12 minute read
Wine Show
A home-grown celebration of Marlborough wine
SOPHIE PREECE
A PINOT Noir that “dances on the palate,” took top spot at the 2020 Marlborough Wine Show, A toast to Frank Yukich at the Marlborough Wine Show. Photo Richard Briggs sponsored by QuayConnect. Chief judge Ben Glover describes the Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019 as “an young vines require careful consideration when it comes to exceptional wine full of bright fruits, really vibrant palate, cropping levels, “to get as much concentration as we can”, and lovely length”, calling it the undisputed winner of the she says, describing a dedicated attention to detail in the show. It is indicative of a vintage that produced some “quite vineyard, to ensure “every vine is in balance”. stunning” examples of the variety, he says. “These would be And the future is bright for the wines, as the vines age some of the very best Pinots to come out of Marlborough.” and the vineyard continues to grow, expanding up from the
The 2020 Sauvignon Blancs were also “especially glacial valley into Leefield’s foothills, with a diversity of soil exceptional”, and a credit to the winemakers and vineyard types and aspects, including northerly facing slopes, says managers who worked through the Covid-19 lockdown to Emma. “That will add to the complexity of the fruit we are get them made, says Ben. getting from there.”
More than 600 Marlborough wines were judged by Emma, who judged in the Marlborough Wine Show, an independent panel of 17 judges last month, with 17 says she loves that the competition brings the industry trophies presented at the Celebration Lunch on October 30. together to support the region “and also to bring out the Saint Clair Family Estate was a star of the show, with four highlights”. The calibre of wines coming through are trophies, including the Coterie Wine of Provenance for its evidence of how the industry has benefitted from the Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2020, and the experience of the past 40 years, with a second and third Marlborough Museum Legacy Award for three vintages generation of viticulturists and winemakers coming of the Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay. Then the through, bringing international wine experiences with them, Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award was she says. “It’s a huge accomplishment for our teams when presented to Saint Clair founders Judy and Neal Ibbotson it’s at that level.” (page 12), who Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens describes as tireless promoters of Marlborough wine. “They have always placed Marlborough first and Saint Clair second on their international sales trips, and with their attention to quality have helped cement the region’s reputation both domestically and internationally.”
Emma Marris, one of Leefield Station’s winemakers, says winning the QuayConnect Champion Wine of Show left the Marisco team “a bit shellshocked”. It’s the latest surprise in an “exciting” year that’s seen the Waihopai Valley vineyard harvest under Covid-19 restrictions, while gearing up the presses and tanks in its brand new winery. “This accolade for us as a business gives us a huge sense that we have been making the right decisions,” Emma says. “It adds more fuel to the fire for the coming years.”
The 2019 vintage is just the third release of the Leefield Chief Judge Ben Glover with Judy and Sarina Ibbotson. Station Pinot Noir, from vines planted in 2014, and hails Photo Richard Briggs from a “spectacular growing season”, says Emma. The
QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019
The Coterie Wine of Provenance Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Marlborough Museum Legacy Award Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2007 Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2013 Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2016
Vitis Champion Sparkling Wine Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige
Wine Brokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough Gewüztraminer 2019
De Sangosse NZ Champion Riesling Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Riesling 2020
TNL Freighting New Zealand Champion Other White Varietal Saint Clair Pioneer Block 5 Bull Block Grüner Veltliner 2020
Label & Litho Champion Pinot Gris Saint Clair Godfrey’s Creek Reserve Pinot Gris 2018 WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc 2020
WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc 2019 & Older Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Scenic Hotel Marlborough Champion Rosé Mount Riley ‘The Bonnie’ Pinot Rosé 2020
Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir 2019 Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019
Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir 2018 & Older The Wrekin Needle’s Eye Pinot Noir 2015
Wine Marlborough Champion Other Red Varietal Mount Riley Marlborough Syrah 2019
Barrel Finance & Logistics Champion Sweet Wine Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2018
MRC Champion Chardonnay 2019 Stoneleigh Latitude Chardonnay 2019
MRC Champion Chardonnay 2018 & Older Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay Marlborough 2018
Photo by Jim Tannock
Lifetime Achievement
Neal and Judy Ibbotson’s remarkable contribution to wine
SOPHIE PREECE
WHEN NEAL and Judy Ibbotson bought a bare block of land on the outskirts of Blenheim, it was meant as a stepping stone to something bigger. Instead it was the “right place at the right time”, say the founders of Saint Clair Family Estate, 42 years after planting their first vines.
Judy and Neal have been awarded the 2020 Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award, after more than four decades spent growing and promoting Marlborough’s wine industry. It’s a story that stretches from 1978, when they planted their own block – one of the first nine property owners to become contract growers for Montana – to today, when Saint Clair Family Estate is one of the largest familyowned wine companies in New Zealand, with a number of Marlborough vineyards, a winery and over 70 export markets to its name. “We are very proud of the fact that we are 100% family owned and that we now have our children involved in the industry,” says Neal, from their vineyard home at the edge of that original block.
He was a farm consultant in the 1970s, and the 13-hectare Fairhall land was not the farm he dreamed of. But the couple set about making it work for them, with 100 pigs on their paddocks and Judy sometimes seen racing down New Renwick Rd in her turquoise Morris Minor, chasing an errant porker.
In 1978, the Ibbotsons took a punt on a brand new industry, and set about planting vines. Neal would drive a tractor up and down their paddocks on the weekends, drilling holes ready for planting. On weekdays, Judy and a group of helpers would set about planting during school hours, driving her Morrie through the vineyard, loaded with vines. “It was once stuck out here for two days in the mud,” she says with a laugh. “Because it wasn’t a tractor,” adds Neal.
They were busy days of planning and planting, and Judy clearly remembers the day Neal returned home for lunch wielding a calculator. “He asked me how many rows I had done,” she says, still amazed at his audacity. Neal recalls it clearly too. “Judy pointed to the gate and said, ‘go back the same way you came in’.”
He soon found that growing young vines was as rewarding as growing young livestock, with similar principles to both – “it’s all about care and attention,” he says. “With vines they respond and produce quality wine.”
In those early days, fellow grower Henk Ruesink was an invaluable source of advice for the couple, advising them to use trickle irrigation at a time when people feared it would dilute the wines. “Henk was a great mentor,” says Neal. “He had green fingers and knew about horticulture and put it into grape growing.” He and the straight-talking Dutchman had an annual competition to grow their young vines the fastest. “We saw Henk one day and he said, ‘I got my first grapevine onto the wire on Christmas day’,” Neal recalls. “I said, ‘what time?’”
In 1994 the Ibbotsons established their own label with three wines – a Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc - and by the next year had quadrupled their production. By 2006 Saint Clair had its own winery, and they’ve steadily grown their offering and reputation since, with the
likes of the wines that won four trophies at last month’s Marlborough Wine Show.
Neal and Judy’s strong partnership has been key to their success, and Neal says it is “significant and important” that the Lifetime Achievement Award recognises that, instead of acknowledging an individual. “Because Judy has been such an important part of the development. Not only in the initial planting but also in promoting our wines all around the world.” Judy says they decided very early on, after Neal did an overseas marketing trip on his own, that “if we couldn’t both go, we wouldn’t go”.
As well as their team of two, and the family coming up through the business, their successes have only happened because of Saint Clair’s wider crew, says Neal. “Whilst the names are Neal and Judy, it’s only been possible because of the people around us. It’s not about the things you do yourself, it’s always about the people you work with.” To read more about the Saint Clair Family Estate journey, check out the May 2019 edition of Winepress at winemarlborough.co.nz/news/
EXCLUSIVE
Photo Richard Briggs
Previous winners Neal and Judy join a list of renowned industry members who have been recognised with the Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Awards, including Gerry Gregg, Ross Lawson, Phil Rose, Ivan Sutherland, Jane Hunter, Dr Rengasamy Balasubramaniam and Dr John Forrest.
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From the MP
STUART SMITH
KIWIS ARE incredibly proud of New Zealand’s world-class wines. New Zealand’s wine industry has experienced 25 consecutive years of growth, lifting exports from $100 million 20 years ago to almost $2 billion this year. The wine industry forms the backbone of a number of regional economies and must be part of our plan to grow our economy. There are a number of challenges that the industry will face in the short term. We need the incoming Government to be proactive to support innovative solutions to these issues.
A major hurdle the wine industry needs to overcome is the inability of cellar doors to charge for wine samples. Legislation also requires that where a business operates both an on-licence and off-licence, as wineries with restaurants often wish to do, 85% of revenue must come from the sale of alcohol. This is difficult for wineries operating restaurants to achieve.
The wine industry asked the Government to fast-track legislative changes needed to remedy this flawed regulation as part of the Covid-19 response package, but the minister refused. I will therefore be introducing a Member’s bill to Parliament to amend the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow cellar doors to sell wine samples and bypass the 85% of revenue test. This will help promote wine tourism, provide confidence to businesses in the wine sector, and allow it to further increase their contribution to the local economies they support.
Wine companies are also facing a shortage of a reliable labour force for vintage 2021, with borders closed to international workers. New Zealand’s wine industry relies on access to skilled cellar hands and seasonal workers for harvesting and winter pruning. Seasonal workers support high-paid, permanent down-stream jobs in the sector, and wine exports support regional communities across New Zealand.
There will be thousands of workers needed across New Zealand for the vintage and pruning, yet there is only a limited supply of local labour. We must work hard to get Kiwis to fill as many roles as possible, but we must also provide visa flexibility to those already here from vintage 2020 whose experience will be essential to help train and supervise harvest and vintage workers for 2021.
New Zealand also has capacity to bring more people into the country through managed isolation. We currently have around 7,000 managed isolation spaces but are only using
about 5,000 spaces at any one time. There is no reason not to fully utilise our managed isolation capability where we have jobs that need filling to support the economy. Workers coming to New Zealand to work in our viticulture industry will generate growth and employment for Kiwis.
More than ever we need to provide wineries with confidence by lessening their regulatory burden, encouraging more domestic tourism opportunities, and ensuring their labour needs are met. The industry must continue growing despite the challenges of Covid-19, so it can maintain its worldclass reputation and continue to be a huge contributor to New Zealand’s economy. Stuart is the MP for Kaikōura, and is the National Party’s viticulture spokesperson. He was formerly president of the New Zealand Grape Growers Council and chair of New Zealand Winegrowers. His contact details are 03 5793204, 0800 788278 or stuart.smith@national.org.nz.
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