AnnualReport WINE MARLBOROUGH
2021
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wine-marlborough.co.nz
Wine Marlborough Our purpose, our beliefs and our character
Our purpose | Why we exist
Our purpose is to proudly stand up for, and build, the reputation of Marlborough’s wine region.
Our beliefs | What we stand for
• Providing leadership in times of opportunity, challenge and success • Future proofing the success of our members • Uniting the industry to protect and grow Marlborough’s wine region • Building a window for the world to fall in love with Marlborough’s wine region
Our character | Who we are
• Courageous to hold the industry to high standards • Respected to make a valued contribution • Innovative to create sustainable funding and value • Grounded to know what is important to our members • Focused to achieve sector-wide clarity on roles and responsibility • Committed to developing a sustainable future
Our photos
• This page - Cloudy Bay’s wine experiences. Photo Jim Tannock. January 2021 Winepress • Cover photo – Rimapere's 2021 harvest. Photo Jim Tannock. April 2021 Winepress • Back cover – New season at Dog Point. Photo Jim Tannock. September 2020 Winepress
From the Chair Stepping up to a challenging year TOM TROLOVE
“By and large the industry has managed to get through, thanks to the people, planning and careful work.”
AN EXTRAORDINARY year has passed in our global community, and there are many aspects we’d rather forget. But there have been stories of success, resilience and, yes, pivoting, that are certainly worth remembering. Marlborough’s wine industry has faced challenge after challenge, from shipping headaches and alert level changes to labour shortages and spiralling costs of production. In so many cases we have worked as a team to analyse situations and devise solutions that allowed us to leap, or sidestep, those hurdles. From contractors and suppliers to winery and vineyard teams; from labour companies grappling with border closures to seasonal workers so far from home; from innovative education providers to nimble management; and from industry bodies to boards of governance, the industry has forged ahead with strength and integrity. I would like to thank everyone who has stepped up for their planning, careful work and commitment. There have been plenty of personal sacrifices and extreme efforts in these extraordinary and trying times. Since the last report to our membership, we have experienced three lockdowns due to Covid-19: • August 12, 2020 – Marlborough moved to Alert Level 2, emerging on September 21, 2020, when we rejoiced and moved back to Level 1. • February 14, 2021 – Marlborough moved again to Alert Level 2, before moving to Alert Level 1 on February 18. • February 28, 2021 – Marlborough moved again to Alert Level 2 before moving back to Alert Level 1 on March 7. • August 18, 2021 – The whole country moved to Alert Level 4. On September 1, everywhere but Auckland moved down to Alert Level 3, and then to Alert Level 2 from September 7, where we remain at the time of writing. In each case the industry has faced up to the challenge with rigour and respect, and it does not surprise me that the Ministry of Primary Industries has been unable to fault individual efforts under the Essential Status exemptions granted to the wine sector. Thank you to our members for abiding so carefully to these rules. While we are fortunate to be in the middle of the country, away from a major gateway to New Zealand, it emphasises our careful approach and outstanding practices in Marlborough’s wineries and vineyards.
Tom Trolove Supply chain disruptions have caused and continue to cause huge challenges, and limits to the free flow of people due to border closures have been incredibly frustrating. The seasonal winery labour force, which is essential to the annual wine production process and helped us get through vintage 2021, has largely disappeared, either by returning to their home nations or moving to other parts of the country or region. That means skills shortages are nearing the worst we have ever experienced. Marlborough’s 2021 harvest of 269,521 tonnes was down 21% on 2020, which reduced some of the vintage stress within wineries, but has led to serious supply pressure, with the first dip in export revenue for wine recorded in 26 years. This is a particularly frustrating set of circumstances as global demand for Marlborough wine, especially Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, surged in our key markets throughout 2020. It’s wonderful to know the world thirsts for our wine, but frustrating that yields and shipping constraints are limiting our ability to meet that demand. Your representatives on the Marlborough Winegrowers Association Board have also been living this reality for the past 12 months and are pleased to have played a key role in problem solving and working on strategic initiatives to strengthen the industry over the past year. Wine Marlborough has an ambitious strategy, and the board felt it was timely to review it during the challenges of the past 18 months. Jamie Fitzgerald of Inspiring Performance came in to review the strategy, and several subtle but meaningful adjustments ensued, giving Wine Marlborough staff a refreshed and refocussed effort. You can read the strategy on the opening page of this report, and your input is always appreciated. Marlborough’s most celebrated event, the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, had a very challenging year. In September 2020, the board decided that the event would not be held for the first time in its 35-year history, and would be cancelled before tickets went on sale. This was to prioritise the health and safety of our community and Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 1
wine industry, with the event on the cusp of harvest, which is the economic lifeblood of the region. The decision was well understood by all, and very well managed by the Wine Marlborough team. This year, the festival team have also had to find a new location for the 2022 event, after Brancott Vineyard informed the board of plans for significant developments. Upon discussions, both parties agreed that the site would therefore be unsuitable, and the event would need to find a new location. We would like to thank Brancott Vineyard for their incredibly generous gift to the Marlborough community and wine industry over the past 33 years, allowing such a special site to be the festival’s home. The board decided in September this year that it was viable to push ahead with the 2022 event, and the Renwick Domain was subsequently announced as the new site, with an excellent response from our community and patrons. We were lucky to be able to stage other key events for our members this year, such as the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. While the Celebration Long Lunch was cancelled because of the Covid-19 Alert Level 2 restrictions, the competition was an opportunity to consider and celebrate Marlborough’s wines, with more gold medals awarded than any other year. We are so pleased that the Marlborough competitions for the Corteva Young
From the GM Labour force challenges MARCUS PICKENS Providing relevant and timely information to the industry is a key role of the Marlborough Winegrowers board and Wine Marlborough. Despite having a small team and limited resources, we know the organisation provides value to our members. This was demonstrated especially around the labour force challenges faced throughout the year. The drive is now on to recruit the additional people required for the 2022 harvest, and Wine Marlborough is playing a key role in this via supporting attraction campaigns, media messaging, remuneration surveys and vintage workforce demand and supply surveys. Supply chain issues, labour constraints and far higher costs of doing business have created an operating environment foreign to most. It will take great fluidity, careful decision-making and relentless support to navigate the next 12 to 24 months, as challenges seem set to continue for some time. It is important that all parties, growers, wine companies and our industry members understand the strains others are facing during these challenging times. And despite the myriad hurdles we’ve leapt in the
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Viticulturist and Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker events could also go ahead. These are critical for our talent pipelines, and it is important we celebrate not only the ultimate winners, but all involved. Thank you to all our sponsors, committee members and contestants. Many other aspects of the important work that the board and small team at Wine Marlborough undertake are covered in this annual report, but as this is my last report as your chair representative, let me close with a few words. I have enjoyed my time on the board and am pleased with the transition towards a more strategic and focussed organisation. I am particularly pleased with the strides made towards creating both marketing and advocacy strategies. This will help focus the significant workload that comes with a small team representing a large membership and significant area of production. We aim to undertake an annual members survey to gather your feedback and use this to help measure and guide our progress for the future. On a final note, thank you to existing and recently departed staff for your contribution to our membership. Thank you to fellow board members, existing, newly elected and departing, who have given your time and contributions generously. Together, we can indeed make Marlborough the world’s greatest wine region. past 20 months, the Wine Marlborough team is excited about the year ahead. There’s nothing like missing a year of the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival to remind the industry and community of its value to the region, and we’re all delighted to have this iconic event back on the calendar. With more clarity coming from Government recently about the requirements for delivering large events, such as vaccination certificates, we are feeling hopeful that we can show off our region once again on this special day. Meanwhile, having run the Corteva Young Viticulturist and Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker Marlborough competitions under Covid constraints two years running, we’re confident of our ability to adapt and deliver, regardless of the challenges. Covid-19 has shone a light on the resilience and collaborative spirit of our industry and the organisations that represent it, and it’s been a valuable reminder of what makes our wine community so good. Yes, we grow and make startlingly good wine that the world clamours for, but we also excel in working with our peers, scientists, and industry leaders to do better for our land, our environment, our people, our wine and our economy. And that hasn’t changed with Covid. Thank you to the Wine Marlborough team for digging deep and performing under such constraints. Finally, thank you to the Marlborough Winegrowers Board for your support, and in particular the board members who have finished their terms.
Treasurer’s Report Marlborough Winegrowers 2021 Financial Result BEN ENSOR
THE FINANCIAL year ending June 2021 was positive for the organisation, especially when put into the context of a turbulent year. It was particularly pleasing that the consolidated annual accounts show that the organisation managed to return a small surplus of $17,605. While this is a significant drop from the $144,031 consolidated surplus (-88%) reported in the last annual accounts, this year’s result hides the fact that one of our cornerstone events, the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, was unable to proceed due to Covid-19 threats to a safe 2021 harvest. In a normal year this event makes an important contribution to the organisation and community and enables us to do more for our members. Your board are encouraged that the organisation was able to make a meaningful contribution to member activities without this key source of income. The positive result was achieved by careful management and some key projects were brought in house rather than outsourcing them. This put some extra strain on the staff to absorb more and deliver more in the end. Examples of this are the marketing strategy, which had a budget for external assistance and some website redevelopment works which were ably conducted in-house, or deferred. One of the key enablers is the levy income that is received from New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW). It accounts for a significant proportion of our income. Levy funding is capped for this region at 50% of the total amount New Zealand Winegrowers allocate to regions. While this grossly under-represents the percentage share of levy funds the region generates, it is pleasing that Marlborough receives direct and indirect support from the co-location of Bragato Research Institute and the NZW Environment team. There is a close working relationship between Wine Marlborough and both these departments. The organisation relies heavily on the levy system, so is watching with interest the outcomes of the NZW levy voting process and review. A key expenditure activity was the Marlborough Wine Industry Growth Forecast 2020. Supporting funding was
secured from NZW, the Marlborough District Council (MDC) and the Marlborough Research Centre. All up this comprehensive report cost $55,325. While this report has been well received, the challenge has been laid down for us to understand how elements of its findings can be benchmarked each year, at a lower cost. Results and next steps are discussed elsewhere in this document. We also commissioned a New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) report on the Contribution of Winegrowing to the Marlborough Economy. The results were startling. One in four people are employed directly or indirectly in our sector, and 18% of our regional GDP is generated from the wine industry. Thats a dominant regional share when compared to dairying in Southland (16%), apples in Hawke’s Bay (7%) and kiwifruit in the Bay of Plenty (7%). The report certainly paints a picture and has been widely used by the team and other parties to demonstrate the value our industry captures for the regional and national economy. We continue to work through the provisional outcomes of the Marlborough Environment Plan that the MDC initiated back in 2016. While there has been slow progress, we are committed to achieving the best outcomes we can. Chapters we are an interested party to are being appealed and are scheduled to be heard throughout the remainder of the 2021 calendar year. We have some budget set aside to be involved in further mediation hearings of the Environment Court if required. With many central and local government initiated reviews and reforms under way, your regional association plays an important role in monitoring and advising on impacts to the membership base. Advocacy and marketing strategy plans developed by the team members will keep efforts focused on the areas of maximum benefit to use as members. As this is my final report as treasurer, I would like to thank my peers on the board for their support and assistance with managing the finances of the organisation. A hearty thank you to all staff, past and present, for their contributions to us as members. Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2020 / 3
Our vintage The 2021 vintage was characterised by light and lovely crops
269,521 tonnes total volume of grapes
harvested, which is 75.2% of New Zealand’s 2021 yield. Crops ranged from extraordinarily light through to fairly light, ensuring wines of great intensity and balance.
21% down on the 2020 vintage, which yielded
343,036 tonnes. Lower yields were due to a variety of factors, including inclement flowering conditions, with Marlborough temperatures mostly lower than average from mid-November to the first week of December. A late frost on September 30, 2020, coincided with early budburst for Sauvignon Blanc in some parts of Marlborough.
240,636
tonnes of the pick was Sauvignon Blanc, making up 89% of the region’s total harvest. This was 19% down on the 2020 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc harvest.
28,360 hectares
of producing vineyard land were recorded in the New Zealand Winegrowers 2021 vintage survey, representing 70% of New Zealand’s producing vineyard area.
This photos
The 2021 Vintage at Nautilus Estate, here and facing page. Photo Richard Briggs for New Zealand Winegrowers
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Vintage report 2021’s 21% crop drop in Marlborough MARLBOROUGH’S 2021 vintage story was one of low crops and “exceptional” wines, according to Marlborough Winegrowers board member and Forrest Estate general manager Beth Forrest. “For me it was the year for Sauvignon Blanc,” says the winemaker, describing the complexity of Marlborough’s flagship variety, with “multilayered flavour levels”. New Zealand’s grape harvest dropped 19% in vintage 2021, with 370,000 tonnes picked nationwide. Marlborough’s 269,521 tonne harvest, representing 75.2% of the total yield, was 21% down on 2020, while the national Sauvignon Blanc harvest – dominated by Marlborough and comprising 72.4% of the national pick – dropped by 18%. In Marlborough, the Sauvignon Blanc tonnage (representing around 89% of the region’s total harvest) was 19% down on 2020. Beth notes that the actual reduction in yield is greater than those numbers reveal, given Marlborough’s producing vineyard area was greater in 2021 than in 2020. The stellar sales of 2020 meant New Zealand entered 2021 short of wine, resulting in a fall in export value and volume. The reduced yields in the 2021 vintage exacerbated the issue, with the first dip in export revenue for wine recorded in 26 years. Plant & Food Research weather expert Rob Agnew says lower yields were due to a variety of factors, including inclement flowering conditions, with Marlborough temperatures mostly lower than average from mid-
“The season was also a credit to industry collaboration, with companies, suppliers and organisations all working together to find and implement efficient solutions.” Marcus Pickens
November to the first week of December 2020. A late frost on September 30 that year also played its part, coinciding with early budburst for Sauvignon Blanc in some parts of Marlborough. Marlborough was not the only wine region hit by poor weather and harsh frosts, with Nelson’s yields down 33%, Wairarapa down 30% and North Canterbury down 26%. Northern areas achieved better yields, between 1% and 8% down, while Hawke’s Bay, the second biggest wine producer in New Zealand, harvested 41,153 tonnes, down 5% on 2020. Meanwhile, Central Otago bucked the trend, with crops up 21% on 2020. Beth, a director on the Marlborough Winegrowers board, says the lighter crops in Marlborough enabled viticulturists to pick blocks three or four times to ensure the fruit’s “peak” profile. “It gave you time to wait for the absolute best.” The great quality of the harvest, following on from excellent 2019 and 2020 vintages, provided a prime opportunity for premiumisation in “small and mighty Marlborough”, says Beth. “For us it will be a focus on ‘great’ this year.” The 2021 harvest won’t only be remembered for light and lovely crops, with the earliest ever harvest finish for many companies, says Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens. “It also stands out because of increased costs and labour shortfalls.” International workers were locked out by Covid-19 border closures, but individual companies proved light on their feet in recruiting and training new people from around the country, while also employing foreign cellar hands and vineyard workers who remained in New Zealand during the global pandemic. “The season was also a credit to industry collaboration, with companies, suppliers and organisations all working together to find and implement efficient solutions,” says Marcus. Meanwhile, Covid-19 precautions were rolled out, to ensure “excellent operating plans for a safe harvest”. While the quality of wines from 2021 is exceptional, the low yields have created supply and demand tension, he says. “Companies have been working with their customers and partners to try and balance stellar demand with a shortfall in supply. Despite that challenge, it is excellent to see consumers continuing to choose a premium product they know they can trust.” Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 5
photo to come text colour may chnage depending on the coour range of the image
Our people Growing wine, growing jobs, growing Marlborough
531 grape growers 73% of New Zealand’s growers.
159 wine companies 22% of the
national tally. Marlborough is responsible for more than three quarters of New Zealand’s wine production, and we are proud to represent the growers and wineries that have put the region on the map.
6,088 jobs including 2,750 full-time jobs in the region and another 3,338 indirectly supported by the industry, not including seasonal roles, such as winter pruning and winemaking.
$171 million from grape growing and wine
production ends up in Marlborough household pockets, which equates to more than 14% of total household income in Marlborough during 2020.
This photo Vine to Wine intern Kaya Walsh
was on the cover of the October 2021 Winepress. Photo by Jim Tannock.
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Photo by Richard Briggs
Economic Yields Contribution of wine to the Marlborough economy MARLBOROUGH’S WINE industry contributes $571 million to the local economy, according to an economic impact report released in February 2021. The report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), commissioned by Wine Marlborough, highlights the role the wine industry plays in the continued economic growth of Marlborough, with 18% of the region’s economic activity generated from the wine industry. NZIER says the industry directly and indirectly fills one in every four jobs in the region and accounts for 2,750 jobs in Marlborough, with another 3,338 jobs indirectly supported by the industry, far greater than any other sector investigated. In terms of wages, $171 million from both grape growing and wine production ends up in Marlborough household pockets, which equates to more than 14% of the region’s total household income during 2020. Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens says the findings highlight the significant economic role wine plays within Marlborough and demonstrates how important it is that the wine industry successfully responds to challenges like Covid-19 and labour shortages. “This report demonstrates the many ways the wine industry drives the Marlborough economy and is a fantastic information set for us to share with our community and stakeholders.” Marcus says the report also gives a clear picture of how the wine industry has helped grow the Marlborough
“Back in 2000 wine contributed $119 million to the economy. In 2020 that has increased to $571 million – that is a 380% increase.” Marcus Pickens
Annual wages, 2020, $ millions
economy in the past few decades. “Back in 2000 wine contributed $119 million to the economy. In 2020 that has increased to $571 million – that is a 380% increase.” Marlborough Mayor John Leggett says he was impressed at how much the wine industry provides to the Marlborough economy, when compared with other major industries in other regions. “Dairying in Southland, which is a key contributor to their economy, sits at 16%, whereas Marlborough’s wine industry makes 18% of our economy.” In other comparisons between sectors and regions, Marlborough wine injects $171 million of income into the NZIER report says Marlborough households’ pockets; 14.2% of total household kiwifruit makes up just 7% of income the Bay of Plenty economy, $200 $182 with Hawke’s Bay apples $171 $180 $160 and pipfruit making up 8% $140 in that region. The mayor $120 $100 says having independent $80 research providing the figures $60 $40 gives credence to “what we $25 $24 $19 $12 $11 $20 $2 have been saying, what the $) e g e rt e) re es try in in 00 in ag po ic industry has been saying about ltu r 0 s m es W v u r r 2 o r n ( c lW st se Fa Fo e tra ua xc d in (e od er an Aq W development and how things g fo at g d in W rin tu an us n ac f ho o i have been going in recent e u at ar an od W M m m years. It gives it real credibility. co Ac It’s a job well done”. Source: NZIER, Statistics NZ
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Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 7
EDUCATE Immigration advice webinars | December 2020 Wine Marlborough’s advocacy manager organised three clinics with Straight Up NZ Immigration consultants, with one for employers and two for visa holders. These drop-in clinics allowed employers or visa holders to get personalised advice about the options available to them in the uncertain times of Covid-19. In the post-event feedback survey, 100% of attendees at the employer sessions found it very useful.
Cellar operations experience day | January 2021 Wine Marlborough and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) collaboratively developed a Cellar Operations Experience day and secured $5,000 of funding via the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The day was deemed a success, with around 40 attendees, 30 of whom went on to do the cellar operations course and 2021 vintage. Feedback from the wineries which attended the day was that this event could be delivered annually to assist with vintage recruitment and showcasing the wine industry.
Winery waste workshop | February 2021 The Pre-harvest winery wastewater workshop was held on February 23, having been rescheduled because of Covid-19 alert levels. Matt Oliver and Rachel Neal from Marlborough District Council (MDC) presented at the workshop, and Jeremy McKenzie and Nick Best presented on Isabel Estate’s experience. Approximately 30 to 40 people attended the workshop, and a wastewater focus month was planned for later in the year.
Primary ITO training advisor Tom van der Burgh and trainee Joshua Anderson at Mount Base vineyard. Photo by Jim Tannock. June 2021 Winepress
Winter pruning field day | May 2021
Wine Marlborough delivered a face-to-face pre-harvest field day for industry suppliers on February 23, at Rose Ag Ltd in Woodbourne. The event was well received, with a total turnout of 40 people. The recommendation for next year is to use an indoor venue to avoid weather complications.
The Marlborough pruning field day drew 130 people to participate in four modules led by viticulture experts. The event, facilitated by Wine Marlborough and Bragato Research Institute (BRI), was held at Matador Estate. It began with a wrap of relevant research by BRI viticulture extension and research manager Len Ibbotson, after which attendees moved through four modules, comprised of mechanical options, alternative pruning, maintaining quality, and pruning fundamentals. The field day was also attended by representatives from MPI, the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), as well as the Rural Support Trust, NMIT and Primary ITO.
Winter pruning taster course | April 2021
Foodstuffs executive Q&A | July 2021
Pre-harvest field day | February 2021
This one-day introductory course to winter pruning was facilitated by James Crockett of the Primary ITO, with the support of MSD and Wine Marlborough. The initiative was piloted with 12 people, some who were looking for opportunities to join the wine industry in Marlborough. Participants got practical hands-on experience in the vineyard, and local employers shared frank advice and insight with the course participants. There was also the opportunity for course participants and employers to connect directly on immediate employment. The course was funded by MSD and in-kind support provided by Graeme Giles and Heritage Bakery. 8 / Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021
While the New World Wine Awards judges were tasting and evaluating entries in Blenheim in July, Wine Marlborough
Wine Marlborough Educate Strategy • We’re used as the key source of information for Marlborough’s wine region • We highlight key issues and support members’ understanding • We build understanding and culture around corporate social responsibility
asked the Foodstuffs management team to meet with industry members. Ten members of the Foodstuffs executive team attended, including members of their commercial buying, marketing and merchandise teams. There was low initial response from our members, and we changed the format of the forum by contacting members directly to ensure there was good attendance and discussion. Good feedback was received from both Foodstuffs and members. A follow up article featured in the September 2021 Winepress.
Flood recovery webinar | July 2021 Together with BRI, we staged a webinar to give updates and advice following the floods of July 2021, which affected a number of growers and wine companies. Around 6,000 cumecs of water tore down the Wairau River in the biggest flood recorded in Marlborough, resulting in a State of Emergency declared on July 17, in place until July 28. “There are some people grappling with clearing, repairing, replanting and rebuilding infrastructure, just when they need to focus on the business of pruning,” said Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens in the aftermath. Thanks go out to Dominic Pecchenino and Warwick Bruce for their practical contributions to the webinar, including Dominic’s advice that flood affected growers around the region should rapidly check on frost
Isabel Estate’s Nick Best and Jeremy McKenzie, in a grassy oak grove irrigated with winery wastewater. Photo by Jim Tannock. March 2021 Winepress
fans, irrigation pumps and other machinery damaged by water and silt. “Don’t wait until you need to use it,” he reiterated in the August Winepress.
Corporate social responsibility Throughout 2021, Winepress magazine showcased wine companies doing social good through the Good Stuff column, including the story of the McBride Sisters (creating change for countless women), Borough (a wine label created to support the Graeme Dingle Foundation), the vine to wine intern scheme (companies collaborating to create careers in wine), and Whitehaven’s Kōparepare (helping fund the work of LegaSea). Winepress also explored environmental initiatives, from carbon cutting to building biodiversity.
Winery wastewater focus month
The Borough, a wine label created to support the Graeme Dingle Foundation in Marlborough, is one of the Good Stuff stories in Winepress, to celebrate corporate social responsibility. Photo Jim Tannock. October 2020 Winepress
This Sustainability Guardians (NZW) and Wine Marlborough initiative is intended to support peer-to-peer learning and equip wineries with useful information they can implement before vintage 2022. Three wineries agreed to host site visits, but all were postponed due to lockdown. These will be rescheduled as soon as practical. Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 9
GROW Election | 2021 This year, four wine company and two grape grower seats were up for election by virtue of the board rotation policy. Grape grower representatives - Nigel Sowman of NJ & KA Sowman Partnership and Michiel Eradus of Eradus Wines are your new grape grower representatives. There was no election in this category as the two vacancies (seats) up for re-election were sought by only two candidates. They join Anna Laugesen, Tracy Johnston and Kirsty Harkness as your grape grower representatives. Nine candidates were nominated for the wine company category and there was a delay in releasing the election results due to a tie for the fourth place in the category. Marlborough Winegrowers sought advice to resolve the results and the Independent Trustee confirmed the following results. Wine company representatives - Beth Forrest of Forrest Wines, James Macdonald of Hunter’s Wines (NZ) Limited, Damien Yvon of Clos Henri Ltd and Jamie Marfell of Pernod Ricard Winemakers New Zealand are the successful candidates for the vacant wine company board seats. They join Gus Altschwager as your wine company representatives. We thank Tom Trolove, Ben Ensor, Callum Linklater and Nick Entwistle who have now retired from the board. Whitehaven’s Jessica Wilson is the 2021 Corteva
Staff
Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year.
Nicci Armour joined the Wine Marlborough team in the advocacy role. Nicci has spent her career problem solving for people and communities - first as a scientist, then in a housing start-up, and more recently in establishing an innovation and research consultancy in the Bay of Plenty’s horticulture sector. Originally from a farm in Southland, and then on to Queenstown, Nicci’s wine experience started in Central Otago. Her journey over the last 20 odd years traversed Hong Kong, Brisbane, Tauranga, and has finally landed her and her family in Marlborough. Nicci is keen to dig deep with Wine Marlborough’s members and understand how she can really make a difference.
Growth forecast - information released
MPI cellar hand attraction campaign
Marlborough’s vineyard area is continuing to grow, with another 5,150 hectares expected by 2024/25, taking the total planted area to 34,145ha. The Marlborough Wine Industry Growth Forecast 2020 survey was conducted in November and December 2020 and included 50 wine companies and growers, four winery-only businesses and 14 contractors, including two contractors who supply vineyard machinery services. It found continued strong optimism in the Marlborough wine industry, driven largely by strong international demand for the region’s Sauvignon Blanc. That confidence was “tempered” to some degree by growers’ “significant labour concerns” for winter pruning in 2021 and steeply rising labour costs. However, wineries are competing for available grapes from Marlborough growers, which is fuelling planting intentions, and the authors surmised that the smaller than expected harvest for the 2021 vintage may drive increased plantings. Recruiting and retaining sufficient staff, and ensuring enough accommodation, will require plenty of work.
Marlborough was part of a nationwide campaign to attract jobs and training required for vintage under the Ministry for Primary Industry’s (MPI) Opportunity Grows Here campaign. The period from December 2020 to February 2021 saw outdoor advertising and digital advertising highlighting wine jobs and training available and directing website traffic directly to cellar hand jobs advertised in Marlborough.
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MPI pruning attraction campaign Wine Marlborough are grateful to New Zealand Winegrowers and MPI for implementing a pruning advertising campaign on May 5, 2021, which was extended to June 13. The campaign was highly visible, with 2.6 million impressions on the digital ads over 10 weeks.
Corteva Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year 2021 | July 2021 Congratulations to Jessica Wilson from Whitehaven, who became the 2021 Corteva Marlborough Young Viticulturist
of the Year, following a competition that saw her tested on everything from trellising and irrigation to her interview and speech skills. Congratulations also goes to Jessica Marston from Villa Maria who was runner up and to Tahryn Mason - also from Villa Maria - who came third. This is the first time in the 16 years of the Marlborough Young Viticulturist Competition that a woman has taken out the title. Jess will go on to represent Marlborough at the national final, to be held at Indevin’s Bankhouse Estate in Marlborough. The celebration evening has grown from 90 people to 165, with the 2021 event held at the Marlborough Convention Centre, with Gordon Richie as MC and Olympian and America’s Cup grinder Joseph Sullivan the keynote speaker.
Marlborough Wine Show Fund Wine Marlborough continues the Marlborough Wine Show tradition of selling the remaining wines from the 2021 show, sponsored by QuayConnect, and ring-fencing the funds for supporting people or organisations within the industry doing industry-good projects. Although we ask for the minimum requirement, there are always some wines left over from entries. The funds go into the Marlborough Winegrowers Association Incorporated Future Leaders Account.
Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2021 | October 2021
The Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2021 was held on October 6 behind closed doors, under Alert level 2 at the Marlborough Research Centre, with a small celebration held that evening at Wither Hills. We were pleased to see a record number of applications for the competition’s seventh year. Congratulations to Peter Russell from Matua, who become the Tonnellerie De Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2021 for his second year in a row.
Peter will now go on to compete at the national competition. He also joined the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show judging panel as an associate judge, as part of his first place prize. Congratulations also goes to Ruby McManaway from Yealands Wine Group who was runner up, and Alun Kilby from Marisco Vineyards.
Winepress Magazine Winepress continues to be one of our most well received and best read forms of communication. Each month 800 copies are printed and sent to Marlborough growers, wine companies and key industry personnel across the country. Many of our advertisers have placed ads in Winepress since the first edition, and many new advertisers have come on board over the years. The scale of advertising allows us to publish more articles for you. Many of the cover photos taken by Jim Tannock over the past year can be found in this annual report.
Wine Marlborough NMIT Scholarship The Wine Marlborough scholarship went to two outstanding Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) viticulture and winemaking students, Sarah Tibbs and Finn Horsfield. Both Finn and Sarah love spending time in the vineyards or the laboratory, and working alongside some of the best wine producers in the country. They have an absolute passion for the wine industry and have made the most of their move to Marlborough and the opportunities available to them in New Zealand’s biggest wine region. Finn was also a regional finalist for the New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year. The scholarship has provided financial support for their educational development and both have a great future ahead of them in the wine industry.
Marlborough careers events Wine Marlborough co-hosted an interactive stall at The Future of Work Conference, alongside Wither Hills, Hortus, and the School of Winegrowing. A whopping 93% of students who attended the event said they would recommend it to others and 82% said it helped with ideas for their personal career pathway. Jobseekers also gained value from the conference, and 84% said it changed their thinking about employment opportunities in Marlborough. Wine Marlborough also shared a space with NMIT and Primary ITO at the Tertiary Education Conference. The wine industry was well represented by Sarah Tibbs (Cloudy Bay) and Josh Anderson (Mount Base) who shared their experiences with Marlborough’s high school students.
Wine Marlborough Grow Strategy Peter Russell, Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2021, joined the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show judging panel as an associate judge. Photo by Richard Briggs
• Develop and maintain strong and wide networks • Unite stakeholders, and guide and influence decision makers • Create distinctive culture and regional identity
Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 11
PROTECT Resilience workshop | October 2020
More than 50 people attended a half-day face-to-face resilience and wellbeing workshop in Blenheim in October. The workshop delved into stress, wellbeing, emotional intelligence, and cognitive skills, interspersed with light stretching, some power posing and a guided meditation. A follow-up webinar on resilience from a leadership perspective was held on November 19. At the time of publication, Wine Marlborough was running an industry survey on resilience and wellbeing, to explore the need to repeat similar workshops in this area more regularly.
Vintage 2021 staff recruitment survey | November 2020 Wine Marlborough surveyed 50 wineries in the last week of November, 2020. Based on the survey, over 1,100 fixedterm/casual employees were needed for vintage 2021. This was in addition to approximately 350 permanent production staff. January’s survey figures indicated the number of vintage staff recruited in Marlborough had increased and the region was at 89% of the combined workforce target. That was a 16% improvement on November’s figures (November survey statistics equalled 73% of the target number). Wineries had recruited less than two-thirds of the fixed-term/casual employees they needed by December 2020, but by February the demand for vintage labour had largely been met. A lighter than expected vintage relieved further pressure on the demand for vintage labour.
NZIER report | February 2021 A report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, commissioned by Wine Marlborough, revealed that Marlborough’s wine industry contributes $571 million to the local economy, with 18% of the region’s economic activity generated from the wine industry. In 2020 the industry directly and indirectly filled one in every four jobs
in the region, and $171 million in wages, from both grape growing and wine production, ended up in Marlborough household pockets, which equates to more than 14% of the region’s total household income during 2020. For more go to page 7.
Marketing review A membership and community survey was completed in February 2021, with 147 total responses, including 109 members, in order to: • Understand perceptions of our strategic vision - what is the reputation of the Marlborough Wine Region? What would make it great? • Define our marketing role - what do our members and community think, want, and expect from Wine Marlborough marketing? • Establish the status quo - to report on our strategic plan and develop to marketing objectives within the organisation’s strategic plan. This survey was supplemented with secondary research of 20 “great” wine regions, a review of the New Zealand Wine category and consumer research, and an internal review to map our audiences and market groups, and define Wine Marlborough’s marketing role to each audience. The outputs of this research led us to review and define the Wine Marlborough Ltd organisation strategy, because we learnt: • We have a role to unite the industry • We need to make a commitment to a sustainable future • The strategic pillars were previously too specific in focus • Some of the objectives didn’t reflect all of the work that we currently do We then developed and defined a long-term marketing strategy that aligns with the Wine Marlborough Ltd organisation strategy. This was presented to and agreed by the Marlborough Winegrowers board in May 2020. The strategy addresses reputation aspects perceived and rated low, roles identified to be prioritised and reputation areas that need improvement. The first project identified and under way is to review our Marlborough wine region brand and story to be more closely associated and complement the regional brand. We are working closely with the Marlborough District Council (MDC) and Destination Marlborough on this project.
Marlborough Landscape Group Haysley MacDonald at te Pā vineyard in the Lower Wairau, following a major flood in July. Photo by Jim Tannock. August 2021 Winepress
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Mondo Kopua’s role as whenua ora specialist for Kono’s vineyards sees him working primarily on regenerative agriculture, native flora and fauna and conservation in the Awatere Valley and Upper Moutere in Tasman. Mondo’s care of the land also led him to represent the wine industry on the Marlborough Landscape Group this year.
Growth Forecast Plan Wine Marlborough is working with the Marlborough District Council to organise workshops to support industryled approaches to resolving some of the future challenges
Information, and Minister for Rural Communities) who visited the region early on in the week of the response.
Marlborough flooding impact and scale survey | July 2021 In a survey following the July flood, Wine Marlborough heard from 82 respondents from 104 properties, with the majority of them vineyards. More than 660 hectares of vineyard land was reported flood-affected by respondents. The survey revealed widespread flooding with minor damage, and small areas of significant damage, with some people and vineyards disproportionately affected. Bragato Research Institute and Wine Marlborough hosted an information webinar to discuss flood impacts and considerations. This was supported by industry members Dominic Pecchenino and Warwick Bruce, and attended by 10 industry members. Closed borders have resulted in a long stay for many Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers in Marlborough. Ionatana Manu, who works with Thornhill, is looking forward to returning to his family in Samoa. Photo by Jim Tannock. September 2021 Winepress
highlighted by the Growth Forecast. The initial workshops will have a focus on workforce development, alongside other areas of immediate need, such as water. They will also look at areas of opportunity such as agritech. This project is part of a longer-term systems approach we are exploring to support a resilient Marlborough wine industry.
RSE Conference | June 2021, Nelson The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme and how it operates changed significantly after the pandemic. As a result, the 2021 RSE Conference theme focused on A post-Covid future. The Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, and the Minister for Immigration, Hon. Kris Faafoi were in attendance for part of the conference. Both ministers reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the RSE scheme, despite uncertainty around border closures. The ministers heard directly from businesses impacted by border closures in the horticulture sector, including kiwifruit, summer fruit, and vegetable growers. The RSE conference this year included broader discussions on workforce development in the wine and horticulture sectors. Wine Marlborough’s advocacy manager attended the conference, in order to note the key developments, and also show support for the RSE employer and worker community.
Marlborough flood event | July 2021 A significant rainfall event and subsequent floods affected the West Coast, Tasman, and Marlborough on July 17 and 18. Wine Marlborough played a key role in informing local and central Government of the impacts on our sector. That included showing examples of damage to the Hon. Damien O’Connor (Minister for Trade and Export Growth, Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity, Minister for Land
Pruning progress survey | July / August 2021 Two surveys conducted by Wine Marlborough in July and August, captured pruning progress information from 128 respondents representing 15,924ha, or 54% of the region’s producing vineyard area. • 60 small (<20 ha) vineyard covering 270 ha • 40 medium (10-50 ha) vineyards covering 938 ha • 38 large (>50 ha) vineyards covering 14,746 ha The survey forecasted a possible pruning shortfall in a vineyard area of approximately 2,450 ha, and possibly higher due to an even earlier budburst than expected, an increase number of wet days, and a Covid-19 lockdown. A new model has been built for capturing and forecasting pruning, which allows Wine Marlborough to test impacts on changing seasonal labour supply and other factors impacting productivity. The progress is thanks to a collaborative effort from Wine Marlborough, RSE employers/labour contractors, and the Marlborough Labour Governance Group to test model assumptions, obtain data, and understand what the impacts are for Marlborough. The key message was that a long pruning season was not ideal and should not become standard. There is still a risk of insufficient labour supply for next pruning season.
Submissions Wine Marlborough submissions made or participating in: • Marlborough Environment Plan mediation • MDC Waste Minimisation Plan 2021-2027 • MDC Compliance Monitoring Fees for National Environmental Standards for Fresh Water
Wine Marlborough Protect Strategy • Forecasting and research is undertaken to inform our thinking and guide our outputs • Wine Marlborough are the champions for members and represent their rights and interests • We help members stay ‘match-fit’ by supporting their resilience and wellbeing
Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 13
CELEBRATE Visit the Vines | December 2020 Twenty five Marlborough wineries participated in the New Zealand Winegrowers #VisittheVines national Scan and Win domestic trip giveaway, as part of a consumer campaign following Tourism New Zealand’s ‘Do Something NEW New Zealand’ campaign creative.
Cellar Door Training Workshop | January 2021 With no Cellar Door of the Year competition in 2020, Wine Marlborough held two free cellar door hospitality sales workshops with Marg Main from Turning Tables, to build skills and confidence for our cellar door businesses and hospitality hosts. There were 30 people from 15 businesses involved, and plenty of positive comments about the content, which focussed on collaborative communication – understanding our own communication style to understand others – and the impact this has on customer engagement, sales, teamwork, wellbeing, and loving local in the new normal.
Marlborough’s Summer Feast | Feb & March 2021 Rock bands in the cellar door, vinyl in the vines, cheese at the church and Sauvignon in the Sounds were just some of the new events that popped up after the cancellation of the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival for the first time in 36 years. Wine Marlborough supported Summer Feast and the member wineries involved with event expertise, supplies and communications.
NZTE Project Harvest video | March 2021 Wine Marlborough helped New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) produce the ‘Project Harvest’ video under the Made with Care campaign. Winemakers and viticulturists helped personify Marlborough and its Sauvignon Blanc by explaining the character forged from field to ferment, and from soils to stylistic choices. The project called on research from NZTE’s Project Veraison, which showed Australian consumers don’t connect Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with the region, making “uniquely Marlborough” a strong growth category driver. The Project Harvest video went live on May 6, timed to coincide with #SauvBlancDay, via paid Facebook and Instagram ads. YouTube saw more than 1.7 million impressions.
#SauvBlancDay | May 7, 2021 Wine Marlborough partnered with Feast Marlborough for the 12th International Sauvignon Blanc Day, delivering a #sauvblancday lounge at the bustling Bayleys Friday Night Feast. The lounge served gold medal-winning Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough Wine Show 2020, sponsored
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Gregg Slatter, client service manager WineWorks and one third of Big Scout, played at Framingham’s Sunday Session as part of Summer Feast. Photo Jim Tannock. Winepress February 2021
by QuayConnect, and all profits went back into the community via the Feast Marlborough charitable trust, says Wine Marlborough events manager Loren Coffey. “So we can further support the important work they are doing to tell the Marlborough food story, as it complements our work on the wine story.”
Judging for the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect | October 13-15, 2021 The Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, celebrates the region’s range of wine varieties and showcases the subregional style diversity of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The 2021 show introduced two new awards, celebrating organic wine and alternate style Sauvignon Blanc. Those additions, coupled with two exceptional Marlborough vintages, ensured an exciting line-up on the judging table, says Marlborough winemaker Ben Glover, who returned as chief judge this year. He was joined by guest judge Stephen Wong, Master of Wine and director at Wine Sentience, and a team of 10 senior judges and six associate judges, including the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year 2021, Peter Russell. The Sparkling class had a stellar rise, from 20 entries in 2020 to 29 entries in 2021, while the Coterie Provenance Award - for the best single vineyard wine from any class – attracted 144 entries. The show also saw the most entries ever in the Marlborough Museum Legacy Award, which assesses three vintages within a 10-year period for any wine under the same brand and same variety.
2021 Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Lunch Due to the complexity of holding the celebration lunch during Covid-19 Alert Level 2 restrictions, the lunch was cancelled. Trophy winners will be announced in due course.
Lifetime Achievement Award This award recognises industry stalwarts who have helped shape the success of Marlborough’s wine story. Previous winners include Gerry Gregg, Ross Lawson, Phil Rose, Ivan Sutherland, Jane Hunter, Dr Rengasamy Balasubramaniam, Dr John Forrest, and Neal and Judy Ibbotson. The 2021 recipient will be announced soon.
Marlborough Wine & Food Festival 2022 confirmed The 36th Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will be held in the “heart of Marlborough wine country” on February 12 2022, with a move from Brancott Vineyard to the Renwick Domain. Brancott Vineyard helped generate the legacy of the event, but development at the vineyard meant the site is not suitable for the festival in 2022. While the location is new, the unique atmosphere of the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will remain the same. Tickets for this iconic event went on sale in October 2021.
Silver Secateurs After cancelling the 2020 Silver Secateurs competition due to Covid-19, and the 2021 event due to severe labour shortages, Wine Marlborough surveyed the organising committee about the future of the event. Key findings included the need to celebrate Marlborough’s pruning community for the vital work they do, and ensure they are recognised as a core part of the region’s wine industry, as per the event’s original objective. We are therefore recommending that the event be reformatted for 2022 to focus solely as a celebration of these workers and not a pruning competition. The Silver Secateurs will be reviewed again after that event.
Media hosting by Wine Marlborough • Coordinated with Destination Marlborough to host Jo Burzynska for VIVA/The New Zealand Herald from December 17-20. Jo visited 12 of our member cellar doors and did a new release regional wine tasting of 20 awardwinning wines.
Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. Photo Richard Briggs
• Coordinated shipment of 27 Marlborough 2019 reds to Rebecca Gibb for the Vinous tasting. • Hosted Chris Howard, winefolly.com contributor, for an extended itinerary around the Pinot Safari. • Hosted Emily Brooks, travel writer from Stuff, for a regional itinerary and as our guest at the Pinot Safari. • Supported NZW Vino Voyage, hosting regional tourism organisations with a wine famil in Marlborough. • Supported Bob Campbell, MW, in his Real Review live tasting in Marlborough.
Tourism Wine Marlborough participated in the Destination Management Plan advisory group, helping to coordinate two workshops for the wine industry. We are focussing on defining our roles and responsibilities with Destination Marlborough to implement a new Wine Tourism Strategy. After a year of Covid-19-induced hibernation for the Wine Trail Map, we have reviewed the map with some user improvements to enhance visitor experiences and tell the regional wine story.
Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards
Giesen’s Duncan Shouler was part of Project Harvest. Photo Jim Tannock, Winepress May 2021.
Wine Marlborough sponsor the Wine Industry category of the Environment Awards. There were three entrants contesting this category: • Lawson’s Dry Hills - Reducing environmental impact • Bragato Research Institute - Green winery design and building • Hunter’s Wines - Showcase for native plantings This section was won by Lawson’s Dry Hills, with judges noting that sustainability is not an “add on” for them. “It is integral to managing their business, from growing the grapes to exporting the wine.” The judges were also impressed that sustainability decisions at Lawson’s “survive the business evaluation test, even if not directly profit making”. A field day will be held at Lawsons Dry Hills in 2022.
Wine Marlborough Celebrate Strategy • Events are used to help members shine, sell and create relationships • We celebrate the activities of our members and community that reflect our region’s unique reputation • The Marlborough wine story is clear and understood by members, industry, stakeholders, community and consumers
Wine Marlborough Annual Report 2021 / 15
GOLD MEDAL WINES
Babich Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021 Brancott Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Caythorpe Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020 Delta Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Deutz Rosé NV Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by Forrest Botrytised Riesling 2018 QuayConnect. Photos Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir 2017 by Richard Briggs Grove Mill Pinot Noir 2020 Hunter's Marlborough MiruMiru NV Hunter's Marlborough MiruMiru Reserve 2016 Isabel Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2020 Isabel Estate Marlborough Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2020 Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2021 Kim Crawford Small Parcels Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Kōparepare Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2021 Lake Chalice The Raptor Pinot Noir 2020 Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürztraminer 2019 Lawson's Dry Hills Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Mount Riley 17 Valley Chardonnay 2019 Mount Riley 17 Valley Pinot Noir 2019 Mount Riley Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021 Mount Riley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Mud House Sub Region Series Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige NV Nautilus Albariño 2021 Neame Pinot Noir 2020 Papa Pinot Noir 2019 Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Rosé 2021 Riverby Estate Rosé 2021 Saint Clair Marlborough Origin Pinot Noir 2020 Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2020 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Pinot Noir 2020 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2020 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 Oh! Block Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Sound of White 'Barrel Fermented' Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Starborough Pinot Gris 2021 Stoneleigh Latitude Pinot Gris 2021 Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc 2021 te Pā Chardonnay 2020 te Pā Oke Sauvignon Blanc 2019 The Good Grape Sauvignon Blanc 2021 The King's Wrath Pinot Noir 2019 Tohu Rewa Méthode Traditionnelle Blancs de Blancs 2015 Two Rivers Altitude Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Wairau River Estate Gewürztraminer 2021 Wairau River Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Wairau River Estate Summer Riesling 2021 Wairau River Reserve Chardonnay 2020 Wairau River Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2021 Wairau River Reserve Syrah 2020
Our vision
is that Marlborough will be the world’s greatest wine region
Our strategy
is to Educate | Grow | Protect | Celebrate From Left: Joanna May, Marcus Pickens, Sarah Linklater, Loren Coffey and Nicci Armour. Photo by Jim Tannock
General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 or 021 831 820 marcus@winemarlborough.nz
Grape Grower Directors:
Wine Company Directors:
Anna Laugesen anna.laugesen@xtra.co.nz
Beth Forrest (Chair) beth@forrest.co.nz
Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz
Kirsty Harkness kirsty@mountbase.co.nz
Damien Yvon damien@closhenri.com
Tracy Johnston (Deputy Chair) tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz
Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net
Michiel Eradus michiel@eraduswines.co.nz
James Macdonald james@hunters.co.nz
Nigel Sowman nigel@dogpoint.co.nz
Jamie Marfell jamie.marfell@pernod-ricard.com
Retiring Directors:
Designed by:
Ben Ensor ( Treasurer )
Blenheim Print Ltd 03 578 1322
Marketing and Communications: Sarah Linklater 021 704 733 sarah@winemarlborough.nz Events Manager: Loren Coffey 027 742 050 loren@winemarlborough.nz Advocacy Manager: Nicci Armour 027 534 1084 advocacy@winemarlborough.nz Finance Administrator: Joanna May 021 318 880 accounts@winemarlborough.nz
Callum Linklater Nick Entwistle Tom Trolove (Chair)
The Marlborough Winegrowers Association (MWG) was established over 40 years ago by elected members of the industry. Wine Marlborough Ltd is 100% owned by MWG and is governed by the MWG board of directors.