The August 2023 edition of Winepress looks at:

Marlborough's 1990s
As Marlborough marks 50 years of wine, Brendon Burns looks at the 1990s, as the region’s wine reputation is sealed, despite a traumatic 1995 vintage. Mike Veal and Barbara Lawson share their memories of the decade.

Pastoral Caring
After a long working life with jobs in banking, healthcare support and housing, Ruth Gill has discovered her most fulfilling role yet – providing care and support to Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme workers in Marlborough.

Vintage 2023
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc accounted for more than 75% of New Zealand’s $2.4 billion in wine exports in the past year, driven by burgeoning demand, rising value, and replenishment of empty supply lines.

Generation Y-ine - Mengran ‘Joyce’ Zhu

Cover: Yealands’ Chief Winemaker Natalie Christensen says being named White Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge is a win for the team. “There are a lot of people involved in making these wines, it’s definitely not just me.” Photo Jim Tannock See page 14.

The May 2023 edition of Winepress Magazine looks at:

Vintage 2023
Vintage 2023 came as a happy surprise for many Marlborough winemakers, with a relatively long and late ripening season that delivered beautiful fruit, despite challenging conditions over spring and summer.

Wellness in Wine
To mark the inaugural Marlborough Wine Industry Wellness Week, we take a glimpse at some inspirational wellbeing initiatives.

Environment Award
Judges in the 2023 Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards were delighted by Repost’s plans to divert 3,750 tonnes of broken vineyard posts from landfill each year, while providing a cost effective fencing option for farms, riparian plantings, and significant natural areas.

Generation Y-ine - Katie Cunningham

Cover: Booster Wine Group chief Marlborough winemaker Helen Morrison welcomed a long Autumn harvest. The block of Cabernet Franc on the hillside behind her was handpicked in late April. Photo Jim Tannock.

The April 2023 edition of Winepress looks at:

Vintage 2023
“The crew is super experienced,” says Vine to Wine intern Lisa Morgan (page 11) in her second vintage. That’s a welcome change for Marlborough wine companies excited about the quality of this year’s crop.

Wellness in Wine
An industry is only as healthy as its people, says winemaker Stewart Maclennan on the cusp of Wine Wellness Week. “We hope to foster a friendly competition that brings out the best in everyone.”

Trucking On
A pencil and rubber are Jax Smith’s “best friends” when coordinating grape harvest trucking each year. “Over the whole period of time you make tweaks and change things and try to make it as efficient as you possibly can.”

Generation Y-ine - Dr Sachi Rana

Cover: VinLink winery production manager Kathy Cooney and Fabiana Basso, one of VinLink’s permanent winery staff, are relishing an almost-back-to-normal vintage.

Photo Jim Tannock. See page 10.

The March 2023 edition of Winepress looks at:

Fabulous Festival
The 36th Marlborough Wine & Food Festival - held two years later than planned - was “world class”. Having an event in the heart of New Zealand’s largest winegrowing region is absolutely a winner,” says Tracy Johnston.

Wear not waste not
Giesen Group is upcycling its worn-out wardrobe in a step towards circularity. “It’s amazing how many dirty old high vis are hanging around tucked away in corners,” says Renee Sturch.

In the Pipeline
Continuing a series on water regulations, resource management expert Quentin Davies looks at what’s in the pipeline for Marlborough grape growers.

Vantage Point - Mark Unwin

Environment Awards - Cropsy Technologies

Generation Y-ine - Cameron Steel

Cover: As vintage 2023 kicks off for some and looms for others, Babich Wines’ David Bullivant reflects on the season to date. Photo Jim Tannock. See page 10.

Model Vineyard
High yields and increased grape prices in the 2022 harvest provided a “welcome improvement” for Marlborough grape growers, according to the latest Marlborough Vineyard Monitoring Report.

Cooperative Approach
Cloudy Bay founder David Hohnen is working with grape grower cooperatives around the world, including one in the ‘heartland’ of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

In the Pipeline
In the first of a series on water regulations, resource management expert Quentin Davies looks at what’s in store for the wine industry.

Pioneering Spirit - Murray Paterson

Environment Awards - Wither Hills' Rarangi Wetland

Generation Y-ine - Lewis Davidson

Cover: Kathryn Kleboe at Wither Hills’ extraordinary Rarangi Wetland, Photo Jim Tannock. See page 18

The January 2023 issue of Winepress looks at:

Wine Festival
Next month’s Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will be a “stellar” event after a tough couple of years for the industry, says Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens.

Happy New Year
Winepress gleans insights into the year ahead from those grappling with challenges - from short labour to skyrocketing costs - and leveraging opportunities, including stellar demand for our flagship variety.

Seddon on Track
A new cruise ship steam train excursion from Picton to Seddon is a huge leap for the Awatere Valley community and economy, say Tūpari Wines general manager Olivia Doonan.

Future Lens - Next Generation Viticulture

Environment Awards - Smart Machine

Generation Y-ine - O'Shea Bailey

Generation Y-ine - Lucas Strong

Cover: Jamie Marfell and his classmates planted some of the region’s earliest vines, on a Montana vineyard neighbouring their Fairhall school. Nearly 50 years on, the winemaker looks back at a transformative industry.  Photo Jim Tannock. See page 14.

The December 2022 issue of Winepress looks at:

Seasonal Labour spotlight
It is hoped a government review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme will help ensure it is a win-win for industry and migrant workers. Brendon Burns talks to Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale in Samoa about the scheme, while Tanya Pouwhare discusses a valuable worker survey in New Zealand.

Environment Awards
As part of a series on entrants in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, Annabelle Latz explores Patriarch Vineyard and the purifying power of a wetland.

So Long 2022
As 2022 draws to a close, we look back at some of the highs and lows reported in Winepress, with bumper yields but light labour force, and stellar demand but slippery supply lines, along with myriad other examples of our rocky road to recovery.

Cover: Hard work, good luck and enduring relationships have characterised Allan Scott’s 49-year journey in Marlborough’s wine industry. Photo Jim Tannock. See page 10

The November issue of Winepress looks at:  

Marlborough Wine Show
Pinot Noir shone at the 2022 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. Meanwhile, Allan Scott and Mark Allen were presented Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Celebration Long Lunch.

Vintage Preparations Marlborough wine companies are cautiously optimistic about recruiting experienced crews for vintage 2023, despite challenges in getting overseas talent into the country.

Environment Awards
As part of a series on entrants in the Cawthron Marlborough Environment Awards, Repost co-founder Stu Dudley discusses a successful vision to transform broken vineyard posts into a valued farming resource.

Our People - Eva Pemper

Generation Y-ine - Kaitlyn Smidt

Cover: Climate change doesn’t necessarily mean less frost risk, say two weather watchdogs for the New Zealand wine industry. Photo Jim Tannock. See page 16

The October 2022 issue of Winepress looks at:

Workforce Planning
With vintage 2023 looming, we look at the Muka Tangata Workforce Development Council, Wine Marlborough’s industry workforce plan, and the new visa requirements following an immigration reset.

Young Winemaker
Alun Kilby has long had an appetite for trying new things. “I have always wanted to be a little bit outside of the box and not run by the recipe,” says the 2022 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year.

Future Vineyard
A controlled-environment research vineyard is to be developed alongside The New Zealand Wine Centre -Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa – to help future-proof New Zealand’s wine industry.

Generation Y-ine - Jess Marston

Generation Y-ine - Santiago Mendez

Cover: Constellation Brands vineyard managers Matt Gallop, left, and Greg Gill take part in a company planting day at Blind River, focused on health, safety and the environment. Photo Jim Tannock. See page 10

The September 2022 issue of Winepress looks at:

RSE Spotlight
Recent criticism of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme is a reminder to all involved, from contractors to wine companies, of their responsibility to seasonal workers in the vines.

Rain Gauge
The wine industry “barely dropped a beat” following an August deluge that closed roads, damaged vineyards and stalled pruning across the region.

Wine Show
The 2022 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, will celebrate Marlborough’s subregional diversity. “When you start drilling down there are so many expressions of all three valleys,” says judge Stu Marfell.

Generation Y-ine - Gracie-Rose Kay

Cover: Volunteer firefighters like Spy Valley bottling manager Ryan Anderson are an asset to the industry and community. Photo Jim Tannock. See page 16