Winepress - July 2014

Issue No. 238 / July 2014

Pinot Phenolics

Moving to WiSE

Vintage 2014

Sexual Powdery

Photo: Jim Tannock

The Official Magazine of

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In this issue...

Regulars

Features

3 4

8

Vintage Records

It was the largest vintage ever

7

Editorial Tasman Crop Met Report

and in being so, a number of records were broken, in terms of variety and yields. Philip Gregan

From the Board Simon Clark

25 NZW Export News 26 Wine Unwound 27 Wine Happenings From Home and 28 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

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.

explains.

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p16

Powdery Mildew Update It is confirmed that New Zealand now has the sexual stage of powdery mildew present, which means fungicide resistance will be an issue moving forward.

We also look closely at why the powdery mildew outbreaks this year seemed so severe.

18

Arneis in Marlborough

Continuing our series on unusual

p21

varieties making a stand in Marlborough, this month we look at the Italian grape Arneis, with John Forrest.

21

Manipulating Pinot Noir Phenolics Pinot Noir is one of the most fickle grapes to grow and equally as hard to handle in the winery.

Tasmanian researcher Bob Dambergs, has come up with a simple method that may help control those tricky phenolics.

p22

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From the Editor

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

One of the great things about the wine industry, is every year is different. Every vintage is different, and every season throws up highs and lows. Viticulture is after all, just

Editor:

farming, which means we are at the mercy of elements beyond our control.

Tessa Nicholson

But as each year tosses growers another hurdle to overcome, whether that be high

16 Bank Street

yields, or outbreaks of powdery mildew, the scientists working within the wine industry

Blenheim

are coming up with solutions.

T: 021 709 571 E: tessa.nicholson@me.com

At this year’s NZ Winegrower Grape Days some of those hurdles were covered. The high yields scenario led directly to opportunities to put mechanical thinning into practice. Most of you are well aware of how well this process is working to manipulate

If you wish to make contact with any

crops as well as manage botrytis levels. But what about the fruit once it reaches the

member of the Wine Marlborough

winery? Jim White (Cloudy Bay viticulturist) and Pete Jackson (Endeavour Vineyard’s

Board, the following are their email addresses.

Clive Jones: 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

winemaker) highlight the differences they found in fruit from mechanically thinned blocks versus fruit from blocks that were hand thinned.

Powdery mildew was been a nightmare for some growers this past season. There has even been talk that some form of resistance may have emerged. However science shows that the way DMIs are being used may have led directly to the increase in powdery outbreaks. Lots to learn from Trevor Lupton’s research.

Plus now that the sexual stage of powdery has been confirmed as being in New Zealand, we cover what you need to do to prevent any form of fungicide resistance in the future.

Ask any winemaker what is the most difficult variety to make, in terms of creating the perfect wine – and most would say Pinot Noir. A Tasmanian researcher explains that is due to the stability and levels of phenolics within the grapes. But, Dr Bob Dambergs has a solution that may help to mitigate some of those problems.

Plus we look at the introduction of WiSE (Wine Industry Sustainability Engine). Why is it so different, and what does it mean to you as a winery or grower filling out your scorecard? One of those involved in trialling the new system, shares his views.

Yes, every year is different, but hopefully the information we bring you this month will help you avoid some of the issues arising in 2014, next season.

Laurin Gane: laurin.gane@xtra.co.nz Simon Clark: simon@clarkestate.com Simon Bishell:

TESSA NICHOLSON tessa.nicholson@me.com

simonbishell@outlook.com

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Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – June 2014

June 2014

June 2014 compared to LTA

June LTA

Period of LTA

June 2013

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

37.7 52.7

200% 160%

18.8 33.0

(1996-2013) (1996-2013)

24.3 30.2

Growing Degree Days Total July 13 to June 14-Max/Min¹ July 13 to June 14 – Mean²

1523.3 1570.7

110% 109%

1384.9 1445.0

15.5 6.1 10.8

+1.8°C +2.7°C +2.2°C

13.7 3.4 8.6

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

13.1 4.7 8.9

Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C)

2

10.5 less

12.5

(1986-2013)

11

Air Frosts

0

5.6 less

(1986-2013)

3

Mean Maximum (°C) Mean Minimum (°C) Mean Temp (°C) (<0.0°C)

5.6

(1996-2013) 1423.7 (1996-2013) 1450.2

Sunshine hours 133.4 88% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2014 1191.6 98%

151.1 91.8 205.2 1214.8

(1930-2013) 111.2 1981 1959 (1930-2013) 1274.1

Rainfall (mm) 98.3 165% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2014 387.9 124%

59.6 8.0 154.9 311.6

(1930-2013) 1974 1943 (1930-2013)

Evapotranspiration – mm

42.3

132%

32.0

(1996-2013)

29.1

Avg. Daily Windrun (km)

209

92%

226.5

(1996-2013)

159.3

Mean soil temp – 10cm

8.1

+2.4°C

5.7

(1986-2013)

6.9

Mean soil temp – 30cm

10.1

+2.1°C

8.0

(1986-2013)

9.4

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures June 2014 was very warm (2nd warmest on record). Ground and air frosts were the lowest on record. Rainfall was well above average and sunshine was well below average.

Temperature The mean temperature in Blenheim for June of 10.8°C was 2.2°C above the long-term average (LTA) of 8.6°C (19862012). Table 1 indicates that the mean maximum was 1.8°C above average and the mean minimum 2.7°C above average.

June 2014 is now the second warmest June on record for Blenheim for the 83 years 1932-2014. The warmest on record was June 2003 with a mean of 10.9°C. It is also interesting to note that of the ten warmest June mean temperatures on record for Blenheim, for the 83 year

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114.6 411.1

a warming trend for Blenheim, with this trend strongest in the winter. June shows the most marked increase in temperature in Blenheim. The red temperature trend line in Figure 1 indicates that June has warmed by 2.14°C between 1932 and 2014.

Frosts June 2014 recorded two ground frosts and no air frosts; (in contrast with 11 and three in June 2013). The coldest ground frost was -1.6°C recorded on the 1st June. June 2014 recorded the least number of ground frosts for the 83 years 1932-2014 (Figure 2). The previous lowest total was in 2002, which recorded four ground frosts. The trend line in Figure 2 indicates that in the early 1930s that Blenheim experienced approximately 21 ground frosts in June, whereas over the intervening eight decades that number has halved to approximately 10.

June 2014 recorded no air frosts. The only other year (1932-2014) to have recorded no air frosts was 1985.

period 1932-2014, six of those ten years Rainfall have occurred in the last 15 years, June 2014 rainfall of 93.8 mm was well between 2001 and 2014. above average. Total rain for the 12 On a number of occasions in Met Report month’s July 2013 to June 2014 was I have presented graphs of monthly winter temperatures for Blenheim. Last Figure 1: Mean air temperature in Blenheim for June (83 month’s Met Report years 1932-2014) and the trend in temperature showed the graph for May. Figure 1 displays the mean air temperatures for June from 1932 to 2014. As mentioned, 2003 and 2014 stand out above the other years. It is the six months May to October that are showing

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Figure 2: Ground frosts for June recorded in Blenheim (1932-2014) and the trend in number of ground frosts

672.4 mm, or 104% of the long-term average of 647 mm. Figure 3 indicates that rainfall for each of the seven months December 2013 until June 2014 has varied markedly from average. Rainfall has been oscillating between low one month and high the next.

Long-term average monthly rainfall totals for Blenheim are in a fairly narrow band between a low of 45 mm for February and a high of 66 mm for July; i.e. there is little variation in average monthly rainfall throughout the year in Blenheim.

However, as I have pointed out in the past, the variation from the average for any particular month can be very large, as indicated in Figure 3. June has an average rainfall of 59.6 mm. For the 85 years 1930-2014 the June rainfall total has been either 50% below average (less than 29.8 mm) or 50% above average (greater than 89.4 mm) in 37 of those 85 years.

Sunshine June 2014 recorded 133.4 hours sunshine, or 88% of the long-term average of 151.1 hours. Total sunshine for the twelve months July 2013 to June 2014 was 2366 hours, 88.7 hours less than the long-term average of 2454.7 hours (96.4%).

Wind Average daily wind-run in Blenheim for June 2013 was 209.0 km, and average wind speed of 8.7 km/hr. The long-term average wind-run for June is 226.5 km.

The four months April to July are the calmest in Blenheim, (they have the lowest wind-run).

Figure 3: Blenheim rainfall for the 12 months July 2013 to June 2014 compared to the long-term average

Global climate summary The US’s National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently commented on the global weather for May http://www.ncdc.noaa. gov/sotc/global/2014/5 They’ve found that “The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for May 2014 was record highest for this month, at 0.74°C above the 20th century average of 14.8°C.” Current weather An article recently appeared in the New Zealand Herald which commented on the current warm weather and the possibility that we will experience a mild winter http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11267030 “WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said the (current) warmer weather could be partly because of the fact that we were within a neutral weather pattern - neither El Nino nor La Nina.

The latter brought higher humidity and warmer waters. But Mr Duncan pointed out that the country was in the same weather system that brought severe cold snaps a few years ago. Overall, the last three years we’ve seen warmer weather because of the neutral weather pattern, Mr Duncan said. But we also got cold periods which included that in 2011 when we saw snowflakes in Auckland. This [warmer weather pattern] doesn’t stop cold snaps from happening”.

according to a just-released report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). El Nino generally brings more westerly winds for us. Read more in relation to New Zealand at http:// www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article. cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11282481 . They say that “while the probability of an El Nino becoming established between October to December have risen to 75 to 80 per cent, the system is expected to be weaker than earlier predicted. In New Zealand, the ocean-driven system typically brings cooler, wetter conditions, bringing higher rainfall to regions that are normally wet, and often drought to areas that are usually dry”.

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research – Marlborough Research Centre

Climate outlook for the next few months The chances of an El Niño in the coming summer are looking more likely,

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From The Board SIMON CLARK

The Changing Face of Marlborough As the dust settles over Marlborough after the 2014 harvest, pruning is now well under way and the first of the new wines are being readied for bottling. Attention can now be focused on the emergence of a new season and new opportunities.

However, for some this vintage may be their last. What started out as a dream, growing grapes in Marlborough and watching them ripen with glass in hand, has turned into a struggle. For others, it is simply the end of one thing and the start of something new.

The landscape of Marlborough is changing every day. Ten years ago, before the massive influx of investors and large companies that came into the region to plant up big, Marlborough felt small and inclusive. Now, much of the land area is owned by the few and often directed from an overseas head office.

Economies of scale are playing their part, margins are easier to maintain and investors are happy.

But at what cost?

Is there a place for the small producer anymore? Whilst walking around The Marlborough Wine and Food Festival, the larger companies present their wines with illustrious displays and that’s great to see. People coming to the festival expect to be able to find the brands they know and love. But, so often it is the smaller companies that make the whole experience one to remember because

the punters come away having ‘found’ something special. Would the magic still be there if these boutique brands didn’t exist?

You only have to look at previous books on the Marlborough wine industry which showed a snap shot of producers at that time to see how things have changed.

Looking through the pages it can be quite common to be saying, “..gone… gone…sold….oh I remember them!...”

and to maintain or create space on the shelf, the big question is….what makes your wine different?

Unfortunately, price is one of the obvious answers. These days it’s all about how much you can SAVE when you buy a bottle of wine, or anything for that matter.

It’s hard to purchase something for the full retail price and in fact you would be silly to. There’s always a sale or price cut around the corner to help ease the pain of spending the money you don’t really have. It’s sometimes shocking to see how cheap wine is being sold for, and hard to imagine there is any profit at all in the sale.

Change, as we all know is guaranteed. However, the one thing that won’t change is who we are - Winegrowers of Marlborough. It is the value of this brand that needs to be preserved and we all need to be passionate about it.

As a young father, I am excited about the future of our industry and the opportunities out there in the marketplace. I’m in no doubt that the commercial landscape of Marlborough will be quite different in another 10 years but hopefully with major events such as the World Sauvignon Blanc conference coming here in 2016, we have a broad and extensive story to tell about this wonderful region that is Marlborough.

“It’s a tough place the world of wine. In a global sense some of our biggest brands would be considered boutique. There also seems to be so many new labels coming out every year and the shelves are bulging.”

Is the depth of the Marlborough wine industry being lost, or, is the message that’s being sent out to the world of a less crowded and potentially stronger base?

It’s a tough place the world of wine. In a global sense some of our biggest brands would be considered boutique. There also seems to be so many new labels coming out every year and the shelves are bulging. The gaps are non-existent

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Vintage Record TESSA NICHOLSON

It will come as no surprise that this year’s vintage was larger than any other in the history of the region. But Marlborough wasn’t the only one setting records.

Nationally 445,000 tonnes of grapes

“Clearly the grape growers were looking

due to the huge tonnages of the variety

were harvested this year, with 77

at the crop on the vines and effectively,

of the day, Muller Thurgau. Since then

percent (329,572 tonnes) coming out of

there seemed to be a record level of

yields have dropped as low as 5 tonnes

Marlborough.

intervention in the vineyards, to get those

per hectare in 2003, (following the bad

The increase over the 2013 vintage is 30

crops down to manageable levels,” he

weather associated with the Mt Pinatubo

percent, or nearly 80,000 tonnes.

said.

eruption) and rose again in 2008 to 11

Again on a national base, Sauvignon

Then followed a period of settled and

tonnes for Sauvignon Blanc. In 2014,

Blanc was by far the leading variety, (no

warm conditions during March leading to

across the board, the national average

surprise) making up nearly 75 percent of

high quality grapes.

yield was 12.4 tonnes. Which given what

the country’s total. This was not only the

“The outcome is record or near record

some predictions were for Marlborough

largest variety harvested in Marlborough,

harvests in virtually every region.”

alone earlier this year, is a clear

it was also the largest in Hawke’s Bay

For the first time ever, Central Otago,

indication of how much crop thinning was

Wairarapa, Nelson and Waipara. Only

Nelson and Waipara all produced

undertaken.

Central Otago bucked the trend, with

tonnages of more than 10,000.

Philip was quick to counter the concern

Pinot Noir that region’s largest variety.

Philip said the wine industry would have

that the country was entering another

The vintage figures were released at

to go back nearly 20 years to see a year

over supply issue, by stating the industry

last month’s NZW Grape Day, held in

as unique as this, in terms of yields.

was in a very different situation now,

Blenheim, and were announced by Philip

That year was 1995, when average

compared with six years ago.

Gregan to a fairly subdued crowd. There

yields exceeded 12 tonne across the

“It was clear wineries wanted a bigger

was very little response to the figures,

board. Much of that would probably be

harvest going into vintage 2014. There

probably because everyone knew that they were going to be much higher than last year. The question on everyone’s lips though, was how big could it have been if there hadn’t been so much effort placed on crop thinning this year?

Every single region, bar Gisborne saw an increase in tonnages this year, due Philip said to a one out of the box growing season.

A great spring, followed by warm flowering conditions, led to near perfect fruit set nationwide.

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A record vintage for all regions, with the exception of Gisborne.

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

has been good export growth in the past year and inventory levels, despite the good harvest of 2013, were low going into harvest. We know two and a half million litres of 2014 wine was exported in May, which is a record high for that time of the year, indicating a very early change over.”

Export figures (see graph) show how much growth there has been since 2009, with the line still heading upwards. For the year ending June, the total of wine exports is expected to be 190 million litres. That is almost 100 million litres more than was exported back in 2008.

Philip also commented, that the large vintage was unlike 2008, in that it wasn’t

Export figures 2009 - 2014

The Past 20 Years

based on speculative investment.

 In 1995, New Zealand harvested approximately 74,500 tonnes

“Our take is we have had a very good

 In 2005 that had increased to 142,000 tonnes

year, because we have had a very good

 In 2014, the total harvest was 445,000 tonnes

growing season. This isn’t a jump in

 In 1995 Marlborough produced 24,509 tonnes of fruit

production, fuelled by a whole lot of extra

 In 2005 Marlborough produced 81,034 tonnes

vineyards coming into production. We

 In 2014 Marlborough produced 329,572 tonnes

see this year as pretty much a one off in

 In 1995 Sauvignon Blanc was the 3rd largest variety in New Zealand, with a

our perspective. It doesn’t mean it won’t

total of 11,015 tonnes. (Muller Thurgau and Chardonnay were 1st and 2nd)

happen again but it has been a pretty

 In 2005 the Sauvignon Blanc harvest was 63,297 tonnes

special one off season.”

 In 2014 the Sauvignon Blanc harvest was 310,240 tonnes

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Powdery Mildew – The Sexual Stage RESEARCH BY PETER WOOD, STORY BY TESSA NICHOLSON

It has taken 144 years since the introduction of powdery mildew to New Zealand for the sexual stage to arrive. Now growers have a tough battle on their hands.

At the NZW Grape Days Peter Wood

quality and can go on to reduce vine

proportions, it is fatal to fruit quality.

from Plant and Food described powdery

vigour and productivity. Anyone who

Now that the sexual phase of this

mildew as “arguably the most important

suffered from it here in Marlborough

pathogen has been confirmed by Peter

fungal pathogen” in grape vines. Why?

this year, will agree. Once it affects

as being present in New Zealand,

Because it reduces grape yields and

the berries and reaches epidemic

management techniques will have to be

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carefully controlled. Especially when it comes down to use of fungicides.

What is powdery mildew?

It is a biotrophic pathogen, which means it doesn’t kill the host, unlike botrytis which will kill the berries it is growing on, Peter said. It lives on the outside of the berry and only penetrates one cell deep.

Genetically speaking there are two types of powdery mildew. Group A is an asexual type, which over winters in a dormant bud and emerges from flag shoots, spreading infection steadily.

Group B is the sexual stage, which has been discovered in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Kapiti and Marlborough during the

A close up of the sexual stage of powdery mildew on a grape. - PHOTO: PETER WOOD

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past season. This group can over winter

explained in the following extract from

form the basis of protectant/eradicant

in the bark of the vine as chasmothecia

a paper released by Margaret Tuttle

programmes. Apart from oils, these

(cleisotothecia), and doesn’t require

McGrath of Cornell University, Riverhead,

fungicides may be recommended for

a bud to survive during these months.

NY.

use alone or in mixtures or for alternating

Peter said this type is active during the

“Systemic and translaminar fungicides

with fungicides at risk of developing

entire epidemic and is a more genetically

are generally more at risk for resistance

resistance.

diverse population of powdery mildew.

development than contact fungicides

2. Single-site fungicides

Both groups thrive in low UV light, in

because they typically have specific,

(including DMIs, strobilurins and

other words as the canopy becomes

single-site modes of action, which

azonaphthalenes): These are useful for

dense, the pathogen can build up more

means they are active against only one

protecting the foliage and bunches at

rapidly. They are damaged by rain or

point in one metabolic pathway in a

any time but may have more strategic

cold conditions, but love humidity. The

pathogen. When resistance results from

value when spray coverage is harder

disease cycle continues to go round

modification of a single major gene,

to achieve – that is, from the onset of

and round, building up. It affects all

pathogens are either resistant or sensitive

flowering to pre-bunch closure. Note: It is

green parts of the vine, including shoots,

to the pesticide and disruptive selection

important that applications are managed

leaves and berries. If measures are taken

occurs. Resistance in this case is seen

to reduce resistance. Meaning you

in the early part of the season, it can

as complete loss of disease control that

should restrict the number of applications

be controlled. But this requires regular

cannot be regained by using higher rates

of these products per season, use in

spraying at timely intervals.

or more frequent fungicide applications.”

mixtures or alternate with other produces

The crop is very susceptible preflowering

What you use, when you use it, how often

and do not use when attempting to

to five weeks after capfall, a period when

and how well applied, will become the

control high levels of disease.

the canopy has covered the fruit zone.

most important decisions for growers

For a full copy of this fact sheet, visit the

The spray programme should begin when

trying to control powdery mildew in the

NZW members website

shoots hit the 5cm mark and the interval

future. If resistance occurs, they will lose

between sprays should be every 10 – 14

one of the most important weapons in

days, with emphasis on shorter intervals

their arsenal.

when the crop is susceptible.

NZW have released a Powdery Mildew fact sheet, which provides in-depth

Fungicide resistance This is the greatest issue facing growers now that the sexual stage of powdery mildew is present. The reason why is

information on how to manage this pathogen. One of the key points, is the description of the two broad groups of fungicides which can be used for control, and how best to use them.

1. Multi-site fungicides (including sulphur, oils, bicarbonates and fatty acids): These feature multiple modes of action and are not at risk of resistance development. They

Powdery mildew - PHOTO: PETER WOOD

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Increased Resistance?

Trevor Lupton, from Lewis Wright Valuation and Consultancy in Gisborne, says his first thought when he heard of bad cases of powdery occurring this year, was growers weren’t getting good spray coverage. But on further investigation, he realised that maybe there was something else going on. At the recent NZW Grape Days, Trevor explained how he had researched the spray diaries of a number of Gisborne growers to discover just what controls were being used and how often.

“I took two examples, one that had a good outcome and one that had a bad outcome. Both used the same spray unit, they had the same variety, same training system and were in a similar location. I wanted to break down the spray diaries to three parts. I wanted to know what

HML 32 Armour plate for grapes

went on from bud burst to pre flowering, but in particular I wanted to know what went on from flowering to bunch closure.”

Lupton said when he looked at more spray diaries of growers who had a bad outcome, a trend began to emerge.

“The blocks with good outcomes tended to use none or just one DMI in that crucial pre flowering to pre bunch closure period.

Blocks that had a poor outcome, tended to use one or two DMIs in the same period.”

While Trevor was investigating in Gisborne, a research trial was being undertaken in Hawke’s Bay. This Grochem trial began their spray programme after pre flowering. Treatments included an untreated control, three different DMIs and a further treatment using Quinoxyfen. The results showed dramatic differences in the level of powdery infection in the bunches at harvest.

“The untreated sat at 20 percent,” Trevor said. “The three different DMIs ranged from about five through to seven and up to 10 percent. The Quinoxyfen was sitting at 1.8 percent.

Historically I would have expected the DMIs to have been at least as good as the Quinoxyfen, but they weren’t.”

He believes that may be due to the way it has been used, or at least how often it has been used in a particular season.

“If you read the label it says you should only apply a maximum of two DMIs on their own, a maximum of four with two in the mix and not to use as an eradicant. But what has been the standard practice in this industry when we have powdery mildew outbreaks is we apply two DMIs back to back, seven to 10 days apart.

“So it’s not the DMIs themselves, it’s the way we have been using them.”

Within his Gisborne survey of growers, he discovered a small group who had a tough time with powdery in 2013, but this year had a good outcome. The common denominator among these three was they moved from using three to four DMIs during the season in 2013, to using only one or none at all this year.

His advice to growers for the future, is to limit the use of DMIs on their own to two per season, and no more than four when mixed with a multi fungicide. They should only be applied when disease levels are low, and not once an outbreak has occurred.

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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13

The WiSE Move TESSA NICHOLSON

After months of planning and trials, WiSE (Wine Industry Sustainability Engine) has been introduced to New Zealand wineries and grape-growers.

The new sustainability scorecard and reporting tool is a direct response to feedback from industry members regarding the difficulty of the previous software. It is more streamlined, easier to operate and removes the need to answer a plethora of questions that have little relevance.

Philip Manson, GM of Sustainability for NZWinegrowers says the new system has a number of positive features that will make it easier for growers and wineries.

From a simple log on facility, through to the ability to answer only compulsory questions, the flexibility of WiSE will cut down the time needed to fill out the scorecard.

“The compulsory questions are the ones you need to answer to be able to meet the base line agreed internationally for the sustainable production of grapes and wine. The voluntary questions are everything else. These answers give you the information around benchmarking, so the amount of water you use, energy and those sorts of things are voluntary. If you value the information coming back from those, then fill the questions in. The choice is yours.”

No longer will you be faced with a number of questions that are totally irrelevant to your practices. For example, when the irrigation questions comes up, if you answer that you don’t use irrigation, there will be no more questions based on this topic.

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While initially each scorecard will have to be filled out, especially if you are responsible for one or more vineyards, WiSE has the ability to pre populate those answers for next year. And many of the answers given this year, will be able to be copied over next year, saving large tracts of time.

Other components of WiSE that will add benefits include the ability to attach electronic files required for the audit process.

“Usually the time when you are filling out the scorecard is when you have all the information in one place,” Philip says.

“WiSE has the ability, as long as those files are electronic, for you to attach them to the scorecard in the appropriate place.

Then if you need those documents for an audit process, they are at hand. Any documents attached to your scorecard will be backed up in a secure place.”

There is also a task management ability, which while only in the manual phase at the moment, will become automated in the next few months.

“This will allow you to record things that need to be done and assign them to people with a time frame. WiSE will give you reminders. The auditors will also be able to input into task manager.”

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Having all the information in one place, should make the audit process a lot less stressful Philip says. Especially given the auditor will be using the same system and have access to your information.

“This software has been tested internationally. We then put it through a pilot programme and tested it with grape growers and winemakers. We are pretty confident that in the first stages you will find it easier to use and it will continue to develop over time.”

The Practical Perspective Richard Hunter is the vineyard manager for Highfield Estate, and is responsible for 85 hectares of vineyard here in Marlborough.

He was one of a number of people asked to take part in the pilot programme. So how did he find the new software?

“This is not my favourite job, having to do an audit or scorecard. I would rather be pruning,” he told a large crowd at the launch of WiSE. “But it is required by the markets out there. The traceability and

compliance we have to do, compared with what we could have to do, is straight forward and pretty good. This is definitely a lot better than the previous software.”

In terms of answering the questions, Richard said he liked the fact that you have the choice of answering everything, or just the compulsory questions. In the trial, he decided to answer everything.

“I counted them up at the end and there was something like 70 questions in all which were relevant to what we do. Just over 40 of those were compulsory. Not everyone will fill the same amount of compulsory questions, because not all will be relevant to what they do. What I really like is if you don’t want to do all the bells and whistles, you don’t have to. And

it’s not going to take you a huge amount of time if you don’t want to.”

Richard says he worked his way through each questionnaire, in order, from one to 12.

“After completing each questionnaire, I clicked on save and then went on to the next questionnaire. I went through it all like that. At the end I went through them all again. That is when I clicked submit all and saved it.”

One of the features he liked most, was the ability to bring up information, just by clicking on the attachment above each question. While this info is available on Sustainable Winegrowing’s website, Richard says having it at your finger tips was extremely useful.

While admitting it was much better than previous software, he believes he will gain even more benefit when it comes to next year.

“It was easy to do and easy to navigate around and certainly quicker. But I think next year when there is more information already stored, it will be even better.”

The notification of pass and fail information is being automated, and Status Letters will be available on line, allowing the grower or winery to access, print or email when necessary.

Scorecards via WiSE are due by July 31.

Pass/fail results will be sent out in August and the status letters will be available for Members to download in September.

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Mechanical Thinning – Practical Perspective TESSA NICHOLSON

Following the take up of mechanical thinning in Marlborough this year, a winemaker and viticulturist gave their perspective at this year’s NZW Grape Days.

The impact on yields, canopy, and botrytis from mechanical thinning were well covered in the April issue of Winepress. But while that covered the science, what of the practical implications? At this year’s Grape Days Cloudy Bay’s viticulturist Jim White and Endeavour Vineyard’s winemaker Peter Jackson gave their views. Both companies are premium producers, so all trials were considered very carefully before being implemented. Jim said with the reality of big yields, Cloudy Bay had already undertaken cane removal and shoot thinning.

“But it was too good an opportunity not to do some mechanical thinning.”

The block used was a 10.5 ha Sauvignon

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Blanc vineyard in Rapaura. One third was mechanically thinned, the other two thirds were hand thinned.

“Why didn’t we just hand thin? Well one, it was expensive, but also we wanted to investigate some of the benefits we have heard about with botrytis control and berry size reduction, and see what those impacts were going to be on the wine,” Jim said.

Initially they were concerned at the number of hard green berries that were noticeable at the top cordon.

“We were worried three weeks out that they weren’t going to ripen and they were going to carry a whole lot of greens into the wines and the wine would suffer for it.”

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

However at the time of harvest, and once the wine was made, those green berries showed little overall influence.

Jim and Peter say the fruit from the mechanically thinned plot was different to the hand thinned fruit.

“The berries had a turgidity and a thickness to the skins and I explain it as the pulp exploding out of the berry into your mouth. The flavours were super fresh compared with the hand thinned berries where the skins were softer, thinner and almost fell apart in the mouth,” Jim said.

Peter said there were no obvious differences analytically in terms of pH, TA or brix.

“However for me the perception was

that the acid in the mechanically thinned fruit was certainly brighter and more integrated. In terms of the hand thinned fruit, in the later stages when we did start to see the turgidity starting to go, I feel the flavour and acid didn’t marry too well and was a little bit all over the place.

However the mechanically thinned fruit maintained those nice, fresh flavours.”

Peter said the one thing that surprised him, was the lack of difference in extraction between the hand thinned and mechanically thinned. He expected given the skin thickness of the mechanically thinned along with the smaller berry size, juice extraction would be compromised.

However it wasn’t.

In terms of the resulting wines, he said he felt the hand thinned fruit had more thiol expression.

“The mechanically thinned wine certainly had plenty of aromatics there, but it is more restrained thiol wise at this early stage.

“With the palate, the mechanically thinned wine had a lovely density and evenness throughout. The hand thinned wine had a very similar profile, but texturally a few more humps and hollows.

Not that precision and not that density.

“At this early stage in their life, I would say the mechanically thinned are a little bit shy aromatically on the nose. There are plenty of aromatics there, I think they

Machine thinning reduces the number and size of bunches, with the berries tending to be thicker skinned and smaller. are jostling at the door waiting to come out, but at the moment they are sleeping.

To my thinking, that is not a bad thing as I would rather they were emerging in six to nine months.”

Both men have been pleasantly surprised by the results this year, and both believe the ability to control yields and botrytis at the same time is a great tool to have.

Especially when it doesn’t impact on the quality of the resulting wines. Jim is now keen to undertake trials on premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

“We know it creates smaller berries and more open bunches. I am keen to know if we can take clonal blocks that are particularly high yielding or have more

berries per bunch such as (Pinot Noir) Able or 10/5 and make a difference. We do spur prune to try and keep yields down, but would mechanical thinning on these premium blocks work?”

He wonders if this would be a better option than having to saignée in the winery.

“What we would be doing is creating higher juice to skin ratio berries out in the vineyard, which potentially has more extract potential and more wine quality potential. I want to run a lot more trials next year and see if we can use some of these physiological changes in the fruit and hopefully get some good quality wine at the end of it.”

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Arneis in Marlborough TESSA NICHOLSON

Currently there are 4.5 hectares of Arneis growing in Marlborough – which ensures this variety falls very much into the “alternative” category for winemakers.

Master of Wine Perspective with Emma

examples). Fortunately, a renaissance in

adds body and texture. It is best drunk

Jenkins MW

Piedmontese whites saw vine numbers

within a year or so of vintage.

Another Italian native finding a happy

increase and there are now around

First planted in the Clevedon Hills in

home in the Antipodes, Arneis has been

700 hectares in Italy, nearly all in the

1998, interest from producers of all

grown for centuries in Piedmont with

Roero and Langhe DOCs, as well as

shapes and sizes means New Zealand

the most distinctive wines originating in

international plantings in California and

currently sports around 35 hectares

the Roero hillsides northwest of Alba.

Oregon, Australia (mainly Victoria) and

of productive vines, predominantly in

Traditionally, Arneis was used in the

New Zealand.

Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne and Marlborough.

flagship Barolo DOCG to soften the

Regarded as somewhat challenging

Our cool climate and marked diurnal

fierce tannins of Nebbiolo (hence its

to grow with its low acidity, propensity

variation help to preserve acidity and

synonym, Nebbiolo Bianco) and the two

for over ripeness and susceptibility

showcase Arneis’ varietal character,

varieties were often planted as a field

to powdery mildew, it’s perhaps no

suggesting good potential for this

blend, with the bonus of Arneis’ heady,

surprise Arneis’ name means ‘little

particular rascal.

sweet scent attracting birds away from

rascal’ (obviously a tempting moniker

the more valuable Nebbiolo bunches.

for producers). Better understanding

However, the fashion for 100% Nebbiolo

of the variety and clonal improvements

Barolo saw Arneis plantings decline to

have helped, as has discovery that

the brink of extinction - by the 1970s,

chalky sandy soils (such as Roero’s) help

only two producers were making varietal

provide more acidity and structure while

Arneis wines (one of whom, Bruno

vines planted in sandy clay soil result in

Giacosa, still produces amongst the best

more exotically aromatic fruit.

Generally dry, fullish-bodied and subtly scented, classic Arneis characteristics are ripe pears, apricot and almonds. Wines are occasionally fermented and/or aged in (old) oak, which typically mutes aromatics but

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Viticulture John Forrest is one who has a small plot dedicated to this Italian grape. He says his interest came from trips to Europe, where he liked the wine, its aromatics particularly.

Forrest Estate’s original plantings of Arneis were six years ago, with 1hectare in the mid valley in the Wairau. More recently he has planted another small block in the Brancott Valley.

“It seems to grow quite happily on the light sandy soils in the Wairau and in the Brancott.”

While crops have yet to be harvested from the Brancott, Forrest says the yields from the Wairau indicate it will be a moderate cropper, on the two canes they have pruned to.

“It is not nearly as vigorous as Sauvignon

Blanc and Gruner Veltliner. Thus far we have cropped it around 7 – 8 tonnes per hectare, that is where it seems to want to sit naturally. It doesn’t require much shoot or crop thinning. It is what I call a medium upright canopy, more so than Pinot Noir but quite similar to Chardonnay in terms of vigour, crop level and canopy.”

He describes it as a mid-early ripening variety, certainly not late.

“It seems to be physiologically in terms of taste, quite modest in sugars, 21 or 22 (brix). It carries quite a gentle acidity, so it is a nice relief from the assault of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. More like a Pinot Gris in terms of its acid profile, which means it has a pH of 3 or 4 and just over 7grms of acid.”

Winemaking Forrest says Arneis is not a fiddly wine to make and requires very little intervention.

It doesn’t seem to suit oak as it is aromatically delicate. The acid is low and it doesn’t require malo or oak, it just wants a clean stainless steel ferment. We use one of our best Pinot Gris yeasts to enhance the texture a bit, give it a light lees contact and stirring for two to three months and then bottle it in October or November.

“I would describe it like Pinot Gris. We don’t need to de-acidify as it is already low in acid.”

In terms of matching this wine, Forrest says he enjoys it as an after five drink, which doesn’t require food to bring out the flavours, and it also doesn’t need to be excessively cold.

“It is a very pleasant medium bodied, softer aromatic white. Sort of like a Pinot Gris without the sweetness. It doesn’t appear to suit sugar, it wants to be dry. In fact it seems to be balanced at

Arneis

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lower residual sugar.”

In its home country, Arneis is often referred to as “the little rascal” due to some difficulties in terms of growing. Forrest says that is not the case in Marlborough.

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“I don’t see anything difficult about it. It seems to be no more than medium vigour, crop levels are pretty reliable, not excessive. I would rate it as a good match for Marlborough. I don’t think it needs to be in any warmer climate, because you

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wouldn’t be able to keep enough acid in it.”

So if it is a good match for this region, should there be more planted than the current 4.5 hectares?

“I can’t say to anyone, plant it because there is a ready market for it. Because there’s not. I haven’t as yet managed to get it into Italian restaurants, where I felt we might get some traction.

People are very reticent to try new varieties, it has to be said.”

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

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Manipulating Pinot Noir Phenolics TESSA NICHOLSON

Pinot Noir is a fickle grape and even more fickle in the winery. But research from Australia may have just made the winemaking task a little easier.

All great red wines, Pinot Noir included, require the right balance of tannins for mouth feel, and anthocyanins for colour.

Unfortunately for Pinot though, both these phenolics are unusual in terms of their stability and levels, says Dr Bob Dambergs, a Research Associate at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.

“Pinot Noir is different to other varieties.

Although the grapes seem to have a high tannin concentration, it is mostly seed tannin, as the skin to seed tannin ratio is low”, Bob says.

Adding to that Pinot Noir is also low in anthocyanins and these in turn are also quite unstable, which can lead to colour degradation in the resulting wines.

“Even though anthocyanins are the colour in the grape, they are not the final colour in the wine. They have to react with the tannins to produce large pigmented compounds.”

Given the problems, Bob’s research was looking for ways of manipulating both phenolics, once the fruit hits the winery.

There are a number of tried and tested methods of winemaking when it comes to Pinot. Cold maceration is one, as is running some juice off the skins immediately. Some winemakers prefer to perform extended maceration where the skins are left in for an extended period after ferment, others prefer to add stems to the ferment or to perform whole bunch ferments.

“We have benchmarked a lot of these techniques, but then we tried some unusual methods to enhance tannin extraction and not necessarily colour extraction but colour stabilisation. One method is really simple to perform “Winemakers are used to running juice off as soon as they crush, a method known as saignée, which is French for bleeding.

So you bleed some of the juice off, which allows more skin concentration.”

What Bob and his team found though, was if that juice was stored cold and placed back into the tank near the end of ferment, the end result was more tannin in the final wine.

“The yeast has a lot to do with these extraction processes,” Bob says. “Some of the metabolites the yeast produce also cause these reactions, but these metabolites are only produced from actively fermenting yeast. Near the end of ferment, when the yeast metabolism is slowing down, the concentrations of these metabolites fall off. But if you bleed some juice off early and feed it back

near the end of the ferment, it actually helps keep them kicking along a bit more and enhances the tannin extraction.”So simple, yet obviously so effective.

“We have also worked on methods to enhance skin tannin extraction over seed tannin and to allow extraction before fermentation, so that the wines can then be fermented at cooler temperatures, to assist in retaining volatile aromas”, Bob says.

“The ramification of this research is that it will give winemakers better control over wine style”.

He believes more winemakers should be testing their tannin levels, than are currently, given this is such an important aspect of the final wine. For example, when testing tannin levels in a range of Burgundies, Bob found their average level was at 2.4 grams of tannin per litre of wine. Whereas the average in Tasmania was 1.2, with some wine’s levels being as low as 0.3. New Zealand Pinot Noir tannins levels are in a similar range to Tasmanian.

“Some of the best wines in the world are made from Pinot Noir in Burgundy.

They are difficult wines to make, but winemakers love the challenge and love the wines .”

This research may help those winemakers to get closer to achieving the goal of producing the perfect Pinot.

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Memories Of Great Taste ANNABELLE LATZ

There is no such thing as bad wine, just bad company. Margaret River based winemaker, educator and writer Mike Gadd swears by this theory.

From the bottle of champagne at

and green for his country in Le Crosse,

Veuve Clicquot in France shared with

as under 19 Australian All Stars captain.

winemaking friends, to a cask of cheap

In his supposedly wiser years, he and his

plonk shared with his mates out the boot

mates have graced the national downhill

of the car after a mountain biking trip, it

mountain biking circuit, and although

is the wonderful company of friends that

Mike says it was all about a good fun

makes each wine bottle memorable and

boys’ trip away, he always winds up in a

special, not what is being poured.

top 10 finish in the Masters Grade.

“If you want to appreciate wine, the trick

This is not his first harvest in

question is to look for the things you

Marlborough, as he was here back in

like, not what you don’t like, said Mike,

1996 at Hunter’s Wines.

who believes the enjoyment factor is the

He said there is no hiding the fact that

bottom line for winemaking and wine

the Marlborough wine story has spread

drinking.

across the globe since then, and it is

Having been part of this year’s harvest

important for our industry to keep in mind

crew at New Zealand Wineries in

exactly what conversation it wants to

Riverlands, he says the highlight was the

share.

really good people he worked with.

“The world is buying Marlborough

“The other winemakers allowed me the

Sauvignon Blanc, and lots of it…so

freedom to help them out. That was the

there is a need to be careful about what

cool part.”

conversation Marlborough wants to have

Born in Adelaide, it was both the surf

with the world about its wine and the

and the wine industry that lured Mike to

region.”

Margaret River in 1990. After completing

Being able to successfully produce

a double degree in Mathematics and

awesome wine at the super-premium

Physics, followed by a year off for

end, and also a lot of bulk wine, can be

surfing and working as a cellar hand,

a double edged sword when it comes to

then studying a Post Graduate in his

communicating your region, he believes.

winemaking course at Roseworthy

“In Marlborough’s case, to me that’s not

Agricultural College in South Australia,

exactly clear at the moment and there is

he figured Margaret River was the place

a muddying of the waters about what the

to be.

region really stands for in the eyes of the

As a youngster Mike donned the gold

consumer, especially in Australia. There

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

is a good conversation to be had about

Wine Journalism for Western Australia’s

especially his use of analogies. For

Marlborough as an overall region, and

Wine Press Club in 2012.

example he compared a young Hunter

the beauties of its sub-regional diversity.

“The end point of the product isn’t on a

Valley Semillon to The Gimp from Pulp

It just needs to get out there a bit more.”

tasting bench or a judge’s table, it’s in

Fiction – “it needs to be kept in a dark

Beginning his winemaking career at

front of people sitting around with friends

cellar for 20 years while it develops

Cullen in Margaret River, and later

having a drink and enjoying themselves.

personality.”

returning, Mike continued onto Cape

If people are doing that with your wine,

On his return from Europe, it was integrity

Mentelle, during which time he completed

you (winemakers) will make money. If

and vision that took Mike on a business

a four month stint at the champagne

people aren’t doing that with your wine,

venture in Margaret River with the wine

house at Veuve Clicquot in France. In

you will go broke. It’s that simple. If you

bar Wino’s, regarded as one of the best

1994 he expanded his horizons by taking

think its final purpose is something else,

in Australia.

on vintage contracts and consultancies in

then to my mind, you are mistaken.”

“It was the only place on the main street

the eastern part of Europe.

Mike has lectured in winemaking at the

(in Margaret River) with a grape vine

After contract wine making in Hungary

local college in Margaret River since the

growing out the front,” said Mike, who

he moved to Austria for three vintages

encourages small towns to embrace

as a winemaking consultant in

and shout their story of winemaking

the red wine producing region of Mittelbürgenland.

He fondly remembers helping a struggling family business make a wine they were proud of, and despite some pretty average grapes, they turned them into something fresh and fruity which changed the course of the winery and its wines.

“I was genuinely shocked at how good the wines turned out…It took a lot of intuition and creative effort to forge something enjoyable from a pretty low base to start with. It changed their business and their lives, so for

“The end point of the product isn’t on a tasting bench or a judge’s table, it’s in front of people sitting around with friends having a drink and enjoying themselves.”

regional success.

In the Margaret River the tonnages are naturally quite low and so, it is all about premium and boutique wineries.

Although the region only represents between three and five percent of Australia’s wine production, it accounts for about over thirty percent of the country’s premium wine sales.

“You can grow world class Chardonnay and Cabernet in the same vineyard, and that’s pretty unique in the world.”

It is now time for a new project for Mike, who has his sights set on a trails hub in Margaret River involving a café, bike store and lodge on the

me I rate that winemaking experience

banks of Margaret River, that the Local

highly,” said Mike.

The most memorable wine he has made

late 1990’s, and takes wine appreciation

Government has given him and his mate

was a Trokenbeerenauslese, which took

classes, which he said are not about

to manage.

him two vintages to finish fermentation.

teaching aromas and flavours, but

“It’s a little more philanthropic than a

“In the end it was a sexy sweet thing that

teaching people the confidence to use

business… As far as my winemaking

had so many layers of complexity, it was

their own experiences to talk about wine,

goes, who knows where that will end up.

mind boggling.”

and simply enjoy it.

As long as I’m presented with a vision

Sharing his winemaking experiences,

“After all, it’s called wine appreciation and

that I can believe in, and good people to

and showing people how to enjoy wine is

not wine whinging/complaining/criticism

work with, then I’ll keep helping people

something Mike is passionate about, so

for a reason”

achieve that vision.”

it was a natural step that he “fell” into the

His regular wine columns in the local

path of wine journalism and education,

Margaret River newspaper have

which earned him the Contribution to

kept readers delightfully entertained,

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23

Tyntesfield Road Vineyard

220 Ballochdale Road Marlborough

76 Tyntesfield Road, Waihopai Valley This 43 hectare holding with a 37.8 hectare planted vineyard canopy area. Developed in 20052006 for the production of both Sauvignon Blanc 34 hectares and Pinot Gris 3.8 hectares.

The vineyard is currently producing in excess of 820 tonnes. All production is supplied to a Marlborough based winemaker and can be sold with or without a grape supply agreement.

Additional improvements include, two Amarillo frost protection wind machines, pump shed, 18.4m² staff facility building, three bay open implement shed and irrigation system supplying the vineyard from the Waihopai Irrigation Group (WIG) scheme – 10 WIG shares plus resource consent from Omaka well.

For Sale By Negotiation www.bayleys.co.nz/4130033

John Hoare

M 027 420 4202 B 03 578 7700 E john.hoare@bayleys.co.nz

For further information contact the vendors agent.

BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Waihopai Valley Vineyard

Marlborough

781 Waihopai Valley Road, Waihopai Valley Land Area 36.26 hectares with approx 23 hectare planted vineyard canopy area. Developed in 2005 for the production of Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyard is currently producing in excess of 500 tonnes. All production is supplied to a Marlborough based wine maker and can be sold with or without a grape supply agreement. There is approx. an additional 6 - 7 hectares of plantable land to be developed if required. Additional improvements include one Amarillo frost protection wind machine and an irrigation system supplying the vineyard from the Waihopai Irrigation Group (20 WIG shares).

For further information contact the vendors agent.

For Sale By Negotiation www.bayleys.co.nz/4130034

John Hoare

M 027 420 4202 B 03 578 7700 E john.hoare@bayleys.co.nz

BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

www.bayleysmarlborough.co.nz

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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

New Zealand Wine Export Report April 2014 Key Points • MAT March 2014 export value is $1.317 billion, up 9% on the previous year.

• MAT April 2014 exports are 186.7 m. litres, up 9% on the previous year; packaged exports are +8% for the period and other exports are up 11%.

• Average value MAT March 2014 is $7.09 per litre up 1% on the previous year; packaged export value is $8.33 per litre down 1% on the previous year.

Total Export Volume & Value • MAT March 2014 total value of exports is $1.317 billion, up 9% on the previous year.

• YTDMarch 2014 total value of exports is $1.037 billion, up 11% on the previous year.

• Total value of March 2014 exports was $127.3 m. up 31% on March 2013.

• MAT April 2014 exports are 186.7 m. litres, up 9% (15.6 m. litres) on the previous year.

• YTD April 2014 exports are 161.1 m. litres, up 11% (15.6 m. litres) on the previous year.

Export Value per Litre - All wines • March 2014 average value was $6.95 per litre, up $0.08 per litre on March 2013.

• YTD March 2014 average value is $6.98 per litre • MAT March 2014 average price is $7.09 per litre, unchanged from the previous month and up 1% or $0.04 per litre on MAT March 2013.

Packaged wines • Excluding unpackaged wine from the data, the March 2014 average value was $8.20 per litre, down $0.18 per litre on March 2013.

• YTD March 2014 the average price is $8.32 per litre.

• MAT March 2014 the average price is $8.33 per litre, down $0.06 per litre (0.7%) on MAT March 2013.

• MAT March 2014 prices are up 1.5% to the UK, but are down 0.1% to the USA, 2.6% to Australia and 4.4% to Canada.

Export Volume by Country of Destination • In April, for the major markets, exports were up 52% to the UK. Exports were unchanged to Australia but were down 9% to the USA. Canada was down 7% for the month, while performance of other markets was mixed, with the best performers being Ireland, Germany and Netherlands.

• YTD April 2014 growth is led by the USA +12% with the UK +11% and Australia +6%. Shipments to Canada are +11% on last year. Germany and Netherlands are the other best performers.

• MAT April 2014 growth is led by the USA +12% the UK +9% and Australia +5%. Canada shipments are +9% for the year. Performance of other tracked markets is mixed with Germany and Singapore both growing over 20%.

Exports by Variety/Style • In April 2014 Sauvignon Blanc exports were 10.5 m. litres, up 11% from the previous year, accounting for 83.7%

•

•

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of export volume. Of the Sauvignon Blanc exported in April, 10.3 m litres was from Vintage 2013.

Performance of other styles was mixed in April with Merlot, Pinot Gris & Riesling the strongest performers.

YTD April 2014 Sauvignon Blanc exports are 138.7 m. litres up 13% on the previous year. Performance of other styles is mixed with Sparkling & Pinot Gris the strongest performers.

MAT April 2014, Sauvignon Blanc shipments are 160.0 m. litres up 11% from the previous year. Performance of other styles is mixed with Sparkling & Pinot Gris the strongest performers.

Production of Sauvignon Blanc in 2013 is estimated to have been 167.8 m. litres, 27% up on the previous year.

Shipments of vintage 2013 Sauvignon Blanc since release are 136.9 m. litres or 81.6% of estimated production, the highest level at this time since data collection began in 2004.

Exports by Winery Category • April 2014 export growth was led by the medium wineries +17%, followed by the large wineries +11% with the small wineries +5%.

• YTD April 2014 growth is led by the small wineries +54%; the large wineries are +14%, but the medium wineries are down 9%.

• MAT April 2014 growth is led by the small wineries +32% with the large wineries +13%; medium wineries are down 8% for the period.

• April 20144 exports were 12.6 m. litres up 10% (1.2 m. litres) on April 2013.

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Wine Unwound ANNABELLE LATZ -GOOGLE.COM/+ANNABELLELATZ

A Time And A Place Why? This is a word that crosses my mind and comes out my mouth often, especially in the cellar.

I’m happy to get involved all sorts of different tasks at work, (except blending, watching flow metres and dragging around three-inch lines), but whatever the task is, I always like to know why I am doing it, and how it is part of the winemaking process.

This time of year’s hands on action in the cellar is all about revision, whether it be by asking winemakers and work mates, or conducting my own research.

When I add potassium bicarbonate to a tank I know it helps reduce acidity and increase the pH, and enable cold stabilisation which forces potassium bitartrates to drop out the wine.

Through my own reading I have also learned that cold stabilisation cannot be achieved if the pH is too low, because the malic acid content, which will be higher than the tartaric acid content, does not precipitate its salts as does tartaric acid.

I did know that cream of tartar (potassium hydrogen tartrate) is actually a biproduct of winemaking, found on the inner walls of tanks and barrels originating from the tartaric acid in the grapes. But what I did not know (or maybe had forgotten) was that adding it into wine helps to control the pH of fermenting wine, and acts as both a preservative for the wine and a stabilising agent.

So I constantly pick up bits and pieces,

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which is the best way for me to learn. To be honest, if I was to read all this in a text book without actually doing it, I would struggle to remember much of it.

Once I have the question ‘why’ sorted, my next question in my head is often ‘when did this winemaking process begin and how did they know to do it?’

“Once I have the question ‘why’ sorted, my next question in my head is often ‘when did this winemaking process begin and how did they know to do it?”

Well, this thought process could open up a huge can of worms, but here are a couple of facts.

According to www.innovateus.net, the history of cream of tartar dates back 7000 years, from traces of calcium tartrate sediments found in a winemaking jar discovered in the ruins of a village in northern Iran. The modern process of manufacturing cream of tartar was developed by a Swedish chemist in 1769,

The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

and its uses and process for preparing it was further perfected in French cuisine.

Earlier this year I read Peter Godwin’s novel Mukiwa, a tale of his own childhood as a white boy growing up in rural Zimbabwe in the 1970’s. In it I remember a lovely passage about a local villager called Knighty who made his own homebrewed beer, using tartar seeds from baobab trees, no doubt a recipe passed down through his tribe.

History, science and tradition have combined to create the cuisine and drinks culture we enjoy today, and it is with a humble and curious mind that I imagine societies being able to perfect winemaking process to the best of their abilities, thousands of years ago, through trial and error and passing on knowledge.

Ticking the clock forward a few years, I am happy to report I have now sulphured my own Pinot Noir, two weeks post malolactic fermentation completion. Smell and taste is still looking good, and for the time being I will make regular checks to keep an eye on things.

The next project will be to stabilise it, rack it, and then bottle it.

No doubt many more questions will pop up regarding how and when and why, probably driving a few work mates loopy in the process, but I know I will get there in the end.

If I had a time capsule it would be so much fun to travel back 7000 years and see how things rolled in the villages of Iran.

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 SEPTEMBER

JULY 15 – 17

Spiegelau International Wine Competition Judging –

9 – 11

20

Bastille Day at Clos Henri. Celebrate the famous

Judging New Zealand International Wine Show Auckland

Blenheim 27

Awards dinner New Zealand International Wine Show

French Day, with food wine, music and tours. 11am – 3pm

OCTOBER 7-8

AUGUST 1 Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year – Marlborough Research Centre 8 Spiegelau International Wine Competition Awards Dinner – Auckland 10 Silver Secateurs Marlborough 18 Institute of Masters of Wine hosts an Inaugural Master Class – Villa Maria Winery, Auckland, book at www. amiando.com/mwmasterclassnewzealand2014 27 – 29 Romeo Bragato Conference – Blenheim – Convention Centre 27-28

Marlborough Wine Show Judging – Marlborough

NOVEMBER 8

Marlborough Wine Show Awards Dinner - Blenheim

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Air New Zealand Wine Awards Dinner - Hawke’s Bay

16

Toast Martinborough, Martinborough

National Young Viticulturist of the Year - Blenheim

GREAT FOOD, GREAT WINES AND GREAT FRIENDS COME TOGETHER AT HERZOG’S BISTRO! With a cosy, unpretentious atmosphere and stunning fare at a modest price, what's not to love?

Indulge in lusty cooking with brilliant traditional Bistro dishes such as Chateaubriand with handmade chips or an unctuous chocolate fondant cake. The menu is simple and always changing, but consistently fresh, flavoursome and unswervingly Herzog’s. No flounce, just good food in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

PS. Hans’ amazing wines and one of New Zealand’s largest International wine list makes you want to linger for hours…

Herzog’s Bistro - Open for Lunch & Dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, Wine Downs, High Tea and so much more...

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

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News From Home and Away MRC Seminar Topic Unravelling the nature of perceived minerality in white wine Speaker Dr Wendy Parr Venue Marlborough Research Centre Theatre Date Thursday 24th July 2014 Time 4 pm No RSVP Required Drinks Business Global Masters Series Marlborough Pinot Noirs did very well at this competition, held in the UK earlier this year. Close to 300 Pinots were entered in the competition, from 16 countries. It was New Zealand which took home the highest proportion of medals, gaining 25 from 27 wines. Sebastian Payne MW, one of the judges, said; “For me Pinot is all about bouquet and texture. New Zealand has delivered bouquet. Their vineyards, originally planted with the Swiss clone best suited to sparkling production, have been replanted with classy scented clones and the results are increasingly excellent.”

Of the 25 medals, Marlborough gained 13.

Companies to win include: Marisco Vineyards The Ned 2012, Marisco’s The King’s Wrath 2011, Jackson Estate Gum Emperor 2010, Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve 2012, Delta Company 2012, Marisco Vineyards 2011, Pernod Ricard Brancott Estate Letter Series T 2011, Fromm La Strada 2010, Babich Winemaker’s Reserve 2012, Boutinot Moko Black 2012, The Delta Hatters Hill 2010, Fromm Brancott Valley 2009

New Zealand Trophy for Chardonnay under £15 – Marisco The King’s Legacy 2011 New Zealand Trophy for Sauvignon Blanc under £15 – Peter Yealands 2013 Bastille Day Celebrations One of the most important days in the French year is Bastille day and Clos Henri is celebrating on July 20, at the vineyard and cellar door. Between 11am and 3pm, there will be French food, wine and music, plus a range of other highlights including; horse and cart rides, escargot, winery tours, wine tastings and sales, plus cheese platters. All welcome, no cover charge.

Accredited Fencers specialising in: • Farms • High country • Stock yards • Post & rail • Vineyards • Lifestyle

• Security • Custom gates • Tennis courts • Pole sheds • Retaining walls

• Post driver with rock spike • Pneumatic waratah driving • Removals • Replacements

Decanter World Wine Awards – Marlborough Trophy Winners International Trophy for Dry Aromatic under £15 – Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2012 New Zealand Trophy for Sauvignon Blanc over £15 – Spy Valley Envoy 2012 New Zealand Trophy for Pinot Noir under £15 – Lay of the Land Ben Morven Farm 2012 New Zealand Trophy for Sweet under £15 – Marisco The Ned Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2013 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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The Official Magazine of Wine Marlborough

Lime & Fertiliser Spreading Available in Broadcast or Undervine Ph: 578 6580 or 0274 441 404 41 St Leonards Road, Blenheim, roseag@xtra.co.nz

PROVINCIAL

COLDSTORES LIMITED LET US TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS IN OUR

 CUSTOM CONTROLLED AREA  APPROVED TRANSITIONAL FACILITY FOR UNLOADING OF IMPORTED CONTAINERS • Over 60,000 cubic metres of storage spread over two sites • Chilled storage available during vintage for handpicked grapes • Sophisticated monitoring equipment ensures your product is kept at the optimum temperature • We could lease you a small room for your exclusive use to suit your particular temperature requirements (0°C to +30°C) • We store bottled wine, barrels of wine, new plants awaiting the opportune time to plant • Individual rooms available which are being used to grow new budwood

Old Renwick Road, Blenheim.

Tel: 03 5782648 Fax: 03 5782546 Gouland Road, Spring Creek. Tel: 03 5705944 Fax 03 5705955

Smarter Fertiliser