Winepress June 2017

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF WINE MARLBOROUGH

ISSUE NO. 270 / JUNE 2017

ETHICAL EMPLOYERS

RSE CONFERENCE

Photo: Jim Tannock

wine-marlborough.co.nz

PRUNING ADVICE

RIVE VINEYARD

Come on Marlborough:

Let’s Stop the Rot!

IT’S TIME TO LOOK

AT THE EVIDENCE Climate change and fungicide resistance mean that what was done in the past, no longer works so well.

‘Getting the plant to work for you’ is not science fiction. The graph and video below shows how HML32 partnered with the plant to achieve botrytis resilience.1 In our powdery mildew eradication regime, the plant response leads to vastly reduced splitting of HML32 treated berries.2 New Zealand trials show our product range of Protectorhml, HML32, HML Silco, and HML Potum, in combination with sulphur and copper, are highly effective against powdery mildew and botrytis.

Overseas trials (by Prof. Gubler at University of California (Davis)) shows our products went head to head with the best chemical treatments, topping one of the 2016 powdery mildew screening trials.

Berry firmness does provide botrytis resilience Last year, our enhanced maturity and botrytis trial on a Maraekakaho vineyard revealed that one or two applications of HML32, sprayed at the right time to the bunchline, can provide increased resilience to end-of-season rots (see graph below). Increased firmness resulted in reduced botrytis incidence and severity. For slipskin resilience in Merlot from the same application timings, watch the video (scan the QR code to the left). http://www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz/enhanced-maturity/enhanced-maturity-trial-and-botrytis-trial-2016.pdf

2015-16 Enhanced Maturity and Botrytis trial, Maraekakaho Rd, Hawke’s Bay Botrytis and berry firmness assessment in Syrah block on 29 March 2016 90

Average Botrytis % inc

% Incidence / Severity

70

Average Botrytis % Sev 0.28

0.30 0.29

68

0.28 0.27

50

50

0.30

Indicator of firmness*

60

0.27

51

0.26

40

0.25

30

0.25 0.24

19.0

10 0

2. http://www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz/ products/hml-32/research-and-trials/grapepowdery-mildew-eradication-trial.pdf

0.31

94

80

20

1. http://www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz/ products/hml-32/research-and-trials/2016grape-powdery-mildew-report.pdf

Control Trt 1a

7.0

8.5

HML32 / HML Silco Sprayed once Trt 4a

HML32 Sprayed Once Trt 13a

Henry Manufacturing non-residual pesticides

Force (KgF)

100

We have further research from last season, not on the website yet - so let’s talk. Feel free to invite your preferred technical advisor (Fruitfed Supplies or Farmlands), your consultant or neighbouring growers.

4.0 HML32 Sprayed Twice Trt 22a

0.23 0.22

* force to compress berry by 2mm using a 8mmD flat probe

For spray programme details contact Chris Henry 027 294 1490 chrishenry@actrix.co.nz www.henrymanufacturing.co.nz

Protectorhml and HML32: armour plate for grapes

Watch a video which shows the resilience that HML32 can provide to end-of-season rots.

Scan the QR code above, or visit: http://henrymanufacturing.co.nz/ botrytis-slipskin-trial/

4

this issue...

REGULARS

FEATURES

3 4

6 20

Editorial

Tasman Crop Met Report

22

The Block - Rive Vineyard

24

Biosecurity Watch

26

Industry News

28

10 Labour of the Land

From the Board - Stuart Dudley

Gen Y-ine - Ashleigh Barrowman

ANZ Wine Happenings

Cover: A pruner deals with winter vines in a Constellation vineyard in the Waihopai Valley. Photo by Jim Tannock

20

Marlborough’s wine industry is risking its reputation by allowing poor employment practices in its vineyards, says the Labour Inspectorate’s Regional Manager Kevin Finnegan.

22

11 Good Cuts

One year of bad pruning can take three years of good pruning to put right, says Delegat Grower Liaison Manager Stuart McLagan, one of the experts at last month’s Marlborough Viticulture Task Force Grower Workshop.

13 Head Hunters

Tracking the education, location and work experience of former Marlburians is the number one tactic for a local recruitment agency tackling skills shortages in the wine industry.

27

19 A Good Run

Marlborough’s beautiful wine and food are key to the success of the Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon.

Winepress June 2017 / 1

SMART IRRIGATION SOLUTIONS TO RETROFIT YOUR VINEYARD Our injection moulded drippers provide unsurpassed distribution uniformity of water and fertilisers ensuring you don’t waste a drop. Higher Emission Uniformity (EU) and lower Flow Variation (FV) means you can have longer run lengths and operate at lower pressures.

NETAFIM NEW ZEALAND 74 Westney Road Mangere, Auckland 2022

2 / Winepress June 2017

Tel: 09 256 2551 Fax: 09 256 2552

Email: nz.auckland@netafim.com Web: netafim.co.nz

General Manager: Marcus Pickens 03 577 9299 marcus@wine-marlborough.co.nz Editor: Sophie Preece 027 308 4455 sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz Advertising: Harriet Wadworth 03 577 9299 harriet@wine-marlborough.co.nz Wine Marlborough Board: Ben Ensor ben.lisa@clear.net.nz Callum Linklater callumandsarah@xtra.co.nz Jack Glover jack.glover@accolade-wines.co.nz Michael Wentworth michael.wentworth@yealands.co.nz Nick Entwistle nick@wairauriverwines.co.nz Rhyan Wardman (Chair) rhyan@giesen.co.nz Samantha Wickham samantha@ormondnurseries.co.nz Simon Bishell (Deputy Chair) simon@caythorpe.nz Stuart Dudley stuartd@villamaria.co.nz Tom Trolove tom.trolove@framingham.co.nz Printed 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.

From the Editor Two cheeky piwakawaka derailed this month’s editorial, which was meant to be a tirade against any vineyard labour contractor who exploits their workers, and any grower or company that looks away from the problem. The former may be a legal issue, in which case the Departments of Labour and Immigration will soon be breathing down your neck, but the latter is a huge economic risk, with the reputation of Marlborough - and your wine label – open to scrutiny, criticism and market rejection.

The National Consumer Survey 2016 (pg 10) found that knowing a business treats its workers fairly - for example pays at least minimum wage and provides a safe workplace- influences the purchasing decision of 43% of consumers.

I could go on, but the aforementioned fantails, flitting above 50 heads in Dog Point’s winery last week, represents a far more uplifting subject. The gathering was a field day for three vineyard-related award winners in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, showcasing the work being done by Dog Point, Tohu and SWE (Southern Water Engineering) to improve Marlborough’s environmental footprint.

Visitors had a look at the work being done by the Dog Point team (May 2017 Winepress) to create a rich biodiversity on the vineyard (cue fantails), with native bush, grassy glades, productive orchards and gardens and, of course, world-class organic vineyards. They then learned about Tohu’s work with PhD student Mauricio GonzálezChang (September 2016 Winepress) on natural defences against the brown beetle, using everything from mussel shell to alyssum beneath the vines. Finally, SWE’s Stephen Leitch talked of how the region can and should better use its water resource when it comes to vineyard irrigation, using an analogy around Usain Bolt’s training.

Each of the initiatives calls on science, passion and vision, and each will have an impact on the future of Marlborough’s wine industry. There will surely be more of the same at this month’s Grape Days and Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference, and at Bragato later this year. It’s all great stuff that helps grow and inspire a great industry.

That’s even more reason for growers and wine companies to take responsibility for their land and their product this winter, by knowing who is pruning their vines and what they are taking home for that work. In the words of the Labour Inspectorate’s Kevin Finnegan, “if you’re at the top, whether you’re a director, advisor, or a manager… you can make a real impact on eradicating poor employment practices in the viticulture industry”.

Each of the initiatives calls on science, passion and vision, and each will have a significant impact on the future of Marlborough’s wine industry

SOPHIE PREECE Winepress June 2017 / 3

From the Board STUART DUDLEY

VINTAGE 2017 was my 10th in Marlborough and, like many milestone events, it is one to be remembered. Or is that forgotten? After a devastating earthquake in November, I felt we should at least have been able to rely on Marlborough’s great climate to give us an easy run to harvest, producing its famous Indian summer. Unfortunately, it seemed the weather got shaken up as much as the ground did and the opposite took place. As there always is with difficult vintages, our established practices and systems were tested in every way, but in amongst it all there are pieces of information we can learn and grow from. It is important that people discuss what worked and what didn’t - this may be something as simple as a canopy management decision, timing of yield work or calibrating your sprayer properly.

For me, looking at many vineyards throughout vintage, the one constant factor was that those that had good attention to detail, and focused on a quality end goal, fared better than those making short-term decisions.

We cannot control the influences of climate, site and topography, but the combination of many operational decisions was often the reason why neighbouring vineyards had differing results. There are still many good wines sitting in tanks reflecting the good work done by many vineyards and wineries.

However you fared last vintage, the next season does not wait, and winter is the time to lay the foundations of what will be Vintage 2018. This month’s Winepress has a labour focus, and being winter the most important people in the vineyards right now are the pruners making

4 / Winepress June 2017

cuts, stripping last year’s growth and laying down fresh canes. The short-term effect of the work the pruners do is simple - it sets the potential yield for the vine through the number of buds and health of canes laid.

Long-term effects are more serious (as always), as these can directly influence the longevity of the vineyard asset itself. Poor pruning decisions increase the risk of trunk disease, which can lead to reduced production and potentially the need to redevelop and start again. How many of you out there are actually budgeting on a redevelopment in the next 10 to 15 years? If not, I suggest you keep an eye on your pruners.

Given the importance of our labour force on the end goal, we need to ensure we have the tools to carry out the job well, and I do not mean a good set of secateurs. Training people on the ground needs significant focus, and there are many resources available on how to prune correctly.

Wine Marlborough has held grower workshops every year to teach those who want to learn, or check out the ‘Sharpen Up’ videos supplied by New Zealand Winegrowers (link at the bottom of the page).

As a grower, I think it is critical to understand what outcome you are after, what a good job looks like, and what it should cost. It is a false economy to save cents per vine,

allowing/pushing people to rush and do a poor pruning job, costing dollars per vine at the other end of the season; let alone ruining vine structure and the longevity of your vineyard. Spend time with your pruners, understand what they are doing, teach them the correct way to do it, and ensure they are getting paid fairly for their work. Growers and wine companies need to take ownership of this area and ensure any negative labour practices are removed from our industry for good.

Our success is measured in many ways, the obvious being how our wines are received globally, their quality and price points. Just as importantly, however, I feel our success will also be measured by how we treat the people working within our industry, such as those putting in the first cuts laying the foundation for the vintage ahead.

All the best.

Sharpen Up Video http://www.nzwine.com/mediacentre/video/sharpen-up-a-userguide-to-perfect-pruning/

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Add to that our unique combination of plantmanship and science and the growth this season has been excellent.

SIGNIFICANT VOLUMES OF SAUVIGNON BLANC STILL AVAILABLE FOR PLANTING THIS YEAR. CONTACT US NOW!

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www.riversun.co.nz Winepress June 2017 / 5

Table 1: Blenheim Weather Data – May 2017

May May 201

2017 compared

to LTA GDD’s for: Month - Max/Min¹ 28.3 47% Month – Mean² 54.1 74% Growing Degree Days Total July 16 to May 17-Max/Min 1404 102% July 16 to May 17 - Mean 1440.9 101% Mean Maximum (°C) 16.0 -0.5°C 16.5 Mean Minimum (°C) 4.8 -1.0°C 5.8 Mean Temp (°C) 10.4 -0.8°C 11.2 Ground Frosts (<= -1.0°C) 5 Equal 5.55 Air Frosts (<0.0°C) 1 Equal 1.4 Sunshine hours 205.4 121% Sunshine hours – lowest Sunshine hours – highest Sunshine hours total – 2017 1103.6 104% Rainfall (mm) 57.2 90% Rainfall (mm) – lowest Rainfall (mm) – highest Rainfall total (mm) – 2017 324.6 129% Evapotranspiration – mm 46.6 104% Avg. Daily Windrun (km) 183.5 84% 9am mean soil temp – 10cm 10.2 +1.6°C 9am mean soil temp – 30cm 12.4 +1.3°C

May LTA

Period of LTA

May 2016

60.5 73.2

(199602016) (1996-2016)

95.1 103.4

1382.5 (1996-2016) 1428.5 (1996-2016) (1986-2016) (1986-2016) (1986-2016) 12.6 (1986-2016) (1986-2016) 169.6 (1930-2016) 114.7 1969 207.8 1990 1066.2 (1932-2016) 63.6 (1930-2016) 13.5 1936 182.6 1948 251.0 (1930-2016) 45.0 (1996-2016) 218.6 (1996-2016) 8.6 (1986-2016) 11.1 (1986-2016)

1501.8 1549.6 17.6 7.6 2 0 167.8

1169.7 89.2

248.8 53.3 238.3 10.0 12.6

¹GDD’s Max/Min are calculated from absolute daily maximum and minimum temperatures ²GDD’s Mean are calculated from average hourly temperatures May 2017 recorded well above average sunshine, cooler than average temperature, slightly below average rainfall and well below average windrun.

Air Temperatures The mean temperature of 10.4°C

6 / Winepress June 2017

for May 2017 is the coolest May mean temperature in the five years 20132017. The previous coolest May is 2012, which recorded a mean temperature of 9.8°C. If you are scratching your head thinking that May didn’t feel like it was colder than average, there is a partial explanation supplied when we

examine the average daily maximum and minimum temperatures. The average daily maximum was only 0.5°C below average, whereas the average daily minimum was 1.0°C below average; i.e. the average night time temperature in May was further below average than the average day time temperature. This is also reflected in the total growing degree days (GDD) for May calculated from the Max and Min – 28.3 GDD (47% of average), compared with GDD calculated from the mean hourly temperatures – 54.1 GDD (74% of average).

Frosts May 2017 - 5 ground frosts and 1 air frost.

May 2016 - 2 ground frosts and 0 air frosts May 2015 - 8 ground frosts and 3 air frosts The coldest morning during May 2017 was the 21st, with an air minimum of -1.5°C and a grass minimum (ground frost) of -5.0°C. However, this was really the only very cold morning during May. May 22nd was the second coldest day, however, the grass minimum only got to -2.2 and the air minimum was still positive, at 0.1°C. Sunshine May 2017 recorded 205.4 hours sunshine, 121% of the long-term average (LTA). May 2017 is now the fourth sunniest May on record for Blenheim for the 88 years 1930 – 2017. May 2015 is the sunniest having recorded 214.5 hours sunshine. It

is rather interesting that May 2017 recorded higher sunshine hours than March and April 2017, both of which only recorded 90% of average sunshine hours.

Rainfall Blenheim recorded 57.2 mm rain in May, 90% of the LTA. Total rainfall for Blenheim for the first five months of 2017 was 324.6 mm or 129% of the LTA. Total rainfall for Blenheim for the first five months of 2016 was 248.8 mm or 99% of the LTA. Total rainfall for Blenheim for the first five months of 2015 was 129.0 mm or 51% of the LTA. Soil Moisture High rainfall in the first half of April 2017 meant that soil moisture at the beginning of May was substantially higher than in 2015 and 2016. Soil

moisture (5-35 cm depth) at the Grovetown Park weather station on 1 May was 32.3%.

With a number of rain events during May, and little evaporation, soil moisture on 31 May had risen to 36.1%.

This is close to field capacity for the top soil at this site.

the effect on growing degree days.

There was also a summary of sunshine hours during February and March over the six years 2012 to 2017 and how lack of sunshine slowed ripening.

The following factors can also have an influence on ripening.

Wind-Run

January 2017 was far windier than normal (123% of the LTA windrun). Constant rough agitation of foliage will induce some stress which often slows down both anatomical and physiological development.

Leaves have a boundary layer. The boundary layer is “a thin layer of still air hugging the surface of the leaf.

This layer of air is not moving. For transpiration to occur, water vapour leaving the stomata must diffuse through this motionless layer to reach the atmosphere where the water vapour will be removed by moving air”.

May 2017 recorded average daily wind-run of 183.5 km, well below the LTA of 218.6 km. The May 2017 windrun was only 65% of the daily wind-run recorded in May 2016, of 283.3 km.

Summary of 2016-17 season weather parameters and how these may have affected ripening – Part 2 In last month’s Met Report Part 1 of this article included commentary on how the maximum and minimum temperatures in the 2016-17 season varied from the 2015-16 season and

Wind

Table 2: May 2017 weekly temperatures and frosts for Blenheim

1-7 May 8-14 May 15-21 May 22-28 May 29-31 May (3 days) 1-31 May 2017 Long-term average (1986-2016)

Mean Maximum 17.1 16.7 14.8 15.4 16.1 16.0

Mean Minimum Mean 3.4 10.3 7.0 11.8 4.7 9.7 4.4 9.9 4.2 10.2 4.8 10.4

Deviation from LTA May mean -0.9 +0.6 -1.5 -1.3 -1.0 -0.8

16.5 5.8 11.2

Total Ground Frosts 1 1 1 2 0 5

Total Air Frosts 0 0 1 0 0 1

5.6 1.4

Table 3: Dates of 8 °Brix (véraison) on the Marlborough Sauvignon blanc phenology blocks in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and days from 8 to 21.5 °Brix

8 °Brix 8 °Brix 8 °Brix 8 °Brix 8 °Brix Days from Days from Days from

date date date days days 8 to 21.5 8 to 21.5 8 to 21.5

behind behind °Brix °Brix °Brix

2015 2016 2017 2015 2016 2015 2016 2017 Coastal Wairau 9 Feb 16 Feb 19 Feb 10 3 51 54 54 Central Rapaura 6 Feb 12 Feb 13 Feb 7 1 41 46 50 Western Wairau 9 Feb 14 Feb 18 Feb 9 4 37 36 42 Upper Brancott 7 Feb 13 Feb 19 Feb 12 6 42 37 45 Upper Wairau 15 Feb 19 Feb 2 Mar 15 11 NA 52 NA Seaview Awatere 13 Feb 20 Feb 19 Feb 7 -1 41 36 61 Mid Awatere 14 Feb 24 Feb 27 Feb 10 3 45 33 64 Upper Awatere 21 Feb 25 Feb 2 Mar 4 5 43 46 NA

Winepress June 2017 / 7

Higher wind speeds reduce the boundary layer on the leaves and will tend to increase transpiration rate, increasing water stress. This will potentially slow ripening. However, while wind-run was well above average in January 2017, it was lower than average in February and the lowest on record (1996-2017) in March 2017.

Low temperature effects Studies have shown that grape shoot and root growth can be significantly reduced by large decreases in temperature. There were some very cool nights in January and February 2017. The grass minimum temperature in Blenheim on 5 January was minus 0.4°C and again on 9 February was minus 0.4°C. These cold temperatures may have resulted in a slow-down in berry development immediately following the cold nights.

Shoot / vine vigour Differences in shoot / vine vigour alter carbohydrate partitioning within the grapevine and bunch micro climate.

These differences in carbohydrate partitioning are a key factor in determining Flowering to Véraison and Véraison to Harvest durations. This is often seen in grape blocks where there is high within block variation in vigour.

time from 8 to 21.5 °Brix was projected to be up to 30 days longer.

Although harvest in 2017 was later than in the last few years we need to remind ourselves that Marlborough has experienced some exceptionally good weather over the ripening period in recent years. Marlborough has also experienced later harvests than 2017 in previous years; e.g. for the Central Rapaura vineyard 21.5 °Brix was on 9 April 2005, 9 April 2012 and 4 April 2017.

Rob Agnew Plant & Food Research / Marlborough Research Centre

Berry size Some vineyards that we monitor recorded a large berry size in 2017. Berry size was also very large at some vineyards in 2016. Larger berries require more sugar content to reach a given total soluble solids.

The dates of 8 °Brix (véraison) were later in 2017 than in 2015 and 2016. The Upper Wairau vineyard was the furthest behind 2015 and 2016 of the eight Sauvignon blanc vineyards shown in Table 3. As well as the date of véraison being later, the duration of the ripening phase from 8 °Brix to harvest was also longer in 2017. We generally aim to pick our phenology blocks at 21.5°Brix. In 2017 only one of the eight phenology blocks in Table 3 reached 21.5 °Brix at harvest (Western Wairau).

For most blocks where the grapes were harvested at lower than optimum maturity, we are able to calculate a projected date of 21.5°Brix, based on the maturity curve up to harvest (for those indicated NA it was not possible).

In most cases the blocks would never have been able to achieve 21.5°Brix in 2017, due to the disease pressure that forced most blocks to be harvested below optimum maturity. However, calculating the date of 21.5 °Brix allows us to compare the number of days from 8 to 21.5°Brix between seasons; i.e. the speed of ripening. The first four vineyards listed in Table 3, all on the Wairau Plains, took from zero to eight days longer to go from 8 to 21.5 °Brix in 2017, compared to 2016. For two of the vineyards in the Awatere Valley ripening was much slower in 2017 and the 8 / Winepress June 2017

Barrel Pruning and Topping

027 461 6019 tim.lane@xtra.co.nz

Service agents for Amarillo

Winepress June 2017 / 9

Reputational Risk The wine industry must take ownership of its employment practices SOPHIE PREECE

MARLBOROUGH’S WINE industry is risking its reputation by allowing poor employment practices in its vineyards, says the Labour Inspectorate’s Regional Manager. Kevin Finnegan, speaking in the wake of some serious employment law breaches in the region, says the industry needs to take “active steps” to make sure legal obligations are consistently being met.

“The world is becoming far more socially responsible and the overseas customers that buy off NZ Inc. are starting to demand a higher standard.

They expect that everyone that was involved in producing that bottle of wine or that apple was paid fairly and treated humanely… Industries need to actually get on board and understand that.”

Last month the inspectorate announced that Precise Contracting Limited had been ordered to pay $73,081.70 in penalties and arrears for breaching employment law following

an investigation. The company was found to have failed to provide 83 employees with minimum wage, correct holiday pay, or keep proper employment records, leading the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) to set a $40,000 penalty on top of the $33,081.70 of arrears to be paid to workers.

“We are all in it together and industry has to own it.”

Richard Bibby Kevin says that was one of multiple investigations in recent years, carried out in partnership with

Immigration New Zealand, which had uncovered “a raft of serious breaches of employment law” in Marlborough. “We’ve met employees who haven’t received a minimum wage, their holiday pay, had their pay illegally deducted, and been charged unreasonable amounts for substandard accommodation.” They had also uncovered employers who failed to provide employment contracts “or keep even the most basic records of employment”, he says.

In some cases, this was due to a lack of knowledge on the employer’s part, “but other times we’ve encountered employers who have deliberately exploited their employees for profit,” he says. “Either way it’s not good enough. Being an employer comes with obligations, and there is no acceptable excuse for failing to provide employees with their minimum employment entitlements.”

Kevin says a “very passionate

Master Contractors A growing number of vineyard contractors are signing up to New Zealand Master Contractors (NZMC), following a series of labour law breaches.

Richard Bibby, a Marlborough representative on the national body, says the horticulture industry has typically been more supportive of the NZMC than the wine industry. However, recent bad press around the payment and treatment of some labour crews has raised interest in belonging to a recognised organisation with a rigorous code of conduct and annual audits. “I think it’s slowly happening and we have certainly had more enquiries.”

Richard knows of several vineyard operators who will only operate with a Master Contractor, and he would like

10 / Winepress June 2017

to see more growers take responsibility for the reputation of the sector.

Some contractors simply need a “wake up call”, he says, citing below-par pastoral care and accommodation as two concerns. Systems also need to be reviewed, so the technical details of administration – including recent breaches over unpaid rest breaks – don’t catch unwary contractors out.

Richard would like to see NZMC and the wine industry, including Sustainable Winegrowers, working together more to ensure contractors are as compliant as possible. “We are all in it together and industry has to own it,” he says.

and dedicated” team of labour inspectors serves Marlborough, but the biggest impact on employment practices will come from a unified approach. “The best way we can stop employment breaches happening in the Marlborough wine industry is by the industry taking greater ownership.”

If the price is too good to be true, it is likely someone in the supply chain is being ripped off, he says. “If you’re at the top, whether you’re a director, advisor, or a manager, just by taking an interest and demanding that labour contractors demonstrate they are meeting their obligations, you can make a real impact on eradicating poor employment practices in the viticulture industry.”

The National Consumer Survey 2016, conducted by the Consumer Protection team, part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, found that knowing a business treats its workers fairly for example pays at least minimum wage and provides a safe workplaceregularly affects consumers’

Grower Guide New Zealand Winegrowers has produced a simple guide to help vineyard operators ask the right questions of their contractors when it comes to seasonal workers. External Relations Manager Nicola Crennan says the guide, to be released at Grape Days this month, is a step towards ensuring people working on vineyards are getting a fair deal, according to labour law and best practice.

“What we are doing is developing some industry specific material to encourage members to think about the conversation they have with contractors,” she says. “We believe there are some really good practices out there as well as not so good practices that have been found by the Labour Inspectorate. It is really important that everyone is aware of their obligations to workers.”

The industry body, which released a new labour strategy last year, has also revised its guidance and information on employing seasonal workers. purchasing decisions. Knowing a business treats its workers fairly affected 43% of consumers ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’ when it came to the decision of where to purchase. Just 11% said it ‘never’ affects their purchasing decisions.

Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens says he has not heard of markets reacting to recent news about poor labour practices in Marlborough vineyards. He hopes

any wine company that does come across market resistance or questions about ethical labour practices will contact him to discuss. “It would be so important to know.”

For more information go to www.employment.govt.nz, or call 0800 20 90 20.

Sharpen Up A cheap pruning job can be a costly exercise, says Delegat Grower Liaison Manager Stuart McLagan, one of the experts speaking at last month’s Marlborough Viticulture Task Force Grower Workshop.

“One year of bad pruning can take three years of good pruning to put right, especially with young vines,” he told growers, putting the cost in dollar terms to hit home: “If you ask for three canes and you only got 2.25 canes on average, that could result in a reduction of $4,500 per hectare in profit.”

Stuart emphasised the importance of growers working with their wine company to create a proper pruning plan to share with their contractor and the contractor’s supervisor. They should also have their own supervisor on the ground keeping an eye on quality. In many cases growers put too much trust in their contractor, and don’t think through the consequences of pruning decisions, he said. “I think it’s a case of you get what you pay for and it’s about good supervision and having a proper easy to understand pruning plan and communicating regularly with your contractor.”

At the extreme end, he has seen people paying for four cane pruning so they can get three canes, “because they know that they won’t get three canes if they ask for three”,

Stuart McLagan

he said. “If the price seems too good to be true it probably is.

You will almost certainly get what you pay for. If you want a good job and expect a good job you should expect to pay for that.”

Stuart warned that a cheap prune may have repercussions beyond the vineyard, because if a contractor quotes a low price per vine it could indicate unmet obligations to Inland Revenue or staff, putting the region’s industry at risk. “It scares me every time I see anything about a labour contractor hitting headlines. It scares me because it will hurt our reputation.”

Winepress June 2017 / 11

HR Headaches

Figure 1: Tasman (up 3.3 per cent) and Marlborough (up 3.5 per cent) regions to grow fastest over the next three years Northland (3,500 or 1.5%)

Auckland (67,100 or 2.6%) Waikato (14,400 or 2.2%)

Increasing labour demand is putting pressure on Marlborough’s wine industry

Taranaki (2,800 or 1.7%)

Nelson (1,000 or 1.1%)

West Coast (1,100 or 2.2%)

12 / Winepress June 2017

Gisborne (600 or 0.8%)

Manawatu-Wanganui (3,900 or 1.1%) Tasman (2,300 or 3.3%)

SOPHIE PREECE

RECRUITING STAFF is already a challenge for Marlborough wine companies, and the latest employment forecasts paint an increasingly serious picture.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Short-term Employment Forecasts: 2017 - 2020 report shows Marlborough’s labour requirement will grow 3.5%, or 3600 employees, over the next three years, the largest percentage growth in the country.

Yealands Chief Operating Officer Michael Wentworth says finding staff for specialised or skilled jobs, such as marketing, quality control or health and safety is already difficult, with an extremely small talent pool.

Much of Marlborough’s new young talent heads elsewhere, resulting in protracted recruitment processes for companies like Yealands, involving multiple adverts, interviews and consultants, he says. “We are fortunate that we have an Auckland office, where we can recruit for more of the commercial and administration positions, but for others it can be challenging to say the least.”

Recruiting vineyard and machinery operators is a tough proposition as well, with labour supply not keeping up with industry growth. “Even finding truck drivers this year has been challenging, particularly in light of the Kaikoura earthquake.” Michael says without the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme, the company would seriously struggle to manage its pruning demands.

Although there is pressure to recruit more Kiwis, Michael says fewer than 10 of the 500 vintage applications received last year were from New Zealanders. “You can’t recruit people who are not out there.”

Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens says Yealands’ refrain is one he hears time and again, both in terms of specialised staff and vineyard labour. The Marlborough Labour Market Survey, released by Wine Marlborough in March last year, warned of a 24% increase in total demand for vineyard labour, and consequential pressure on employers, health care providers and social services.

Bay of Plenty (5,700 or 1.2%)

Hawke’s Bay (2,700 or 1.0%)

Wellington (14,500 or 1.7%) Marlborough (3,600 or 3.5%)

Southland (2,500 or 1.5%)

Canterbury (19,500 or 1.9%)

Otago 7,000 or 1.8%)

Source: MBIE, Short-term employment model Note: aapc= annual average percentage change

Marlborough’s predicted growth in labour needs outstrips the rest of the country. Map from MBIE

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Head Hunters at work Tracking the education, location and work experience of former Marlburians is the number one tactic for a local recruitment agency tackling skills shortages.

Lucy MacLean from human resource consultancy firm Intepeople says the company uses algorithms to interpret information on Facebook and LinkedIn, in order to track down skilled people with a strong connection to Marlborough. “We search the world for those kind of people… for us it’s about bringing talent home.”

Many people “who swore black and blue that they wouldn’t return to Marlborough”, find themselves back, with a job, a house and an easy life they love, she says.

The second target market is people who have developed their skills somewhere

“We search the world for those kind of people… for us it’s about bringing talent home.”

Lucy MacLean

else in the world, but want a change of lifestyle. Lucy says people with young families are top of the list, because they can be tempted by the convenience, schools and opportunities available in the region.

With 600 skilled jobs Lucy MacLean likely to be created in the region over the next year, hundreds more families will need to move to Marlborough, putting pressure on housing, services and infrastructure, she says. Marlborough needs to keep ahead of the growth, so it can attract and retain new people. “Some of our clients are offering a few months of accommodation for free, because finding a house is already a bit of an issue.”

Lucy says wine companies are inevitably going to find it harder to recruit, but companies who invest in their current staff, develop their leaders and enhance their brand, are ahead when it comes to attracting more good people. “We are starting to do more work around that leadership and culture and career development, to help make great leaders.”

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Winepress June 2017 / 13

Celebrating RSE RSE – Resilient, Sustainable, Ethical SOPHIE PREECE

THE RSE Conference is on in Marlborough next month, marking the scheme’s 10th year with a Resilient, Sustainable, Ethical theme.

Horticulture New Zealand National Seasonal Labour Coordinator Jerf van Beek says the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, which was launched in 2007, has stood the test of time and served industry, Government and workers from the Pacific extremely well, proving itself both resilient and sustainable.

And with social media and international market compliance ready to expose poor labour practices at the slightest sign, it is vital that everything industries do is ethical, he says.

The annual conference allows those involved with RSE to keep up with any changes, says Jerf. “It’s driven by employers and we want to make sure we are up with the latest when it comes to this scheme.” RSE is absolutely vital to the future of New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries, he says. “You take this particular scheme away and we have an industry that cannot function any longer.”

Immigration New Zealand RSE Manager George Rarere says the scheme plays a key role in supporting industry growth in New Zealand, and also provides Pacific workers with invaluable experience and the chance to send money back to their communities.

“It is now widely accepted that remittances have been playing an increasingly important role in reducing the scale and severity of poverty in the developing world,” he says. A

14 / Winepress June 2017

report into a pilot project involving 640 Tongan and Samoan RSE workers showed that the workers sent home more than 40% of their take-home income during their seven month stay in New Zealand, equating to an average of more than $5,500 for the Photo by Jim Tannock Tongan workers and more than $4,600 for the Samoan workers. The findings Marlborough Convention Centre in show that income derived from the Blenheim on July 6 and 7.

RSE scheme supports on average more For more information or to than nine other people, he says. register, go to www.hortnz.co.nz The RSE Conference is at the

Building the Future Industry and Government need to work towards purpose built housing for all Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers, says Horticulture New Zealand National Seasonal Labour Coordinator Jerf van Beek. “I would say long term you will see very few RSE workers in residential houses…almost to zero I would think.”

He says it is vital to have “eyes wide open” to changes around the scheme, including the pressures the seasonal workforce puts on the cost and availability of residential accommodation in some areas. “Housing is a major issue in New Zealand. A political issue and a community issue, because we have people who can no longer afford the rental prices.”

For the past two years, Horticulture New Zealand had been speaking to industry and Government about growing the amount of purpose built accommodation, and it will be a topic at the RSE Conference next month, he says. “We’ll put a little bit of pressure on the industry that RSE workers need to be moved out of residential houses.”

However, the facilities represent a “huge investment”, Jerf says, with 100 beds in new accommodation costing close to $2 million. “So if you make that investment, you would like to make it knowing that the scheme is relatively safe.”

Political Perspective In the 10th year of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE) we ask Kaikoura MP Stuart Smith and Labour candidate Janette Walker about labour practices in Marlborough.

STUART SMITH

JANETTE WALKER

What are the biggest labour issues for Marlborough’s wine industry?

There is no doubt that we need RSE workers - without them, the industry simply can’t operate. This is not a case of excluding Kiwi workers: There are Kiwis on the Ministry for Social Development’s books being trained but that simply isn’t filling the labour market gap.

The other issue is the shortage of machinery operators, who will be earning up to $30 per hour, and also supervisors in the vineyard (not vineyard managers), who will be over $20 per hour. At this stage, we’re seeing the normal reaction to a shortage of supply as wage rates for those jobs have increased as a consequence.

How can those issues be best addressed by industry and Government?

It’s hoped that one of the solutions would be the proposed New Zealand School of Wine as an avenue to bring people through to fulfil roles within the industry.

I’m a big supporter of this concept. The school would not only bring people through to those qualified machinery operator and supervisor levels, but also carry those who may go on to do degree level courses such as oenology and viticultural degrees.

What needs to be changed to safeguard the RSE scheme for the next decade?

Increasingly, RSE contractors will have to create purpose-built accommodation for their workers. To have these dedicated facilities for the workers, allowing them to live together in a supported environment, is of benefit to them. The added bonus is that this frees up houses within Marlborough’s tight rental market.

What are the biggest labour issues for Marlborough’s wine industry?

The wine industry repeatedly says it needs more labour because of its continual planting programme, and that much of the labour has to be sourced from overseas.

I think the industry needs to take a look in the mirror, have a pause and collaborate with others in the industry to develop a sustainable strategic growth plan encompassing all aspects of a local labour market, fair rates of pay, secure housing to name a few.

How can those issues be best addressed by industry and Government?

The industry, and in particular the RSE contractors, should join Master Contractors, creating uniform codes of employment practice, rates of pay and behaviour that benefits all involved in the industry. This government has removed some of the safeguards within the RSE scheme and exploitation is problematic. A 2017 Labour government will carry out a complete review of the RSE scheme, before any changes in numbers are made.

What needs to be changed to safeguard the RSE scheme for the next decade?

An attitudinal change. The RSE workers are guest workers and deserve the respect and care we would expect for ourselves. There are some practises within the wine labour industry that are exploitative and racist. Basic employment law is being flouted and there is a level of intimidation that has to stop. RSE contractors need to understand that being allocated workers is a privilege not a right.

Winepress June 2017 / 15

GI Lines

µ

Picton

Blenheim

Marlborough

Kaikoura

New Zealand

Topographic map data sourced from Land Information New Zealand data.

Crown copyright reserved.

Marlborough

1:945,000

Geographic Indication

Map one shows the current GI boundary which runs to the Conway.

16 / Winepress June 2017

WINE MARLBOROUGH is holding a consultation meeting with members on June 20, to discuss the boundary for the region’s Geographical Indications application.

The Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act 2006 will enable local and foreign geographical indications (GIs) for wines and spirits, such as Marlborough, to be registered in New Zealand for the first time.

Before finalising its application, Wine Marlborough is seeking member support for an adjustment to the southern boundary, which currently reflects the old provincial boundary. That boundary runs to the Conway River, but Wine Marlborough believes there are good reasons to move the region’s southern boundary up, so that it meets the coast just below the Clarence River.

Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens says the board’s GI subcommittee believes that new boundary option better defines Marlborough as a wine growing region and captures all existing plantings. If members support the adjustment, the application will be made with the reduced area, he says.

Otherwise the current boundary will be

¯

retained. “If the new one doesn’t gain interest, we will move ahead with the existing boundary, because it’s getting to the real crunch point now.”

New Zealand Winegrowers will discuss the refined boundary line with Canterbury Winegrowers, as an adapted

Before finalising its application, Wine Marlborough is seeking member support for an adjustment to the southern boundary.

New Zealand

Map two indicates the preferred Wine Marlborough option, with the boundary running south of the Clarence River.

area for Marlborough will have a bearing on their boundary line.

The Wine Marlborough Geographical Indications Members Consultation meeting will be held at the Marlborough Research Centre theatre from 2pm on June 20. For more information contact Marcus: marcus@wine-marlborough. co.nz.

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Winepress June 2017 / 17

16 Days of Sauvignon Sauvignon celebration set to be an annual event SOPHIE PREECE

MARLBOROUGH RUNS on Sauvignon Blanc, and there’s no better place to celebrate the variety, says Lawson’s Dry Hills’ Senior Winemaker Marcus Wright. Marcus was part of the 16 Days of Sauvignon celebration, which stretched from April 19 to International Sauvignon Blanc Day on May 5, with Lawson’s matching three wines with Cranky Goat cheeses on the final day.

He says the extended celebration allowed an exploration of Sauvignon Blanc, which has a diversity of styles including oak aged wines, but also

a diversity Sauvignon HQ of characters according to vineyard. “Even within the traditional style Sauvignon Blanc we have vineyards that produce a lot of passionfruit flavours, others that are green and grassy, and some that have strong lemon or red apple, and others with tropical characters,” he says.

“Different vineyards create different flavours and not all Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is created the same.”

The variety has helped drive the growth of great Pinot Noir and

Chardonnay from the region, he says.

“But I think it’s really important to remember that our world class wine is Sauvignon Blanc.”

Wine Marlborough Marketing and Communications Coordinator Harriet Wadworth says 16 Days of Sauvignon was a chance to ask all businesses in Marlborough to get on board with a hoorah for the region’s flagship variety, “rather than those just in the wine industry itself”.

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Winepress June 2017 / 19 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

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Generation Y-ine Ashleigh Barrowman wants to make wines with a big impact on the wine world and small impact on the earth.

BRENDA WEBB

WINE MARLBOROUGH Scholarship recipient Ashleigh Barrowman laughingly refers to herself as a professional student. The 27-yearold, who is in her second year of a Bachelor’s Degree of Viticulture and Winemaking at NMIT, has an impressive education pedigree including a BA in media studies and international relations and a BCA in marketing.

She is also currently studying towards her WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) diploma. “I’m in my sixth year of study. I love learning and studying. Having assignments gives me good experience and pressure to work towards my goals,” she says.

Having had a good mix of education, life and travel experience behind her, Ashleigh is now deadly serious about her future, which lies firmly in the wine industry. Winning the Wine Marlborough Scholarship has given her a boost towards her goal of making and selling her own natural wine, and she plans to use the funding for tuition fees.

After finishing her four year double degree at Victoria University, she spent time in the US as a Woofer (Willing Worker on Organic Farms) doing her classic Kiwi gap year.

Returning to New Zealand she took up a job in online advertising and it was during this time she was led down the winemaking/viticulture path. “I met Hans and Therese Herzog through a mutual friend and they needed someone to do their website,” 20 / Winepress June 2017

explains Ashleigh. “I came to Marlborough to work for them and we hit it off and I stayed, becoming their sales and marketing manager.”

Ashleigh soon realised she didn’t want to sell wine but to make it instead, and she says her marketing and sales Ashleigh Barrowman. Photo by Timothy Grey background will be a valuable asset when it comes to that. wine – something you don’t have “It will give me another skillset and to intellectualise over, just drink give me the ability to market and and enjoy. I’m all for maximum distribute my own wine.” intervention in the vineyard and low That wine will be made naturally intervention in the winery.” and Ashleigh has already bottled her Since moving to Marlborough own vintage and sent it to winemakers Ashleigh says the province has become and wine shops around the world. She home and she describes it as a pretty is passionate about low intervention/ special place with a great group of organic/natural wines - because of the people in the wine industry. “You see superior taste and, more importantly, it during the harvest when there is this sustainability. “I believe wine and huge influx of young people from all sustainability can go hand in hand around the world,” she says. “I’m told and it is something I care deeply about Marlborough was a very different place and want to explore and promote in 10 to 20 years ago, but it is changing Marlborough.” very rapidly.”

Ashleigh has already done a Wine Marlborough General vintage in Australia with a natural Manager Marcus Pickens says winemaker and has been invited to Ashleigh stood out for her undertake a harvest with a natural determination and clearly articulated winemaker in Burgundy France. ambitions. “Ashleigh is building a Working part time at Scotch Wine brand and is deeply committed to Bar, where she is involved in choosing organics and sustainability in wine wines to be served, adds to Ashleigh’s production. I think she has what involvement in the local wine it takes to be a future leader in our scene. “I live and breathe wine,” she wine community.” laughs. “My favourite style is a low intervention, fruit forward, juicy fun

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The Block – Rive Vineyard More transparency is required around the pay rates for vineyard labour, says grower and contractor Craig Mill SOPHIE PREECE

A GROUP of Marlborough contract labour supervisors will become growers this winter, in the cooperative lease of a Rapaura vineyard block.

The 11 Focus Labour Solutions supervisors, including two Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme (RSE) workers from Vanuatu, will take over the management and maintenance of Rive vineyard, in partnership with their boss Craig Mill. “They’ll learn the good and the bad,” says Craig. “I need to teach them the downside of things, when things are not done right, or at the right time.”

Craig and his partner Jacqui Balk have leased the 2 acre vineyard for several years, supplying premium Pinot Noir grapes to Sugar Loaf Wines.

However, as his labour contracting business has grown ever busier, they have found themselves pressed for time in the vines.

By handing on the lease and management to his senior employees, in partnership with Focus, Craig is ensuring the vineyard gets the best care, while staff learn about the pressures growers face year round, not just when contractors are called into the vines, he says.

Meanwhile, the same supervisors and their gangs, made up of half New Zealanders and half RSE workers from the Pacific Islands, will prune 1.5 million vines this winter. That’s on the tail of a busy summer and difficult harvest that kept Focus flat tack, with 220 workers at the peak period, says Craig.

22 / Winepress June 2017

Craig Mill

With early variety vines ready to prune by the end of late season harvests, there were just three days between one season’s tasks and the next, which is just the way he likes it. Craig employs 50 full time staff, year around, as well as his 33 to 43 summer and winter RSE workers. “My whole business is designed so I don’t do seasonal anymore, and I prove you can do it,” he says. “It’s bloody good actually.”

He set up business in Marlborough in 2007, leaving a 20 year career in

“My whole business is designed so I don’t do seasonal anymore, and I prove you can do it.”

Craig Mill animal control after a stint of bird scaring in Hawke’s Bay attracted him to the vines. The life-swerve came during the recession, but he still managed to convince his best friend’s wife, Barbara Mortensen, to invest and become the financial brains of the business.

It was a tough start, both with the financial downturn and some other contractors’ dodgy dealing within the vines, with plenty of vineyard workers being “ripped off” at that time, including those working illegally, he says. “There were people hiding in the vineyard when someone went by. It was terrible.”

For the first three or four years Craig struggled to break even. “Monetary wise it was near impossible,” he says. “I lost quite a lot of work because I wouldn’t do cheap work. I had to learn to walk away…

We learned to work with our clients and know what we had to pay our staff and know what we needed to make the business run.” Within a few years the business had gained a reputation for quality and reliability, and he forged relationships with “magic clients” who he still works with today.

The advent of the RSE scheme, in the same year he set up, made a significant dent in the influence of cowboy contractors, says Craig. “For the 10 years RSE has been in it’s done pretty damned well. It does a good thing for New Zealand and the Pacific.”

For the first two years of business he avoided signing up, determined to employ Kiwis at Focus. However, he soon realised he couldn’t get enough New Zealanders, so gained accreditation. Now he uses a 50/50 mix of Kiwi and RSE, recruiting his own workers from throughout Vanuatu, often on the recommendations of his existing team.

His top RSE workers can earn $30 an hour, which they deserve, “because they work their arses off” for the three months they are in the country, he says.

But when setting his rate for a vineyard contract Craig does trials with his average workers, who earn around $18 to $20 an hour. That’s important, because it’s not reasonable to set the rate based on the fastest workers, he says. “What really scares me is contractors setting the price on what RSE workers can achieve and that pushes the Kiwis out. The (RSE) guys are motivated to work faster for a short period, not all year around,” he says.

And he’s appalled by reports of contractors reducing the piece rate to ensure fast workers don’t earn top dollar. “You should never drop your piece rate. Ever. It’s the people working harder who deserve more money,” he says. “I never go into price battles. I have had clients who say “can you drop your price?’ and I say ‘no, because

I cannot pay my staff less’…I understand I am not the cheapest, but this is what I can do it for and it’s a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

If everyone takes their fair share, there’s enough to go around, Craig says. And if people are taking more than that, you can be sure word will get out. “What I have learned in Blenheim is that there are no secrets. I call it your church talk.

People go to church every Sunday, from all employers and all vineyards and all wineries, and they all talk, and that’s when you get your honest talk. It about who’s getting paid what, whats’s going on, who is not getting paid.” If someone is getting paid 30c a vine when they should be getting 60c, “church talk will highlight that”, he says.

Craig believes there needs to be more accountability in contractors’ pricing structures, with payslips available to growers. And contractors, growers and wine companies need to ensure they protect the reputation

of the industry, and their workers.

“I couldn’t rip people off and run a business. I would wonder why I was doing it…What makes me happy is you see these people happy and you’ve given them a job.”

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Biosecurity Watch Lessons learned from the myrtle rust response DR EDWIN MASSEY

This month’s column examines some of the lessons learned by the wine industry from the ongoing biosecurity response that began in early May following the detection of myrtle rust in a Kerikeri plant nursery.

Myrtle rust is a fungal pathogen that affects plants in the myrtle family, including pohutukawa and manuka. It does not affect grapevines. As of May 22, the fungus has been detected in 12 properties, mainly plant nurseries, across Northland and Taranaki. This incursion most likely resulted from fungal spores being blown across from Australia during a significant wind event. Despite the huge effort that is going in from the response team and stakeholders, the fungal spore’s propensity to spread via the wind mean that eradication is most likely already off the table and the potential impacts on native flora will need to be managed on an ongoing basis.

While this event is unlikely to have a direct impact on the wine industry it highlights that in biosecurity: • Expect the unexpected • Prevention is better than cure • Vigilance is vital to ensuring an effective response Expect the unexpected In biosecurity, the unexpected is relatively commonplace. Often, a series

of unfortunate or chance events can compound to result in a potentially challenging situation. An example of this occurred in late 2014 when an aggregation of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) was detected at the border on a shipment of new freightliner trucks imported from the United States.

“All industry participants have a role in being prepared to respond to a biosecurity incursion.”

Dr Edwin Massey The trucks were sent for heat treatment at the wharf where a large number of hitchhiking BMSB were killed. Job done – or so you would think. However, while the trucks were being groomed for sale at a distribution centre, a watchful cleaner rang the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)

biosecurity hotline to report a live BMSB in the warehouse. The bug was traced back to the battery cavity of one of the trucks. The battery had acted to insulate the bug from the effect of the heat treatment, meaning it could wander off while its fellow hitchhikers had been eliminated. A lucky escape due to the vigilance of the individual concerned. All subsequent heat treatments ensure that the battery is removed prior to heat treatment commencing.

Prevention is better than cure Preventing a windborne fungus like myrtle rust from entering New Zealand was a forlorn hope. The fungus has spread around the world on wind currents, and New Zealand is often visited by a range of plants and animals that have blown in from across the Tasman. Nonetheless, for a number of the wine industry’s most unwanted pests a range of biosecurity rules and regulations help to ensure the wine industry’s biosecurity. The recent work to strengthen New Zealand’s Nursery Stock Standard to help prevent the introduction of Xylella fastidiosa, the bacterial pathogen that causes Pierce’s disease is an excellent example. These changes make it extremely unlikely that the pathogen can be imported on a commercial consignment of imported plant material. A great win for the

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL

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Vigilance is vital

Conclusion – preparedness is a worthwhile investment

The myrtle rust response began when a particularly vigilant staff member at the Kerikeri nursery reported something unusual to the MPI hotline. Early detection is critical to respond effectively to many pests and diseases. For many of the wine industry’s Most Unwanted, early detection could be fundamental in ensuring a successful result. Last week I attended the International Symposium on Xyllela fastidiosa in Brisbane, Australia. At this conference, Dr Sandy Purcell from the University of California Berkeley, one of the world’s leading experts on Pierce’s disease, explained that in two isolated incidents in Europe Pierce’s disease had been eradicated in vineyards without the disease spreading. In both cases, infected plants were removed as soon as possible after symptoms were observed. In both these cases, the awareness of the viticulturist and the decision to act fast were fundamental.

Without such quick action the disease can have extremely significant effects.

At present in California approximately $104 million a year is spent on managing the effect of Pierce’s disease to protect the state’s $3 billion wine industry; an astronomic figure

All industry participants have a role in being prepared to respond to a biosecurity incursion. At an industry level, joining the Government Industry Agreement to develop Operational Agreements for high risk threats like BMSB and Pierce’s disease, as well as working with other industry organisations across various supply chains, are the best ways to prepare.

At an individual level, ensuring businesses adopt practices to promote vigilance amongst staff and mitigate biosecurity risk at the vineyard gate are absolutely crucial. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring the industry’s sustainability. Ask yourself – what am I doing to prepare, is my business as ready as it can be?

Remember – if you think you have seen anything unusual call the MPI biosecurity hotline 0800 80 99 66 and notify NZW biosecurity manager Ed Massey 021 1924 924 or Edwin.massey@nzwine.com

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Industry News New owners, old friends The new owners of Marlborough Tractor Services (MTS) became mates over welders 25 years ago, when they were both on apprenticeships with Cuddon. Matt and Lynne Broughan, along with Jeremy Watts and Clare Burton, have bought the successful viticulture and agricultural machinery business from Martin and Felicity Roberts.

Martin says the business needs the energy and passion of the next generation, and the couple was pleased to sell it to locals. “We liked the idea of selling the business to two young couples who could take (it) to the next level and continue to deliver what our customers have come to expect from us”.

Matt, who owns irrigation firm Liquid Action, and Jeremy, who recently left Cloudy Bay after 20 years, say they have been “partners in crime” since meeting at Cuddon as young men. “We have been mates ever since and shared ideas, and always had a mutual respect for each other’s ability,” says Matt.

Jeremy, who will manage MTS, has a particularly good eye for working out how a machine works, then devising ways of improving it, he says. MTS already develops and manufactures products for orchards, lifestyle blocks, farms and vineyards, and the new owners look forward to more product development, alongside service and sales.

Organic Conference New Zealand’s second Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference is drawing near, with an impressive collection of international and local expert speakers.

The conference will be held June 26 to 28 at Marlborough’s ASB Theatre and will include three days of presentations, New Zealand and international organic wine tastings,

26 / Winepress June 2017

trade stands and an Organic Feast gala dinner. This year’s themes are “Liquid, Life and Label,” featuring special emphases on water, microbiology and marketing.

Guest speakers include powdery mildew expert Peter Wood, wine writer Jamie Goode, organic winemakers Michael Glover (Mahana) and Rudi Bauer (Quartz Reef), viticulturist Joch Bosworth (McLaren Vale, Australia) and other long-time organic practitioners.

Committee member Bart Arnst says the 2017 vintage was a tough harvest season for everyone.

“However, organic growers saw a resilience in their fruit which was noted by all who viewed. Organic systems are working and effective under all climatic circumstances.”

Registration and more information is on the conference website: www. organicwineconference.com.

Saint Clair Family Estate New World Producer of the Year Saint Clair Family Estate has been awarded New World Producer of the Year at the UK’s Sommelier Wine Awards 2017. Of the seven wines that Saint Clair entered, as well as the trophy wins, they received five gold medals, and two silver medals.

This is the second time Saint Clair Family Estate has been awarded this prestigious trophy.

Silver Secateurs

Wine Marlborough’s Silver Secateurs competition will be held on Sunday August 6 at Yealands Estate Vineyard in Grovetown. The competiton began in 1995, to improve quality in the vines and provide recognition for vineyard staff, and has become a great day out, to celebrate the talent at work in Marlborough’s vines.

Bastille Day Head to Clos Henri on July 16 to celebrate Bastille Day in style. One of the most celebrated dates on the French

calendar, Bastille Day is held every year on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789. For the past nine years, Clos Henri has celebrated the event with a familyfriendly afternoon full of French atmosphere, food and music, along with fine wines. There’ll be an air show at 12pm and special activities for kids. The event is on Sunday July 16 between 11am and 3pm at the Clos Henri Vineyard chapel lawn.

Property Market As the autumn leaves disappear and pruning gets into full swing, a number of new vineyard listings are coming to the market, says Joe Blakiston of PGG Wrightson Real Estate. “These tend to be in outer areas and are still meeting with good enquiry from the pool of buyers looking to invest in Sauvignon Blanc in particular.” He says some of the peak prices paid early in 2017 have influenced current expectations, but good blocks will still attract interest around $250,000 to $260,000 per planted hectare. Another relatively good harvest in the Awatere will help with listings in that part of Marlborough, he says. “Overall a positive outlook, despite a trying harvest, with plenty of buying power.”

French Oak Art A new exhibition in Framingham’s underground cellar is something of a homecoming for a series of one-of-akind longboard art works. The Paper Rain Project’s collaborative exhibition of 40 skate and longboards, each of which has been painted or etched by one of 21 New Zealand artists, includes boards made from the recycled staves of French oak barrels, including some from Framingham. “It’s exciting for

An appetite for Marlborough Marlborough’s beautiful wine and food are key to the success of the Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon, says event owner Chris Shaw. “You can do running anywhere, but they are coming to the home of Sauvignon Blanc, and to all this incredible produce.”

The May 2017 event drew 4076 competitors, with around 3,500 of them visiting from out of town. This year saw the launch of the inaugural Feast Marlborough, a series of food and wine experiences designed to extend the reciprocity of the Half Marathon and Marlborough’s food and wine producers.

“The idea is that they come here for the run and the food and the wine, and we all do well out of what amounts to foreign investment,” says Chris. “Then, because we work together to give them an amazing experience, they leave as Marlborough’s biggest fans.”

Julie Ibbotson of Saint Clair Family Estate says the Vineyard Half “just keeps on getting better every year”. The Vineyard Kitchen was fully booked for lunches prior to the event and many who hadn’t booked still “snuck in” for a wine tasting and cheese platter, “soaking in the atmosphere which was absolutely buzzing”, she says.

Allan Scott Family Winemakers had a sold out stall at the Friday night Feast Marlborough, hosted 50 people at Twelve Trees Restaurant for a Feast dinner on the Saturday night and was fully booked for lunch on Sunday, which equalled peak season high numbers, says Hospitality Marketing Manager Kylie Cornelius.

Wither Hills restaurant and cellar door Assistant Manager Elaine Sloot says the newly refurbished restaurant had a huge day on the Sunday, with around 160 people filling tables inside and out. “We sold the space a couple of times over really and everything went like clockwork.”

“You can do running anywhere, but they are coming to the home of Sauvignon Blanc, and to all this incredible produce.”

Chris Shaw

us to have a show close to home and to bring our barrel boards back to the winery,” says Indigo Rowe, who is co-founder of the Marlborough design company, which supplied the artists with boards made from oak, maple or bamboo. “Wood makes a beautiful canvas and we are so honoured to work with some incredibly talented artists.”

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Winepress June 2017 / 27

Brought to you by

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

To have your event included in next month’s Wine Happenings or Industry News pages, please email details to sophie@sophiepreece.co.nz by June 19. For more information on the events below email Harriet Wadworth at harriet@wine-marlborough.co.nz

JUNE 2017 14 New Zealand Winegrowers Grape Days – Marlborough 20 Marlborough’s Geographical Indication boundary and application review – MRC Theatre 26-28 Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference – Marlborough –www.organicwineconference.com JULY 2017 6 Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition 2017 – Marlborough 6-7 RSE Conference – Marlborough – www.hortnz.co.nz 16 Bastille Day – Clos Henri Vineyard – 11am to 3pm 26 New Zealand Winegrowers Marketing Roadshow - Marlborough 28-30 Marlborough Book Festival 2017 – www.marlboroughbookfest.co.nz AUGUST 2017 6 Wine Marlborough Silver Secateurs – Yealands Vineyard at Grovetown 29 National Final – Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year 2017 – Marlborough 30-31 Romeo Bragato Conference 2017 – Marlborough

Grape Days - June 14

Marlborough Young Viticulturist - July 6

RSE Conference - July 6

GREAT FOOD, GREAT WINES AND GREAT FRIENDS COME TOGETHER AT HERZOG’S! Come and enjoy Marlborough’s stunning winter days and join us for a casual lunch in the beautiful Bistro garden or cosy up in front of the open fire for a delicious dinner.

And for all you wine aficionados, come and indulge in one of New Zealand’s largest International wine lists where great wine will be opened by the glass!

HERZOG’S BISTRO OPENING HOURS - WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY! LUNCH: From 12pm DINNER: From 6pm CELLAR DOOR Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm, Weekends 11am to 4.30 pm Hans Herzog Estate | 81 Jeffries Road | Blenheim |03 572 8770 | enjoy@herzog.co.nz | www.herzog.co.nz

28 / Winepress June 2017

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