Serving Sauvignon
New Zealand’s largest ever wine research programme will create up to 20,000 new variants of contemporary New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, then use genome sequencing technology to select for the most useful traits.

Hello 2022
In these changeable Covid days, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in a week, let alone 12 months. But as we kick into the new year, Winepress asks some industry leaders what challenges and opportunities they’re looking out for.

Generation Y-ine - Ruby McManaway

Cover: Planting 3,000 natives along a vineyard stream seems like the perfect recovery for a weary vintage team, says Mount Riley winemaker Matt Murphy. “To chill out, not thinking about all the hard mahi we have done in the previous weeks.” Photo Jim Tannock see page 22

Wine Show The 2021
Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, was certainly a celebration of provenance, with trophies awarded within the vineyards, wineries and cellar doors the winning wines hailed from.

Wine Works
With up to 100,000 cases of wine ordered in a single day – double the typical expectation – WineWorks has been under the pump to get domestic and international deliveries out the door.

Labour Survey
Of the seasonal workers recruited for Marlborough’s 2022 vintage, 43% have no experience, 31% are returnees, and only 26% have more than one year’s vintage experience behind them.

Generation Y-ine - Johnny Valencia

Wine Show
The new vintage Sauvignon Blancs at last month’s Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by Quay Connect, were “out of this world”.

Singing for Sauvignon
Marlburians can “enjoy two of life’s greatest blessings at the same time” with A Taste of Opera, a collaboration between Whitehaven Wines and New Zealand Opera. “The timing gives us all something fun to look forward to after a challenging year,” says Whitehaven’s Sue White.

Ethical Employers
A “fit for purpose” organisation for New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture labour contractors came in the nick of time, says New Zealand Ethical Employers chair Tanya Pouwhare.

Cover: Duncan McFarlane at The Dart at Indevin’s Bankhouse Estate. Duncan talks of Indevin's growth and the purchase of Villa Maria on page 12. Photo Jim Tannock.

Cellar Doors
The summer cellar door season will be “a very different landscape” say operators preparing for a pared down offering until Aucklanders can travel again. Meanwhile, they continue to innovate to increase appeal to the domestic market.

Organic Wine
New Zealand’s organic wine sector has grown by 300% over the past 10 years, according to a new report from BioGro.

Wiggle Room
Marlborough Vintners’ extraordinary wastewater system uses millions of worms to transform contaminants into castings. Chief executive Kathryn Walker says the Biofiltro aligns with the company’s – and the wine industry’s - focus on sustainability, de-carbonisation and environmental responsibility.

Pruning Shortfall
A pruning model developed by Wine Marlborough indicates that between 1,100 and 2,450 hectares of the region’s vineyard won’t be pruned by budburst, threatening a loss in yield and income.

Wasterwater Workshops
A series of field trips in September will showcase the strides in wastewater treatment made by individual Marlborough wine companies.

Following the Flood
It is “critical” that vineyard operators check on potential flood damage to irrigation systems and frost fans before they need them, says industry members.

Generation Y-ine - Saphal Acharya

Flood Pains
Much of the region’s vineyard area escaped last month’s floods unscathed, but some growers are grappling with the labour intensive work of clearing, repairing, replanting and rebuilding infrastructure.

Organic Symposia
Nearly 200 wine industry representatives – conventional, organic and biodynamic - flocked to the Organic Winegrowers New Zealand Winter Symposia late last month, to hear about partnering with nature to improve financial and economic sustainability.

Frost Watch
Each spring is a period of anticipation and anxiety for most New Zealand grape growers, says Dr Mike Trought, one of the speakers at an upcoming Bragato Research Institute Frost Education workshop.

Generation Y-ine - Jess Wilson

Vintage Report
Marlborough’s 269,521 tonne harvest, representing 75.2% of the New Zealand wine industry’s 2021 yield, was 21% down on 2020, cutting grower incomes and creating supply challenges for wine companies.

Export Hold Up
Shipping delays are “majorly” impacting wine exports, as companies become familiar with bookings getting “bumped” and shipments delayed

Saving our Soils
Under wheel compaction and reduced levels of soil carbon under vines are some of the concerning soil issues in Marlborough vines. But management techniques can help restore soil health, says environmental scientist Matt Oliver.

Generation Y-ine - Sarah Rowley Adams and Josh Rowley

Good Stuff - Lawson's Dry Hills

#sauvblancday
Wine Marlborough partnered with Feast Marlborough for the 12th International Sauvignon Blanc Day on May 7, delivering a #sauvblancday lounge at the Bayleys Friday Night Feast.

Pruning Field Day
Laying excessive canes for bigger yields can result in unbalanced vines, viticulturist Jeff Sinnott told attendees at the Marlborough Pruning Day. “It’s about finding a balance between what the vineyard is capable of and what the winery wants.”

Vineyard Agritech
The New Zealand wine industry has typically relied on offshore technology or modified innovations from industries like dairy, says Simon Yarrow of Callaghan Innovation. “Now we have some fantastic examples of locally developed solutions in the wine industry.”

Generation Y-ine - Anirudh Inasu

Vintage View
Lighter than anticipated grape yields in 2021, coupled with strong demand for Marlborough wine, will change the industry, say those anticipating “short term intense pain”, for longer term gains.

Project Veraison
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc’s brand equity is being undermined by deep discounting and overfamiliar consumers in Australia. But there is huge opportunity to boost the value of the category, according to Project Veraison.

Vakameasina
For the past 11 years, Walter Nungnung has left his home on Ambrym Island and come to New Zealand with the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme, for seasonal work in vineyards and learnings through Vakameasina.

Good Stuff - Mick Norton

Cover: Giesen’s Duncan Shouler says Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is all about the place it comes from. He’s one of the voices in the Project Harvest digital campaign, singing Sauvignon’s praises. Photo by Jim Tannock. Page 12

Vintage update

Méthode Marlborough
The inaugural Méthode Marlborough Day was a sparkling success, topped off by a progressive dinner, where 100 guests moved between three glittering venues, to taste wines from the 12 member wineries.

Wine School
New Zealand’s wine industry has boosted its support for the New Zealand School of Winegrowing, with funding, grapes, juice and tertiary training. Meanwhile, seven students have opted for a full immersion vintage lesson at wineries around the province

Forgotten Corners - Mondo Kopua

Good Stuff - Repost

Generation Y-ine - Ellie Hobbs

Economic Yields
A new report reveals that 18% of all Marlborough’s economic activity in 2020, a total of $571 million, can be attributed to the wine industry, with one in every four jobs directly and indirectly related to wine.

Vintage 2021
The upcoming vintage is likely to be compressed, with low yields and warm weather leading to rapid ripening. After a year of unexpectedly stellar Sauvignon sales around the world, wine companies have little remaining in the tank to make up for the seasonal shortfall.

Labour Logistics
Marlborough is facing something of a perfect storm around labour shortages this winter pruning season, with an additional 1,630 hectares of vineyard planted in the past two years, but only a fraction of the typical labour force, and far fewer skills than in the past.

Summer Feast
Rock bands in the cellar door, vinyl in the vines, cheese at the church and Sauvignon in the Sounds. The Summer Feast series is ensuring there’s plenty on in Marlborough this month.

Heating up for Harvest
Marlborough wineries are steaming ahead with harvest preparations, taking the challenges of labour shortages and potential Covid-19 outbreaks in their stride.

Waste not want not
Managing winery waste sustainably - economically as well as environmentally - requires vigilance, says Rapaura Springs’ waste management manager Pat Pacey. With vintage approaching, the Marlborough District Council provides guidance on how more companies can ensure compliance.

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. 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.