Wine Grower

Wine Grower (2270)

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Former president of the New Zealand Grapegrowers’ Association Kevyn Moore has been devoting much of his ‘retirement’ to researching and writing a biography about Romeo Bragato, the feted founding father of New Zealand’s viticulture industry.

Setting Remuneration

Payroll can be the single largest overhead for many businesses in the wine industry. Using gut feeling or “the grapevine” to determine remuneration levels is one thing, but reputable market data ensures employers make an informed decision about what they should pay their staff.

Small But Stunning

Vintage 2015 was 27 percent down on last year, and while wineries may be bemoaning the small yields they certainly aren’t unhappy about the quality.

New Era

Pip Goodwin and retiring Richard Riddiford.

He is renowned in New Zealand wine circles, not only for instigating the very first Pinot Noir Celebration, but also for being the face of Palliser Estate Wines of Martinborough.

Nick Nobilo Honoured

Nick Nobilo’s enthusiasm for Gewürztraminer knows no bounds, nor does his passion for the New Zealand wine industry. Which is why he was so deserving of a Queen’s Birthday honour this year.

Protect that wound

Classic signs of trunk disease. Photo: Dion Mundy

As New Zealand’s vineyards gain in age, the risk of them being affected by trunk disease increases.

Herbicide Resistance

Individual glyphosate resistant plants multiply and become patches of resistant weeds, as can be seen here around the vines. Photo: Chris Preston, University Adelaide.

Has herbicide resistance led to a breed of super weeds? That was one of the questions being asked at the recent NZW Grape Days.

Managing Nitrogen

A nitrogen deficient vine – shows yellowing of leaves.

At the recent Organic and Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference, Dr Charles Merfield from BHU Future Farming Centre, described nitrogen as “the joker in the pack” of 92 elements.

Controlling Botrytis Organically

There is too much yellow on this paper, showing how little of the spray has actually reached the target.

It is hard to quantify just how much botrytis infection costs the New Zealand wine industry. Needless to say, it is substantial, which makes controlling it a priority of on-going research.

Our Place In Global Organics

Just where in the world does New Zealand wine stand organically? As Organic Winegrowing New Zealand (OWNZ) heads towards their target of 20 percent of the country’s vineyards being organically certified by 2020, how much do we need to grow?