The Places
Young Winemaker Q&A On 6 November three of the country’s finest young winemakers will compete for the title of Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year, having already won their regional finals. In the lead up to the National Final, on at EIT in Hawke’s Bay, we ask Ben, Ben and Peter what they love about the industry Ben McNab Assistant Winemaker at Matahiwi Estate; Hawke’s Bay Where did you study and what got you into winemaking? I studied with EIT and my entry into winemaking is similar to many, I was working retail, selling wine to people who seemed totally mad, talking about wine like it was alive with things like body, weight and balance. I was confused but soon understood. I met winemakers and discovered their passion, driving my curiosity and leading me to work my first harvest. Subconsciously my passion for fermentation and winemaking was
embedded as a young sprocket. I was often allowed to brew ginger beer, the blossoming yeast and carbon dioxide
seemed quite magical and every now and then a bottle would explode. How brilliant! What would you say to someone considering a career in wine? Try it, absolutely try it. There are so many avenues in the wine industry where you can explore your interests and figure out how you fit in. What’s the most challenging aspect of the young winemaker competition? Time pressure. Each of the modules is limited by time, which often steals my clarity of thought for a moment. It replicates a busy day in the winery, where thinking on your feet is crucial, with instinct and experience coming into play.
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NZ WINEGROWER OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020
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