after a week of dousing crises. Speaking in the aftermath of the Nelson and Marlborough flood events, with both State Highway 6 and SH63 smashed by landslides and threatened by rising rivers, the general manager of QuayConnect was amazed the company was managing to truck glass from Nelson to Blenheim and wine back to Port Nelson.

Nick says the MPI visit, along with ongoing work with Wine Marlborough, New Zealand Winegrowers and other industry organisations, gives first-hand knowledge of the impacts of the recent storm. “This will feed into wellbeing support being made available for all primary industries.”

Winepress September 2022 / 15 PROTECT

Jaron McLeod

NEWPROTECTZEALAND’S

Hot Topic

rapidly changing climate is likely to bring an increase in extreme fire weather days and longer fire seasons. “All our projections are that we’re going to see bigger fires, and fires occurring more often,” says Darren Crawford, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) senior advisor for community readiness and recovery in Nelson and ForMarlborough.thewineindustry, wildfires are a threat not only to vines themselves but also to vineyard and winery infrastructure. At the same time, even distant fires can damage grapes through the phenomenon known as smoke taint. Recent research has highlighted that the conditions

Firefighters forge safer wine industry

TONY SKINNER leading to the devastating ‘Black-Summer’ fires in Australia in 2019-20 will occur every three to twenty years in areas of Central Otago, the Mackenzie Country and Marlborough. FENZ is working with rural communities and land managers to reduce the risk of fire, and in regions such as Marlborough those conversations are often with members of the wine industry, to ensure vineyard and winery operators understand the fire risk of their environments and ways to manage such risk. “By their nature, vineyards are often surrounded by grassland farms, and they often have burns themselves,” says Darren. “So the messaging around that is things like general

TannockJimPhotoAnderson.Ryan

• Making sure firewood is stacked away from infrastructure and external buildings

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property maintenance - keeping your grass short. Also think about your own spark generation, so mowing your vineyards at a time of day when there’s greater humidity, like saying earlier in the morning or later in the evening, to reduce the spark hazard.”Central to FENZ’s fire preparedness strategy is ensuring a healthy stream of new volunteers to support their local communities.

• Ensuring there is an adequate water supply with fire and emergency hose connections for use by emergency services

Across New Zealand, volunteers currently make up 85% of FENZ personnel, and provide essential coverage outside of the major cities. “It’s simple – without the volunteers, we don’t have a fire response. So, it’s very critical for us,” Darren explains. “They do this for nothing. They give up their own time, dedicate it to training and development, and then go out and support their communities. We’ve got absolute respect and admiration for our volunteers.”

• Checking if portable pumps can be positioned within seven metres of open water supplies

The best practice for business premises is the installation of hand-operated fire extinguishers and/or hose reels.

Darren says false alarms have two consequences: unnecessarily removing volunteers from the workplace and preventing the brigade from responding to a real emergency. “It means that we were not able to respond to another call because we’re out there, investigating a potential fire that’s actually a false alarm.” Safe practices in vineyards

• Signposting your property. Rural property numbers are invaluable for a quick response by emergency vehicles

“By doing simple things like keeping grass short, mowing at certain times day, having defensible spaces, thinking about water supplies with hardstand beside them, so fire trucks can park up and access them. Having fire truck access –four meters is what we need. It’s about getting those messages to the sector, to protect them, but also to make it easier for us to look after them.”

• Ensuring emergency vehicles have easy access to the site

There are specific things rural businesses such as wineries and vineyards need to consider to make their properties safer. These include:

In its outreach to the wine industry, one of Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s core messages centres on the need to reduce the accidental activation of fire alarms. Darren Crawford, senior advisor for community readiness and recovery for Nelson and Marlborough, says the region is seeing a lot of accidental activations. “It can be as simple as burning toast in the kitchen.

All kinds of things can have an impact on activation - knocking sprinkler heads in the winery, leaking roofs where water has come in and affected the wiring of alarm systems that’s activated them accidentally. “And so there’s a lot of human factors and then just making sure that if you are getting false alarms, you do try to remedy it and make sure you have the right help so that you can mitigate them.”

Accidental fires are more likely to occur during working hours due to the greater use of electrical equipment, heating and normal processes. “Wineries typically have a very important and expensive infrastructure. And a way to preserve that from wildfires is to plant a low volatility plant species around those strategic buildings,” Darren explains.

Tyler McComb is vineyard manager with Delegat Limited and has been a member of the Wairau Valley Volunteer Fire Brigade for the past five years. He explains that in addition to the benefit of many transferable skills, the company’s support to its volunteer workforce to attend calls and training was reflected in greater employee engagement at “Personally,work.Ihave met some fantastic people through FENZ. Some of these people have worked in our company, all of which are members of our local community. I feel a real sense of pride to wear the uniform and apply what I have learnt both in the brigade and bringing those skills into my career,” Tyler says. “The skills I have learnt have helped me become confident in any emergency and have developed me into a confident leader within our industry.”

18 / Winepress September 2022

“They’re also a lot better at planning and risk assessment. And as they move into the officer ranks, they get a lot of leadership training - they’re taught to lead during high-pressure situations. So, for employers, they’ve got people that are capable of dealing with stress and making sound decisions during pressure.”

Ryanhire.”further

“They make us stronger and more resilient as a business.”

CELEBRATE An increasing number of employers across the wine industry are realising the benefits of having trained FENZ volunteers within their workforce, though Darren notes that FENZ has an ongoing campaign to spread that awareness further. “Straight away, they’ve got fire wardens on site, they have staff trained in medical response, they have somebody on the workforce that is trained as a first responder. And if a fire breaks out, they can immediately start doing something about that,” Darren explains.

Amanda Johnson

Spy Valley managing director Amanda Johnson says that as a family business with strong roots in the community, the company was proud to recruit and support FENZ volunteers. “Not only from a strengthened and safer community point of view, but as employees, they contribute to our culture, and health and safety in our business. We employ two volunteers… and they are calm and responsible with a sense of duty as well as first aid and fire response trained. They make us stronger and more resilient as a business,” Amanda says. “It should be on our recruitment questions - because it shows a depth of character and care in these people. To us as a business, it is an advantage and a quality

Spy Valley bottling manager Ryan Anderson joined the Blenheim Voluntary Rural Fire Force after returning from Australia, where he was involved with the State Emergency Service. He acknowledges the heavy time commitments involved in being a volunteer firefighter, which during the fire season might require him to leave work three times a day or be unable to come in after battling a fire overnight. However, the level of training provided to volunteers makes them a valuable asset to any employer, he says. “I honestly can’t overstate the training that they put into you. It is second to Firefighters,none.”bytheir nature, are risk-averse and riskaware, Ryan adds. “So, you have someone on-site with experience in dealing with emergency situations, they help ensure there is good emergency planning and can take the lead on health and safety – that all goes hand-in-hand with being trained by FENZ.”

outlines some of the skills that New Zealand firefighters are trained in that directly cross through to the wine industry. These include chemical handling, gas and hazardous substance handling, working in confined spaces, pump operations, dynamic risk assessment and first aid. With the leading cause of grass fires within a vineyard due to a tractor or mower contact with stones, the volunteers can also immediately respond to grass fires. “Case in point, here at Spy Valley, we are in the process of completing a dedicated fire trailer for estate use that will have water, pumps and multiple hoses and hand tools available for quick response to grass fires within our site.”

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The show has long taken a subregional lens to Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from the Awatere, Wairau and Southern Valleys, judging the wines first against their varietal “peers” and then against wines from those three distinct portions of the province. This year they will be joined by Chardonnay in subregional judging, showing off the variety in relation to the place it comes from.

SOPHIE PREECE

The show offers a “win-win” for entrants, with honest feedback from highly skilled judges and celebration of the region’s best wines and those making them, he adds. “We want everyone to be part of that”. Jeremy McKenzie and Stu Marfell judging in 2021. Photo Richard Briggs

ShowGood

Loren says the new venue will allow for a bigger event to celebrate the wines and people of Marlborough’s industry. The celebration lunch could not be held in 2021 due to Covid-19 precautions, so the Wine Marlborough team and sponsors travelled to the source of the winning wines to present the trophies. “It was awesome to recognise the trophy winners in their homes and places of provenance,” says Loren. But she’s excited about returning to an industry gathering to celebrate Marlborough’s people, places and wines.The show is also an opportunity to nurture new judging talent, including through stewarding and associate judge roles, says Stu. “Using it as a platform to bring through more judges.” As an established judge, he still finds the show an opportunity to expand his knowledge and skills. “It’s a really rewarding and interesting thing to do and I really get a lot of value out of the tasting side of it – seeing an evolution of styles and a range of wines - but also the networking and discussion of new techniques.”

from the small and strong 2021 vintage, which yielded a high tally of gold medals in last year’s competition.

Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, will continue to celebrate Marlborough’s subregional diversity. “When you start drilling down there are so many expressions of all three valleys,” says shadow chief judge Stu Marfell.

Marlborough Wine Show celebrates subregions

It is really important to tell that unique story, showcasing the complexity of Marlborough wine from a myriad of soil types and climatic conditions, stretching from coastal to inland blocks, says Stu, who will take over from chief judge Ben Glover next year. That’s good for Marlborough’s winemakers, “to really highlight the wines that are really showing their place”, he adds. “And hopefully we can really educate and get consumers on board with it as well.”In his own role as chief winemaker at Foley Wines, Stu gets to work with Wairau Valley fruit at Grove Mill as well as Awatere Valley grapes at Vavasour. “They are such a great contrast,” he says. “I take them to the market and get people to taste them side by side; they are so different in their own way.”As well as the subregional awards, other trophies work to show the multitude of Marlborough varieties and styles, including the WineWorks Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc, the Vit Management Limited Best Organic Wine, and The Coterie Wine of Provenance, which awards the best single vineyard current release wine from any class. That trophy is about taking the subregional lens and then “really drilling down to vineyard expression”, says Ben, co-owner of The Coterie and chief judge of the Marlborough Wine Show for the past four years. “By having a single vineyard category award that’s recognising some of the really cool little sites.” He’s looking forward to seeing the line-up this year, including Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Wine Marlborough event manager Loren Coffey says the surge in consumer interest for lower alcohol wines, and subsequent increase of production, has seen that category added to the trophy cupboard as well. Judging for the show will be undertaken by a team of nine judges and six associate judges from September 28 to 30, preceded by Legacy judging a few days earlier. Trophies will be awarded at the Celebration Long Lunch on October 28, to be held at the Pernod Ricard Function Centre at Riverlands, culminating in the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show and presentation of the 2022 Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award.

20 / Winepress September 2022 THECELEBRATE2022

The study concludes that to achieve higher Pinot Noir quality ratings in the Marlborough Wine Show, entrants might aim for wines with low wine hue, “more red tone” (with colour intensity being less important), high total nonvolatile compounds and mid-range total phenolics. Stewart says the project came about over morning tea, when he and Dr Damian Martin, from Plant & Food Research, were discussing the use of carbon isotope to determine a vine’s water status. “The literature shows that water status correlates with berry colour and supposed ‘wine quality’, so we thought it would be interesting to see if the water status would relate to single vineyard Pinot Noir wine scores in the Marlborough wine show.”

Red, red wine SOPHIE PREECE

The research team, which also included Ken Olejar, and Claire Grose, says the next step is to find out what are the management factors that improve wine colour hue that relate to improved quality, and investigating the specific nonphenolic/non-volatile fraction of the wines related to wine quality perception.

A study of wines from the 2020 Marlborough Wine Show has shone light on the role of water stress, colour and non-volatile compounds in perceived quality of Pinot Noir.

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) lecturer Dr Stewart Field says the study investigated wine scores received for single vineyard Pinot Noirs in the show, with 26 wines assessed from the 2017 and 2019 vintages. The study sought to assess whether the water status of the vineyard block the grapes came from, determined using wine carbon isotope analysis, was correlated to the wine scores received in the wine show.Water stress during berry development is known to significantly reduce berry size and increase the production of berry anthocyanindeep red, purple and blue pigments found in plants - leading to higher anthocyanins in wines. “The results from this study were consistent, with wine hue and colour density correlated with carbon isotope ratios,” says Stewart.Other wine chemical assessments showed that wine hue and wine total non-volatile carbon content were the two (measured) parameters most highly correlated with wine scores. However, the wine score was not correlated to the carbon isotope ratios, indicating that the vineyard block water status was not a major factor in Pinot Noir wine quality perception, says an abstract on the research. “Thus, any potential gain in the wine quality, from the improved colour hue, is not directly a function of water status.”

The consequent research was a collaboration jointly funded by NMIT and Plant & Food Research, with help from Marcus Pickens and Loren Coffey at Wine Marlborough.

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Photo Richard Briggs

Overall, our customers are seeking better value and are more prepared to make trade-offs and limit discretionary purchases to manage their overall spend. Only very few varietals are growing in volume. Should producers be worried?

While wine volumes are relatively flat, the data is lumpy with the likes of lockdowns, rising costs and inflation, and even the flow on effects of a strained hospitality and stalled travel industry weighing on the numbers. There is still plenty of demand and interest in the wine aisle – it’s an area of the store we know our customers really enjoy shopping.

Shop Talk

The approach is focused on delivering better, customerdriven outcomes in store, while bringing greater transparency and efficiency to our processes and operations.Atthetime of writing, Foodstuffs North Island is partway through its category review for wine. This started with a deep dive into customer insights for every wine ranged – this showed us what matters to customers across all the wines we sell. We’ve then engaged closely with all our current and any new suppliers that wanted to submit, with the ultimate goal of identifying the right mix of products – meaning the right wines are ranged in the right stores and our customers can have more certainty around what is available.There is flexibility in this range to allow for ‘local’ or boutique wines to suit a store’s local customers. This local aspect is particularly important in the wine aisle and direct to store relationships will continue to play a really important role, especially for smaller brands with strong regional followings. For smaller wine brands, the new model also gives more transparency and removes some of the old barriers – such as larger brands being dominant on shelf.

Is Foodstuffs reducing its wine range and what does it mean for consumers?

Will shoppers have choice across premium wine brands, rather than just large corporate wine brands? Absolutely. The focus is not on brand size but customer demand, and the new approach actually removes some of the potential barriers and presents opportunities for smaller brands.

There is particularly strong growth in Sparkling and Rosé, and increasing interest in non-alcoholic wines. These are all a great example of where the wine industry can respond to constantly shifting consumer trends, with high quality, great value and innovation to keep shoppers engaged.

22 / Winepress September 2022 EDUCATE

How has consumer shopping behaviour changed, as a result of Covid-19?

The pandemic’s early impact on shopping behaviours has waned but our customers are still doing less frequent, better planned and larger shops. The rising cost of living and inflation are now the main drivers across all categories.

WHILE A team of talented judges swirled, sniffed, sipped, spat and scored 100 wines a day at the New World Wine Awards judging in Blenheim in August, Wine Marlborough gathered with Foodstuffs leaders and industry representatives to talk shelf space, shopping trends and standout styles. Foodstuffs North Island head of deli, bakery, chilled, beverages and liquor Chris Anderson discusses some of the key questions.

How does the lift in wine prices - off the back of excise tax and operational cost increases - affect consumer demand?

NMIT associate judge Steph Maddox and promotional structure. This was one of the key commitments Foodstuffs made following the market study into the retail grocery industry.

The focus is not on reducing skus – but making the set amount of shelf space available in store easier for customers to shop, and more efficient for our stores and our suppliers.

While we haven’t seen the lift in wine pricing specifically play out in the data yet, price is a key driver for consumers right now and we expect to see some impact on discretionary purchases like wine in the near future. Our customer insights show that the majority of wine purchasing decisions are made at the supermarket shelf. Often people shop to a price bracket, but will swap between five or six brands they know and like. What proportion of wine sells off-promotion versus onpromotion? It can vary by varietal and season, however, it’s important to note that Foodstuffs is moving away from the historical mix of promotions and introducing a simpler pricing

How does Foodstuffs’ category review process work?

Winepress September 2022 / 23 CELEBRATE

The 2022 New World Wine Awards, judged in Blenheim in August, saw a jump in entries for new red wine varieties and globally-trending styles like Rosé and Prosecco. More than 150 wineries and wine distributors from around New Zealand and the world entered the 20th annual competition, which focuses on wines priced under $25 dollars. “As the country’s most consumer-focused wine competition, entries to these awards can be a great indicator of what wine-lovers and winemakers are getting excited about,” says co-chair of judges Jen MeanwhileParr.

Is lower alcohol / no alcohol wine in New Zealand still a topic to talk about?

Stephanie Maddox and Kate Clark, thirdyear Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology students, were associate judges for the awards. NMIT Viticulture and Winemaking tutor Ngarita Warden says the associate judging positions are “a fantastic opportunity for our students to work with industry leaders, grow in confidence with their tasting ability and learn very valuable skills”. Full results will be announced in October

nadinetaylor.co.nz

For the first time we saw the Single Variety Reds class lead the entries with more locally made Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a jump in international reds like Grenache, Malbec, Petite Syrah and Tempranillo. We also saw Rosé and Sparkling classes mirror consumer trends with record entries to both. Our customers really look forward to the arrival of the Top 50 in store each year, and the minimum quantities for popular varietals (currently 4,000 bottles) are really important to ensure that customers don’t miss out and the winners can make the most of this unique sales and brandbuilding opportunity. We have reduced the requirement for emerging varieties to 1,600 bottles to support and encourage more entries in these classes and increase the chances we can offer customers new varieties to explore.

Low alcohol wines aren’t moving at the same pace as no-alcohol, a trend we’ve seen in beer too. However, we’ve noticed a number of ‘even lower’ (circa 7%) wines coming through off the back of changes in EU wine classifications, and consumer response to those wines will be interesting to watch. We have new wine products that we believe there is a market for. Can Foodstuffs share insights during the research and development phase?

… just a few of the big issues we’ll be tackling as your next council.

Rosé also had a record-breaking year, with more than 170 entries, 50% up on last year’s entries, which were already a record, says Jen. “Rosé has really come into its own in the last decade. As it has attracted wine drinkers’ attention, winemakers have responded with top quality wines, that are skilfully made in a wide variety of styles and hues.”

Yes, we definitely want to hear about new product development. Our ranging decisions will ultimately be customer led, but we are always open to discussing and sharing more insights on what our shoppers are looking for. Like always, building a connection and relationship with our wine category teams as well as your local stores, remain the best ways to introduce new products and explore ranging opportunities.

Yes. While non-alcoholic wines are a very small portion of sales, their growth has doubled over the past year. As quality and range are increasing, consumers are more willing to explore these wines and our Zero Zones are becoming popular fixtures in store.

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FOR

What are the standout styles/varietals etc at the New World Wine Awards

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Vote for proven and experienced leadership in Marlborough. MAYOR Nadine TAYLOR

New World Wine Awards

The Villa Maria vineyard supervisor has four regional competitions and two wins under his belt, having started out in the Auckland/ Northern competition in 2019. “I have treated it as a real learning opportunity every single year,” he says. “Trying to learn from my mistakes and plug the gaps in my knowledge has really driven me to work hard to become better year in year, year out.”

Because he is now 30, the 2022 Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year - held at Indevin’s Bankhouse in Marlborough on August 30 - was Tahryn’s last opportunity to take the national title. “Now that I am technically aged out of the competition I guess I am an old vit,” he says the day after his win. “But you’re never too old to learn, and that’s how I plan to continue.”

The viticulturist works at Villa Maria’s Seaspray Cluster – four vineyards in the Awatere Valley, two of which are organic – and is passionate about future proofing winegrowing by making it more resilient,

www.agrimm.co.nz Alistair Pullin 021 590 329 Are you planting bare rooted vines this season? Root dip with Abzorber and Unite. • Stimulate early root and shoot growth. • Easy to mix and loaded with nutrients. • Reduce moisture stress in young plants. Fire up your young vines with Abzorber and Unite. 24 / Winepress September 2022 CELEBRATE

Changemaker

THE YOUNG Viticulturist competition has been “the driving force and making of my career”, says Marlborough’s Tahryn Mason, who won the national title last month.

Marlborough viticulturist takes national title

using innovative adaptations to prepare for challenges, rather than reactive responses when they come. Continuing to build his own knowledge base is part of that growth.

Tahryn Mason at national final. Photo by Richard Briggs

“Making myself more reisilient and adaptive to change as well.”Tahryn will go on to represent the wine industry in the 2023 Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.

The event features in-depth sessions on virus and mealybug; vineyard longevity and grapevine trunk disease; rethinking chemistry; and soil and water.

“The most powerful tool we have to communicate research is growers talking to other growers,” says BRI chief executive Jeffrey Clarke. “One viticulturist used the programme’s data to bring a business case to his board for better plant protection, while another has found that practices in his organic vineyards provide solutions in his conventional vineyards. This two-day event is about sharing this knowledge and learning where the next wave of research can take us.”

Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems will feature a stellar line-up of 25 growers and scientists, from both inside and outside the Vineyard Ecosystems programme. The international speakers include Dr Andrew Neal, soil biology cluster lead at Rothamsted Research in the United Kingdom, and Richard Leask of Hither and Yon in McLaren Vale, Australia.

“The Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems event will delve into today’s pressing issues for vineyard sustainability, from soil health and water use to reducing our industry’s reliance on agrichemicals,” says Jeffrey. “We are looking forward to having a national conversation about the future of winegrowing, sustainability and how industry research can play its part.” nzwine.com/events

An upcoming wine conference will bridge science and sustainability in New Zealand vineyards. Bragato Research Institute (BRI) is bringing scientists and winegrowers together in Christchurch from September 27-28 for Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems, an event focussed on sharing research-based approaches to sustainable vineyard management and the business case for accelerating practice change.

The seven-year Vineyard Ecosystems research programme studied how management choices affect New Zealand vineyards and their surrounding environments, with an aim to promote the uptake of more sustainable practices. Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems will share programme findings, spin-off projects, grower experiences, and international perspectives on key topics.

LONG TERM GROWERS NEEDED

Established in 2009, Greywacke exports approximately 95% of production to around 50 countries. Enthusiasm for our wines continues to grow and we are now searching for new quality focused, long-term growers to satisfy current (harvest 2023) and future demand.

Our principal interest is in sauvignon blanc and ideally (but not exclusively) the fruit would be from relatively mature vineyards in the central Wairau or Southern Valleys sub-regions.

Greywacke is a family owned, export orientated, premium wine business headquartered in the Omaka Valley.

Please contact Kevin Judd - kevin@greywacke.com

Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems

Launched in 2015, the Vineyard Ecosystems programme was a partnership between New Zealand Winegrowers and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, managed through BRI. With Plant & Food Research and the University of Auckland as the main research providers, the focus was to increase the long-term resilience and profitability of the New Zealand wine industry.

Winepress September 2022 / 25 GROW

Opportunities are to continue a world leading industry that has sustainable environment practices and is known for its reputation of not just quality wines but its amazing people who produce a premium product. I would like to see further investigation done with Port Marlborough to look into container shipping of bottled wine out of Picton, instead of using Nelson port. Recent weather events are highlighting the vulnerability of the road between Blenheim and Nelson and future proofing distribution is vital. How would you describe Marlborough’s wine industry in 15 words or fewer? World leader for quality wines that is the heart of the Marlborough economy.

Scott Adams

26 / Winepress September 2022

Sally Arbuckle

Q&A

In the lead up to the local government elections, Winepress checks in with candidates in the Wairau Awatere ward.

The major challenges are drainage, river and floodway management. This involves channel management, flood protection repairs and maintenance, as well as soil conservation to prevent the loss of productive land. How can they be addressed?

By advocating to bring back central government legislation along the line of what was the Soil Conservation and River Control Act 1941, which was taken over by the Resource Management Act 1991. This is a nationwide issue. This allows the rivers department within council to get things done in a way that would protect key public infrastructure and productive land. What opportunities lie ahead? That the world’s wine consumers love of Marlborough wine continues with a growing demand for a great product. How would you describe Marlborough’s wine industry in 15 words or fewer? Evolving and maturing into a key primary industry exporter for New Zealand.

CandidateEDUCATE

What are the major challenges industry?Marlborough’sfacingwine

Major challenges I see for the Marlborough wine industry are labour issues, climate change issues for growing, and industry reputation. How can they be addressed? Addressing labour issues is about making the industry attractive to young and old, creating secured well-paid jobs for locals and the RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme) workforce. Having good communication with central government is vital and local government can help advocate with the wine industry to government on industry needs.Climate change will impact the industry in many ways, from warmer overall climate that can have extremes from Gerald Hope What are the major challenges facing Marlborough’s wine industry? Being over 80% of New Zealand wine production it’s essential we preserve an ongoing skilled workforce through the successful RSE programme. Providing further training for local people to enter the grape and wine sector. Continue climate change adaptation, e.g. build more water storage and engineer efficient distribution to allow development in other parts of Marlborough such as Flaxbourne. Continue building onto the world leading Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) programme to keep ahead of consumer expectations. Disposing of winery waste efficiently with no environmental impacts. Enhancing soil health and increasing biodiversity across the weather to dry conditions. It will be important to adopt best industry practice and local government can help by investment and support into industry research and knowledge. Enabling policy and rules around water storage are required. Planting of non-productive land in natives plantings should be encouraged and council can provide incentives to do such work. The many positive outcomes of the Marlborough wine industry can be quickly overshadowed by bad media stories around RSE care or poor industry practices. It’s important the industry reputation isn’t diminished by isolated incidences. Council can work with the wine industry through meeting regularly to help with concerns and make plans for a sustainable industry. What opportunities lie ahead?

What are the major challenges industry?Marlborough’sfacingwine

region.verywet

How can they be addressed?

I’d say alcoholism. Also there’s a lot of attention on the treatment of RSE workers How can they be addressed? First challenge, what we could do is remove all the alcohol from our wine and not tell anybody. Like Ribena did with the Vitamin C. Then people can drink as much as they want with no harm. Second Challenge, we could, I don’t know, maybe pay them well. Give them decent healthcare and housing, not clip the ticket on their very low income so much. Otherwise our wine might be looked at as the next blood diamond. Which we would be frowned upon globally sure, but it would also mean DiCaprio would have to don a Kiwi accent for a movie in an attempt to gain another Oscar. So let’s just improve the lives of RSE workers and avoid all that. What opportunities lie ahead? Who knows? Maybe a new flavour where sommeliers review it and finally say ‘tastes like grapes’. Describe Marlborough’s wine industry in 15 words or fewer? They manufacture alcoholic grape juice… In Marlborough. How can they be addressed? Retaining and training a skilled productive grape and wine workforce through an effective contractors’ network and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) ITO Te Pūkenga programme. Increasing water storage is crucial for the future. Ensuring sustainable best practice across vineyards under SWNZ leadership into the future to meet changing environmental standards and international market expectations. Dealing with winery waste is an issue that needs council and industry collaboration to sort out on a permanent basis. Enriching the biomass in our vineyard soils by interrow cropping, application of vineyard and winery waste and other waste streams. Continue to support Marlborough Environment Awards and encourage plantings that add biodiversity to the Marlborough’s rural landscape. What opportunities lie ahead?

Marlborough is well supported with vineyard development expertise. However, that is only part of growing our industry. With continued development comes the increased need for permanent and seasonal staff, trade and professional support and services for those staff. There is often a lag in providing housing, transport infrastructure, cultural, health and other services vital to a thriving, growing community.

How would you describe Marlborough’s wine industry in 15 words or fewer?

Mike Insley

Chris Lippiatt

Leveraging tourism to promote the wine industry will help to further build brand Marlborough, bringing benefits to the wider community as well as the wine industry. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc gives us a distinctive wine style from a defined region, with a likely annual supply of around 500,000 tonnes when fully planted (yes, one day the land will run out). The opportunity is to maximise the value out of this precious resource.

World-leading and vibrant yet still with huge potential. The best is yet to come.

What are the major challenges industry?Marlborough’sfacingwine

Fifty years on, with 70% of New Zealand’s vineyard area, Marlborough’s wine industry is still in its growth phase.

Climate change and its potential impacts on environmental and infrastructure resilience brings its own set of challenges, as does the transition to a cleaner, greener economy by 2050. Even more so when set against a requirement for improved productivity and profitability for many businesses.

How would you describe Marlborough’s wine industry in 15 words or fewer? Stellar international reputation. A career for thousands of our people. Successfully producing $2 billion FOREX

Your council can help to address these challenges by ensuring we continue to create the environment to attract new people, initiatives and businesses to Marlborough as well as ensuring regulation, zoning and infrastructure are fit for purpose now and over the next 30 years. There needs to be clarity and certainty around sustainable development within the region, protecting and enhancing the environment that all primary production relies on. What opportunities lie ahead?

Winepress September 2022 / 27 EDUCATE

What are the major challenges industry?Marlborough’sfacingwine

With an ever-changing dynamic growing environment, it is crucial that long term investment into science and innovative technology is a priority to underpin grape growing and winemaking technology. Capability exists within Bragato Research Institute and Plant & Food Research to collaborate. Adapting to atmospheric temperature increases will allow other varieties of grapes to be grown. Return of international tourists will add economic value to the local economy and increase vibrancy and excitement to our communities.

Chris Lippiatt (also candidate in Wairau Awatere Ward 2022 election – see page 25)

Matt Flight

Richard Osmaston

Marlborough’s 2022 Mayoral Candidates

By transitioning to a money free, volunteer based economic system. We can still produce whatever we want to, but instead of ever-increasing volumes, mechanisation and industrialisation, we could be downsizing wine production into local, holistic and family friendly operations. Concentrating on regeneration, sustainability, equality, wellbeing and of course, producing the very best Sav possible.

Nadine Taylor

I would address this by engaging Destination Marlborough and other outlets and see what they need to really push this hard. We really need more than ever now to push this hard and fast so when the time comes we have more people on the ground. One idea that was mentioned by the central government a few years back was introducing incentives for working holidays to younger people. I would look into expanding this to experienced people as well across all industries.

Sustainability, climate change, employment, resource consumption and competition from overseas producers all threaten the viability of Marlborough wine. Indeed of much of our lives. Perhaps it’s time for a bit of a rethink and possibly a re-evaluation of why we’re here and in wine production in the first place. What do we want for our children and ourselves? How’s our legacy looking these days? Our world has changed hugely in the last 50 years or so. Social, scientific, environmental and medical advances enable paradigm shifting transformations. Is our current money based economic model still fit for purpose? What would be the advantages in replacing it with a Resource Based Economy? How can they be addressed?

To read the full Q&A from mayoral candidates, plus responses from other candidates in the local body elections, go to marlboroughwinenz.com/our-news

How can they be addressed?

Sustainability is a significant challenge, ensuring Marlborough’s largest industry can operate efficiently and remain internationally competitive; attracting people to live, work and invest in an exceptional wine region, and enhancing global perceptions of Marlborough wine. Retention of local decision-making for local issues and district planning is crucial for Marlborough to be a progressive and adaptable region. We need to maintain local decision-making on the future management, protection and sustainable utilisation of valuable resources such as water. The government’s proposed three-waters reforms are a challenge – particularly for wastewater capacity and management. Current councillors joined C4LD, a local government action group of 31 councils who believe there is a better way of achieving government’s water-quality objectives while retaining local ratepayer control and ownership of our three-waters assets.

28 / Winepress September 2022 EDUCATEQ&Awith

Marlborough’s regional success relies on the success of our wine industry. Solutions to the issues facing the industry (and our region) require leadership and cooperative input from everyone from council to industry and government. Council needs to be an enabler; as deputy mayor I have enjoyed a productive working relationship with industry representatives and with government officials. I plan for council to continue working closely with Wine Marlborough, our industry and government to lead economic growth and tackle the issues that impact us all, together.

What are the major challenges facing Marlborough’s wine industry?

The biggest resource issue facing all industries at this stage would be people. As mayor I plan to address this issue by finding ways Marlborough can attract more people to our region. First it would be through tourism then secondly finding a way to get New Zealanders to stay here longer term. How can they be addressed?

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Loving the world of wine science

Gracie-Rose Kay

30 / Winepress September 2022

The 29-year-old student spent the 2022 vintage simultaneously overseeing the Cooper’s Creek cellar crew and a research project involving 16 barrels of Chardonnay at the West Auckland winery. It was Gracie-Rose’s fourth vintage with the company, where she has worked since beginning a Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking part-time through Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT). Her research project looked at whether different organic and inorganic yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) supplementation products impact fermentation kinetics and sensory attributes in the finished wine differently. YAN is a crucial component for a successful fermentation in wine and YAN supplementation is standard practice in the winemaking industry.

The project was a requirement of Gracie-Rose’s degree and was born from trying to find an answer to the perplexing issue of some Chardonnay not finishing the fermentation process. “It occurred to me that we’d never tested YAN levels in the juice prior to fermentation, so for all we knew it could have been deficient, and if that was the case, it would have been an easy fix,” she says.

“Wine can be as simple or as complicated as you want.”

“I couldn’t have done it without the faith of my employers and the winemaking team at Cooper’s Creek who have given me an amazing introduction to the industry,” she says. “We’re a small team and it’s really hands on, I’ve worked in just about every area imaginable from general maintenance to health and safety, staff training and lab work, it’s been a very good place to develop my skills.”

But the grapes were all within the normal range, so Gracie-Rose decided to delve deeper and experimented with four different treatments using organic and inorganic YAN supplementation products to compare how fermentation was Withimpacted.four replicas of the four treatments, it was a “daunting” task to single-handedly manage a research project of 16 barrels of wine, while ensuring it was still drinkable, Gracie-Rose says. “While I was focused on taking measurements and collecting and recording data, my main concern was to make sure the wine didn’t develop any off-aromas or faults, so it was a massive relief when all the wines developed well.”

idea of living and working on a French vineyard may have been the catalyst for Gracie-Rose Kay’s career in wine, but it’s the science of wine that has really piqued her interest.

While the results of the study were statistically inconclusive, her findings correlated with other similar studies and it would be interesting to do further research to better understand precisely how YAN supplementations impacted fermentation, she says. “Wine can be as simple or as complicated as you want - you can make it really hands off and intuitively once you get to know your grapes, or you can dig into the biochemistry to really understand more and find new or better ways of doing things. The world of wine science is endless and so fascinating.” But for now, Gracie-Rose is focused on finishing her degree and even starting to think about turning her dream of visiting French vineyards into reality, now the world is opening up again. “I’m looking forward to going out and making wine without deadlines.”

Y-ineGeneration

THECELEBRATEROMANTIC

KAT PICKFORD

Grow futureyourhere It’s not too late to upskill in 2022 nmit.ac.nz/primary-industries NEW viticulture, winemaking or leadership programmes start soon. Online, on-the-job, or on-campus.

Play it safe and report it anyway

Watch Identifying pest and disease symptoms SOPHIE BADLAND IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL Call MPI biosecurity hotline 0800

BiosecurityPROTECT 80 99 66

The free Find-A-Pest app for iPhone and Android enables users to take photos of any suspicious insects, plants, or plant disease symptoms and submit them through the app for quick identification. This means anyone with a smart phone can be on the lookout, and quickly and easily report anything suspicious or anything they don’t recognise. The app is designed as a general surveillance tool and has been developed by Scion and MPI in conjunction with primary sector organisations concerned with biosecurity, such as New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW). When a user submits an image through Find-A-Pest, it is first triaged by an industry representative. Images of low-risk species such as existing pests or weeds are then sent on to iNaturalist New Zealand (a web-based citizen science platform) for full identification. If the image shows a suspected biosecurity threat, it is then forwarded to the Biosecurity New Zealand exotic pest and disease hotline for follow up; the user will receive instructions as to next steps and the image is not released publicly on iNaturalist. GPS location information along with the time and date is also included with the image, as well as any other details the user wishes to add. Exact location can be obscured by the user through the app’s setting. Photos can also be taken and stored in the app offline, to make it more user-friendly for those working in the field in remote locations. The photos will then be automatically uploaded when the phone next gets a wifi or data connection. Find-A-Pest can also be used to increase biosecurity awareness; it contains a series of factsheets relevant to various primary sectors with information about both unwanted pests and diseases (not known to be present in New Zealand) and a range of pests and diseases already established here. Find-A-Pest can be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play stores, or for more information check out findapest.nz. Access industry expertise via NZW or Find-APest NZW has created an industry ‘Expert Identification Group’ to assist the NZW biosecurity team and Bragato Research Institute (BRI) extension staff with identification of pest and disease symptoms in vineyards. This group consists of experienced and well-respected viticulturists, researchers and viticultural field reps who have kindly agreed to participate. Pest or disease images specific to viticulture that are submitted via the Find-A-Pest app, or are received directly from members via email to NZW or BRI may be

When a new pest or disease arrives in New Zealand, the sooner it is detected and reported, the better chance there is of being able to eradicate it before it becomes established and difficult to manage. Therefore, the simplest and safest option is to just report anything you’re not sure about. As well as the above-mentioned Biosecurity hotline, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) also have an online reporting tool if you’re not too keen on making a phone call. The form can be accessed at report. mpi.govt.nz/pest/. When making a report, it’s best if you can catch or take a specimen in a secure container and take some clear photographs as well. MPI have released a short video explaining how to photograph biosecurity suspects, which can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/ watch?v=0ehdLclfbL4.

WE’VE OFTEN written in Winepress about the importance of regularly monitoring your vines for pest and disease symptoms, and reporting anything unusual or suspicious to the Biosecurity New Zealand hotline (0800 80 99 66). But what happens when you find something and you’re not exactly sure what you’re dealing with, and whether or not you should report it? This month we look at some options for helping growers and vineyard staff work through those tricky situations.

Find a Pest App

CATCH IT . SNAP IT . REPORT IT .

32 / Winepress September 2022

Conclusion There are a range of surveillance tools freely available now, as well as several options to report the unusual. Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility; as part of implementing a biosecurity plan, vineyards should establish a process for staff to follow should they spot something suspicious. A range of options are highlighted in this article, but ultimately the outcome needs to be that unusual pests and diseases are reported, to provide the best chance of eradicating anything new and damaging to the industry before it becomes well-established and costly to contain or control.

Other useful tools

There are a myriad of plant and insect identification apps and online groups available now, but there are a couple that are definitely worth checking out. Firstly, the Seek by iNaturalist app uses artificial intelligence to draw upon the millions of observations submitted by iNaturalist users and identify plants and insects as you photograph them. Just scan them with your cellphone camera and the app will provide a taxonomic identification. While this is a great app for learning about the plants and insects around you (and fun for the kids too), it can also give you a head-start in identifying anything you don’t recognise, and a bit of further research should tell you if you need to be concerned or not. You can find out more about the app at inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app.Secondly,ifyou’reonFacebook,

Winepress September 2022 / 33 PROTECT Dan Gardner M +64 27 533 3343 | P +64 6 879 8312 E info@nzfrostfans.com or visit nzfrostfans.comFRF1057 forFanslife It’s the outstandingacentricengineeringtechnology,andgrower-supportthatmakesNewZealandFrostFaninitsfield. • FrostBoss® composite fan blades provide excellent coverage, fuel efficiency and low noise • FrostSmart™ monitoring provides real time monitoring for peace of mind • Dedicated, passionate team - it’s all we do Dan Gardner M +64 27 533 3343 | P +64 6 879 8312 E info@nzfrostfans.com or visit nzfrostfans.comFRF1057 forFanslife It’s the outstandingacentricengineeringtechnology,andgrower-supportthatmakesNewZealandFrostFaninitsfield. • FrostBoss® composite fan blades provide excellent coverage, fuel efficiency and low noise • FrostSmart™ monitoring provides real time monitoring for peace of mind • Dedicated, passionate team - it’s all we do forwarded to the expert group for advice. If this is the case, the submitter may be contacted to provide further details to assist the group with a possible identification, but no identifying information will be passed on. An email response with opinions from the group will be sent back to the submitter to help them consider any next steps, which in difficult cases might include sending samples to a lab for diagnostic testing or enlisting the services of a viticultural consultant to properly investigate an issue. You can submit images of any vine damage or symptoms you are unsure about to biosecurity@nzwine.com.

there is a group called ‘NZ Bug Identification – Spiders, Insects etc’ that is excellent for insect identification. It’s a private group, so you need to make a request to join, but it now has over 13,000 members including a lot of New Zealand’s top entomology experts. Group members post photos of insects they aren’t sure about and they are generally identified very quickly. It’s also great for learning more about the common and not-socommon insects in New Zealand.

The enlarged operation will capitalise on shared values of family ownership, enduring partnerships, conservation of the environment and quality production from New Zealand grape regions that are recognised as growing the best expressions of each variety, says Kevin. “Our focus has always been on producing exceptional wines from the best regions and Coopers Creek produce some of the best wines in the country.

Awards Trust chair Jo Grigg said the awards are unique in New Zealand, “in that they go right across a range of industry and community initiatives”. That is a real strength, she added. “We are a region with diverse industries and resources. But we are small in population, so sharing ideas across industries and groups is vital. And boy, do some great ideas and products come out of Marlborough.”

Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens says he is excited to see which wine industry members will enter this year, sharing their ambitions, efforts and learnings. “We know there is great stuff happening in our industry - driven by people passionate about sustainability, climate action and biodiversity – and it’s always brilliant to see their energy rewarded, and others inspired by their journey.” Wine Marlborough sponsors the wine industry category of the awards, which was won by Lawson’s Dry Hills in 2021.

Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards

Lawson’s Dry Hills. Photo Richard Briggs

“Sound environmental management is good business,” said Marlborough Mayor John Leggett at the launch of the 2022-2023 Marlborough Environment Awards, aimed at celebrating and encouraging best practice in looking after the region’s land, water and energy resources. “We know that human-induced climate change will have impacts on Marlborough’s primary sectors - they will all have to adapt and innovate if they are to remain competitive,” he said. “And I am encouraged by the commitment to best practice that I witness in each award category.”

Wineries merge

Joining forces with them is a natural progression which we are all very excited about.” As a modestly sized, family-owned producer, Coopers Creek, like Toi Toi, has been making wines from many regions including Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Kumeu and Central Otago.

Kevin says many synergies exist from a business perspective, including established vineyards and winemaking teams, an experienced MWL sales team, and the opportunity to close the gaps in the export markets, with Toi Toi strong in Australia and the USA and Coopers Creek in both Europe and Asia. “This will ensure a truly global representation for MWL.”

The Toi Toi and Coopers Creek wine brands have merged their operations, after a decade successfully cooperating on projects. Kevin Joyce of Toi Toi and Andrew Hendry of Coopers Creek says recognition of a shared philosophy led them to band together under the umbrella company Marlborough Wine Ltd (MWL).

Organic Wine Week

The 2022 Organic Wine Week is centred around the Spring Equinox, with events around the world from September 19 to 25. The celebration began five years ago, when the Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) producer board sought a day or an event to celebrate the importance of organic wine and viticulture. It soon became clear they needed more than a day to showcase organic wine and its positive impact on ecosystems, health and people and the New Zealand organic wine story. “There has been a major upswing in demand for organic wine over recent years and the conversation is definitely changing in favour of organics,” says OWNZ chair Clive Dougall. “Consumers want to know what is going into their wine, where it comes from, how it is grown and the impact on the environment.” For a calendar of events for New Zealand and international markets go to organicwinenz.com

34 / Winepress September 2022 Industry News

Entries at cmea.org.nz close September 30.

Kevin Joyce and Andrew Hendry

Marlborough Lines seeks Yealands partner

August has seen more challenges for the Marlborough wine industry, with flooding following on from the wettest July on record, roading and logistics challenges as a result, and negative press on the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme. Collaborative efforts within our industry are helping shape how we respond to and address these challenges and Wine Marlborough is an active participant in these efforts, at times leading and other times supporting.

New Zealand Ethical Employers (NZEE), are involved in the negotiations for the RSE cap for the 2022-2023 season to support an increase to sustain the industry’s growth. In August, industry’s request to increase the cap to 19,000 was under consideration by the Minister of Immigration Michael Wood. The re-establishment of the National Labour Governance Group is also under way, which will provide a revised framework for RSE cap and allocation discussions and how groups such as the Marlborough Labour Governance Groups participate in this.

Marlborough will play a key role in the information and insights that help focus support and advocacy efforts for the 2023 season through Wine Marlborough and member participation in these discussions. If you have insights or information you would like to share, please emailAtadvocacy@winemarlborough.nz.anationallevel,NZW,alongside

Planning for the industry’s seasonal peaks is under way with New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW), firstly through the reactivation of monthly calls across the Regional Labour Contacts network, and secondly, with the establishment of a Vintage 23 Working Group.

Winepress September 2022 / 35 Wine Marlborough Advocacy Update

NICCI ARMOUR – ADVOCACY MANAGER

Wine Marlborough’s workforce development project with the Marlborough wine industry continues. Recently the workforce steering group recommended that collecting detailed data on the current and future workforce, including the breadth of roles and skills across growing, production, and contracting businesses, is an immediate priority. Balancing immediate workforce needs with a longer-term focus for the wider Marlborough wine industry is also a key task for this group. As this balance is defined, industry consultation will get underway.

part of its ‘Energise Marlborough’ strategy. “Yealands has a valuable asset base, which has grown by $100 million since 2015 when we first purchased it,” says Marlborough Lines Limited (LLM) chair Phil Robinson. “It has excellent growth prospects, with strong management and governance. We would expect any new partner to enhance the business and the interests of the region, maintaining stability and minimising any disruption.”

A divestment of part of Yealands Wine Group would enable Marlborough Lines to lead the region towards a zero-carbon future. “We’re already seeing increasing demands from electric vehicles, ferries, and local industry and significant investment is needed to build the energy capacity and resilience needed to power a sustainable future for the region,” says MLL chief executive Tim Cosgrove. “We take pride in our vision of energising Marlborough’s future. We view this as an opportunity to retain and enhance an investment in Yealands while further investing in our core business.”

Marlborough Lines is seeking a strategic partner for its subsidiary Yealands Wine Group, in order to further pursue opportunities in renewable energy and electrification as

A list of email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by September For more information, contact

21. Due to uncertainty around Covid-19, there may be changes to some of these listed events.

please use the

supplied or email sarah@winemarlborough.nz 36 / Winepress September 2022 Vineyard Ecosystems September 27-28Young Winemaker - September 21 Celebration long lunch - October 28 SEPTEMBER 1 Awatere Wētā Growers’ Meeting (nzwine.com/ events) 4 Cosy Sunday Sessions – Winter at Forrest, from 1pm to 4pm (marlboroughnz.com/events) 14 Webinar: Are Native Plants a viable alternative to herbicides? (wendy.sullivan@landcare.org.nz) 15 Marlborough Winegrowers Election – voting starts (closes September 30) 19 - 25 Organic Wine Week (organicwinenz.com) 20 Tickets on sale for Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Long Lunch (marlboroughwineshow.com) 21 Marlborough Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year 2022 Competition (nzwine.com/events) 27 - 28 Beyond Vineyard Ecosystems; Growing for the future, Christchurch (nzwine.com/events) 28 - 30 Judging in Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect (marlboroughwineshow.com) OCTOBER 3 Marlborough Winegrowers Election – results notified 3 - 8 Marlborough Wine & Food Festival - Locals Only tickets on sale 8 Local government elections. Voting closes 12pm. See page 24-27 7 Bayleys Friday Night Feast (feastmarlborough.nz) 8 South Island Cheese Festival, Clos Henri Vineyard (southislandcheesefest.com) 12 Rock Ferry Wine’s Twilight Market, 4-7pm (marlboroughnz.com) 18 NZSVO Technical Workshop (nzsvo.org.nz) 20 Marlborough Winegrowers AGM, New Zealand Wine Centre - Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, 85 Budge Street, from 4pm 28 Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Long Lunch and trophy announcements

events within the New Zealand wine industry. To have your event included in the October Wine Happenings, please

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Winepress - September 2022

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Winepress September 2022

Winepress - September 2022