Winepress - February 2022

Winepress THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 326 / FEBRUARY 2022

VINTAGE COUNTDOWN

SEASONAL UPDATE

LABOUR PRESSURE

CELLAR CHAMPS

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

18 27

this issue...

REGULARS

FEATURES

3 4

14

6 24 28

Editorial - Sophie Preece From the Board James Macdonald Tasman Crop Met Report Rob Agnew Generation Y-ine Alun Kilby Biosecurity Watch Sophie Badland

30

Industry News

32

Wine Happenings

Cover: Wither Hills Head Winemaker Matt Large says wineries have layers of contingency plans prepared for Vintage 2022, as they deal with labour shortages and the threat of Omicron. See page 10

18

Seasonal Update Marlborough’s vineyards seem to be cropping close to average for the 2022 vintage, which is good news for companies with empty tanks after last year’s low yields

20

Cellar Opportunities New Zealand’s closed borders present huge employment opportunities for Marlborough’s upcoming harvest, according to industry members at a cellar operations taster day last month.

27 Young Viticulturist

New Zealand’s red light settings saw some swift plan changes for the national final of the Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition, held in Marlborough late last month.

24

Winepress February 2022 / 1

THE REQUIREMENTS When mobile plant will be operating (tipping, raising or lowering) 4 metres or less from overhead lines, under section 5.2.1 of NZECP 34 you must apply to MLL for written consent (Close Approach Authority) that allows the mobile plant to operate at a reduced distance.

In other circumstances, when mobile plant is not operating within 4 metres of a live overhead power line, you should identify the risks and apply appropriate controls to prevent harm and/or damage occurring.

Get to know NZECP 34. It could save your life.

What you need to know - tips to stay safe Vineyards often have overhead power lines near or running through them, so there is significant risk - to you or your equipment - of accidentally touching the lines.

SAFETY AROUND LIVE OVERHEAD LINES Working on a vineyard can put you in all kinds of situations but close to electrical equipment and overhead conductors should never be one of them.

Prior to vintage 2018 Marlborough Lines (MLL) undertook a safety campaign to ensure that wine companies, harvest contractors, growers and vineyard owners were aware of the legal requirements for working around live overhead electric lines.

Since then there has been a great response from a wide variety of wine industry participants, and incidents involving mobile plant and overhead lines have thankfully been few in number over that period.

As the network owner, MLL is very mindful of the need to keep "safe working distances" fresh in everybody's minds. While the focus since 2018 has been on the higher risk period over vintage, the requirement extends throughout the year where other vineyard operations are undertaken in the vicinity of overhead lines.

Based on the great response and increased awareness MLL intends to continue with a focus on education, and to encourage a risk-based approach with respect to the operation of mobile plant as a normal part of your hazard assessment for all of your operations.

You don't even need to touch the line to be in danger electricity can jump through the air to you and your equipment.

Obeying the rules can help ensure all workers' safety Every line must be treated as live. Always.

Don't locate dump/load sites under or near overhead power lines.

When moving tall machinery, choose the route where power lines are high enough for adequate clearance.

Always have any mobile plant device capable of being raised or lowered, in the lowered position prior to moving under lines.

Ensure operators are competent in the operation of their machines, thoroughly briefed and understand the dangers of working near overhead power lines.

Ensure a competent safety observer is able to maintain effective communication with the operator and alert them to any perceived hazard.

Before you harvest, prune, load or move equipment, look up and familiarise yourself with the location of any overhead power lines.

Locate a warning notice as near as practicable to the operator/driver's position stating "WARNING KEEP CLEAR OF POWER LINES". These stickers are available from MLL.

Contact us If you believe you may require a Close Approach Authority, need warning stickers, or have any questions, please phone Marlborough Lines on 03 577 7007 or email info@mll.co.nz to discuss.

We are happy to provide advice to help ensure everyone remains safe and well when working near overhead lines.

2 / Winepress February 2022

MARLBOROUGH LINES

VINEYARDSAFETY

General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 or 021 831 820 marcus@winemarlborough.nz Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Marketing and Communications: Sarah Linklater 021 704 733 sarah@winemarlborough.nz Events Manager: Loren Coffey loren@winemarlborough.nz Advocacy Manager: Nicci Armour advocacy@winemarlborough.nz Finance Administrator: Joanna May accounts@winemarlborough.nz Grape Grower Directors: Anna Laugesen anna.laugesen@xtra.co.nz Kirsty Harkness kirsty@mountbase.co.nz Michiel Eradus michiel@eraduswines.co.nz Nigel Sowman nigel@dogpoint.co.nz Tracy Johnston tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz Wine Company Directors: Beth Forrest beth@forrest.co.nz Damien Yvon damien@closhenri.com Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net James Macdonald james@hunters.co.nz Jamie Marfell Jamie.Marfell@pernod-ricard.com Designed by: Blenheim Print Ltd 03 578 1322

Disclaimer: The views and articles that

are expressed and appear in Winepress are 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.

This document is printed on an environmentally responsible paper, produced using elemental chlorine free (EFC), third party pulp from responsible sources, manufactured under the strict ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and is 100% Recyclable.

From the Editor As Marlborough rolls towards vintage 2022, Covid-19’s relentless challenges roll right along with it. We’ve had the 2020 vintage, where industry adapted swiftly to meet all the Government stipulations of an essential service - creating, housing and transporting bubbles of staff; doubling down on hygiene; and crossing every t to retain that privileged status.

Vintage came and went with a lot of learnings and not a single recorded case of Covid in our wine industry, and everyone crossed their fingers that vintage 2021 would be a simpler affair, but probably knew better.

With borders closed, labour shortages became the defining issue of vintage 2021. While Covid was still ravaging communities around the world, New Zealand’s bubble withstood the pressure. So, while wineries put in place a plethora of Covid protocols, vintage was low on labour, low on yields (reducing the pressure on staff), and also low on Covid risk.

So here comes 2022, and it’s a bit of a triple whammy, with the labour supply both extraordinarily tight and extremely inexperienced, crop levels back at normal or above, and Omicron an almost certain threat. “The timing couldn’t be worse,” says Wither Hills head winemaker Matt Large on page 10. “I think that’s why all wineries are spending a lot of time and effort on contingency plans and ‘what when?’ rather than ‘what if?’”

He’s going into the harvest with eyes wide open, with a business continuity plan that supposes 30% of their staff could be away from the workplace due to Covid-19 isolation protocols. They, like many other wine companies, are determined to be ready, despite having fewer staff, and a fraction of the experience they’d lean on in a typical vintage.

Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens says Marlborough wine companies have done “an incredible job” recruiting staff, rolling out training and adding rigour to safety procedures. But there are fears the red traffic light setting, with 10-day stand down periods for Covid contacts, will be “unworkable” in a season already so labour pressured due to closed borders. “There’s a risk there’s simply not enough cover if wineries lose too many staff to isolation.”

The past two years have been great training for wineries around the region – learning to adapt to a new employment environment, develop training that brings people up to speed quickly, and to soften their stance on who makes for a good cellar hand. In lieu of a team of seasoned internationals with five vintages under their belts, wineries are eagerly employing green recruits, perhaps with a proven work ethic and ability to deal well with people. Some are also offering more flexible hours to capture people with the experience, attributes or skills they want.

This edition includes several people singing the praises of cellar hand work.

They’re certainly in the right place at the right time to make that passion count.

SOPHIE PREECE

Winepress February 2022 / 3

PROTECT

From the Board Grounded Kiwi winemakers JAMES MACDONALD

AS I write this column our borders are still closed and there is no indication of when they may reopen. The loss of international travel has had me reflecting on my time spent travelling to wine regions far away and the impact these opportunities have had on my winemaking.

Growing up in Marlborough, there was never any question that I would leave New Zealand to work in other wine regions as soon as possible. My 18th birthday was celebrated after night shift with a tin of West End beer in the carpark of a Renmark winery. On finishing my degree at Lincoln University, I was unable to attend my graduation because I was back in South Australia doing another vintage.

When a day off came along, I would head to the Central Market in Adelaide or arrange to tour another winery. A visit to Henschke in the Barossa Valley gave me the first glimpse of a different way of thinking. They were making great wines using 100-year-old concrete fermenters without refrigeration. They were proud of their old equipment, which they believed helped to define their style. This was a far cry from the shimmering tank farms I had grown up around.

Following my time in Australia, I moved to Bordeaux where I became a flying winemaker for a large UK retailer.

They tasked me with making Sauvignon Blanc that tasted like the New Zealand stuff. I gave it my best shot. Living in Bordeaux was a life changing experience. I was at the centre of the wine universe. I visited countless wineries with my job and talked my way into others through friends I made along the way. At every turn I found winemakers and growers just like me who were more than happy to share their knowledge. You just had to ask.

Le Pin in Pomerol

4 / Winepress February 2022

On a trip to Petrus, I discovered that on the day of harvest they send a team of gardeners out with leaf blowers to get the dew off the bunches. I am yet to see this technique being employed in Marlborough. I guess you need to own 10 chateaux to have enough gardeners.

I had my own place with a spare room that was usually occupied by fellow antipodean winemakers who were themselves discovering Europe’s rich wine culture. Most would only stay for a few days as they were trying to cover as much ground as possible. We would swap notes over wine late into the evening.

Visiting great estates taught me to ask questions and gave me perspective on Marlborough’s unique position in the wine world. When borders do reopen, there will understandably be a desire by many winemakers to head overseas. Employers will need to be flexible and amenable to travel if young talent is to be retained.

A good wine culture is invaluable to any winery. Weekly tastings are a great way to introduce wines from outside of Marlborough that create discussion and educate palates.

The longstanding Wine Options competition does a great job of showcasing the world of wine to groups that are keen to learn. We need to prioritise the return of this event in the winter.

The Australian wine industry has the famous Len Evans Tutorial where 12 lucky winemakers are selected each year to attend a five-day residential tutorial, tasting worldclass examples of varieties. Think of a vertical tasting of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or a deep dive into the wines of Raveneau. Perhaps it is time to implement a similar programme in New Zealand with some industry backing.

We have no shortage of knowledgeable winemakers and educators who could run proceedings and inspire our leaders of tomorrow.

All the best for the coming harvest. It has the potential to become challenging, but we have done it before. We still have five rows of Merlot. You should give me a wave if you see me out there with the leaf blower.

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Winepress February 2022 / 5

MET REPORT Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – December 2021 December Dec 2021 2021 compared to LTA GDD’s for: Month - Max/Min¹ 265.5 123% Month – Mean² 252.6 119% Growing Degree Days Total Jul – Dec 21 – Max/Min 672.9 122% Jul - Dec 21 – Mean 697.9 116% Mean Maximum (°C) 22.9 +1.0°C Mean Minimum (°C) 14.3 +2.6°C Mean Temp (°C) 18.6 +1.8°C Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 0 Equal Air Frosts (0.0°C) 0 Equal Sunshine hours 201.5 80% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2021 2522.7 101% Rainfall (mm) 85.8 181% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2021 719.0 113% Evapotranspiration – mm 135.1 96% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 228.6 81% Mean soil temp – 10cm 18.8 +1.1°C Mean soil temp – 30cm 19.6 +0.4°C

Dec LTA

Period of LTA

December 2020

216.0 211.8

(1996-2020) (1996-2020)

207.0 202.8

552.3 601.0 21.9 11.7 16.8 0.09 0 250.7 167.4 321.2 2507.6 47.3 0.8 124.0 636.7 140.2 282.7 17.7 19.2

(1996-2020) (1996-2020) (1986-2020) (1986-2020) (1986-2020) (1986-2020) (1986-2020) (1986-2020) 2011 1974 (1986-2020) (1986-2020) 1934 1984 (1986-2020) (1996-2020) (1996-2020) (1986-2020) (1986-2020)

622.9 655.9 21.7 11.7 16.7 0 0 255.4

2602.1 22.8

461.4 143.2 259.4 16.5 17.6

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures

Temperature

the 3rd and 4th weeks of December recorded average to above average sunshine hours, which improved the overall total for the month.

Rainfall December 2021 recorded 85.8 mm rain, 181% of the LTA. This was almost four times the December 2020 total of 22.8 mm, but slightly less than the 91.2 mm recorded in December 2019.

Annual weather statistics for Blenheim for 2021, compared to the long-term average Sunshine Total sunshine for Blenheim in 2021 was 2522.7 hours. This was 101% of the LTA of 2507.6 hours (1986-2020). 2021 was the 30th sunniest year on record for Blenheim for the 92 years 1930 to 2021. The sunniest year on record is 2015 with 2813.8 hours.

New Plymouth took out the title as sunniest town in New Zealand in 2021 (Table 2). As far as I know this is the first time it has done so. Blenheim was 69.3 hours behind New Plymouth in 4th place. Whakatane, the 2020 winner, only managed to finish in 11th place in 2021, 301 hours behind New Plymouth.

The mean temperature for December 2021 of 18.6°C was 1.8°C above the longterm average (LTA). The first week of December was the coolest week of the month with a below average maximum temperature, however the minimum temperature was well above average and as a consequence the mean temperature for the first week was slightly above average. As the month progressed, each subsequent week got progressively warmer, with the week from 22 to 28 December a very warm 3.3°C above the LTA. The final 3-days of the month were slightly cooler. The maximum temperature during December 2021 was 29.4°C recorded on both 19 and 26 December. The minimum temperature during December 2021 was 9.5°C also recorded on 26 December.

Table 2: Sunniest towns in New Zealand for 2021

Sunshine December 2021 recorded 201.5 hours sunshine, 80% of the LTA. This is the seventh lowest sunshine hour total for December for the 92 years 1930 to 2021.

The first 2-weeks of December were exceptionally overcast and at that stage Blenheim was on-track to record its lowest ever December total. However,

6 / Winepress February 2022

Placing

Town

Sunshine Hours

1st

New Plymouth

2592.0

2nd

Napier

2566.3

3rd

Richmond

2536.8

4th

Blenheim

2522.7

5th

Tekapo

2471.7

Rainfall Total rainfall for 2021 was 719.0 mm, 113% of the LTA (1986-2020) of 636.7 mm (Table 3).

Four months recorded well below average rainfall (January, February, April and November). One month recorded average rainfall (September). Seven months recorded above average rainfall (March, May, June, July, August, October and December).

Temperature The mean temperature for 2021 was 13.85°C; 0.65°C above the LTA for the 35 years 1986-2020. This is the sixth hottest year on record for Blenheim (1933 to 2021) (Table 4). Nine months in 2021 recorded above average mean temperatures. Two months in 2021 recorded average mean temperatures. One month in 2021 recorded below average mean temperature.

The hottest day of 2021 was 27 January with a maximum temperature of 36.4°C. This is the hottest day on record for Blenheim (1947 to 2021). The coldest day of 2021 was 5 July with an air frost of -3.1°C and a ground frost of -6.5°C.

Table 3: Monthly rainfall recorded in Blenheim for 2021 Month Rainfall (mm) % of long Long-term

term average average (mm) 1986-2020

Table 4: Ten hottest years on record for Blenheim for the 89year period 1933 to 2021 Year

Temperature (°C)

2019

13.954

1998

13.950

2016

13.93

2018

13.89

2013

13.86

61.6

2021

13.85

100%

52.9

2010

13.70

70.2

124%

56.8

2017

13.67

November

14.2

28%

50.6

1990

13.66

December

85.8

181%

47.3

2020

13.64

Total

719.0

113%

636.7

January

7.8

18%

43.2

February

22.8

49%

46.6

March

79.2

195%

40.6

April

7.8

15%

50.9

May

88.2

150%

58.6

June

75.6

116%

65.3

July

143.6

231%

62.3

August

71.2

116%

September

52.6

October

Figure 1: Mean annual temperatures for Blenheim (1933 to 2021) and temperature trend

Blenheim has reliable temperature records dating back to April 1932, a period of nearly 90 years. As shown in Table 4 the 10 hottest years on record for Blenheim have all occurred since 1990. What is remarkable is that eight of the 10 hottest years on record, have occurred since 2010. As stated on previous occasions, there is absolutely no doubt that Blenheim’s mean temperature has become a lot warmer in recent years. The trend line in Figure 1 indicates that Blenheim’s mean annual temperature has warmed by 1.15°C over the 89 years from 1933 to 2021. This increase in temperature for Blenheim is very close to the overall global temperature trend.

Winepress February 2022 / 7

Table 5: Blenheim Weather Data – January 2022 January January 2022 2022 comared to LTA GDD’s for: Month - Max/Min¹ 258.4 101% Month – Mean² 255.3 103% Growing Degree Days Total Jul 21 – Jan 22 – Max/Min¹ 931.3 115% Jul 21 - Jan 22 – Mean² 953.5 112& Mean Maximum (°C) 23.8 +0.2°C Mean Minimum (°C) 12.9 +0.1°C Mean Temp (°C) 18.3 +0.1°C Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 0 Equal Air Frosts (0.0°C) 0 Equal Sunshine hours 313.8 119% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2022 313.8 119% Rainfall (mm) 12.6 30% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2022 12.6 30% Evapotranspiration – mm 152.5 105% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 205.5 76% Mean soil temp – 10cm 19.9 +0.8°C Mean soil temp – 30cm 21.4 +0.6°C

Jan LTA

Period of LTA

January 2021

255.3 247.3

(1996-2021) (1996-2021)

261.6 261.9

810.4 8505 23.6 12.8 18.2 0 0 264.3 165.2 335.3 264.3 42.2 0 167.0 42.2 144.6 270.4 19.1 20.8

(1996-2021) (1996-2021) (1986-2021) (1986-2021) (1986-2021) (1986-2021) (1986-2021) (1986-2021) 1971 1957 (1986-2021) (1986-2021) 1978 1985 (1986-2021) (1997-2021) (1996-2021) (1986-2021) (1986-2021)

884.5 917.8 24.5 12.4 18.4 0 0 309.0

309.0 7.8

7.8 172.3 257.1 18.4 19.6

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures

Temperature The mean temperature for January of 18.3°C was 0.1°C above the LTA and the same as in January 2021. Daily temperatures fluctuated throughout the month.

There were 10-days when the maximum temperature was above 25°C. However, there were also 16 days when the maximum temperature was below the LTA maximum of 23.6°C. None of the weeks in January experienced consistently hot days. The highest maximum temperature of 31.0°C was recorded on Wednesday 19 January. This was the only day during January when Blenheim exceeded 30.0°C. The Woodbourne met station exceeded 30°C on 5-days during January.

January 2021 and 2020 both recorded 2-days over 30°C and January 2019 was exceptional with 10 days over 30°C. Most people would probably think that temperatures in January 2022 were warmer than they actually were. Given that January’s temperatures were not out of the ordinary, why did January seem like a great summer month? The lack of consistently hot days was made up for by high sunshine hours and low rainfall.

The weather was great for getting outdoors while on holiday.

Growing Degree Days In Met Report at the start of December 2021, the GDD graph indicated that the GDDs for the first 3-months of the 2021-2022 season were well above average and at a similar point as at the start of December 2013 and December 2020 (Figure 2).

NIWA was predicting a very high chance of above average temperatures from December 2021 to February 2022. Included on the graph were GDD trajectories if temperatures were +1.0 or +1.5°C above average from December to February.

8 / Winepress February 2022

December 2021 mean temperature was 1.7°C above the LTA, so the GDD line at the end of December was slightly above the +1.5°C trajectory and on par with the very warm start to the 2013-14 season. However, January 2022 with average mean temperature saw the GDD line flatten out. Will the temperatures in February and March 2022 resume the above average path, as in 2017/18 and 2018/19?

Sunshine 313.8 hours sunshine for January was 119% of the LTA of 264.3 hours.

This is now the fifth highest January sunshine total on record for Blenheim for the 93 years 1930 to 2022. You would think that with a high January sunshine total that Blenheim may have been the sunniest town in New Zealand. However, that was not the case as Blenheim only ranked 10th for January. All the other towns that are normally in the running for sunniest town recorded higher sunshine hours.

Even Auckland had a higher total than Blenheim. New Plymouth looks like it wants to keep the sunniest town title it earned in 2021, as it recorded an extremely high sunshine total of 359.1 hours in January 2022. To put New Plymouth’s January total into perspective, Blenheim’s highest evermonthly total from 1930 to 2022 is 335.3 hours recorded in January 1957.

New Plymouth exceeded that total by 23.8 hours. How did that happen?

Rainfall Blenheim recorded 12.6 mm rain during January, 30% of the LTA. While this is a low total for the month, there are 18 other years from 1930 to 2022 when January has recorded a lower rainfall total. This is the fourth year in a row when January has recorded low rainfall.

Wind-run Average daily wind-run in January 2022 was 205.5 km, 76% of the LTA of 270.4 km; i.e. it was a very calm month.

There was only one day in January when the daily wind-run exceeded the LTA of 270.4 km. The windiest day

was 19 January with 302 km windrun. Maximum wind speed during the month was 46.8 km/hr recorded on 19 January.

Figure 2: Normalized growing degree-days for Blenheim: days above (+) or below (-) the long-term average (1990-2020) for the period 1 September to 30 April

Shallow soil moisture (topsoil) Average shallow soil moisture (0 to 35 cm) at the Grovetown Park weather station for January 2022 was 19.3%.

This was slightly below the LTA of 20.6%. However, soil moisture at the beginning of January was well above average (25.1%) after high rainfall in the first 2-weeks of December. Low rainfall in January saw a rapid drop in soil moisture to 16.7% by 31 January (Figure 3). Shallow soil moisture in Blenheim followed a very similar path in December 2021 – January 2022 as it did in December 2020 – January 2021. However, as I write this article on 1 February there is approximately 50 mm rain forecast from 3- to 6-February. If that rain eventuates, we would expect to see a rapid spike in shallow soil moisture. Blenheim has not experienced above average rainfall in February since 2018.

Figure 3: Shallow soil moisture (5-35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station in Blenheim

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

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Winepress February 2022 / 9

PROTECT Matt Large. Photo by Jim Tannock

Omicron Vintage Planning, preparation, segregation and PPE SOPHIE PREECE

“The big unknown is the most stressful bit. The hope is that you plan for a disaster and hopefully it’s just a small little storm.”

“THE TIMING couldn’t be worse,” says Wither Hills head winemaker Matt Large as Omicron’s spread threatens the upcoming vintage.

A month earlier and it could have peaked before harvest; a month later, the vintage would be at its tail end, says Matt, three days after New Zealand went into the red traffic light setting. “I think that’s why all wineries are spending a lot of time and effort on contingency plans and ‘what when?’ rather than ‘what if?’”

Wither Hills’ business continuity plan – based partly on learnings from parent company Lion in Australia – factors in the potential for 30% of their staff not being at work at any one time this vintage. That’s a massive hit given the labour shortage already being felt by wine companies, and the lack of experience in cellars this season, due to border closures.

Matt says they’re conscious of the risk of staff or contractors catching Covid-19, including the Omicron variant, but the cost of close contacts having to isolate is potentially the bigger issue. The rules at the time of writing stipulate that in phase one of the Omicron response, cases isolate for 14 days and contacts for 10 days. The isolation period reduces in phases two, as infection spreads.

“The last thing you want to happen is have someone on-site catch it and you find out that the whole shift becomes a close contact because of the way we operated.

And that whole shift has to go home,” says Matt. “So we 10 / Winepress February 2022

Matt Large have a whole lots of plans with PPE (personal protective equipment) masks, segregation, physical distancing, different bathrooms, different break rooms. All those things are being looked into to try and work out the best way to do it.”

Meanwhile, the winery and vineyard team are going through “every single role” to assess who has competencies in each, if the primary employee can’t be there. “What is involved? Who can do it? Who can’t?” If there are not one or two backups for a job, then they drill into “what training is ready to go or what training we can do now”, Matt says.

They are training more harvester drivers than they need, so skills are on hand if people have to stay home, and vineyard managers are being given refresher training so they can jump in the seat too. In the winery, the same thing is happening, with managers gearing up to hit the coalface if required. “Realistically, no-one is above doing another role below them or beside them,” says Matt. “If I have got to clean the drains because that’s the priority of the day, then that’s what I will do.” That mentality has filtered through the whole business, from permanents to casuals, including many kept on from last harvest. “They are all very much, ‘what can I do to help?’”

GROW

The contingency plan includes enhanced integration between viticulture and winemaking over harvest, while maintaining their Covid protocols. That will include assessing which tasks have greater priority. Vineyard machinery operators with past vintage experience are part of the strategy, “and if racking a tank and running a press becomes more important than driving a harvester or a gondola, then we will move them into the winery to get that done,” he says. “I guess our concern is that the winery can’t operate if the vineyard can’t pick the fruit, and the vineyard can’t pick the fruit if the winery can’t take it. For us it’s about moving our workforce if needed, between the priority areas.” That will slow the intake, “but stop us coming to a grinding halt”.

Pared back labour force Marlborough wine companies are edging closer to their vintage labour needs, according to the January Wine Marlborough vintage recruitment survey.

The final in a series of previntage labour tallies reveals that there are 126 vintage winery roles still to fill, well up from the 466 vacancies revealed in the November survey, says Wine Marlborough advocacy manager Nicci Armour.

“The January survey demonstrates a marked improvement from December, with vacancies representing less than 10% of the

“The wineries have pared back as much as they can to make it work.”

Nicci Armour total workforce, compared to 20% in December.”

Almost all of the vacancies are for seasonal cellar hand roles, and finding experienced staff remains a significant challenge, she says. “It looks much better than it was, but we are still working with quite a light crew anyway, so those roles might have quite an impact if they don’t get filled.”

Nicci explains that wineries across the province have already reduced their labour requirement, by forging efficiencies where they can, and it’s vital the positions they have left are filled. “The wineries have pared back as much as they can to make it work.”

Their plans take into account contractors as well as staff, because the risk is not only in losing the people in the vineyard or winery, but in losing the person who would come and fix the press if it breaks, for example. “If they’re at home with Covid, that’s an issue as well,” says Matt.

The company’s sparkling wines, under the Daniel Le Brun brand, along with its ever-growing lower alcohol portfolio, allow for an earlier start to harvest, which is particularly welcome this vintage, he says. “The key this year, we think, is being able to spread it all out.”

Like everyone else, they are also dealing with a workforce with very little experience. Pre-Covid, 75% of cellar staff had overseas or domestic experience, and could be trained in the winery’s operations within two or three

Photo by Paul Sutherland

A lack of seasoned cellar hands is exacerbating the low numbers with “a huge disparity in terms of experience compared to previous vintages”, says Nicci. Many wineries tested their systems with short labour supply last year, but low yields meant there was less pressure than a typical harvest. This year changes in induction, training and support will be “across the board”, with a return to more typical crop levels alongside an increasingly tight labour market.

Nicci notes that for many new vintage hands, the 2022 harvest may be a different experience to what they could have expected in the past, with staff likely to be set a single task to ensure efficiency, rather than getting a taste of a broad range of roles. Meanwhile the traditional vintage culture of long hours but energising camaraderie will be hampered by Covid restrictions and precautions.

“The processes put in place will change the vintage experience for this season. We have to ensure as an industry that we don’t unconsciously make that the mark of vintage”, she says. “So people don’t leave saying, ‘that wasn’t the famed Marlborough vintage I was told about’.”

Winepress February 2022 / 11

PROTECT

days. “This year it’s completely the other way,” Matt says.

“Probably 75% are inexperienced and have come from all walks of life – from cherry picking in Central Otago or a packhouse in the Bay of Plenty.” Others are coming out of semi-retirement “to help us out”, he says, noting that they’ll have four or five campervans parked up on site this vintage, with people driving into the region for the season.

Those casuals cannot be trained in a handful of days, like a seasoned cellar hand could, so the company is focussing on specialised training – rather than ‘you are a cellar hand and will learn about everything’ it is, ‘you will be operating a press’, he says.

They’ve also changed the way they recruit, seeking skills they’d never have considered before, like selecting someone who is a people person, or because they worked well on a factory line and were regularly at work.

Rather than sticking with a rigid 12 hour shift, they have offered more flexible hours to capture people with the experience, attributes or skills they want. “There’s certainly been lots of out-of-the-box thinking in the past few years,” says Matt.

Those are some of the positives to come out of Covid, and so is the enhanced communication in place now, says Matt. “We have found the more we communicate the better”. Right now, that means talking to the team about the potential of what will happen in three weeks’ time if 30% of them are not there, he says. “Being really open and going ‘look mate, we are looking at shift segregation and mask use the whole time. If push comes to shove we’ll be looking at which particular variety or brand we will harvest over another’,” he says, “If it physically can’t come in we’re not going to stand back and say, ‘right let’s go home’. I have been open with my team about letting them know, so it’s not a shock.” In return they are coming to him with ideas. “That’s something I think in hindsight we should have been doing better before Covid came along.”

Matt says the past two years of Covid vintages – 2020 working hard to fulfil the Government’s requirements of an essential service, and 2021 rolling those learnings into vintage activities, and being “mindful”, although Covid-19 was less of a risk. “This year is significantly different, because I guess in theory we are all planning for it to arrive - it’s just a case of when.”

Every week or even every day of fruit coming in and being processed will be a relief, he adds. “The big unknown is the most stressful bit. The hope is that you plan for a disaster and hopefully it’s just a small little storm.”

“If I have got to clean the drains because that’s the priority of the day, then that’s what I will do.”

Matt Large

12 / Winepress February 2022

Vintage concerns Marlborough wineries have done “an incredible job” of recruiting staff, rolling out training and adding rigour to safety procedures, says Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens. “It feels like a winery could be the safest place to be right now, with all the precautions in place.”

But there are fears the red traffic light setting, with 10-day stand down periods for Covid contacts in phase one, will be “unworkable” in a season already so labour pressured due to closed borders, he says. “Most of the wineries have enough people to get through a normal vintage, which is surprising in itself, but there’s a risk there’s simply not enough cover if wineries lose too many staff to isolation,” says Marcus. “We would love to see some provision for horticulture and viticulture industries with time sensitive crops, as well as access to rapid antigen tests, so we get the minimum amount of people off at any one time.”

He is concerned testing rates will drop “dramatically” in Marlborough over vintage, with winery and vineyard staff reluctant to be isolated during the short but crucial vintage push. Wine companies would not support that thinking, but for individuals it could be particularly tempting when any symptoms could be attributed to long hours of intense work, he says. “That’s not achieving what we need as a community. So it all hinges on the rapid antigen tests. How many can we as an industry get allocated to Marlborough?”

GROW

Getting vintage ‘22 to market Alongside the pressure of planning for vintage in a pandemic, Wither Hills is getting on with the business of wine.

Head winemaker Matt Large says the winery is “really empty, which is good to see – the wine we made has gone out to market”. But the empty tanks – thanks in part to last year’s 21% decline in Marlborough’s total yield

“Having a vintage like we had last year certainly puts pressure on getting vintage ‘22 out the door a bit quicker,” says Matt.

That could mean turning wines around three to four weeks earlier than is typical, to ensure customers don’t run out, he says. “At this stage it looks like we won’t go out of stock, but we potentially could if we didn’t bring the bottling and release earlier.”

Shipping delays have played a complicating role for wine companies, including Wither Hills, but he notes that they have been “helped out a bit” by having a bigger percentage of domestic sales because of the strength of parent company Lion’s distribution networks.

Meanwhile, the season is looking like a return to more typical yields, thanks to desirable rain early on in the season, good flowering and heat over summer. “In general, we are certainly expecting some good quality fruit in and better volume than last year, which will certainly be appreciated by the industry.”

“Having a vintage like we had last year certainly puts pressure on getting vintage ‘22 out the door a bit quicker.”

Matt Large and buoyant demand throughout the Covid-19 period – means there’s pressure to get the 2022 vintage out swiftly.

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GROW

Seasonal Update Fruitful flowering a relief to industry

SOPHIE PREECE

MARLBOROUGH GROWERS are welcoming more abundant crop counts this summer, following the 21% drop in yields last vintage.

Lawson’s Dry Hills general manager Sion Barnsley says crops have bounced back after the “dreadful” 2021 harvest, with Sauvignon Blanc slightly above the long-term average.

“So, we’re certainly in a good position to fulfil the shortfall of the last vintage. Whether we can do that in just this vintage we will wait and see, but certainly the potential is there.”

Sion says the changing climate has increased disease pressure, and while Lawson’s vines are in good health, the risk of tropical cyclones bringing a weather bomb is on growers’ minds this season. However, “prudent” pruning means they are comfortable with the “sensible yields” on their vineyards.

The labour situation is okay for the winery this vintage, if all remains on an even keel. “But not if we are faced with any staff having to go into self isolation, whether it be seven days or 10 days.” Despite best efforts with rostering, separate shifts and hygiene protocols, Omicron poses a major threat, given how contagious it is, he says. Reports that it may peak mid-March are alarming, he adds. “That’s the real concern and dread hanging over us at the moment. But everything else is looking very positive.”

Accolade Wines New Zealand viticulture manager Tracy Taylor says flowering was good in Marlborough, with no rain, and warm and consistent temperatures. She is seeing light to average crops in Sauvignon Blanc, with bunches that “aren’t that big”, but has had reports of more

fruitful yields in some subregions. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are laden in comparison, she adds. “They will be the heavy croppers this year.”

Looking beyond the 2022 vintage, Tracy says conditions for the 2023 fruit initiation were “perfect”, with “super-hot dry days and warm nights”. When it comes to the rest of this season, the La Niña weather pattern brings tropical cyclones this way “and predictions are for us to expect more than usual”, says Tracy. “So, we need to prepare as much as we can for wet and humid conditions around harvest time.”

The season’s challenges include “extreme powdery mildew and downy mildew conditions leading up to Christmas”, says Tracy. “Everything we do in the early part of the season dictates what we will get at the end, so if people have cut corners it will show … especially if the prediction around cyclones becomes a reality.”

When it comes to labour, Accolade has long and loyal relationships with its contractors, “so we have been well looked after in these trying times”, she says. “We all have to be flexible and go with the flow to a large extent. There is always more than one way of doing things, so you just have to be a bit lateral in your thinking and ‘cut your cloth to fit’, to achieve the same end result.”

Mahi’s Brian Bicknell expects to start harvest around March 10, and believes his crop is normal to 5% above normal, with bunches, and “especially Sauvignon bunches”, very consistent. There was some rain over flowering, but it doesn’t seem to have affected fruit set greatly, says Brian.

“The growing season has been phenomenal and I think the

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GROW

growth rates caught everyone out a bit as a lot of wire lifting needed to be done pre-Christmas, prior to trimming,” he says, noting the complicating combination of strong growth and a lack of labour in the region. Rainfall has been below the long term average, “but it seems to have come in decent amounts that have really soaked into the soil and many inter-rows are still green,” says Brian in mid-January.

Mahi is highly reliant on on-premise sales, but lockdown impacts have been softened by the range of countries they export to. “England still seems to be flying, whereas Australia has gone down again, says Brian. “I suppose having the spread of markets for a company like us

has been really important.”

They have also increased their sales through independent retailers to take up some of the slack from restaurant sales. And he notes that the shortage of Marlborough wine – through both booming demand and the short 2021 vintage – is broadening the interest in Marlborough, in terms of different styles, “which I haven’t seen for a while”. There’s “serious interest” in Mahi’s single vineyard wild barrel fermented Sauvignons, for example.

“We can’t make enough of those… I think the limited supply has made people look a little more widely.”

Big berries build crop load The Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc prediction model assumed bunch numbers would be down this year, based on temperatures in late 2020, at bunch initiation. However, Plant & Food Research scientist Rob Agnew, who writes the monthly Winepress Met Report, says the first berry samples of Pinot Noir have revealed large berries, with those from the Awatere Valley double the size they were at the same time last year, which is likely to mitigate the bunch numbers.

“It looks to be on track to be one of the biggest berry sizes we’ve seen in the last eight to 10 years.”

Rob says good soil moisture just after flowering often leads to big berries, and with the first two weeks of December “very wet” the large berries are understandable. “If that carries through to Sauvignon Blanc, hopefully we will see bigger berries there as well.” In Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, berry sizes are also looking to be well up on last year, he says.

There is a risk that big berries and higher than average berry number per bunch can result in tight bunches, “and that can have a downside if you get wet weather later on”, says Rob. “But I don’t think growers will be complaining if yields are above average this year.”

Looking ahead, Rob says bunch numbers should be above average for 2023, because of the warm temperatures in December 2021

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Winepress February 2022 / 17

EDUCATE

Cellar Opportunities

Kathrin Jankowiec

Getting a taste of the wine industry BRENDA WEBB

NEW ZEALAND’S closed borders present huge employment opportunities for Marlborough’s upcoming harvest, according to industry members. at a Cellar Operations Taster Day at Nelson Marlborough Institute

“I had a lightbulb moment when I was driving to work one morning and was really excited.”

Kathrin Jankowiec of Technology (NMIT) in January, attendees heard encouraging first-hand stories from Wine Marlborough’s Loren Coffey, Kathrin Jankowiec from Villa Maria and Jerrym Lamb from Marisco about their own foray into the wine workforce. All three agreed the current closed borders and shortage of labour presented wonderful opportunities in a huge variety of roles.

The open day was designed to give an insight into what is required to become part of a cellar vintage crew during harvest and explain about NMIT’s cellar operations programme. Demand for workers is currently high and Kathrin told those present to “not be shy – go and knock on doors”. She was speaking from experience – in 2007 Kathrin was a broke backpacker when she approached a local winery asking for work. “They said I could start tomorrow on $14 an hour – enormous for a backpacker – and I would be working 12 hours a day,” she said. “I thought something was lost in translation, but I soon got used to the long hours.”

Those long hours, including night shifts, didn’t deter Kathrin and she stayed on after harvest, taking on various roles, learning along the way and working up to her current position as production winemaker with Villa Maria. “I had a lightbulb moment when I was driving to work one morning and was really excited – normally it’s the other way around – you are excited when you are going home,” she said.

The seed was planted and Kathrin set about seeing how she could carve out a career in the wine industry, which she described as a dynamic place to be in. “I was very curious and made the effort to learn everything about the job from the shop floor up.” She talked to open day attendees

18 / Winepress February 2022

about the wide range of roles available and, in particular, noted that closed borders presented huge opportunities for employment.

“It’s such an interesting and challenging industry and I think that’s because people are so passionate about it,” said Kathrin. “You work so hard all year – you put blood, sweat and tears into the bottle and at the end you sit and share it with friends and you know you have captured the entire season, the people and the flavour in the bottle.”

Key to surviving the long shifts and irregular hours of harvest was staying healthy, developing good sleep habits and managing your social life, according to Kathrin. “I set up the house by blacking out the windows, use ear plugs and have soothing music,” she said. “It takes a few days to settle into the rhythm of night shift and once I’m in it I don’t change – even if I have a day off.”

Loren Coffey, events manager with Wine Marlborough, gave an overview of the industry in Marlborough and encouraged those present to embrace the many opportunities that working a vintage presented. She started out in the industry by default – working a harvest at Cloudy Bay to earn money to go to Australia to work as a dental nurse. She soon realised her heart lay in the wine industry and after doing many vintages and working many roles in Western Australia and Marlborough, she returned here permanently, moving on to work with Wine Marlborough.

“You can move through the industry quickly depending on who you work for, what you want to achieve and what qualifications you have or are prepared to get,” she said. “There are so many opportunities ranging from the viticultural side, the winemaking and cellar side through

EDUCATE

Jerrym Lamb

to sales, marketing and finance.” Loren loved the vintages she did, saying they were an incredible leaning opportunity, presenting a wonderful introduction to the industry.

Jerrym Lamb grew up on an orchard in Marlborough and, as a student, spent summer holidays working in vineyards to earn money doing “mundane” work such as wire lifting and bud rubbing. He spent five years in other industries before working a vintage primarily to fund his overseas travel.

“That experience changed the path of my working life, and post-travel I came back to work in the industry fullPCL AD 1 15/07/16 PM time,” he said atWinepress the open2016.pdf day. “I loved the team 3:21 mentality

and the huge variety of work. Working in the cellar opened my eyes as to what goes into the overall operation.”

Entering the industry by doing a harvest in the cellar provided many opportunities to upskill. “You are problem solving on a daily basis and the wine industry provides such a great structure for moving forward,” said Jerrym, who is now cellar supervisor at Marisco.

Vintage itself was hard work and those considering it needed to be physically fit and prepared for long shifts wearing heavy boots and standing on concrete floors. The upside was the team environment, the training and support provided and the opportunity to make the wine industry a career path, according to Jerrym. “There is a huge emphasis on team culture and we work really hard to create that during our induction week as people learn much quicker if they are comfortable with the people they are around,” he said.

Participants at the open day were taken to visit two wineries – Indevin and Lawson’s Dry Hills – before returning to NMIT to mix and mingle with employers from the industry looking for staff for harvest.

Catherine Harris, programme lead specialist from NMIT, says attendees left the taster positive about their possible futures in the industry. “It was a great day, very successful and wonderful to be able to share it with the community.”

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GROW

Stellar Cellar Hands Allison Hassler - hooked on vintage KAT DUGGAN

A THREE month stay in Marlborough soon turned into an indefinite one for United States national Allison Hassler, after Covid-19 hit New Zealand shores.

Vintage 2020 wasn’t her first in the region, but was meant to be just another of many she was working on all over the world. Allison landed a job with Cloudy Bay for 2020, and harvest was already underway when news that the pandemic had reached New Zealand came out.

“All of our managers and those higher up came together and came up with a plan and so we had to move out of the places where we were living and they set up accommodation for us in our own bubbles and in our winery teams,” she says. “After that we continued working as normal, with the exception of compulsory masks and distancing, and it was a good harvest.”

Allison was one of many international workers in Marlborough and throughout the country who had a quick change of course following the pandemic. Extending her stay indefinitely has meant exploring another facet of the wine industry - viticulture.

She, along with around five other international workers, was able to stay on board with Cloudy Bay, working in the vineyard between harvests, at which point they returned to the winery to work as cellar hands. “Cloudy Bay really stands out as being an amazing company that I was lucky to be paired with. They just maintained total help along the way; made sure we had accommodation and jobs. I think over a six week period we were working two days a week rather than the whole week, but that was the worst it got,” she says. “It’s been cool to be able to see another side of the winemaking journey. It’s been a great opportunity to round out my CV and my experience.”

Originally from Oklahoma, the wine industry was not one Allison really delved into until she visited New Zealand and took on her first harvest at Nautilus Estate in 2015.

Working as a cellar hand, a job she was not previously familiar with, she soon fell for the buzz of working with

“All I can do is try my best to stay positive and know that I have ended up in one of the best places to be in the world.”

Allison Hassler

20 / Winepress February 2022

people from all over the world and picking up a career that enabled her to travel. “Once I learned about [the industry] I was pretty hooked,” she says.

Following that first harvest, she returned home to America and took on a vintage in Oregon, during which she met her partner. The pair have since travelled and worked together, visiting Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for harvests, and now remain together in Marlborough.

Despite not having been home for four years, Allison is trying to make the most of the opportunities she’s had by obtaining the one-off New Zealand Resident Visa offered to international workers following the outbreak of Covid-19.

She is thankful for the way the New Zealand Government has handled the pandemic, after hearing first-hand from family in the States how scary the virus can be.

“My partner and I are doing that, and most of the people at Cloudy Bay in my position are taking advantage of that,” Allison says. “I would like to go home with the intention of coming back, but for now all I can do is try my best to stay positive and know that I have ended up in one of the best places to be in the world.”

GROW

From Mumbai to Marlborough Ajay Munde

Ajay Munde in the Marlborough labour attraction campaign.

Photo Richard Briggs

KAT DUGGAN

WHEN COVID-19 hit New Zealand in 2020, Mumbai native Ajay Munde was stranded. But there were worse places he could be.

Having only arrived in Marlborough the year prior, Ajay was at Matua Wines for vintage 2019 and 2020, and was lucky enough to be kept on as a cellar hand when vintage was over. “I think Marlborough is the best place to stay. It has the sunny days [and] similar warmth to home,” he says. “I like it here, the people are really nice. The work everywhere in the wine industry is the same, so it’s nice to be where the people are very good.”

Ajay completed his winemaking studies in Mumbai, India, after being introduced to the industry by his father.

“My dad, he’s a farmer; he’s into agriculture [and] we had some wine varieties and table grapes… I’m more interested in winemaking and making my own wine,” he says.

After completing his winemaking degree, Ajay travelled to the United States, and then to New Zealand.

This harvest will mark his fourth vintage with Matua Wines, one he predicts will be very different from typical vintage periods.

“Harvest is really fun, there are lots of people from different nationalities and it’s really good,” he says. “Last year there were less people from around the world and this year will be even more different - not many people from around the world.”

A lack of experience in the cellar during vintage

2022 has the potential to slow progress, but Ajay says it’s very dependent on the individual learning the role.

Most wineries will be in the same boat, he adds. “We should be okay.”

Ajay’s favourite wines aren’t typical Marlborough drops, leaning more toward the sweet, spicy flavours found in Indian cuisine. “My favourite wine is Cabernet Sauvignon, and also Riesling,” he says. “I like the more aromatic, spiciness in the Cab Sauv. And with Riesling, I like the late harvest, it has more sweetness and more characters.”

Ajay’s original move to Blenheim was only meant to last a year, and he feels lucky to have been able to stay on as an employee with Matua to ride out the pandemic.

He hopes to be able to return home to see his parents and younger brother and sister at some point within the next year, before doing some more travel.

Later, he envisions returning home to India for good to work in the family vineyard and make wine.

“I think Marlborough is the best place to stay.”

Ajay Munde

Vineyards & Viticulture Advisory Planning, Production, Problem Solving Mike Insley M: 021 229 8157 E: mike@grapesense.co.nz W: www.grapesense.co.nz

Winepress February 2022 / 21

CELEBRATE

22 / Winepress February 2022

CELEBRATE

Fantastic turn of events Organisers of the LDH Vinyl in the Vines at Catalina Sounds were “incredibly lucky” with weather and Covid restrictions as their “magic day” rolled out, says Stephanie McIntyre. “At 11 o’clock, as we had just completed setting up the event, we heard the Prime Minister announce on the news that we would move to the red traffic light that evening.” She says they had spent months working on the vineyard event, which saw three DJs spinning records in the Waihopai Valley, along with food trucks and Marlborough beer, wine and gin producers, and had already delayed once because of Covid restrictions. So, knowing they were clear to continue was thrilling. “The vibe was just awesome. Everyone seemed excited to be there.”

The first DHL Vinyl in the Vines event was launched in February 2021, with Lawson’s Dry Hills and a trio of DJs creating an event small enough to fit within pandemic precautions. In the time since, Vinyl in the Vines has collaborated with like-minded folk, including 5Tapped and Catalina Sounds, to roll out family-friendly events with a focus on music and records.

Jim Tannock, aka Mr Slice, says Vinyl in the Vines is about building community. “It is bringing people together through the delicious and organic reproduction of music on vinyl.” His Catalina Sounds set went down a 60s, 70s, blues and rock boulevard, with a range he’s not played

LDH Vinyl in the Vines at Catalina Sounds.

Photos by Andrew Strugnell

at Vinyl in the Vines before. “It’s a balancing act to give people what they want or slightly outside what they think they want,” he says. “Throw the net a little wider than what people listen to.”

LDH Vinyl in the Vines co-founder Belinda Jackson, group marketing manager at Lawsons’s Dry Hills, was “delighted” the Catalina Sounds collaboration could roll out on the cusp of the new Covid rules. “Everyone that came seemed to really enjoy it. We had some lovely compliments about the venue, the music, the food and the wine. It was really civilised and great fun.”

Stephanie says some ticketholders didn’t attend, perhaps due to the announcement, but dozens of lastminute tickets were sold on the day, perhaps for the same reason, as Marlburians realised it might be their last event for a while. “We couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was a seamless afternoon; everything came together perfectly.”

The next LDH Vinyl in the Vines event will be an alcohol free “Beach Edition” at the surf club at White’s Bay on February 12, with gold coin donations going to the Rarangi Surf Lifesaving Club.

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CELEBRATE

Generation Y-ine

Alun Kilby

At home with winemaking KAT DUGGAN

ALUN KILBY started his winemaking journey in his childhood kitchen. Living in the Matakana area north of Auckland, he spent a lot of his time as a child making fruit wines with his mum.

He has a lot to thank her for when it comes to his career, because she then took him further into the world of winemaking as a teenager. “When I was in high school my mum was working as an accountant at a winery in Matakana, and one summer she managed to get me a job working in the vineyard of that winery,” he says.

“I didn’t really enjoy the vineyard so much, that wasn’t really for me… That same summer, I was working at a café that the winemaker [from the winery] owned. I had a chat with him and from there on out, started working in the winery every summer.”

Alun felt much more at home there. “I loved the aspect of that sort of work, getting hands on and working with the wine. With mum, we always made fruit wines at home, and it’s always been something that I have been interested in.”.

The experience inspired Alun to learn more about the industry, leading him to complete his Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University. During that time, Alun

promoted to assistant winemaker in 2018. He learned a lot in Germany, and is now enjoying the opportunity to get stuck into his true passion of winemaking.

He is particularly enjoying working with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, putting his own mark on some of Marisco’s blends. “Since I came back from Germany, I have been lucky enough to play around with about 2,000 litres of Sauv each year and do funky things; whatever I like with it,” he says.

“Marlborough is the home of Sauv, and I really like working with it. You can get quite experimental with Sauv Blanc as it’s such a hardy grape. I’ve been doing a lot of oak ferments and barrel ferments, but you can also get a lot of expression in [to the wine] from the vineyard,” he says. “I

“I absolutely loved it, I loved the vibe, I loved the people. I realised, ‘this is me’.”

Alun Kilby took on his first vintage with his now full-time employers, Marisco Vineyards, in 2014. “I absolutely loved it, I loved the vibe, I loved the people. I realised, ‘this is me’. I just loved this career path… I really wanted to move out of the cellar and into winemaking but I was still a bit green then,” he says.

After finishing his degree in 2015, Alun worked in Central Otago for a short time before reaching out to Marisco once again. He made the move to Marlborough late in 2015 to take on his new role in the cellar, thriving on the variety of the job.

Following a sabbatical in Germany in 2017, Alun returned to the Marisco cellar for a short time before being 24 / Winepress February 2022

also really enjoy working with Pinot Gris.”

This year, Alun placed third in the Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year competition, in his third attempt at the title. “I’ve sort of fallen around the middle [previously], but last year I won the speech competition, which I was pretty happy with, as public speaking has never been my forté. This year I felt there was a big step up and I really pushed myself,” he says.

At just 27, he’s planning on using his remaining opportunities for a go at the top spot. “I love the Young Winemaker competition; it’s great for young people just starting out in the industry. I’ve got three more years to give it a go.”

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Winepress February 2022 / 25

EDUCATE

Local Expertise Tax Pooling PAUL O’DONNELL AND ROSIE JARVIS

TAX POOLING came about as a way to mitigate the large gap in the interest rates charged by the IRD for underpaid tax and the rate received from IRD for overpaid tax.

Essentially, tax pooling is paying your tax through a tax pooling intermediary rather than direct to the IRD, to increase flexibility and reduce the costs of underpaid tax.

In the past, large companies that overpaid tax would “sell” their tax to a taxpayer that had tax due to the IRD. The seller would receive more interest than the IRD would offer and the purchaser would pay less interest than the IRD would have charged, so both parties benefit. The tax pooling intermediary would take a percentage for transacting the deal.

The system has since been refined to make things easier and more flexible for the taxpayer and is fully approved by the IRD. Interest savings for the taxpayer are usually about 30% better than the IRD rate.

The most common option for tax pooling is to simply purchase tax from a tax intermediary at the time the tax is needed. Larger entities may opt to create their own tax pool, where they pay tax into the pool as it suits, then transfer from the pool to the IRD as tax payments fall due.

The benefits of tax pooling include: • Greater cash flow flexibility – schedule tax payments to suit cash flow. Funds can also be withdrawn from the tax pool if required.

• Tax payment date deferral – don’t pay until you have the funds available rather than the predetermined IRD dates.

Paul O’Donnell

Grape growers tend to get all their income over a short period of time; usually April to June each year. Many don’t pay provisional tax until the grape cheque has arrived, reducing the bank overdraft cost.

• Keep the bank manager happy - if cash flow is tight, rather than applying for an overdraft extension so you can pay the tax due, don’t pay but use tax pooling later to buy that tax when your cash position is better and will be within existing banking limits.

• Avoid late payment penalties – buy the tax at the due date, therefore avoiding IRD penalties.

• Pay only the tax you need to – wait until year end when your actual tax liability is known and pay only the correct amount.

• Tax pooling can also be used for tax reassessments for most tax types including FBT, PAYE, GST, RWT, reducing interest and penalties from the IRD. Tax pooling can be an extremely useful tool, adding flexibility when managing cash flow and tax obligations.

If you’ve not used tax pooling before, it’s a good topic to discuss with your accountant or advisor.

Paul O’Donnell is managing director and Rosie Jarvis an associate of BDO Marlborough

Industry expertise, locally.

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26 / Winepress February 2022

CELEBRATE

Young Vit

Competitors proved adaptable to Covid regulations

Forging ahead with National Final A “SECRET VINEYARD” was deployed for the 2021 Corteva New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year competition, to ensure the safest event possible, says coordinator Nicky Grandorge. The national final was to be held at Marlborough’s Bankhouse Estate, but was moved to a new location after the country’s Omicron response saw a shift to red light settings just days before the competition.

“We always throw in a curveball for the national final, but none of us were expecting another Covid curveball,” says Nicky. “However, thanks to the passion and determination of the amazing young vit community, we managed to run the competition safely and avoid postponing for a third time.”

The competition was won by Sam Bain from Villa Maria, Hawke’s Bay, with Jess Wilson from Whitehaven Wines in Marlborough taking second place and also winning the research report segment, which focussed on pruning options during a labour shortage.

Courtney Sang from Obsidian, Waiheke Island, was

third. The other contestants were Albie Feary from Ata Rangi, Tristan van Schalkwyk from The Boneline and Katrina Jackson from Chard Farm.

“It has been immensely uplifting to have everyone come together and pull out all the stops, so the 2021 national finalists could finally get together and compete,” says Nicky, having watched Covid-19 restrictions postpone the final from August to November 2021, then postpone again from November to January 27.

The judges commented on the passion and talent of all the contestants, and were impressed with their leadership skills and especially their adaptability over the past few months and in the days before the final. Nicky says the secrecy of the vineyard ensured numbers were very limited and the event was away from a winery or other people. “Everything was outside with all Government recommendations followed.” The awards dinner was cancelled, but a celebration dinner will be held later in the year when safe to do so.

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Winepress February 2022 / 27

PROTECT

Biosecurity Watch Lessons from NZ's largest biosecurity response SOPHIE BADLAND

HARVEST IS fast approaching, so now is a good time to ensure you have good biosecurity protocols in place in the vineyard and winery to prevent the entry and spread of pests and disease. The time pressures that accompany the harvest frenzy mean there is potential to cut corners with biosecurity risk management, but it’s even more crucial to maintain good practice during this period of increased activity in the vineyard. Here are some of the top tips from the New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) biosecurity team for minimising your site’s exposure to biosecurity risk.

Keep track of visitor, vehicle and machinery movements Ensure a robust sign-in process is in place to monitor comings and goings. Have a designated parking space for visitors’ vehicles away from the vines and harvest area.

Minimise vehicle movements around the vineyard as much as possible and use site vehicles (that stay on the property) where available, sticking to regular pathways. If using borrowed or contract machinery, keep a record of where it has come from before entering your property, and where it is going next in case of any issues arising.

Ensure biosecurity signage and reminders are visible Have biosecurity signage in place at entrance gates, which should prompt visitors and contractors to consider the risks they may pose before they enter your property. Vineyard biosecurity signage is available online from sites such as thesignmaker.co.nz. Including biosecurity and vineyard hygiene practices in site induction processes also helps to keep them front of mind for visitors, as does having a clearly signposted area set aside for tool/equipment/footwear cleaning.

and weed seeds like Chilean needle grass very easily between sites. If possible, provide cleaning and wash-down facilities with high pressure air or water for dirty equipment, redirect to an off-site cleaning facility, or if necessary, refuse entry until the equipment has been cleaned. This may be painful or seem inefficient in the short-term but could save thousands in pest or disease management costs in the long run.

Watch out for harlequin ladybird The harlequin ladybird is a potential wine industry pest which can now be found in all of New Zealand’s wine regions, including Central Otago. As temperatures start to drop at the end of summer, harlequin ladybirds start to search for overwintering sites and will aggregate together in large groups. Overseas (in Canada and the USA), they have been known to aggregate inside grape bunches prior to harvest, although this behaviour hasn’t yet been observed in New Zealand. When harlequin ladybirds become startled, they release methoxypyrazines designed to deter predators and, unfortunately, these chemicals can cause ‘ladybird taint’ in affected wine. NZW recommends growers who have noticed the presence of harlequin ladybird in or around their vineyards undertake surveillance prior to harvest to ensure they are not clustering inside grape bunches. If you do find them inside bunches, get in contact with the NZW biosecurity team at biosecurity@nzwine.com Garden weevil on grape bunch.

Image credit: Holly Johnson-Barrett

Clean down harvest machinery, vehicles and equipment as much as possible Check contractor equipment for cleanliness before allowing entry to your vineyard. Equipment and machinery covered in soil and plant material can spread pests like mealybug

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL

CATCH IT . SNAP IT . REPORT IT .

Call MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66 28 / Winepress February 2022

PROTECT

Inspect newly imported equipment for biosecurity threats on arrival. Image credit: Bragato Research Institute

Keep an eye out for garden weevil Bragato Research Institute’s extension team and the NZW biosecurity team have been working with growers this season to monitor garden weevil (Phylictinus callosus) presence in vineyards around the country. The garden weevil has been present in New Zealand for many years, but recent reports indicate damage caused to grapevines by this insect has been increasing, and in some instances is nearing an economic threshold where control measures need to be considered. Some vineyards report weevil issues at harvest, with the insects crawling out of picking bins in large numbers (where fruit is hand picked). If you think you have found weevils or weevil damage in your fruit, or are seeing them in the vines, please take a photograph and contact jim.herdman@nzwine.com or submit the photograph via the Find-a-Pest app from a smartphone.

Thoroughly inspect newly imported machinery and equipment If you’re importing vineyard or winery equipment from overseas, new or used, ensure you do some thorough checks when it arrives on site. While pre-border and border precautions should take care of most biosecurity risk, no system is perfect, so stay vigilant for the presence of unwanted pests or contaminants when receiving your goods. Open them up in an enclosed room, shed or garage.

Check all compartments and inspect the packaging. Some pests (such as the brown marmorated stink bug) are excellent hitchhikers and can easily be transported on goods normally considered low risk. If the machinery is used or second-hand, ensure it is clean and there are no visible contaminants such as soil or plant material. If you see anything suspicious, catch it, take a photo, and call the Biosecurity NZ hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

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Remain vigilant and report anything unusual or suspicious At this time of year, staff in vineyards are actively monitoring the ripeness of grapes, walking the rows or driving around in a tractor or harvester and looking at bunches and vine canopy. This is a great opportunity to do a quick check for any unusual or exotic pest and disease symptoms. Ensure staff know what to do if they see anything unusual – Catch It, Snap It, and Report It to the Biosecurity NZ hotline on 0800 80 99 66, and get in touch with the NZW biosecurity team at biosecurity@nzwine.com

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Winepress February 2022 / 29

Industry News Wine Marlborough Advocacy Update NICCI ARMOUR Wine Marlborough has actively supported the efforts of New Zealand Winegrowers to advocate for the wine industry as we face ongoing labour shortages. While vintage staff numbers and experience are down across the industry, many well prepared plans are being set in motion with a sense of fortitude across wineries.

We also begin preparation for seasonal labour supply in our critical winter period pruning. Working closely with New Zealand Ethical Employers (NZEE), the national peak body for Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme businesses, we aim to identify and address considerations for Marlborough’s winter labour supply for 2022. Keep an eye out for monthly Zoom calls if you are a grower or business keen to stay up to date. Alongside NZEE, the Marlborough Labour Governance Group, and New Zealand Winegrowers, we will also contribute to upcoming discussions around the RSE cap.

Workforce challenges have been at the fore of advocacy activity in the past 12 months, and we are also contributing feedback to the Regional Skills and Leadership Group’s workforce development plans.

In the second half of 2021, Wine Marlborough supported Marlborough District Council’s consultation process on the region’s economic wellbeing strategy (ongoing). Marlborough Winegrowers meetings with council will continue in 2022. If you have any issues you want us to raise with council email Nicci Armour, advocacy manager, at advocacy@ winemarlborough.nz

Super-Tuscan inspired blend Hans Herzog Estate is launching a Super Tuscan-inspired red blend named Grandezza, in a first in New Zealand and a homage to Tuscan wines like Tignanello and Solaia. Hans Herzog runs the organic 11.5 hectare Marlborough vineyard, and is known for his experimentalist stance, growing an unconventional range of 25 different grape varieties for ageworthy wines of complexity, concentration, and balance. The Grandezza represents a “landmark” in the New Zealand wine industry, says Hans’ wife Therese, who manages the organic estate. “Especially as a producer in Marlborough, a region that accounts for more than 75% of the country’s wine production, with 80% planted in the white variety Sauvignon Blanc”.

The 2019 Grandezza is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc from a purposely tiny yield of 800g per vine, for natural concentration. The wine is single vineyard, hand-picked from the lowest yield, and “untamed”, with long skin contact for intricacy and texture, natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts in barrel, no fining, no filtration and matured on its fine lees with 24 months in barrel.

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30 / Winepress February 2022

Major milestone The Fruitfed Supplies team in Blenheim is celebrating an AA grade certificate for their first audit for the Brand Reputation through Compliance of Global Standards (BRCGS) programme.

Kirsty Eggleston, PGG Wrightson’s quality assurance coordinator, says as a significant supplier of winery inputs and additives to wineries around the country, the Fruitfed Supplies winery supplies team is “acutely aware” of customers’ compliance requirements when exporting to European and United Kingdom markets. “Most large wine companies have BRCGS certification, or something similar, to facilitate access to European and UK markets. Food safety standards are in place to assess the risks inherent in our supply chain, identify controls for those risks and eliminate hazards from entering the food chain.”

She says the Fruitfed Supplies Blenheim branch has established a comprehensive product safety management system for identification and controlled management of hazards in food and product which meets BRCGS standards specific to the sourcing, storage and wholesaling of winery inputs and additives.

Jimmy Bowden, winery product manager, says the certification is a major milestone for Fruitfed Supplies.

“Our customers face increasingly complex requirements for access to overseas markets, so we are working hard to enhance how we can support customers with quality and auditable documentation specific to their needs for legislative and international access.”

A review of product safety management systems at all Fruitfed Supplies branches rolls out over the next 12 months to support even more customers with their food safety requirements across various sectors of the horticultural industry.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans will be developed for each Fruitfed Supplies branch, and include a multitude of components around avoiding contamination of the products through the prevention of pests, building sites, hygiene, procedures for recall, traceability and cleanliness, and monitoring the risk of packaging damage.

The team at Fruitfed Supplies Hastings commences work soon to prepare for their BRCGS audit in 2022.

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CLASSIFIEDS WINEMAKING SPACE AVAILABLE

We have 300T of contact winemaking space available at the Framingham winery for 2022 vintage and beyond. Offering competitive rates. If you are interested please email

andrew.brown@framingham.co.nz or phone 021 383729

CLASSIFIEDS GRAPES WANTED

Lease or contract supply 5-20 hectares. Sauvignon Blnc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris or mix thereof. All varieties considered.

All Marlborough subregions considered. For a confidential discussion contact Framingham Viticulturist James Bowskill

james@framingham.co.nz or phone 021 644 090

CLASSIFIEDS DE-JUICING CLIENTS WANTED

Marisco Vineyard has surplus front end capacity for V22 and beyond so is seeking clients for de-juicing contracts.

All volumes 20 tonnes and above considered with competitive pricing based on overall volume.

Contact Matt Mitchell for more information

Call: 027 544 5306 or Email: matt@marisco.co.nz

Open That Bottle Night Pop the cork and twist the cap on Open That Bottle Night, February 26. This day is exactly what it says on the label. Held annually on the last Saturday of February, it’s a day to share a bottle of wine deemed too special to open.

Nautilus Estate. Photo NZW

Winepress February 2022 / 31

Wine Happenings

A monthly list of events within the New Zealand wine industry.

To have your event included in the January Wine Happenings, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by February 21. Due to uncertainty around Covid-19, there may be changes to some of these events. For more information, please use the contact supplied or email sarah@winemarlborough.nz

FEBRUARY 5 New Zealand Rosé Day - sipnzwine.com 6 Forrest Sunday Sessions, with live music from 1pm to 4pm every Sunday 7 - 11 New Zealand Wine Week - nzwine.com 10 Virtual Wine Industry Resilience Workshop – 2pm to 3pm - advocacy@winemarlborough.nz 12 Vinyl in the Vines Beach Edition - Pukatea/Whites Bay 12 Live music at the Cloudy Bay Cellar Door - ‘upbeat funk groove’ with The Steeps from 12pm to 3pm 13 Tūpari Wines Masterclass - stationseddon.co.nz/venues 18 Online Winery Wastewater Workshop – 10am to 11am - advocacy@winemarlborough.nz 26 Open That Bottle Night (see page 31) MAY 6 6 7

Sauvignon Blanc Day - sauvignonblancday.co.nz Feast Marlborough’s Friday Night Feast Saint Clair Vineyard Half - vineyardhalf.com

New Zealand Rosé Day - Feb 5

32 / Winepress February 2022

Winery Wastewater Workshop - Feb 18

Sauvignon Blanc Day - May 6

Safe to use late season Do all you can to protect your crop

HML32, Protectorhml, HML Potum and HML Silco can be used up to two weeks before harvest.

Deal with any late season Powdery Mildew using the HML32, copper fungicide (Nordox is recommended) and HML Potum (potassium bicarbonate) spray mix.* * See website for an alternative spray mix with HML Silco and sulphur.

Minimise late season Botrytis with Protectorhml at the 2 litre/100 litre rate.

See www.henrymanufacturing/ Products/Protectorhml/bio-assaybotrytis.pdf.

Minimise late season Botrytis and enhance maturity for improved fruit quality and harvest options using HML32 by itself at the specific timings for white and red grapes.

See www.henrymanufacturing/Enhanced Maturity.

Henry Manufacturing Ltd For more information about the recommended spray programme, visit www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz Call Chris Henry on 027 294 1490 email chris@henrymanufacturing.co.nz or contact your local technical advisor.

Winepress February 2022 / 33

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