Winepress - Januaray 2021

Winepress THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 313/ JANUARY 2021

WINE TOURISM

YEAR AHEAD

MCBRIDE SISTERS

OWEN GLOVER

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

Something to cheer about As we approach the business end of this most unconventional year, Bayleys is pleased to see our team of five-million faring better than most. We extend our gratitude to clients, customers, friends and family for continued support, as well as endless thanks to everyone who has played a part in keeping COVID-19 constrained.

With warmer summer sun providing the seasonal advantage and mood-booster many of us need, a buzzing pre-holiday market place continues to offer a wealth of opportunities, and our Bayleys team looks forward to providing something extra to cheer about this holiday season.

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REGULARS

FEATURES

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Editorial - Sophie Preece

From the Board Tracy Johnston Generation Y-ine Lachie Blathwayt Pioneer - Owen Glover Biosecurity Watch Jim Herdman Industry News Wine Happenings

Cover: Cloudy Bay's team are experts at wine experiences, including private vineyard tours in the classic Land Rover Photo Jim Tannock. Page 7

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Tourism Reset Wine tourism in Marlborough is forging ahead in the wake of Covid-19, with operators enjoying the benefits of a strong domestic market.

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Experience Counts Cloudy Bay’s customer experience team “embraced” lockdown, using it as an opportunity to refocus on the domestic market.

McBride Sisters Andréa McBride John grew up surrounded by vines in Marlborough, while her big sister lived 10,000 kilometres away on a vineyard in Monterey. These days the McBride sisters have a thriving wine company that spans New Zealand and Californian wine.

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General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 marcus@winemarlborough.nz Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Advertising and Subscriptions: Sarah Linklater 021 704 733 sarah@winemarlborough.nz Wine Marlborough Board: Anna Laugesen Anna.laugesen@xtra.co.nz Ben Ensor ben@mcdonaldtextiles.co.nz Beth Forrest Beth@forrest.co.nz Callum Linklater callum@csviticulture.co.nz Gus Altschwager gus@akwines.net Jamie Marfell Jamie.Marfell@pernod-ricard.com Kirsty Harkness kirsty@mountbase.co.nz Nick Entwistle nick@wairauriverwines.com Tom Trolove (Chair) tom.trolove@framingham.co.nz Tracy Johnston Tracy@dayvinleigh.co.nz 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.

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From the Editor THIS TIME last year our new resolutions were intact, and we were blissfully unaware of the contagion sweeping our way. Now we’re charging into 2021, with New Zealand’s wine exports at $2 billion, the world’s appetite for our wine somehow enhanced by the crisis, and many wine companies marvelling at the health of their books.

With vaccines in the wings, and our own Covid near-free status, it certainly feels like we are getting back on track. But it is undoubtedly a different track to the one we were on before. Covid-19 has shifted the landscape for wine, in part because of burgeoning online markets, now so vital to smaller companies. “It has given us all a kick up the backside,” says Lawson’s Dry Hills marketing manager Belinda Jackson on page 10. “Whether it’s direct to consumers or through third parties, it’s really given us a nudge to get our online presence sorted. It will never go back down to what it was pre-Covid.”

The pandemic has seen wine companies and their partners take a fresh perspective, and work together to pivot towards fresh opportunities. And it’s required hard work to maintain and enhance those partnerships, with outcomes that will outlast the pandemic. “If anything, we will have closer relationships out of this than ever before,” says Tinpot Hut owner and winemaker Fiona Turner.

The pandemic has strengthened connections between smaller companies, she says. “There is a desire for us to help them and from them to help us.”

Here in Marlborough, cellar doors are resetting as well, as they focus on domestic visitors and local support, building connections that will outlive border closures. “As travel momentum rebuilds we must maintain the support and endorsement of our local communities to welcome and embrace visitors and maintain our social licence to operate,” says Tracy Johnston, a Wine Marlborough board member and respected tourism consultant (page 4).

Amidst all the upheaval and track shifting of the past year, the wine industry has continued to play a vital role in the community - through GDP and jobs, but also through companies choosing to be valuable corporate citizens. In recent months Winepress has run stories on the likes of The Borough, a wine label forged through the charity of various industry members to support the Graeme Dingle Foundation in Marlborough, and its work in local schools. To do good stuff when times are good is one thing, but continuing that work through a year like the one we’ve just had is quite another.

So, in 2021 Winepress will bring back the Good Stuff column, starting with the story of Andréa McBride John and her sister Robin, whose label McBride Sisters - which spans their Marlborough and Monterey homes - is creating change for women in the United States. “Our mission from day one was really to transform the industry and lead by example,” says Andréa on page 12.

Hopefully 2021 resolutions include plenty of good stuff like that, as we count ourselves lucky to have survived, and indeed thrived, through such an extraordinary year.

SOPHIE PREECE

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From the Board Celebrating locals as customers and ambassadors TRACY JOHNSTON

IT IS incredible to consider that our borders have been closed for almost 12 months now. Never could we have imagined that we would be in a position where we could not just jump on a flight overseas for a holiday or to do business, or that visitors and customers could not come here.

Covid-19 has taught us all not to take anything for granted and, while catastrophic on so many levels, has forced organisations to reflect on and adjust their business model, with heart-warmingly positive results in some cases.

There are some great examples of that resilience in this issue, with tourism operators changing their models (page 6) and wine companies adapting to the Covid-19 marketplace (page 10).

When it comes to the visitor economy, research released recently by Tourism New Zealand reveals it takes 12 overnight trips from Kiwis to equal the spend of one international visitor. So, while 71% of us are looking to take a holiday in New Zealand within the next 12 months, the sector is still expected to see an economic gap of $12.9 billion per annum without international visitors.

Surprisingly, the big revelation has been not only to recognise and value domestic travellers, but also to consider the importance of local communities. Regions live and die on the perception of their destination and this can largely be attributed to the views of its residents.

So now destinations are looking at ways to actively engage local communities. The purpose is threefold - to build civic pride; to build awareness and support for tourism as a regional economic contributor; and to create a tribe of fans and advocates for the destination.

When health risk is high and travel confidence is low, people stay within their regional bubble. This has driven a trend to buy and fiercely support local as we recognise the value of looking after each other.

The first visitors to travel as restrictions ease and confidence grows are the visiting friends and relatives market - those seeking to reconnect with family and catch up on celebrations and milestone events. Residents become local hosts and tour guides, proudly sharing their favourite places and spaces.

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“As travel momentum rebuilds we must maintain the support and endorsement of our local communities to welcome and embrace visitors and maintain our social licence to operate.”

Tracy Johnston As borders reopen, international travel is likely to be constrained by air capacity. It will take considerable time before we have access to the network of flights we previously enjoyed. Short haul travel is likely to become the new long haul, so luring our Australian neighbours is going to be a high priority.

Whatever the timeframe and circumstances are to our reconnection with the world (and I don’t know anyone with that crystal ball), one thing is for sure, as travel momentum rebuilds we must maintain the support and endorsement of our local communities to welcome and embrace visitors and maintain our social licence to operate.

This is our opportunity to embrace locals visiting our cellar doors or engaging with us through online channels and hospitality outlets and turn them into raving fans and ambassadors for our destination and our wine. They are powerful both as customers and ambassadors if we do it right.

Tracy Johnston is a Marlborough Winegrowers board members, grape grower and tourism consultant.

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Tourism Reset

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Less is more at cellar doors BRENDA WEBB

WINE TOURISM in Marlborough is forging ahead in a Covid-19 landscape, with operators enjoying the benefits of a strong domestic market.

Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd says while some businesses have opted to hibernate until borders reopen, others have tweaked their operation to suit a changed market. “I’m absolutely amazed at the resilience, optimism and positivity here in Marlborough,” she says. “I started in Marlborough just after the Kaikōura earthquake and people were amazing then. Covid is a much bigger hurdle, but people really are regrouping, resetting, pulling together and determined to get through this.”

An optimistic Steve Hill from Wine Tours by Bike is one of those using this summer season as an opportunity to recharge, all the while looking ahead to the return of international visitors. “Everyone’s been running so fast for the past few years, so it’s a good time to take a breath,” he says. “We see this as an opportunity to work on the business; a chance to make sure all ducks are in a row and the operation is really smart, so we are ready to go when the borders open and we have a tsunami of visitors.”

Steve says his business has a small footprint and low running costs, so is luckier than some. He chose to open over the winter months – a time he would normally close – mainly to support the cellar doors and wineries who were open. “We felt a duty to stay open, stay current and stay in people’s minds,” he says. “We didn’t want people to think Marlborough had gone to sleep.”

Steve says the difficulties associated with the pandemic have presented psychological issues for many tourism operators. “It’s been tough to get your head around it.

You could sit on the couch and cry, but we are taking the attitude that it is a short-term thing.”

Jacqui says one of the important things for businesses to take on board is that the issues presented by Covid-19 were not of their making. “They need to ensure their own well-being and mental health. We tell people that this wasn’t something they did – it was completely out of their hands,” she says.

Collaboration has been vital to helping businesses through challenging times and ensuring everyone is on the 6 / Winepress January 2021

same page when promoting wine tourism in Marlborough, with Destination Marlborough and Wine Marlborough working alongside each other and tour operators.

Wine Marlborough’s general manager Marcus Pickens says he has been impressed at the way cellar doors and others in the wine tourism industry shared their experiences and worked together to strengthen the domestic market.

“It’s been amazing collaboration and quite exemplary the way people are willing to speak freely and openly and share information,” he says.

Cellar doors who opened through winter were rewarded with a steady stream of domestic tourists and, anecdotally,

“I think we’ve all been towed along with this huge international influx in recent years that we’ve forgotten there is real value in the Kiwi traveller.”

Marcus Pickens

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Experiencing Cloudy Bay BRENDA WEBB Cloudy Bay has taken a hard look at its tourist operation, since border closures locked out international visitors.

Customer experience manager Nicky Hewett says her team embraced lockdown, using it as an opportunity to refocus on the domestic market and become more proactive in that area.

“Of course, Covid was a big hit, especially financially, but lockdown was a creative and valuable period and we were all busy looking at systems, products and strategies,” she says. “It was fantastic for us in terms of learning about how we deal with change and adapting to work.”

Cloudy Bay’s cellar door and associated activities, forced to close for lockdown, reopened as soon as they could, albeit with reduced days and hours at first.

“We’ve learned so much about the domestic market, which wasn’t always possible previously when we were so dominated by the international market,” says Nicky.

“Now we are taking the time to understand the domestic culture and it’s been interesting.”

Cloudy Bay’s cellar door, like many, has a different look these days. Customers are seated and the cellar door host comes to them. This became mandatory during Alert Level 2 and the personalised tastings became popular, encouraging Cloudy Bay to stick with the formula. “We feel the experience is actually much better – people feel more special and relaxed and we can control the expectations because it is a managed experience,” says Nicky.

Because there are fewer people coming through, hosts can spend more time delivering the product and telling the company story, although Nicky points out those who want to take a glass of wine outside for a wander still can.

Over the years Cloudy Bay has gained a reputation for its specialist experiences aimed at the high end of the market, such as a fully catered sailing trip in Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui or a vineyard trip in the company’s trusty Land Rover. “We’ve always had some Kiwis do those things and now it’s a case of having the flexibility to get to a price point that works for them,” she says. “Our Land Rover experience is $250 for the group, and that includes getting out in the vineyard where we open a bottle of bubbles and drive to the hilltop, where you get great views across to the North Island. The Kiwis who’ve done it have been blown away.”

Private tastings, where people visit parts of the winery normally inaccessible, meet winemakers and try various wines including back vintages, are popular among Kiwis prepared to spend a bit more, says Nicky, and that’s an area Cloudy Bay is actively marketing.

“Often people will call to book a cellar door visit and once we talk them through it, they realise there are options available that we can tailor to their needs and interests and that’s where being flexible and adaptable is really important.”

With regions being marketed to Kiwis, those coming through are often staying longer than international visitors and wanting to participate more fully in cellar activities, she says. “It’s just a case of us being really visible, taking every opportunity and being really proactive and making every experience a really amazing one for our visitors.”

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those visitors were spending well according to Marcus.

“They no longer have the excuse of ‘I can’t take a case of wine back home with me’ and seem to have been willing to pay for a more personal experience,” he says. “There was a lot of confidence within the cellar door network after lockdown and it was great to see those who would normally open for winter, remain open in such uncertain times. As spring arrived, another group put their toe in the water and opened and I’m hearing that the results are positive.”

With the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival cancelled, there isn’t a big event to attract wine lovers to the province, but Marcus feels the message that Marlborough is open for business is out there. He’s noticed businesses changing their operations to meet that market, with cellar doors in particular now having the time to offer a more in-depth experience. “The domestic market has been good and it’s a bit of a lesson really – I think we’ve all been towed along with this huge international influx in recent years that we’ve forgotten there is real value in the Kiwi traveller,” he says.

“It’s time to focus on the local tourist’s needs.”

Part of Wine Marlborough’s role is to look at the cellar door network and see how they can be supported, he says.

“Cellar doors are meeting the market and I think they’ve become more sophisticated in their marketing reach – some are doing things like having food trucks on site, all of which is a positive step.”

Destination Marlborough is encouraging local Marlburians to get out and enjoy their own backyard, especially with their visitors over summer, as well as running targeted campaigns in Canterbury, Auckland and Nelson/Tasman. The number of people coming through has been surprising, says Jacqui. “No one expected as much domestic travel and I think that has really helped cashflow over winter.”

Destination Marlborough has typically promoted the province with spring and autumn campaigns to attract people in the shoulder seasons as peak months of January and February were prime time for international tourists and cruise ships, creating pressure on resources.

Ironically, it is that peak time that operators are now anxious about, given that Kiwis traditionally go to their holiday homes or boats. Jacqui is confident tourism 8 / Winepress January 2021

“People really are regrouping, resetting, pulling together and determined to get through this.”

Jacqui Lloyd operators in the province have always looked after their domestic market and hopes local visitors will do their bit to support them.

“I think any good tourism operator understands how important the domestic market is and having a strong domestic base has traditionally helped get through those months from June to September when there are no internationals. The ones who understand that and have both markets strongly covered are the ones who will get through,” she says. “But these are strange times and we haven’t had anything like this before so it is all unknown really.”

The high profile of the wine industry in Marlborough made it easy for Destination Marlborough to promote the region, according to Jacqui. “Without a doubt the work the wine industry has done nationally and on the global stage is paramount – when you think that someone can walk down a supermarket aisle and see the Marlborough label at eye level – that’s pretty amazing.”

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Sounds Connection BRENDA WEBB Substantially reducing their business and focussing on short-term goals has been key to Sounds Connections’ continued operation through Covid19’s challenges, says owner operator Maria Baxter. The most important thing for her was to make a plan for six months and work through it weekly. “We don’t look too far ahead,” she says. “We had a really busy December, but you don’t take it for granted that January will be like that… we just go from week to week.”

Sounds Connection, which specialises in winery visits, lost 50% of its business when borders closed, and has had to adapt to attract domestic tourists, who typically don’t want to pay a lot, she says. “We’ve modified it to be appealing to Kiwis, but of course at the same time we have costs we have to manage.” They now operate Wednesday to Sunday, with a set itinerary visiting the same wineries, “which seems to work for the travelling guests at the moment”.

Sounds Connection had to lay off staff which was a devastating blow, says Maria. “We run our business with family-like values and being small everyone was like a family member… Of course, we made sure

everyone was ok but yes, it’s tough.”

When Maria and husband Mark started Sounds Connection 1993, they had wine tourism, cruises in the Sounds, fishing charters and bus transport in mind. “We didn’t want to have all our eggs in one basket and when we started it was mainly fishing and transport to the ski fields.”

Wine tourism back then was fledgling and Maria didn’t see it becoming the main focus of the business. “We certainly didn’t expect the growth we have seen, especially in the last 10 years,” she says. When tourism and the cruise ship market boomed, winery tours were tailored to meet international expectations and included high end luxury experiences as well as lower priced options aimed at budget travellers.

That all ended with Covid-19, she says. “If you decide to stay open then you have to modify your operation and we did.” The ongoing issue for many will be the need to reinvest, to ensure there’s “good gear” for when the tourists come back, “and they will”, she adds.

Maria has found incredible support from organisations such as Destination Marlborough and Wine Marlborough as well as locals. “There appears to be a genuine desire from Marlburians to help. Everyone is in the

same boat – we just have different challenges and we are doing our best to meet them.”

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Snap Shot ROCKETING EXPORT numbers don’t tell the full story of Marlborough wine companies operating in a Covid-19 world. In the final part of a series of snapshots, SOPHIE PREECE talks to three Marlborough wine companies about their experience.

Tinpot Hut Wines “If anything, we will have closer relationships out of this than ever before,” says Tinpot Hut owner and winemaker Fiona Turner.

The pandemic has strengthened connections between smaller, family owned companies, she says. “There is a desire for us to help them and from them to help us.” Independent retailers are actively seeking wine from smaller producers, in what she sees as an extension of buy local trends around the world. In return, Tinpot Hut has been looking to support its partners, including gifting some of their longstanding customers a case of Sauvignon Blanc when they reopened, in a care package that expressed the wine company’s apprecation. “And the feedback was incredible,” says Fiona.

The challenges of Covid-19 have made the Tinpot Hut team – and other companies – think about how they can be more responsive to their customers, she adds. “There’s no complacency at all.”

Meanwhile, their distributors’ sales are burgeoning, with a revised channel split and “exponential” growth in online business. “Particularly in those established markets like the UK and the US,” she says. “They have pivoted to those channels very quickly.” That’s meant that Tinpot Hut, while traditionally “pretty heavily skewed to on-premise and independent offpremise”, has weathered the storm of Covid well.

“Our channel split has changed quite dramatically – far more than we had ever planned on – and our feeling is that those channels that have expanded and opened up will remain for the future,” Fiona says, noting that there’s likely to be a permament change in the way people buy wine. “We don’t see that dropping away.”

The other trend she has seen is a “huge move” towards buying New Zealand products, including wine, partly thanks to a Covid response that increased New Zealand’s profile on the world stage. While there are wine companies feeling pain, she says, “I do see it in the long term as being positive for New Zealand as a whole”.

Bladen “We bottled our Rosé in June and had sold out of it by September,” says Dave Macdonald, somewhat bemused by Bladen’s sales over the past six months.

The boutique Marlborough wine company is family owned and operated, so a Bladen Covid bubble was relatively easy to manage when harvest progressed under Alert Level 4. Despite the pressures of the vintage, they delighted in “unbelievably lovely fruit”, while wondering how they’d fare in a lockdown world, given Bladen’s reliance on on-premise, and on visitors to their award-winning cellar door.

Covid-19 saw the cellar door shut and importer orders stall for three months, as clients depleted their inventory, playing a cautious game. “They didn’t know if they would have much of a marketplace and basically emptied their warehouses,” says Dave. “Then the orders came in thick and fast – and keep coming in.”

Meanwhile, the family and distributors have worked hard to boost mail order sales, making the most of relationships forged with visitors to the cellar door, including those who went on to buy wine from their offshore partners. Dave’s wife Chris explains that visitors to the cellar door can order wine in the UK, and the companies that enable those sales and deliveries “have a long tail”, with a rich database of Bladen buyers that proved valuable throughout Covid.

Dave notes that when a recent shipment landed in the UK, the importer explained that much of it had been pre-sold to people who’d bought Bladen before. People who can’t travel are “restocking on their memories”, he adds. “If you can’t get out on a holiday, what do you do?

10 / Winepress January 2021

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You go back to your memories, which in some cases include our wine.”

He says the 2020 financial year was to be their best ever, “and then we lost three months”. But the year beginning July has seen a complete recovery, with every single one of their importers reordering, “and we are ahead of the game already”, Dave says.

Chris says the changes they have made, including strengthening their online sales, mean they should be stronger than ever when the Covid crisis has passed. No one knows what’s yet to come, they say. “But we’ve got our fingers crossed.”

Catalina Sounds “It really was a year for new beginnings,” says Catalina Sounds winemaker Matt Ward, who started 2020 with a new marriage, new job and new winery. Matt started at Catalina Sounds in February, hard on the heels of his wedding and not long before harvest began. That meant helping move the company’s winemaking to The Wine Studio, while working on the year’s forecasts and relishing the superb growing season. By March 19 they were picking, and barely a week later New Zealand was in lockdown, with all the forecasts were back on the drawing board, with predictions of a 70% drop in on-premise business and uncertainty across the globe.

Catalina Sounds typically has a broad distribution spread across on-premise and retail channels and its distributors in all markets were nimble in reacting to the market change, says Matt. “They made some good decisions early on to shift to a premium retail focus." But in Australia in particular they also resolved to not stand down sales people so they could keep talking to and supporting the hospitality sector until they could reopen, he says. “This has already paid dividends for Catalina Sounds”.

The company counts itself lucky that 2020 was one of the best growing seasons in more than a decade, and that most of its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir hand pick was complete before lockdown. Now, with good retail growth, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, “we are in a really positive spot”, he says. The company’s sales are 20% up on their revised forecast numbers, and close to meeting sales results before Covid-19. Single Vineyard wines have been most affected by the loss of on-premise markets, but the company’s quick reaction to the market shift has been a saving grace. “We didn’t panic and made good decisions in the vineyard based on quality.”

Lawson’s Dry Hills “It has given us all a kick up the backside,” says Lawson’s Dry Hills marketing manager Belinda Jackson of online wine sales through global lockdowns. “Whether it’s direct to consumers or through third parties, it’s really given us a nudge to get our online presence sorted. It will never go back down to what it was pre-Covid.”

When the world was shaken by the pandemic, Belinda got in touch with all Lawson’s clients to check how they were – commercially and personally – and to offer help in boosting Lawson’s digital presence. One retailer told her it was a welcome change to have a supplier offer assistance, rather than insist on answers no one was able to give. “He said it was so refreshing.”

Belinda’s attitude through the past year has been to focus on the things she has power to change. “A pandemic is a pandemic,” she says. “It’s all about a circle of influence and concentrating on what you can do and not on things you have no influence over.”

Things she could influence included keeping exposure for the brand, tapping into the “huge spike” in e-commerce, and continuing conversations. “I believe that where you can – even when the chips are down - you have to keep a voice. You have to keep exposure for your brand.” That included the July launch of a new label Inviniti, which celebrates the company’s sustainability measures. Belinda notes that some people want to “pull up the drawbridge and batten down the hatches” in tough times, but “you have to be amongst it”.

The company did pull back on expenditure, including advertising and marketing, while “keeping the conversations going”, including staying in touch – “and empathising” – with their business partners. “It’s the human factor,” she adds. “For me, it is about relationships.”

Lawson’s has found that with third party e-commerce and retail sales making up for the loss in on-premise, the company has not taken a financial hit this year. And she is continuing to work on their online presence, enabling better e-commerce outcomes for their partners. “We have to look at e-commerce as a separate trade channel,” she says. “You can’t ignore it… and we need to get really good at it as a country.”

Winepress January 2021 / 11

CELEBRATE Andréa, left, and Robin McBride

Good Stuff Making a difference, from Marlborough to Monterey SOPHIE PREECE

ANDRÉA MCBRIDE John was 16 years old when she first met her big half-sister Robin, changing both of their lives in a moment. Andréa had grown up in Marlborough, with no knowledge of Robin, who lived 10,000 kilometres away on a vineyard in Monterey, California.

Twenty two years on from that extraordinary meeting, the McBride Sisters – based in California but inextricably linked to New Zealand wine – is the biggest Black-owned wine company in the United States, and is creating change for countless other women. “Our mission from day one was really to transform the industry and lead by example, and to cultivate community through delicious wine,” says Andréa.

“As we have got bigger it has allowed us to amplify our efforts.”

Andréa was born in Los Angeles, but moved to Blenheim with her mother in 1989, when she was six and a half years old. Three months later her mother died, and Andréa began to share her time between her foster family in Auckland and her base in Blenheim, where she worked on her uncle’s vineyard, while attracting attention as an athlete and volleyball player.

Then when she was 12, Andréa received a phone call from her father – who she’d not seen since she’d left America. He told her he had terminal cancer and that she had a half-sister, who his family were trying to track down.

In 1999 Robin travelled to New Zealand, and the sisters discovered they had far more in common than a father and childhoods surrounded by vines. As soon as Andréa had finished high school, she went to university in California on a sports scholarship, and in 2005 the sisters launched a business that would marry their passion for wine and their “fundamental” beliefs around community, social equity 12 / Winepress January 2021

“These are definitely super crazy challenging times.” and environmental sustainability, with a triple bottom line entwined in the company’s DNA. As well as ensuring all their wines are sustainably farmed, including organic and biodynamic vineyards, they are focussed on social initiatives that shake traditional gender and race inequity, says Andréa. In the US there’s an obvious gender gap in every facet of wine, from winemaking and distribution to company ownership and executive leaders, she says. “It is so bland… You get to upper management and you don’t see women for the most part and you don’t see women of colour.”

The sisters are working to be an inspiration for women in business and particularly Black women in business. Last year they launched the McBride Sisters SHE CAN Professional Development Fund, to promote the professional advancement of women in the wine industry.

In its first year, the fund awarded nearly $40,000 in scholarships to empower women in business.

This year they have adapted the fund in reaction to Covid-19, which has been especially destructive to Blackowned small businesses in the United States, says Andréa.

In response, the McBride Sisters Collections is helping grantees obtain access to capital and business advisement.

Andréa says SHE CAN pays homage to both their mothers, while working to “raise up other women and have them raise up other women around them”.

Andréa typically comes home to New Zealand for Christmas, then for harvest, and again for blending in the middle of the year, splitting her life between New Zealand

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”As we have got bigger it has allowed us to amplify our efforts.” and California, and still feeling “very much like a Kiwi”.

There’ve been no trips home since Christmas 2019 however, with her plans to return for the 2020 harvest curtailed

by Covid-19. With contract growers in Central Otago, Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, the risks of the industry being shut down was “pretty nerve-wracking”, she says.

And she was dubious about their ability to blend everything virtually, with 17 components sent to her, Robin, and the winemakers in New Zealand and California. “If you had told me pre-Covid, I would have said ‘no way – there’s no way we can do this’,” she says. “It was crazy and the wine was brilliant, but luckily it was an amazing growing season.”

And there’s no slowing down the McBride sisters, pandemic or not, with “really big dreams and aspirations”, Andréa says, calling their business success and social initiatives a testament to what is possible with purpose and ingenuity. Getting this far has required “a North Star” and a mission, she adds, “because these are definitely super crazy challenging times”.

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Winepress January 2021 / 13

EDUCATE

The Innovation Vineyard Project MARLBOROUGH’S INNOVATION Vineyard hosted a field day on mechanical vine canopy management in December, showcasing the best in “cutting, sucking, blowing and grabbing”. That’s the summation of Marlborough Grape Growers (MGG) Cooperative viticulturist Johnny McMillan, who describes the field day as “a blinder”, with more than 100 attendees gleaning insights into cutting-edge machinery.

Four local machinery suppliers presented technology for more precise and efficient canopy and bunch line management, vine balance, light and photosynthetic quality, pest and disease control, and reduced water usage.

The competitors worked collaboratively, so growers could compare equipment, and ascertain what works best for their budget, vineyard site, varieties and management, Johnny says. “From the growers’ side of things, what they have seen is in-field tangible demonstrations and outcomes side by side with the next guy.” That’s a win-win for the companies involved and the growers, as well as for The MGG Cooperative and Farmlands, which are partners behind the Innovation Vineyard Project, he says.

The partnership began in 2017 and has evolved to a collection of vineyard blocks at Ben McLauchlan’s Rothay Vineyard on Wratts Road in Rapaura. Ben says the collaboration was about doing something for the betterment of the industry. “We knew there was a whole

lot of technology out there, and this is a way to show it to our members.” While there’s a “huge amount” of technology Marlborough’s wine industry could tap into, “we are not adopting wholesale as an industry”, he says, noting that uptake is instead piecemeal. “That’s something I am really intrigued by... why are we not doing more?”

Over the past three years, the Innovation Vineyard has been used to profile and trial best practice, providing an excellent tool for Farmlands clients and MGG Cooperative members to improve and enhance their operations, says Ben. “It’s about ground truthing innovation and the opportunity to see things in action.” Having four companies attend the canopy management field day “speaks volumes” about the industry, he says. “We have four competitors willing to come together to showcase their best and brightest things to show grape growers what’s going on.”

He notes that some growers came to see a specific machine, but gained a far better understanding by seeing the range work side by side.

Johnny says the Innovation Vineyard Project leans more towards new technologies that have evolved to deliver stronger practical tried and tested application. “But the door is still open towards the blue sky opportunities, such as vineyard specific weather reports and new imaging technology for spraying and yield estimates.” innovationvineyard.co.nz

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Winepress DecemberWINEPRESS 2020 / 15JAN 2021

CELEBRATE

Generation Y-ine Lachie Blathwayt’s vine-tuned plan

“I haven’t looked back since. I knew I wanted to work in viticulture.”

Lachie Blathwayt LACHIE BLATHWAYT was 14 when he got his first job on a vineyard, shoot thinning at Clos Henri under the guidance of international experts. “It was a very cool introduction,” he says three years on, as a graduate of the New Zealand School of Winegrowing.

Speaking one week into a summer internship at Constellation, the 17-year-old is even more passionate about his career choice than he was back then. “It makes it much easier to get up early in the morning to go to work, and be happy in that work.”

When Lachie first moved to Marlborough to live with his dad in Year 9, his plan was to be an actor. But it didn’t take long for him to see the opportunities of viticulture, where he could marry his love of outdoor labour with a mind keen to learn more of the science behind good vines.

“I haven’t looked back since. I knew I wanted to work in viticulture.”

At the end of Year 11 at Marlborough Boys’ College (MBC), he learned of the wine school (page 17), which is a two-year course for students at Marlborough Girls’ College and MBC, with a curriculum geared towards viticulture and oenology, while gaining the same credits as the standard classes. “I said I was super keen to get into that.

It sounded like awesome fun,” he says. “One of the reasons I was looking forward to going into that class was it was something I was extremely passionate about, and already had a bit of knowledge on.” He had “full confidence” in the wine school model from day one, Lachie adds. “It definitely works and it works really well.”

16 / Winepress January 2021

The studies - including some Primary ITO units, industry field days, and the ability to work a day a week at Clos Henri in his final school year - filled in more of the science behind the multitude of learnings he’d had in the vineyards, bringing depth to his education, and to his work. “I am somebody who really enjoys being outside and working with my hands,” he says. “But I also like the more complicated scientific side of it as well.”

He’s done a vintage in a winery as well, which was “a blast”, but it’s the vineyard side of wine Lachie is most interested in. This year he’ll undertake the Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT), through which he will be released to a winery for vintage 2021, in another opportunity to combine hands-on experience with a structured education.

He says the choice of wine schools was easy, with NMIT “bang smack” in the heart of New Zealand’s wine industry, and with access to “unbelievably intelligent people” as guest lecturers. “It’s one of the best vit courses in New Zealand,” Lachie says. Then, degree in hand, he hopes to move to France to gain his master’s degree at the University of Bordeaux. “I like having a plan,” he explains.

Ultimately, he hopes to work in vineyard development, having seen his father undertake a project a few years back.

Watching a plot of land with grass and trees be transformed into a vineyard intrigued him, appealing to his love of manual labour, his interest in logistics and his passion for the science of viticulture.

EDUCATE

A Grape Education Wine school widens net Students of the New Zealand School of Winegrowing “stepped up and adapted” in a challenging 2020 year, say the teachers behind the programme.

When lockdown meant the Marlborough college students in the course were not able to pick grapes for wine making, Forrest Estate Wines donated Riesling juice to keep them on track, says wine school teacher Rebecca Kane. The students went on to experiment with different yeasts and techniques and now have wine bottled and ready for cellaring, along with packaging and labelling designs.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand School of Winegrowing (NZSWG) and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) have established a collaboration that enables students to complete the Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations through NMIT, as part of the wine school’s two-year course. The initiative is a way for students to get more exposure to the wine industry and a tertiary institution, as well as specialist winery equipment, she says. Despite Covid delays, the first students are now halfway through the semester at NMIT, working there or at wineries and vineyards for a half day each week.

As well as the cellar ops visits, students have been continuing their placements at various wineries and vineyards, including at Indevin and Clos Henri. And several wineries and vineyards have been in touch about working with students in 2021 says Natasha Radich, Marlborough Boys’ College’s wine development officer.

There are more changes afoot for next year, with the school widening the net in terms of student intakes. As of 2021, students will be able to dip their toes into one area of the course, or fully immerse themselves in wine studies,

“We were looking for ways to encourage more people to join the wine school.”

Natasha Radich from wine agribusiness to practical science, and product design to cellar operations. The new model will expose a more diverse group of students to different areas of the wine industry, Natasha says. “Over the past two to three years, the numbers haven’t been sustainable… So we were looking for ways to encourage more people to join the wine school.”

A review in January 2020 looked at how the school could operate differently, and better understand why more students didn’t want to do it full-time. One of the main reasons was being separated from their main peer group for wine school studies, while another was that students weren’t certain they wanted a career in wine. The chance to participate partially will enable more students to get a taste of the opportunities on offer, without committing their full schedule, says Natasha.

The wine school was established in 2018, as a collaboration between Marlborough Girls’ and Marlborough Boys’ Colleges, Wine Marlborough, New Zealand Winegrowers, and several Marlborough businesses, vineyards and wineries. The three years since have been a major learning curve, says Rebecca. “But it’s just getting better and better and the students are all coming out work ready, with the qualifications they need and the experiences they need.” Most will have done one or two vintages as well as their course of study, “so they’re well set up for employment or university”. winegrowing.school.nz

Winepress January 2021 / 17

CELEBRATE

The Pioneer Trading cows and garlic for vines and wine BRENDA WEBB

THE WORD pioneer doesn’t sit easily with Owen Glover.

Despite being one of the first to plant in Dillons Point Rd, on what was then considered marginal viticultural land, he prefers to credit others - including Neal Ibbotson, Ivan Sutherland, Hamish Young and Philip Rose - for their advice, encouragement and support. “They were the ones who really took the risks and paved the way for the rest of us,” he says, in his typically unassuming manner.

Back in the 1970s and 80s, Dillons Point land was considered by many to be too wet and saline for grapes, better suited to mixed cropping and sheep. Back then Owen was dairy farming in Grovetown, where he grew up in an old homestead surrounded by dairying, cropping and specialised seed production, as well as sheep and beef farms.

Owen worked on his family’s farm on Vickerman Street, and on other properties in the area, then took over the dairy farm aged 22, when his father died. “It was a 24/7 way of life.” he says. In 1983 he took a drive in the Dillons Point area, found two farms for sale, and saw an opportunity.

While the soil wasn’t as fertile as Grovetown, Owen and his wife Wendy were able to “sell one acre in Grovetown and buy two in Dillons Point”, ending up with 100 hectares split on either side of the road, he says.

They built a milking complex and moved their cows down the road, then in 1985 planted 8ha in grapes – mainly Pinot Noir for the Australian bubbly market, along with Mendoza Chardonnay and Semillon. Marlborough wines were starting to get a reputation internationally, but most eyes were on the stony soils of Rapaura, with Dillons Point largely devoid of vines. Owen admits he didn’t do a lot of research. “It was a seat of the pants thing to do, but where I planted was on the silty soils around the Ōpaoa River,” he says. “I’d grown lucerne and made hay off it and liked the way it lay to the north.”

His then neighbour Hamish Young had already planted grapes on his property and encouraged Owen to do the same – even supplying cuttings for him. A decade later, Hamish and Terry Gillan produced a Sauvignon 18 / Winepress January 2021

“It was a seat of the pants thing to do.”

Owen Glover Blanc that won at the 1994 Air New Zealand awards, showcasing the ‘wow factor’, of the area, says Owen, describing the “sweaty, salty and savoury characteristics”, the area has become known for. “That set the benchmark and we thought ‘we’re on the right track’. As Hamish said, ‘who needs stones?’”

Before grapes, Owen grew garlic and, along with Kevin and Pat Murphy, Robert Kennedy and Bill and Peter Jones, had built a factory at Grovetown. High grade garlic was lucrative, “if you got it right”, but the sector died when Chinese imports flooded the Australian market, undercutting prices over night and vindicating the grape growing decision. Owen has fond memories of their Gourmet Garlic brand presence at the early Marlborough Wine & Food Festivals, with the garlic clown, a garlic snipping competition and even a garlic cloves scramble from a plane. Wine, chocolate cake and ice cream were amongst the foodstuffs heavily loaded with garlic at these festivals.

In 1988, Owen decided to concentrate totally on grapes, selling the farm on the north side of Dillons Point Rd to a fellow dairy farmer. He used the proceeds to buy a 20ha planted vineyard in Mills and Ford West, which he later converted to Sauvignon Blanc, given that that variety was

PCL AD Winepress 2016.pdf

making Marlborough famous worldwide. “The dairying fraternity thought I’d gone bonkers when I planted grapes and we had some very robust debates about it with the garlic growers also,” recalls Owen, noting that many of the garlic growers have since planted vines.

But grape growing wasn’t easy in the early days, with unknown territory and issues like phylloxera to deal with. Owen says there was a lot of support available, acknowledging people like Mike Insley, then with Montana, and Tony Hoksbergen, who were always happy to help. “The viticulturists were very open with their advice – there was a real camaraderie,” he says.

And he has repaid that help to the industry at large, as a director at Highfield Estate, committee member of Marlborough Grape Growers Association and later director and chairman of Marlborough Winegrowers. In recent years, Wendy and Owen’s sons Ben and Jack have become heavily involved in the wine industry, with both having served as directors on the Marlborough Winegrowers board and as wine judges. Ben has taken over 14ha of the Dillons Point vineyard for growing Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewürztraminer for his Zephyr label, while Jack has headed to Australia, post Covid, to take up the marketing director role for Accolade wines.

Owen feels the province is all the better for the wine industry, citing the vibrant atmosphere in Blenheim itself and the presence of international people from all walks of life. Alternatives, such as an explosion of widespread dairying, would be untenable he says. Owen sees the future of the industry in the hands of the “big players” although acknowledging there are still niche opportunities for winemaker led operations with a point of difference.

Reflecting on the success of grapes in Marlborough, Owen says he doubts any of his father’s generation could have visualised a future where the entire region would be covered with grapevines. “Their knowledge of wine was nil – the only grog in the cabinet would have been port or sherry.”

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Winepress January 2021 / 19

PROTECT

Biosecurity Watch Could biodiversity be the key to better biosecurity?

JIM HERDMAN

MORE THAN 10% of New Zealand’s wineries hold organic certification, growing and making wine using only natural products. There is a perception that pest and weed control can be more difficult for organic growers because they can’t use many of the common pesticides and herbicides that conventional growers can. To test this idea, I took an opportunity to talk to Bart Arnst to gain some insight into how organic growers manage biosecurity and his views on biodiversity within the vineyard.

Bart has been working in viticulture since the early 1990s, starting out with Seresin Estate and Squire Estate in his early career, and is now an organic consultant and an independent vineyard manager. He is co-owner of organic wine company The Darling Wines and on the Research Advisory Committee for the Bragato Research Institute.

Millton Vineyards

Bart has been embracing organics for many years now and tries to look at viticulture through a different lens, knowing that the modern world does not want more herbicide or insecticide use. He is an advocate for certification with BioGro and has been a part of the organising team for the Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference. For many years he felt it was like “banging your head against a brick wall” trying to advocate for organic growing, but now it is becoming more mainstream as growers come to understand better the positive effects of increased biodiversity within the

vineyard. Bart’s own wine brand The Darling Wines is BioGro certified, which he says “gives customer assurance”, particularly in offshore markets.

“Being organic, you need to be more of an old-time farmer with knowledge of the environment, especially the weather. Biodiversity can also be closely linked to biosecurity. Provide a food source like pollen and nectar by planting buckwheat for the parasitic wasp Dolichogenidea tasmanica, who will lay their eggs into the caterpillar of the light brown apple moth, enabling the control of the moth. Also, the planting of phacelia attracts hoverflies and lacewings, and their larvae will also prey on moth eggs.

Cover crops in organic vineyards offer a more diverse environment that can host other beneficials. There are also mechanical treatments of vines developed for botrytis control, such as collard leaf blowing for post-flowering, blowing the trash out of the vines and bunches.”

On the biosecurity front, one of New Zealand Winegrowers’ (NZW) main strengths is the effort it puts into biosecurity readiness and response through the Government Industry Agreement, Bart says. Being part of a broader effort to stop the entry and establishment of pests and diseases like the brown marmorated stink bug and Xylella fastidiosa is a crucial task for the industry body. He is also aware of the importance of the work being done to look at potential biological control options for unwanted pests. “What is in the country at the moment organic growers, for the most part, know how to manage,” he adds.

There is, however, some concern among organic growers about the Government’s ability to undertake control once a new pest or disease is established. He doesn’t think it would be socially acceptable to spray a large residential population anymore as has been done in the past, when large spray programmes took place to eradicate the painted apple moth in west Auckland and the Asian gypsy moth in Hamilton between 1999 and 2004.

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PROTECT

Photo Richard Briggs

“Being organic, you need to be more of an old-time farmer with knowledge of the environment.”

Bart Arnst

Bart is also keen to include biosecurity awareness as part of his daily work and was eager to utilise the NZW Pest and Disease Identification Guide for raising awareness of potential threats. He is pleased that the biosecurity protocols outlined in the NZW Biosecurity Plan template line up with the BioGro certification. BioGro growers are audited to ensure the transfer of pests and disease within the organic sector is negated. Clean down protocols are an essential part of the ongoing management of an organic vineyard both when machinery arrives and when it leaves.

Multi-residue testing is also important for sheep grazing and an integral part of the organic certification.

When asked about any significant challenges organic growers face with standard vineyard pests and diseases,

25 25 years

Bart thought that they were just approached differently and managed accordingly; the same challenges but a different way of tackling them - for example, using inter-row crops to attract beneficials and the use of organically approved sprays.

Bart believes we should be actively moving away from traditional sprays to help enable all of New Zealand’s wines to establish at the premium end of the market. To keep them there, the industry needs to demonstrate its commitment to being sustainable and be extremely environmentally aware. Having done a lot of traveling when selling his own label, most of Bart’s customers and casual contacts overseas recognise the organic label as a real positive.

For more information on organic growing, visit organicwinenz.com. The NZW biosecurity resources can be downloaded from nzwine.com/en/sustainability/ biosecurity/.

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Winepress January 2021 / 21

Industry News Sipping Pretty Rosé is now New Zealand’s fourth largest wine export, having overtaken Chardonnay last year. And with the 2020 vintage offering “outstanding” examples, the sixth New Zealand Rosé Day on February 5 is set to sit – and sip - pretty. Sip NZ’s Caro Jensen says the variety has come a long way, “and wine lovers can now choose from a wide variety of styles, sweetness levels and price points, with the premium Rosé category experiencing a significant increase over the years”. New Zealand Rosé Day will kick off the long Waitangi weekend, with the promotion of pink picnics across the country’s beaches and social feeds, Caro says. “A pink picnic and glass of chilled Rosé are the perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon in New Zealand’s beautiful backyard.”

Charles Eason joins BRI Professor Charles Eason has joined the Bragato Research Institute (BRI) board of directors in an advisory capacity. At the end of last year, Charles retired from his position of chief executive officer of the Cawthron Institute, based in Nelson. “I look forward to taking up this role with BRI,” he says. “I am passionate about supporting the growth of research and development, and progressing that through to practical industry solutions for the wine industry.”

BRI board chair Mark Gilbert says Charles brings “an outstanding record of leadership of science-based organisations”, and the board looks forward to his input to progress the practical research aspirations of the institute. “The Government’s Regional Research Institute policy was based on the success of Cawthron. BRI was established as a result of that policy so it is appropriate that professor Eason continues that legacy here.”

Jeff Clarke joins OTU Estate Wines Jeff Clarke has been appointed winemaker at OTU Estate Wines in the Awatere Valley. “I’m looking forward to working with the passionate and dedicated team at OTU Wines, and to capture the essence of the unique wild coastal terroir that is the OTU Wine Estate,” he says.

Jeff studied oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College in Adelaide, and started his winemaker career in Australia at Penfolds Wines, before moving to New Zealand. Over the next 17 years, he worked with Montana Wines and Pernod Ricard, and more recently, Jeff has worked with several New Zealand wine companies, guiding them through new wine styles, markets and winemaking facilities. While head of the winemaking team at Montana, Jeff was twice named “International White Winemaker of the Year”, first at the London International Wine Challenge in 1999 and again in Japan in 2003. Catherine Ma, director of OTU Estate Wines, says Jeff’s “outstanding track record and wealth of experience is second to none in New Zealand”.

Given current travel restrictions and OTU’s strong growth plans, Jeff’s appointment coincides with the departure of Winemaker Jan Kux, one of the leading figures at OTU Wine Estate during its initial years. Having overseen winemaking operations to date, Jan Kux, currently based in Switzerland, will be leaving OTU Estate Wines. “Jan has made a considerable contribution to the establishment of OTU Wines, its bold style and success to date, and we wish him and his family all the best for the future,” says Catherine.

Fridays at FROMM Friday night at FROMM will run from January 8 until February 12.

Each Friday evening from 5pm until 8pm, visitors can enjoy a glass of FROMM wine or a Moa beer and from 6.30pm FROMM will offer finger food, says general manager Stephan Walliser. “Every Friday there will be a special guest or friended winery to make the evening interesting.” On Saturday February 13, FROMM is holding a ‘Food and Wine Festival’ at the winery. Check frommwinery.co.nz/ 22 / Winepress January 2021

For the Love of Wine

New Zealand Wine Week

Nelson-based journalist and wine guide Kirsten Rødsgaard-Mathiesen is sharing her love of New Zealand’s wine industry in a fortnightly Sunday evening interview slot on Fresh FM and two other community radio shows.

Her session – For the Love of Wine – has already seen her chatting to Wendy and James Healy about Dog Point Vineyards and Abel, Anna Flowerday of Te Whare Ra, and Judy and Rosie Finn of Neudorf, among others. Tune in at 5pm on Sundays, or listen to the podcasts at freshfm.net

New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) is running its inaugural New Zealand Wine Week next month, with a series of virtual events kicking off on February 8. There are events planned across the US, UK, Ireland and Canada, including tastings, discussions, and online activities.

Charlotte Read, NZW general manager marketing, says Covid-19 has highlighted “the power of collaboration”, particularly in northern hemisphere markets. The initiative has been developed as a virtual substitute to the longrunning London Annual trade tasting that normally takes place in late January, she adds. “By working together in this way, we will be able to reach a larger audience with the New Zealand wine story.”

Day one of the week includes a New Vintage Self Pour, with trade and media invited to taste and compare a range of 12 wines, alongside a virtual presentation from the winemakers. February 9 includes a webinar hosted

by Harpers Wine and Spirit on how food miles can be offset by sustainable activities in the vineyard and through to production. It will include a panel of key industry figures, who will discuss the “huge effort” made to produce wine in an environmentally and ethically sustainable way, and what it means to consumers.

Wine writer Dr Jamie Goode will interview New Zealand wine personalities throughout the week, including Jason and Anna Flowerday of Te Whare Ra in Marlborough and Rosie Finn of Neudorf in Nelson. Charlotte says the wine week, like other virtual programmes over the past year, is about bringing “minds and palates” to New Zealand wines and New Zealand wine stories. “This is another way for us to add to that global wine conversation.”

To find out more about the range of sessions set for New Zealand Wine Week – including Pinot Noir soils and a Syrah masterclass – go to the events page at nzwine.com

Forrest Wines Sunday Sessions Head to Forrest Wines for music and wine on lazy Sunday afternoons this summer. Cheese platters will be available on site, or bring along a picnic. On from 1pm to 4pm each Sunday from December 13 to February 28. Check Facebook for updates or phone 03 572 9084.

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Email: tom@framingham.co.nz Phone: 021 955 668

Marlborough’s Summer Feast Marlborough will offer a feast of festivities over the next few months, as restaurants, cafes, wineries, breweries and food producers create events to spice up summer and encourage visitors. Feast Marlborough – a charitable trust devoted to sharing the region’s most delicious stories – is working with venues, food producers and event organisers to develop events during February and March that celebrate Marlborough’s food and beverage offering.

Feast Marlborough chair Fiona Fenwick says the response has been “unbelievable” and she anticipates a jam packed calendar for the full summer season. Among the events is the Moa Beer and Food Festival, the South Island Cheese Fest at Clos Henri Vineyard, and a number of Waitangi Day events. There’ll also be Master Chef events with guest chefs and local talent, she adds. “There are events planned for every weekend and even in between... The response has been great.”

Feast Marlborough’s Summer Feast Event Series has been funded by the Marlborough District Council as part of The Economic Action Marlborough (TEAM) group. Contact info@feastmarlborough.nz or call Hannah on 027 5252285 Winepress January 2021 / 23

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

To have your event included in the February Wine Happenings, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by January 20. 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

JANUARY 21 - 24 Southern Pinot Workshop (pinotworkshop.com) FEBRUARY 1 Marlborough’s Summer Feast - February & March (feastmarlborough.nz) 5 New Zealand Rosé Day (@sipnzwine) 6 South Island Cheese Fest at Clos Henri Vineyard 8-12 New Zealand Wine Week (see page 23) 10 What’s New; What’s Next seminar – NZ Wine Week 11 Pinot Noir Soils Webinar – NZ Wine Week 12 Syrah Masterclass – NZ Wine Week 12 Les Nuits Romantiques at Clos Henri (closhenri.com) 13 FROMM’s mini Food and Wine Festival (frommwinery.co.nz) 18 Wine Marlborough pre harvest Winery Waste Workshop APRIL 24 Whitehaven GrapeRide (graperide.co.nz) MAY 8

Saint Clair Vineyard Half (vineyardhalf.com)

Feast Marlborough Summer Season

24 / Winepress January 2021

NZ Rose Day Feb 5

Syrah Masterclass Feb 12

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