For 40 years Dr Richard Smart has been cajoling New Zealand grape growers to look past Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) trellising, in favour of Scott Henry (SH).
First he was the Central Otago representative at this year’s Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year. Then he was the National winner. Now Simon Gourley is New Zealand’s Young Horticulturist of the year.
Two hundred years ago, the very first grape vines were planted into New Zealand soils by Reverend Samuel Marsden at the Church Mission Society in Kerikeri.