Winepress - August 2014

Issue No. 239 / August 2014

Old Vines

Yield Stress

Groovy Gruner

Young Vit

Photo: Jim Tannock

The Official Magazine of

www.wine-marlborough.co.nz

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In this issue...

Regulars

Features

3 4

6

Editorial Tasman Crop Met Report

18 Alterative Varieties 28 NZW Export News 29 Wine Unwound 30 Wine Happenings From Home and 31 News Away All correspondence including advertising / associate memberships / change of address to: Wine Marlborough PO Box 511, Blenheim 7240 T: 03 577 9299, F: 03 577 9298 E: admin@wine-marlborough.co.nz www.wine-marlborough.co.nz

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Printed by: Blenheim Print Ltd. T: 03 578 1322 WINEPRESS is printed with vegetable oil based inks on elemental chlorine free paper which is sourced 100% from well managed forrests and manufactured under ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems.

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The Impact of High Yields High yields can place pressure on vines and their ability to produce balanced crops in subsequent seasons. That’s the finding from research undertaken at Marlborough Plant & Food. What sort of stress those high yields cause is discussed this month.

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The Need For Replanting Vines don’t live forever and if you want your vineyard to remain profitable, you may need to be seriously looking at a re-planting programme. Mark Allen and the Ormond Nurseries team have undertaken that very scenario and explain how ignoring the age of vines is a sure fire way to see a drop in income.

p27

Marlborough’s Young Vit With six entries, the Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year was once again a huge success.

Meet the person who will be representing the region at the upcoming National Competition.

Tell the Diversity Story American Master Sommelier, James Tidwell is highly impressed with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. But he believes we need to spend more time promoting the many other varieties which show the diversity of this region.

p31

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

8/2014 WINEPRESS

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Produced by:

From the Editor

Wine Marlborough Free to all levy paying members Associate Members: $77 +GST Editor: Tessa Nicholson

Marlborough’s Sustainability Hub New Zealand Winegrowers are expanding the sustainability portfolio, and that expansion is about to take place here in Marlborough.

Philip Manson who is the GM of Sustainable Winegrowing will be based in this region

16 Bank Street

from October this year, and that is just one of the changes about to occur. For Philip,

Blenheim

the chance to be on the ground in the country’s largest wine region makes total sense

T: 021 709 571

and will allow him to have far more contact with the members, face to face.

E: tessa.nicholson@me.com

It makes sense in the wider scheme of things as well. Within the newly announced hub, will be a bio security manager – yet to be appointed. There is no doubt that bio

If you wish to make contact with any

security is a hot issue and given Marlborough produces more than three quarters

member of the Wine Marlborough

of the country’s wine, this is the region most at threat of any incursion. Philip says “It

Board, the following are their email

makes sense then to have someone on the ground there, working alongside growers

addresses.

and winemakers.”

Clive Jones:

The new hub will also take an active role in the issue of labour.

cjones@nautilusestate.com James Jones: james@starborough.co.nz Blair Gibbs: blair@spyvalley.co.nz Ivan Sutherland: ivan@dogpoint.co.nz Ben Glover: ben@zephyrwine.com Ruud Maasdam: ruud@staetelandt.co.nz Guy Lissaman: glissaman@xtra.co.nz Laurin Gane: laurin.gane@xtra.co.nz

“We are aware of how important it is that our labour force is meeting all the sustainability requirements,” he says. “That is something our markets demand. So developing a national labour management strategy will be a priority. It is also likely that a part time resource will be added to the hub, concentrating on all issues surrounding labour.”

While it is great news for the region and the industry overall, the establishment of the sustainability hub is not likely to be the beginning of the end of the head office in Auckland. All other departments will remain in the city of sails and that too makes perfect sense. Advocacy, marketing and research, the other three core activities of NZW, don’t need to be on the ground (so the speak) as much as the sustainability department does. Each of those areas is dealing not only with the concerns and needs of members, but also with a number of other institutions outside the wine industry. Many of those institutions are based in Auckland.

Sustainability however is something that is happening in the field on a daily basis and having the offices sited here can only enhance its success.

The new home of the Sustainability Hub will be at the Marlborough Research Centre and should be up and running by October.

Simon Clark: simon@clarkestate.com Simon Bishell: simonbishell@outlook.com

TESSA NICHOLSON tessa.nicholson@me.com

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Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – July 2014

July

2014

July 2014 Compared to LTA

July LTA

Period of LTA

July 2013

GDD’s for month -Max/Min¹ GDD’s for month – Mean²

8.2 23.1

- -

9.2 22.1

(1996-2013) (1996-2013)

19.2 43.4

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

13.1 2.0 7.5

Equal -0.6°C -0.4°C

13.1 2.6 7.9

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

14.9 3.4 9.1 18

Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C)

17

2 more

15.1

(1986-2013)

Air Frosts

10

3 more

7.4

(1986-2013)

6

Sunshine hours 173.6 109% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2014 1365.2 99%

159 119.6 230.8 1374

(1930-2013) 1996 1952 (1930-2013)

181.4

Rainfall (mm) 9.9 15% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2014 397.8 106%

64 9.9 174.1 376

(1930-2013) 2014 1998 (1930-2013)

445.9

Evapotranspiration – mm

29.0

83%

35.0

(1996-2013)

51.9

Avg. Daily Windrun (km)

No data

-

230.0

(1996-2013)

231.0

(<0.0°C)

Sunshine July 2014 recorded 173.6 hours sunshine, 109% of the long-term average of 159 hours. Total sunshine hours for Blenheim for January to July 2014 are 1365.2, or 99 percent of the long-term average total of 1374 hours.

Rainfall Total rainfall of 9.9 mm is 15% of the long term average for July of 64 mm (1930-2013). This is now the lowest total on record for July for the 85 years 1930-2014. The highest July rainfall was 174.1 mm recorded in 1998. Total rainfall for January to July 2014 of 397.8 mm is 106% of the long-term average of 376 mm. As was pointed out at the end of June, monthly rainfall totals have been oscillating between low and high totals in 2014. July’s total rainfall was

1455.5 34.8

Mean 9am soil temp – 10cm

4.8

Equal

4.8

(1986-2013)

5.5

Mean 9am soil temp – 30cm

7.5

+0.5°C

7.0

(1986-2013)

7.8

only one tenth of June’s rainfall total.

Table 3: Monthly rainfall in Blenheim January to July 2014 compared to the long-term average 2014 Rainfall

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures July 2014 in summary July was cool and dry with slightly above average sunshine.

Temperature and frosts The mean temperature of 7.5°C was 0.4°C below the long-term average temperature for the past 28 years (1986-2013) of 7.9°C. July 2014 was the coolest July since 2009. It was also 3.3°C cooler than the very warm July in 2013. The average minimum temperature of 2.0°C was the coolest July minimum in the past 10 years; 2004 recorded the previous coolest minimum of 1.6°C. As is often the case, the weekly temperatures during July 2014 were quite variable. The first and fourth weeks of the month were slightly cooler than average.

The third week, at 2.7°C below average was very cold. It is not often that the average daily minimum temperature for a week is below zero degrees in Blenheim (-0.4°C). The second week of July was well above average. The final three days of July with a mean of 10.4°C were very warm, especially coming after two quite cold weeks. Those three days were more akin to spring temperatures in September.

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Month Total (mm)

Long-term average (mm)

January 79.2 48.3

The 14 consecutive days from 15th to 28th July all recorded ground temperatures below zero degrees.

12 of those 14 days recorded ground frosts. Two of those days did not record ground frosts as the temperature was between 0 and -1.0. A ground frost is only recorded once the grass temperature (2.5 cm above a mown grass surface) is equal to or below -1.0°C. An air frost is recorded in a Stevenson Screen at a height of 1.3 m and is any temperature below 0.0°C. Ground frosts are normally between 2 and 4°C lower than the corresponding air frost. The coldest ground frost was -6.4°C on 3 July and the coldest air frost was -2.3°C on 22 July.

February 18 43.7 March 26.6 43.7 April

149.8 52.1

May

16 64.3

June

98.3 59.6

July

9.9 64.3

Totals 397.8 376.0 Chilling Requirements of Grapevines After a very warm June this year in which only two ground frosts were recorded, I received a couple of queries about whether grapes would receive enough chilling this winter. As July is our mid-winter month

Table 2: Weekly air temperatures and frosts for Blenheim during July 2014 July 2014

Max (°C)

Min (°C)

Mean (°C)

Deviation from mean

Ground Air Frosts Frosts

1st -7th July

13.2

1.6

7.4

-0.5°C

4

3

8th -14th July

13.2

5.3

9.2

+1.3°C

1

0

15th -21st July

10.8

-0.4

5.2

-2.7°C

7

4

22nd -28th July

13.6

0.4

7.0

-0.9°C

5

3

29th -31st July (3 days)

16.4

4.5

10.4

+2.5°C

0

0

-0.4°C

July Mean Temps Total Frosts

13.1

2.0

7.5

Long-term average

13.1

2.6

7.9

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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15.1

7.4

what better time to give a brief overview of the chill requirements of grapes and how the current season compares with previous seasons.

A number of research studies have been undertaken since the 1930s examining the chilling requirements of deciduous fruit crops. Chandler et al. (1937) identified that ‘compared to many other deciduous fruit crops, grapevines require relatively little exposure to chilling to terminate rest’. A number of studies have looked specifically at the chilling requirements of grapes. These have identified that ‘the chilling exposure necessary for normal bud growth ranges between 50 and 400 hours at temperatures ≤ 7 °C’, (Chandler et al., 1937; Dokoozlian et al., 1995; Magoon and Dix, 1943; Weaver and Iwasaki, 1977). A number of other papers also report that ‘erratic and/or delayed budbreak, decreased shoot and cluster numbers per vine, and poor uniformity of fruit development are commonly reported in regions where grapevines suffer from inadequate winter chilling (Lavee et al., 1984; McColl, 1986; Wicks et al., 1984). However, I think it is fair to say that for our New Zealand regions and grape varieties little research work has been undertaken to understand the relationship between chilling temperatures and their duration and how these impact on the timing of, rate and percentage budbreak in the vines.

Figure 1 presents the total chilling hours below 7 °C for the three months from 1 May to 31 July for Blenheim, over the five years 2010 to 2014. The studies quoted earlier indicate that 400 hours less than 7 °C is the upper limit of the chill requirement for grapes. With the warm June this year, 400 chill hours were not accumulated until 15 July 2014, whereas in 2012 400 chill units were accumulated one month earlier, on 15 June. For Sauvignon blanc in Marlborough, even in a warm winter where 400 chill units are not accumulated until late July, that is still about two months prior to 50% bud burst in early October. Hence, there is never going to be a year in Marlborough when the chill requirements of grapes are not met (Not without some serious global warming).

Table 4 summarizes the average number of chill hours in nine New Zealand regions for the five months 1 May to 30 September. According to the New Zealand Winegrowers Vineyard Register Report (2013) there are 372 ha of vineyards in Auckland / Northland. It is interesting to note that for the four years 2010 to 2013, average chill hours in Northland at 342, fell below 400. Auckland was only slightly above 400, with a total of 454 chill hours. This indicates that grapes in these two regions are likely to suffer from lack of chilling and poor bud burst.

Table 1 indicates that the main wine regions from Gisborne south all received adequate chill hours in those four years. However, at 31 July 2014 Gisborne had only accumulated 271 chill hours, compared to Blenheim’s 622. With warm temperatures in August and early September 2014 Gisborne will struggle to accumulate 400 chill hours prior to bud burst. Based on the international studies previously mentioned, low chill hours in Gisborne this year could potentially have an effect on percentage bud break, shoot and bud numbers per vine and uniformity of fruit development.

regions and warmer seasons. The question of accumulated chill hours in Marlborough in 2014 was discussed by Vaughn Bell from Plant & Food Research, at the New Zealand Winegrowers Virus Elimination Project Workshop held in Blenheim on 5 August. Vaughn indicated that with the accumulated chill hours being quite a lot lower in 2014, that this could lead to better survival over winter of mealybugs. The consequence of this could be higher numbers of mealybugs in the coming spring. Growers need to be vigilant in checking for mealybugs in the vineyard this season.

References: Chandler, W., M.H. Kimball, G.L. Philip, W.P. Tufts, and G.P. Weldon. 1937. Chilling requirements for opening of buds on deciduous orchard trees and some other plants in California. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 611 Dokoozlian, N.K., L.E. Williams, and R.A. Neja. 1995. Chilling exposure and hydrogen cyanamide interact in breaking dormancy of grape buds. HortScience 30:1244–247.

Lavee, S., Y. Shulman, and G. Nir. 1984. The effect of cyanamide on budbreak of grapevines Vitis vinifera L., p. 17–29. In: R.J. Weaver (ed.). Proc. of Symp. on bud dormancy in grapevine: Potential and practical uses of hydrogen cyanamide on grapevine. Univ. of California, Davis Magoon, C.A. and I.W. Dix. 1943. Observations on the response of grapevines to winter temperatures as related to their dormancy requirements. Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 42:407–412.

McColl, C.R. 1986. Cyanamide advances the maturity of table Table 4: Chilling hours for New Zealand Wine grapes in central Australia. Austral.

J. Expt. Agr. 26:505–509.

Regions, 1 May to 30 September (Average New Zealand Winegrowers Vineyard Register 2013. http://www.

2010-2013) nzwine.com/info-centre/statistics/vineyard-register-report/ Weaver, R.J. and K. Iwasaki. 1977. Effect of temperature and Town / Province Average Chill Hours length of storage, root growth and

≤7 °C May – Sept termination of bud rest in ‘Zinfandel’ grapes. Amer. J. Enol.

Viticult. 28:149–151.

(2010-2013) Wicks, A.S., J.O. Johnson, E. Bracho, F.L. Jensen, R.A. Neja, L.A. Kerikeri – Northland 342 Lider, and R.J. Weaver. 1984.

Induction of early and more uniform budbreak in Vitis vinifera Pukekohe – Auckland 454 L. cvs. ‘Perlette’, ‘Thompson Seedless’, and ‘Flame Seedless’, p.

Gisborne – Poverty Bay 669 48–58. In: R.J. Weaver (ed.). Proc. of Symp. on bud dormancy in grapevine: Potential and practical uses of hydrogen cyanamide Havelock North - Hawkes Bay 997 on grapevine. Univ. California, Davis.

Martinborough - Wairarapa Blenheim - Marlborough Richmond - Nelson Lincoln - Canterbury Cromwell - Central Otago

1030 1076 1162 1360 2109

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research

Chill hours and pest management It is generally acknowledged that insect pest populations survive over winter better in warmer

Figure 1: Chilling hours below 7°C from May to July in Blenheim (2012-2014)

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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The Impact of High Yields On Vines RESEARCH MARC GREVEN AND JEFF BENNETT

The recent high yields on Sauvignon Blanc vines may have ramifications down the line, according to research undertaken at Marlborough Plant and Food.

High yields place stress on vines that

the vine. We don’t fully understand what

So if vines weren’t happy this year, as

can take more than one season to

the hierarchy is, who is best dressed if

was shown with the later ripening, will

recover from, according to Viticulture

you like, or who is up first. It probably

it have any impact on the crop levels in

and Oenology Science Group Leader Dr

varies a bit during the ripening period.

2015 or beyond?

Damian Martin. That stress in the form of

But the long and the short of it is that

“When you load up a vine with too many

competition for carbohydrates, means

there is competition amongst various

buds and too much crop, Marc and

there could be a 10 to 15 percent penalty

parts of the plant. So if the ripening rate

Jeff’s work tells us there is a 10 to 15

on yields next season.

has slowed, (as happened during the

percent yield penalty, that the vine pays

Damian explains the reasons why.

2014 season) that is a sign that there

the following year. This is linked to less

“During the ripening period, the fruit isn’t

is not enough carbohydrate to keep

vigorous shoot growth in the season just

the only part of the vine demanding and

everyone happy.”

gone.

needing carbohydrates.

The shoots need it to properly harden off to resist winter frosts. The root system is also looking for carbohydrates and even the perennial reserves in the trunk are needing to store carbohydrates, which are only sourced from the leaf area.

“When the crop level is low, everyone is happy, everyone gets their share. When the crop level is high, there is competition amongst those various parts of

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High yields like this will have depleted carbohydrate reserves for the next season.

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

“So while that crop was on the growing

carbohydrates across less buds next

going satisfactorily. Something has to

shoots, they are held back in their growth

spring. If you want your vines to grow

give and the vine’s adaptation is to give a

a bit. That reduces bud initiation in the

well, you should be reducing your bud

bit of crop.

current year meaning less fertility next

number slightly. Then you will get better

“The other important thing is the quality of

year. Low carbohydrate status at the

shoot growth. You won’t get bigger

wood that you choose when pruning. You

end of winter affects bud burst, the rate

bunches or berries in the current season,

need to instruct your pruners if they can’t

of shoot development and reduces the

but you will get improved initiation in the

find four good canes, then they should be

number of shoots and bunches in the

following year, (weather and conditions

picking the three very best, rather than

following year (2015). This is a logical

dependent of course).

going for four. If they go for four they will

and normal response when a vine has

“If you don’t do this you won’t have

keep the cycle of having a crop that is out

been deprived of carbohydrates for its

compromised the vine completely but

of balance with the vine’s potential. If they

reproductive development.”

the crop load study shows that if every

want to get back to balance they need to

You can’t counter the carbohydrate

year you put six canes on the vine, its

reduce the bud number. And it is better to

depletion in the winter, as it requires

productivity will progressively decrease

do that by choosing good quality canes,

leaves to rebuild reserves. But Damian

over a four-year period. (Remember

that have a diameter of 10mm or more

says you can make some crucial pruning

that the large yields this year were the

and wood that is nice and red/brown and

decisions to ensure the impact is not

equivalent to having six canes not four).

not pale or bleached.”

on-going.

Most vines are not able to carry that sort

“You can re distribute those fewer

of crop and keep all their other processes

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

The Need For Replanting TESSA NICHOLSON

Contrary to popular belief, grape vines do not live forever, and a replanting programme should be a core activity for all growers, if they wish to maintain financial security.

That’s the view of viticultural advisor Mark

them some idea of how ignoring older

varieties, pruning wounds tend to be

Allen, and the team at Ormond Nurseries,

vines, can quickly become detrimental to

larger, creating greater exposure to

who have just gone through their own

the profitability of a vineyard. Especially

diseases such as Eutypa.

replanting conundrum.

when those vines are Sauvignon Blanc,

A large portion of the Sauvignon vines in

The Ormond Nurseries commercial

a variety Mark says is most at risk of old

Marlborough are reaching that 15 to 20

vineyard was originally planted 20

age affecting productivity. That is mainly

year age, and while they may seem to still

years ago and while it is still profitable,

to do with the vigorous nature of this

be healthy, he says that may not be the

directors Ben and Marcus Wickham

variety.

case in another 10 years. Which is why

were aware that may not be the case for

“There is a link between productivity,

growers need to be seriously thinking

much longer. But just what the economic

vigour and life span,” he says. “Varieties

about a replanting programme, that

benefits or pitfalls would be of leaving

such as Pinot are not under as much

keeps the vineyard refreshed. In many

it as it is or undertaking a replanting

pressure from yield stress.”

other parts of the world, it is normal to

programme were unknown.

Added to the vigour of the plant is the

always have a small part of the vineyard

With the help of Mark, the Ormond

threat of trunk disease, which Sauvignon

in rotation.

Nurseries team, put together a graph

Blanc is also prone to. Mark says given

Marcus Wickham says that’s a business

(see below) that while hypothetical, gave

the vines are bigger than many other

plan that makes a lot of sense.

This is an entirely hypothetical scenario and while not supported by any hard data, it provides an idea of the profitability versus age issue.

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HML 32 Armour plate for grapes

“If you get below the profitability line before you make a decision to replant, then you have to go and talk to the bank to enable you to replant. And that is a double whammy, because you are having to pay for the replant as well as weathering the years of lost crop.”

Just looking at a vine will not necessarily tell you whether it is reaching a low profitability stage he said.

“I helped a friend who was looking at buying a vineyard last year, and it was in the winter, so there were no leaves to look at. But the trunks looked good, the canes looked good and it was well set out in a good area. It was maybe a 25-year-old vineyard. Then when we looked at the yield I could see that it was starting to taper off. That was a wake up call for me.”

“The key point is, you have to keep a replanting programme on the go if you are to maintain the real value of your vineyard,” Mark says.

How much replanting you undertake is very much an individual choice both men say, although you need to do as much as you can afford to, without losing too much of your income.

“You need to work back from where you don’t want to be,” Mark explains. “You don’t want to be with 35-year-old vines and having done nothing about it. So you could say, I have 15-yearold vines now, in 20 years time they will all be 35 years old. So I need to replant 5% a year from here on, so by the time 20 years has gone, I have replaced 100% of my vineyard Then ideally you would continually replant from there on.”

The financial scenario of doing nothing is quite frightening if you take the following calculations supplied by Mark.

“In an average 8ha vineyard, if you did nothing until year 35, and in the period between 25 and 35, the vine yield dropped from say 12tph to 9tph, the costs add up.

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

One way of getting production back earlier is to plant Hi Stem vines. Notice the growth difference between Hi Stem on the right and normal vines, left.

On today’s pricing of say $1600 per

“I am a great proponent that you can

“You must monitor your yields, tag

tonne, that small drop in yield would

get a cane on the wire in the first year

any vines showing signs of decline or

mean the grower has short changed

if you get it right, and you can get a

trunk disease,” Mark says. “You need

themselves by close to $400,000 over the

reasonable crop in the second year. It is

to identify the weaker areas of your

10-year period.

very important though to keep the weeds

vineyard. It may be weaker for a number

“Compare that to the cost over 10

under control and to use a really good

of reasons, rootstock selection or

years of constantly replanting part of

slow fertiliser.”

location. These are the things to be aware

the vineyard. The approximate cost of

The other alternative is to use Hi-Stem

of, and once you have all that information

replanting those 8ha would be around

vines that are twice the size of standard

it will lead to a logical place to start your

$123,200 (working on 2000 vines per

vines, at 700 – 750mm. These vines will

replanting programme.”

ha) or $15,400 a hectare. $123,200

reach the wire faster, allowing you to lay

And on a final note, Mark says growers

versus $400,000? That’s a big return on

a cane quicker. The other beauty of Hi-

need to be aware that the older the vine,

investment.”

Stem is they never require bud rubbing –

the more likely it has been exposed to

But what about the lack of any crop for

a money and back saving solution.

virus or is harbouring a fungal disease.

up to three years on those replanted

So now you have the many reasons why

Therefore the time to act is sooner rather

vines? Well Mark doesn’t believe it needs

you should be considering a replanting

than later.

to be three years, if the planting is done

programme, how do you decide where

properly.

to start?

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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Movento 100SC® is registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No P8434 and to the HSNO Act 1996, No HSR100545. Movento 100SC® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. ©Bayer CropScience 2014.

NMIT to Launch New Degree TESSA NICHOLSON

After 23 years of offering viticulture and wine education, NMIT is establishing its first degree in the subject.

The Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking, if it gets New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approval, will begin next year in Marlborough. The change was prompted by a nationwide review of qualifications which is likely to see NMIT’s current Diploma in Viticulture and Wine Production split into two separate diplomas – one in horticulture/ viticulture and one in wine-making. It’s likely that neither would provide the ability for students to pathway into Lincoln University’s Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology degree as is currently happening – hence the need for the change.

NMIT’s viticulture and wine industry advisory committee has been looking closely at the potential of having an industry-based degree established on the Marlborough campus for some time.

After months of research, that committee has strongly endorsed that it should go ahead.

Chair Rob Agnew believes there are real advantages to the new industrybased degree, not the least being that Marlborough makes up 77 percent of the New Zealand wine industry.

“This should make it easier to draw on specialised personnel working in the Marlborough wine industry for guest lecturing and for placement of students for practical work based training,” he says.

If approved, the degree will offer both part-time and online/distance options.

“There are potentially quite a number of people currently working in the wine industry who would consider the online option rather than having to resign from their current job to study full time,” says Rob. This is evidenced by the current diploma, which has 30 students studying on campus while another 40 students are enrolled in the online/distance option. There’s also the potential to attract greater numbers of international students, with Marlborough’s wine producing reputation seen as a major draw card. The benefits of those students could be immense to both NMIT and the Marlborough region.

Rob says one of NMIT’s main focuses will be to ensure that students have more practical experience in the fields of viticulture and winemaking. It’s anticipated that the first year of the degree will provide students with a solid foundation in the basics of viticulture and winemaking, the second year will focus on further developing and refining technical skills, and the third year comprises a mix of higher level viticulture, winemaking and research skills.

“The new degree will have significant components of applied research and practical work experience and allow students to specialise in winemaking, viticulture or industry management, or a combination of these that best suits their career aspirations and interests,” he says.

NMIT’s Manager for Viticulture & Wine

Raewyn Heta, says they are very excited by the prospect of offering this practical, applied, industry-supported degree programme for the local, national and international wine industry.

If the degree gains the necessary approvals, 2015 will see the first intake of students who will potentially be eligible to graduate in 2017.

Facilities within the NMIT Campus and Marlborough Research Centre are already world class. Currently there is a large teaching laboratory, a wine sensory room, micro vinification unit, research vineyard plus a technology transfer theatre. On top of that, Plant and Food Research, Marlborough and all the scientists attached are on-site, providing a network of experts available for lectures.

While the advisory committee has given its approval for a viticulture and winemaking degree in Marlborough, there has also been strong support from Wine Marlborough’s board and wine companies, including many of New Zealand’s larger companies who are based here. And if the bachelor programme does go ahead, it will be the first ever viticulture and wine degree offered here in Marlborough.

Which given the push some years ago to have Marlborough recognised as a wine educational hub, is something most will be pleased to see.

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Young Vit 2014 Meet the young viticulturist who will be representing Marlborough at the upcoming national competition – Brenton O’Riley.

The 25-year-old Viticulture

provided employment on the vineyards,

Technician at Giesen Wines, took out

working alongside Caine Thompson,

the Marlborough title on August 1st,

himself a National Viticulturist of the

after being put through a gruelling

Year winner.

day of practical, theoretical, and

“He is a really lovely guy and working

more laid back tests.

with him taught me lots.”

Having arrived in Marlborough

Brenton was also the recipient of the

earlier this year, Brenton was no

Romeo Bragato Scholarship in 2012,

stranger to the competition, having

with the prize being a trip to Italy, to

competed for the past two years,

the university where Bragato himself

while he was undertaking his study

studied.

at EIT in Hawke’s Bay. Winning the

The Marlborough Young Viticulturist

title here though was an unexpected

competition had six competitors, one of

bonus.

those from Nelson.

“I wasn’t too sure how I would do,

As well as being the winner overall,

but I am thrilled to be representing

Brenton took out the Marlborough

Marlborough.”

Research Centre Practical section and

Having grown up on dairy farms in

the quick fire questions. Dan Manuge

the Manawatu, an area not known

(Nelson) won the ANZ speech, Matt

for grapes, how did he end up in the

Duggan won the Gascoigne Wicks

wine industry?

Theory section and the Bio Start Horti

“I have always had this bizarre

Sports.

passion from a young age that I

Runner up in this year’s competition undertake the four-year bachelor of

was Matt Duggan from Cloudy Bay,

where it stemmed from, it’s just always

Viticulture and Wine Science. While

(a previous Marlborough Young Vit in

been there,” he said.

undertaking the degree Brenton won

2012 and 2013) and third was Jamiee

Hence his move to Hawke’s Bay to

the Mission Estate Scholarship, which

Whitehead from Treasury Wine Estate.

wanted to grow grapes. I don’t know

Wine Marlborough would like to thank our regional sponsors for their support with the Marlborough Young Viticulturist Compeition.

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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Horticulture National Qualifications

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Level

National Certificate in Horticulture (Practical)

1

National Certificate in Horticulture (Introductory)

2

National Certificate in Horticulture

3

National Certificate in Horticulture - Viticulture

4

National Certificate in Horticulture - Advanced (Viticulture)

4

National Diploma in Agribusiness Management

5

Tell The Diversity Story TESSA NICHOLSON

Master Sommelier and co founder of TexSom, James Tidwell believes New Zealand should be concentrating on pushing the diverse style of its wines.

Taking part in a Wine Marlborough organised tasting, James Tidwell was full of praise for the region’s flagship wine, Sauvignon Blanc. But he was also impressed by a number of other varieties emanating from this region and expressed his concern that New Zealand had become placed in a Sauvignon “box” in the United States.

“Now that’s not a bad box to be in given Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most recognised brands out there.

But there is more to the discussion,” he said.

James is one of two people who helped establish TexSom back in 2005. Now it is the world’s largest gathering of Master Sommeliers, with 39 expected to attend this year. They will join 10 certified wine educators and six Masters of Wine, in 23 seminars to discuss the wines of the world. Two years ago, New Zealand was the subject of one of those seminars, and while it is not featuring this year, James said many of our wines will be tried and tasted by the auspicious gathering, during the five-day event this month.

The aim of TexSom he said, was wine education – what is out there in the world of wine, where is it coming from and why should it be placed on wine lists?

Which brings us back to the conundrum of New Zealand being labelled as a Sauvignon Blanc producer, nothing else.

And a conundrum it is agreed James.

“One of the things I have heard while travelling in New Zealand, is that a lot of companies feel that unless they have a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in their portfolio, importers don’t want to talk to them. It allows the rest of the portfolio to move. I think that those who want to emphasise New Zealand or a particular region or different grape variety other than Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, find it hard, because that is the well recognised brand.”

Getting the diversity message out there isn’t easy he agreed, especially when a brand has already been established.

But regardless of that, he said it was important to keep plugging away at it.

“I think having some talk about what is available in New Zealand in terms of diversity is important, because it allows people to put into context what Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is and allows people to put into context where New Zealand is in the world of somms.

At somewhere like TexSom these are the things we would talk about. Where does New Zealand fit in, in the wine world and I think that conversation should be beyond Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.”

When it was pointed out that many people are trying to get that diversity message across, but our wine industry was still placed in a “box”, he said our focus should be on influencers.

“You need to show these wines

to influencers, put them in wine competitions and show them at conferences where people can talk about the diversity of New Zealand. You don’t want to lose track of where your money comes from, but at the same time I think you want to have a larger conversation.”

He was keen to see more New Zealand wines entered into the Dallas Morning News and TexSom Wine Competition, held early each year. This sort of exposure, sees the winning wines gain exposure to the TexSom network of wine buyers – those people of influence James talked about earlier.

“We want to market towards sommeliers, on-premise and high end retail…we want to essentially offer a wine list to these people and places.

“We want to see more of New Zealand, such as Pinot Noir, Syrah and Pinot Gris.

But the problem is, we don’t get much exposure in the US to them all that much, so consequently we don’t talk abut them as much.”

Details of the Dallas Morning News and TexSom Wine Competition are available at www.dallaswinecomp.com

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Groovy Grüner TESSA NICHOLSON

While only 30 hectares of Grüner Veltliner are planted in Marlborough, a number of boutique companies are now producing fine examples of this Austrian classic.

Master of Wine Perspective

wine list...can afford to be without

with Emma Jenkins MW

at least one example...partly

Surprisingly, we may have

because of Grüner Veltliner’s

antifreeze to thank for the

undoubted inherent character

renaissance of Austria’s Grüner

and quality and [partly because]

Veltliner. With an industry

the quality of all Austrian wines

dating back 4,000 years nearly

has become so excitingly and

obliterated in the ‘80s by

consistently high that no fine wine

corrupt middlemen bolstering

enthusiast can afford to ignore

their wines with diethylene

them.”

glycol (often confused with

With over 17,000ha planted,

antifreeze’s ethylene glycol,

including vines up to 150 years

hence the scandal’s moniker),

old, Grüner represents around a

the resulting strict regulations

third of Austria’s vineyards. The

and diligent marketing

vast majority is planted along the

eventually resurrected what

Danube’s steep granite slopes,

remained to a much higher

which helps impart a linear,

standard. “Today,” says

mineral character whilst grapes

Jancis Robinson MW, “No

This is a Gruner Veltliner bunch – so large that sunglasses

from the lower plains provide

self-respecting restaurant

are dwarfed by it.

fuller-bodied, fruitier wines.

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Mostly made into dry, early-drinking

don’t want to have to keep doing that.”

styles, the best Grüner (usually Wachau,

He says it is hard to place it as an early

Kremstal and Kamptal) is certainly age-

or late ripener, due to variability, season

worthy, occasionally even being mistaken

by season.

for Burgundy in blind tastings.

“It is more variable than other varieties,

Likely dating back to Roman times

which is probably crop load related.

(though its name is mid-1800s, meaning

Sometimes we get it (the fruit) in before

‘green grape from the village of Veltlin in

Sauvignon, but in other years it has come

the Tirol’), mid-ripening, fruitful Grüner

in after. It fluctuates depending on the

develops good physiological ripeness

season.

in northern Europe, finding favour in the

“Due to its vigour, the lateral push is

Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary,

quite strong and we have adopted lateral thinning in some seasons to counter

Germany, Italy’s Alto Adige and even, experimentally in France. In the New

Viticulture

that.”

World, plantings have become popular in

The Grüner Veltliner vine is very vigorous

Strong canopy growth also requires

Canada, nearly a dozen states of the US,

and very fruitful, according to viticulturist

thinning to ensure the fruit is exposed

Australia and of course, New Zealand.

Jeremy Hyland. So much so that he is

and getting all the fruit ripe is something

Pale green, with citrus, white peach and

now changing pruning regimes in an

that requires careful management.

a musky spice, Grüner has distinctive

effort to counteract that vigour.

It doesn’t appear to be more susceptible

white pepper and herbal notes (most

“One of the biggest issues with Grüner,

to diseases than any other white variety

often dill, gherkin or cooked celery) and a

is the variability of shoots,” he says. “You

although both powdery and downy

refreshingly tangy palate. Almost always

get some very strong shoots and then

mildew were a bit of an issue this year.

fermented in stainless steel and aged

again you get some very weak ones,

(Mind you they were in all varieties this

either in tanks or very old, large casks,

especially when you are cane pruning.

past season.) But given the thickness

experiments with newer oak are generally

I am now moving towards spur pruning,

of skin, Jeremy says there are no real

not an improvement. New Zealand’s

which allows us to work with the vine to

botrytis issues.

plantings range from Gisborne to Central

achieve balance.”

He describes the Grüner vines as being

Otago, though it seems to have found a

Under a cane pruning management,

“a bit floppy, which is accentuated by the

promising home in Marlborough where

Jeremy says the crops are often high

weak shoots on the canes. “But it’s not as

fresh, varietally faithful wines with some

which entails a lot of crop having to be

floppy as Pinot Noir.”

depth are emerging.

cut during the growing season. “And we

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Winemaking with Jules Taylor There is nothing difficult about the winemaking phase according to Jules Taylor. She said Grüner is treated in much the same way as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris, although she does tend to separate the fruit at harvest time.

“Some fruit we machine harvest and take straight to the winery and press smartly. The skins of Grüner can be quite phenolic, so I don’t want them hanging around too long surrounded by juice. It is pretty basic winemaking; we cold settle, rack it off, warm it up, pitch a commercial yeast and ferment it quite cool.

“The other portion we hand harvest and this portion is whole cluster pressed, so again quite delicate handling. This portion is treated in a more oxidated way, fermented with higher solids so you get a more textural wine that’s slightly more funky.

“Then when you blend the two together you get the nice aromatics and fruit from the machine harvested fruit that is quite clear, clean and simple, with the slightly more complex characters from the hand picked portion. I find it quite an interesting wine because you can get quite a lot of texture out of it.”

While it is bottled and released in much the same time frame as Sauvignon and Pinot Gris, Jules believes it is a wine that looks good two or three years down the track.

“In New Zealand we have been conditioned to releasing wines a little bit early, whereas I think some wines take on a more interesting persona after a bit of time in the bottle.

“In the case of Grüner it will be interesting to see how they age.

We haven’t been playing with it for long, so we don’t have a real handle on it and don’t know what it’s going to look like in say six years time.”

As like all the alternative varieties we have focused on in recent issues, it is unlikely Grüner Veltliner is going to come close to rivalling the current main white varieties. Jules said getting consumers to choose it over Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Chardonnay is a big ask – often because people are embarrassed they will pronounce it incorrectly “It is a really tough ask to get a consumer to pick it. They will see it on a menu and go, ‘oh, that looks interesting. Oh, umm, (pause), can I have a Pinot Gris please.’ I don’t see that it will rival anything else we are producing and although we have been making it for a few years in Marlborough, we are not seeing a huge growth. Which is a shame because it goes so well with things like fresh oysters with a dash of really hot sauce.

It can stand up to that, in fact it matches with lots of different things.”

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Grüner Veltliner

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Judging Hundred’s of Wines TESSA NICHOLSON

Close to 4000 bottles were stacked up at the Convention Centre last month, as a team of judges swirled, sipped and tasted the entrants in the Spiegelau International Wine Competition.

Organising such an event is not for those wines were 12 judges, assisted by the faint hearted. Especially when you eight associates. Many of the associates consider the logistics. Each winery that were local winemakers or wine industry enters has to provide three bottles for personnel. The competition has given every entry, they must all be individually them a fantastic opportunity to expand labeled with details sent to them by their knowledge under the wing of organisers. When the wines arrive they the judges, three of whom were from need to be stored, wines that require Australia. chilling have to be stored at the right While the focus may be on those that temperature and then there is the are judging the wines, there is a massive logistics of ensuring the right wines get team working behind the scenes. out to the judges at the right time with Besides organizers Marg Cresswell and final results carefully relayed back into a Belinda Jackson, there was Shona White data programme. the facilitator, and 18 stewards, whose And that is just the tip of the iceberg job it was to ensure those wines arrived really. There is far more that goes on on time at the correct spot, for the judges. behind the scenes.

Then there is the issue of glasses. The The recent Spiegelau International Wine Spiegelau competition is one of only a Competition had 1318 entries, (which few in New Zealand that uses specific means close to 4000 bottles in all) coming in from 10 countries.

That makes it the largest Spiegelau competition, with 250 more entries than last year.

The largest category was Pinot Noir, with 250 wines, second was Sauvignon Blanc with 177 and Syrah/Shiraz came in third with 153. Chardonnay entries were almost half of Pinot, with just 136.

Just a few of the 4000 bottles that were part of the Ploughing their way through all Spiegelau International Wine Competition.

varietal glasses for each category.

Which means, given the wide range of categories, an awful lot of glasses. Close to 5000 in fact.

You may well wonder why they would go to that extra effort. Well according to one of the international judges, Mike Bennie, it makes the judging that much more pleasurable.

“I guess the visceral experience of judging is sometimes lost when you are standing in front of 35 Sauvignon Blanc at 9 in the morning But when you have the right glass for it, it makes it just that little bit easier and more pleasurable.”

And those specific glasses do help.

“It’s about the aperture of the glass and how it releases the chemicals of the wine. You want to open up a Shiraz, stick your whole face in it pretty much and envelope your senses in the variety, the complex sense that a Shiraz aroma has. Whereas with a Chardonnay, you kind of want to control it just a little bit. Having that right glass allows you to make that distinction.”

The Spiegelau Awards dinner and trophy announcement was held in Auckland on August 8. We will have full details of local winners in the next issue.

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8/2014 WINEPRESS

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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Cellar Hand Qualifications ANNABELLE LATZ

The skills of a good cellar hand will soon be formally recognised within New Zealand’s wine industry.

It is an idea that has been bounced

Regional meetings have recently been

qualifications benefit everyone in the

around for some time, and earlier this

held in Auckland, Gisborne and Hastings,

industry.

year approval was gained from the New

to discuss the next step for developing

“There will be plenty of opportunities

Zealand Qualifications Authority, (NZQA)

the qualification.

for other members of the industry to

to develop the New Zealand qualification

“It’s a very exciting thing. The benefits will

give feedback on this work…skills and

in Cellar Operations.

be fully known in two to three years, when

knowledge a cellar operator needs

From basic cellar proceedures like

people come through the course,” said

are quite different from the skills and

wine racking and tank cleaning, to

James. “Everyone from school leavers to

knowledge a winemaker or grower

operating an earth filter and carrying

those already in the industry who deserve

needs. The qualification titles and content

out blending trials, cellar hands will earn

formal recognition can gain from this,

will clearly reflect this target audience,”

the appropriate certificate and gain

as it will provide a benchmark for cellar

she said.

opportunities for further upskilling.

standards and future development within

Competenz will promote the qualifications

The cellar operations qualification

many professions.”

widely within the industry, by making

will be based on unit standards and

He said the day to day activities of a

good use of industry events and

divided into three levels, with each level

wine cellar are widely unknown by those

publications, using their own website,

involving both compulsory and optional

not directly involved in the industry, and

and talking about career opportunities.

components.

providing a qualification will widen the

Reaching out to people outside the

It is being headed by Competenz,

awareness and knowledge.

industry is also important, such as visiting

an organisation that works with

“It’s an exciting industry where you can

schools, potential learners, and parents

Central Government alongside New

gain qualifications while you work, and

through career expos and school visits.

Zealand industries, to develop national

travel.”

Good progress is being made to have

qualifications. A working group of

Leah Wood is Qualifications Developer

the qualifications registered with the New

industry experts has been formed, to

for Competenz, and said the skills

Zealand Qualifications Authority in early

eventually develop an industry training

and knowledge needed to work in

2015, ready to launch in the first half of

programme and submit that to the NZQA.

cellar operations will now be formally

next year.

This programme will explain how learners

recognised by a national qualification,

If you’d like more information about how

will study towards the qualifications, and

which will reflect a national standard that

to get involved, please contact Leah

how their learning will be assessed by

is consistent and recognised across the

Wood (l.wood@competenz.org.nz).

Competenz.

wine industry.

James Pritchard, a cellar team leader at

“Employers will be able to be confident

Matua in Auckland, said it was a really

that graduates have skills and knowledge

beneficial paper for people coming into

they need to work productively and safely

the industry.

in cellar operations,” she said.

“It’s a pathway for winemaking, or further

Leah said involving members of the

education.”

industry is the key to making sure the

Website: www.competenz.org.nz

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Bragato Conference TESSA NICHOLSON

It is 20 years since the first Romeo Bragato conference and major expansion is planned for this year.

Under the theme of New Horizons,

In past years, one of the

the scope of material covered

highlights has been the Industry

this year, will range from research

Leaders debate. This year that

to marketing, advocacy to

has changed to feature not those

sustainability. All four are the

who have already made a name

core activities of New Zealand

for themselves, but the leaders

Winegrowers.

of the future and where they see

Once again the conference will

the New Zealand wine industry

be held over two and a half days,

heading. It promises once

although an early session prior to

again to be a highlight of the

the official opening will provide

conference.

advice on how best to export into

The long list of speakers

our key markets. Leading this

includes Kym Anderson,

discussion will be the international

Professor of Economics

marketing team of NZW. It is the

from University of Adelaide

first time all the team have attended

speaking about New Zealand

a Bragato conference, and their

in the modern wine world and

expertise will feature in a number of

inspirational speaker Sir Ray Avery who was New Zealander

the forums held during the event.

In terms of research and technical

off the Press – latest research.

of the Year in 2010. His keynote speech

transfer, there will be plenty. One of the

Sustainability in all its forms will feature

will centre on Customer Centric Business

questions often asked in Marlborough

throughout the conference, from success

Strategies for the Wine Industry.

especially, is; Do low yields always mean

stories of the past through to its role in

Add into that the chance to taste

higher quality? Mike Trought and Mark

the future. Guest speakers in this area

Californian wines, cheer on the regional

Krasnow (Culinary Institute of America)

include Kevin Bowler from Tourism New

representatives in the Young Viticulturist

and Nick Dokoozlian (Gallo Estates,

Zealand and Shari Mogk Edwards, the

of the Year competition, the Bragato

California) will take a closer look at this

VP of products, sales and merchandising

Dinner and the Bragato Wine Awards,

exact question, especially as it relates to

from the Liquor Control board of Ontario,

and the programme is a packed one.

cool climate viticulture. Other technical

along with members of Sustainable

Once again Bragato will be held here in

forums include how to manage a difficult

Winegrowing.

Blenheim, at the Convention Centre from

vintage in both the vineyard and winery,

Ensuring there is something for all facets

August 27 – 29. Registrations are vital

below ground management for above

of the wine industry, some of the other

and can be made at www.bragato.org.

ground quality and productivity, wine

interesting forums will deal in succession

nz

microbial ecology, powdery mildew,

planning, winegrowing with technology,

slipskin and botrytis (with renowned and

and advocacy in terms of eco labelling

entertaining Peter Margarey) and the Hot

and wine marketing.

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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More Studies into Brown Beetle New research will hopefully help vineyards heading towards organic status, to control brown beetle, known also as grass grub in its immature stages.

The brown beetle (Costelytra zealandica) is a pest causing

organic and biodynamic practices. This same beetle in its

problems to vineyards that are committed to sustainability.

immature stages is known as the grass grub, a pest to farming

Previously being kept under control by the use of insecticides,

pastures for decades.

the beetle is causing havoc as more vineyards head towards

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Infestations of Brown Beetle such as this can be devastating to vineyards. co-leading a project to study the life cycle of the brown beetle. They aim to find sustainable ways to mitigate the damage it causes in vineyards.

Being committed to Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) through their unique Maori culture, Kono places great value on the health and vitality of their land, and are aiming for their Awatere Valley vineyard to become a fully organic operation by 2020. They have teamed up with PhD student Mauricio González Chang, and Professor Steve Wratten from the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University, the only governmentfunded Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) in the South Island. Having secured three years of funding through a Callaghan Innovation Grant, this study is Chang’s PhD project.

“We aim to understand the biology of the beetle and what to do to ameliorate the damage it does using agro-ecological techniques,” said Professor Steve Wratten, Lincoln University.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines are the most susceptible, and Kono Beverages have set aside an area of their Awatere

McAlpines Roundwood Limited

vineyard for experimentation.

“We are interested in biological controls, and intervention at the larvae stage. Can we disturb the beetles’ feeding patterns underground or its life-cycle,” asks Mondo Kopua, Marlborough Group Vineyards Manager, Kono Beverages.

Suppliers of

Quality Roundwood

Trials will range from planting intercepting hedges, inter-row crops, and headlands sward. Organically approved sprays applied to leaves and soil will also be experimented with in order to decrease vine leaves’ palatability.

Some trials will be replicated in other partner vineyards in Marlborough, including Wither Hills, and Rock Ferry. Field days will also be held to share information and ideas with the wider industry.

Contact:

Grant Cathcart Phone 03 313 8339 Fax 03 313 3767 Mobile 021 511 460

roundwood@mcalpines.co.nz

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NZW Export News May 2014 Key Points • MAT April 2014 export value is $1.320 billion, up 9% on the previous year.

• MAT May 2014 exports are 187.8 m. litres, up 10% on the previous year; packaged exports are +10% for the period and other exports are up 11%.

• Average value MAT April 2014 is $7.07 per litre down 0.3% on the previous year; packaged export value is $8.30 per litre down 1% on the previous year.

Total Export Volume & Value • MAT April 2014 total value of exports is $1.320 billion, up 9% on the previous year.

• YTD April 2014 total value of exports is $1.137 billion, up 11% on the previous year.

• Total value of April 2014 exports was $100.2 m. up 3% on April 2013.

• MAT May 2014 exports are 187.8 m. litres, up 10% (17.2 m. litres) on the previous year.

• YTD May 2014 exports are 175.1 m. litres, up 10% (16.6 m. litres) on the previous year.

• May 2014 exports were 13.9 m. litres up 8% (1.0 m. litres) on May 2013.

Export Value per Litre All wines • April 2014 average value was $7.26 per litre, down $0.33 per litre on April 2013.

• YTD April 2014 average value is $7.00 per litre • MAT April 2014 average price is $7.07 per litre, down $0.02 per litre from the previous month and down 0.3% or $0.02 per litre on MAT April 2013.

Packaged wines • Excluding unpackaged wine from the data, the April 2014 average value was $7.97 per litre, down $0.43 per litre on April 2013.

• YTD April 2014 the average price is $8.29 per litre.

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• MAT April 2014 the average price is $8.30 per litre, down $0.11 per litre (1.3%) on MAT April 2013.

• MAT April 2014 prices are up 1.2% to the UK, are unchanged to the USA, but are down 4.1% to Australia and 4.2% to Canada.

Export Volume by Country of Destination • In May, for the major markets, exports were up 70% to the USA, but were down 9% to Australia and 14% to the UK. Canada was down 23% for the month, while performance of other markets was mixed, with the best performers being Netherlands.

• YTD May 2014 growth is led by the USA +16% with the UK +9% and Australia +5%. Shipments to Canada are +7% on last year. Germany and Netherlands are the other best performers.

• MAT May 2014 growth is led by the USA +18%, the UK +7% and Australia +5%. Canada shipments are +4% for the year. Performance of other tracked markets is mixed with Germany, Netherlands & Singapore the strongest performers.

Export Volume by Packaging Type • Exports of packaged wines MAT May 2014 are 132.8 m. litres up 9.7% (11.7 m. litres) on the previous year and are 70.7% of total export volume.

• MAT May 2014 packaged exports are up to all major markets led by the USA 12.9%.

• Exports of packaged wines YTD May 2014 are 123.4 m. litres, up 10.0% on the previous year.

• May 2014 packaged exports were 11.5 m. litres, up 9.8% on May 2013.

• Other (non-packaged) wine shipments MAT May 2014 are 55.0 m. litres up 11.1% (29.3% of export volume). Non-

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

packaged shipments growth is led by the USA (+29.5%).

• Non-packaged exports YTD May 2014 are 51.7 m. litres up 111.7% (5.4 m. litres) on the previous year.

• May 2014 non-packaged shipments were 2.4 m. litres, unchanged on May 2013.

Exports by Variety/Style • In May 2014 Sauvignon Blanc exports were 11.7 m. litres, up 11% from the previous year, accounting for 84.3% of export volume. Of the Sauvignon Blanc exported in May, 9.2 m litres was from Vintage 2013 and 2.4 m litres was from Vintage 2014.

• Performance of other styles was generally poor in May with Merlot +40% the best performer.

• YTD May 2014 Sauvignon Blanc exports are 150.4 m. litres up 12% on the previous year. Performance of other styles is mixed with Sparkling & Pinot Gris the strongest performers.

• Production of Sauvignon Blanc in 2014 is estimated to have been 231.1 m. litres, 36% up on the previous year.

Shipments of vintage 2014 Sauvignon Blanc since release are 2.5 m. litres or 1.1% of estimated production.

Exports by Winery Category • May 2014 export growth was led by the large wineries +26%, but the medium wineries were -5% with the small wineries -36%.

• YTD May 2014 growth is led by the small wineries +42%; the large wineries are +15%, but the medium wineries are down 9%.

• MAT May 2014 growth is led by the small wineries +39% with the large wineries +14%; medium wineries are down 7% for the period.

Wine Unwound ANNABELLE LATZ - ANNABELLELATZ.BLOGSPOT.COM Amongst giant steel tanks, in-between barrels, around the laboratory. The smells, noises, everyday banter. The tastings, trials, victories, mistakes. Tears, laughter, numb fingers, getting sun burnt.

It all describes a life working at a winery.

Last year I joined its journey, to see how it all ticked. Now, with three harvests under my belt including one in the Hunter Valley, I have a fair idea.

One would have to try very hard to escape the buzz and excitement of the wine industry if they live in Marlborough.

As a journalist by trade, I wanted to get a few steps muckier into this area I wanted to write about. On my first day as a cellar hand at New Zealand Wineries in March 2013, I remember walking around the massive winery, gazing up at towering steel tanks, seeing lots of hoses and barrels. What I noticed about the people in the winery was their energy. It was energy expressing their knowledge and passion for the product they were making.

As a cellar hand I have two goals in mind. Firstly, to learn as much about winemaking, varieties and the wider concept of winemaking, from the work floor up.

Secondly, to communicate with others both within the industry and outside of it, what goes on in a wine cellar, and how wine is made.

I want to unwind winemaking. Lees, wild ferment, puncheons, racking, plunging, pump over, punch down, cold stability, cold soak, mushroom, t-piece.

What started as nearly a foreign language, is now jargon so integrated into daily work life it often goes unnoticed.

Work mates in a cellar become tight knit,

and quickly so. From the managers and winemakers to the lab staff and the cellar crew, we are all there with the same goal in mind. We share the achievements and support each other in the rough times.

At the tail end of every summer we are served a few weeks of organised chaos, commonly known as harvest.

Some love it and some hate it, but regardless of individual feelings the grapes roll in anyway.

And there is only one acceptable attitude during harvest. It is positivity, and trust me it works.

Grapes are pressed into juice. Juice is put into tanks, then perhaps barrel. Juice is fermented.

Friends ask me what we do the rest of the year when harvest is finished.

There is a romantic notion of grape stomping, followed by a near perfect and poetic immaculate formation of juice into wine, with minimal human touch. But it seems there is a bit more to winemaking than this.

Tweaking certain elements, fining wine, blending flavours, and filtering the final result to achieve the flawless red, white, and pink liquid we expect in our glasses.

Although winemaking in this modern day is known as a science and commonly involves a degree or two, I believe winemaking is also an art.

I am by no means a winemaker. But I love being in the cellar and writing about wine.

Going to work every day is fun, and the more I learn the more I want to learn, and the more everything makes sense.

Daily life in the cellar is awesome fun; dragging hoses, making additions, degassing wine, working with barrels so my hands turn red and I go home smelling faintly of old oak, and

completing blends, amongst plenty of other jobs.

This harvest I did take the opportunity to make my own batch of Pinot Noir. I had great fun whole bunch wild fermenting my grapes in a barrel, using all sorts of methods to achieve to the best of my ability daily plunging, cold soaking, warming, and draining and pressing.

I have asked close to a thousand questions at work, and am slowly but surely puddling my way through the winemaking process. I have just sulphured my approximate 50 litres of wine, which is still on its lees and has been through malo. The plan is to fine, rack and bottle near the end of the year.

I’m thinking Pocket Rocket could be a good name.

Writing my monthly Wine Unwound column in Winepress each month for the last year and a bit has been great fun. It has helped me learn, and I am positive I have also taught people inside and outside the industry a thing or two too.

This is my final column, as I am no longer a ‘rookie’ cellar hand writing these words, which was the idea behind this column.

But continue to write I will, hopefully for a variety of publications, and my blog will always keep me busy too.

Making it and communicating it all combines to create the magic in a bottle we call wine, and we love making it.

So thanks for reading. Please keep in touch, flick me a line, annabellelatz@ gmail.com.

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

To have your event included in next month’s calendar please email details to tessa.nicholson@me.com OCTOBER

AUGUST 18

Institute of Masters of Wine hosts an Inaugural

4-6

A&P Show) Christchurch

Master Class – Villa Maria Winery, Auckland, book at www.amiando.com/mwmasterclassnewzealand2014 26

NZSVO Pinot Gris Workshop – Blenheim

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Romeo Bragato Conference – Blenheim – Convention Centre

27-28

National Young Viticulturist of the Year - Blenheim

International Aromatic Wine Competition (Canterbury

7-8

Marlborough Wine Show Judging – Marlborough

NOVEMBER 8

Marlborough Wine Show Awards Dinner - Blenheim

16

Toast Martinborough, Martinborough

22

Air New Zealand Wine Awards Dinner - Hawke’s Bay

SEPTEMBER 6:

Pinot at Cloudy Bay

9-11

Judging New Zealand International Wine Show Auckland

18-19

WinEng 2014 New Zealand Conference and Exhibition ‘Value Adding From Grape to Glass’ – Napier War Memorial Centre

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Awards dinner New Zealand International Wine Show

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Hans Herzog Estate | 81 Jeffries Road | Blenheim |03 572 8770 | info@herzog.co.nz | www.herzog.co.nz |

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

News From Home and Away Premium Wines Soar in UK New Zealand has become the number two country of origin in the UK market for wine sold over £7 according to the latest Nielsen data .New Zealand now sells 18% of all wines sold in this premium price segment, having overtaken Australia and now sits behind France.

The latest statistics also show New Zealand’s average price per bottle has increased to £7.34 from £6.79 – an 8.1% increase. “New Zealand is now selling almost one in every 5 bottles in the UK above £7 market. This is outstanding; especially considering New Zealand only produces less than one per cent of the world’s wine” said New Zealand Winegrowers Global Marketing Director, Chris Yorke.

New Zealand wine exports reached a record high earlier in the year and now stand at $1.33 billion (up 10% for the year end June 2014). Wine is currently New Zealand’s 7th biggest goods export. Wine exports have increased by $1 billion in the last 10 years.

John Barker Leaving NZW After 10 years leading NZW’s advocacy and trade portfolios, John Barker is leaving to set up his own law firm. A lawyer by trade, John took up his role back in 2004, and has seen phenomenal growth in the industry ever since. While he has been at the forefront of many legal issues here in New Zealand, he was also an Export Delegate representing New Zealand on the OIV, holding the President’s position for four years and the VP role from 2012 until now.

John is due to leave mid September.

Luring British Wine Professionals Do you know anyone within the wine industry in the UK that may be interested in applying for the next Wine Marlborough NZ-UK Link Foundation scholarship?

If so please pass on the following information.

The history of the scholarship began in 2009 when Wine Marlborough and the NZ-UK Link Foundation, together with the late John Avery MW, established a scholarship to fund an exceptional wine industry professional from the UK to travel to New Zealand to experience Marlborough’s wine industry. The aim of the scholarship is to further the recipient’s wine knowledge and assist in their personal development as a potential leader in the wine industry.

Wine Marlborough with the support of the NZ-UK Link Foundation will host the lucky recipient in New Zealand, predominantly in the Marlborough region. They will have the opportunity to study viticultural and winemaking practices, learn about innovation and the breadth of styles being produced in the region as well as meet the people behind the vines and wines. The recipient will experience life in the Marlborough wine region and will gain an in-depth understanding of our wines and what makes them sought after the world over.

We are looking for Wine Industry professionals who are UK citizens with at least five years’ experience in the wine industry. More information and the application form can be downloaded from the Wine Marlborough website www. wine-marlborough.co.nz. Applications close on the 17th of October 2014.

Wall of Wine Agrisea is behind a novel fundraiser that will result in a wine auction, via Trade Me in September. The Wall of Wine will have close to 300 bottles of wine donated by wineries throughout the country. Lots of 50 will be auctioned off, with another 50 bottles signed by New Zealand celebrities also up for auction. So far more than 200 bottles have ben donated, and plenty of New Zealand celebrities are throwing their weight behind the fundraiser.

“Our Aim is to collect over 300 premium

CLASSIFIEDS SWNZ submissions - need help?

Grapelink Spray Diary & WiSE scorecard • spray record entry & submission • scorecard entry & submission • tutorial assistance contact Barb Sutton phone 575 7110

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

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bottles that will be signed and auctioned, with all funds raised donated to our chosen New Zealand Charities, including Canteen, Sustainable Coastlines, SPCA & Starship.”

The 9m by 2.4m wall of wine will be on display during the Romeo Bragato Conference.

New Manager New Zealand’s leading analytical testing laboratory, Hill Laboratories, has appointed Hugh Richards as laboratory manager to the company’s newest facility based in Blenheim. Hugh brings to his new position more than a decade of experience across Hill Laboratories’ Hamilton sites.

He began his career in 2002 as a laboratory technician with Hill

Laboratories where he undertook the testing and analysis of soil and water for environmental monitoring and has since progressed into a variety of management roles. As Blenheim laboratory manager, Hugh will oversee the operational management of the company’s Blenheim lab, providing input to strategic and business planning activities across the company.

New Trustee Appointed For Marlborough Research Centre Marlborough wine industry stalwart Ivan Sutherland has been appointed as a trustee for the Marlborough Research Centre Trust while long-time trustee Bernie Rowe steps into the Trust chairman’s role, filling the role of the late

John Marris.

Ivan, co-owner of Dog Point Vineyard, was chair of the original Marlborough Wine Research Centre Board and, more recently, the chair of the combined science policy and funding advisory board which has responsibility for both the MRC and the Wine Research Centre’s research and technology investment.

A viticulturist-winemaker who planted one of Marlborough’s first privatelyowned vineyards, Ivan has also been a long time member of the board of Wine Marlborough.

He has been a part of the MRC leadership team managing the Centre during recent years when the economic environment has been challenging for the primary sector.

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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