the science of wine MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE of EXCELLENCE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2005 / 2006 Part science. Part craft.
A symbiosis of centuries’ old traditions
and leading edge technologies. The
Marlborough Research Centre has become a
recognised leader in the pursuit of solutions and
improved results for the viticultural, agricultural and horticultural industries... identifying solutions to problems yet to be realised, and providing vital support and guidance to these fields of endeavour so integral to New Zealand’s place in the world economy. MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST
MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST
Trustees John Marris - Chair Bernie Rowe Edwin Pitts
Marlborough Research Executive Officer Marlborough Wine Centre Board Gerald Hope Research Centre Board Local funding for research (03) 577 2377 or 0274 331 059 Local & national research
Rowley Vineyard Marlborough Wine Grovetown Park Campus 5.5ha Sauvignon Blanc Research Centre S.H. 1, Grovetown Rowley Crescent 85 Budge Street, Blenheim Grovetown Dr Mike Trought, Research Leader Commercial Campus
Research & Education Collaborators Tenant Wine Marlborough Marketing Manager, Tom Trolove Lincoln University of University Auckland
Tenant Nelson HortResearch Marlborough Liaison Scientist, Rob Agnew Institute of Technology
Tenant RMH & Associates Richard Hunter
Tenant Sustainable Winegrowing Sally Van der Zijpp National Coordinator
1 MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS
PERSONNEL 3 FUNDING CONTRIBUTORS 4 REPORTS Marlborough Research Centre Trust & Marlborough Research Centre Board 5 Marlborough Wine Research Centre Board 8 Marlborough Wine Research Centre 10 THE YEAR IN REVIEW Research visitors 14 Visitors 14 Seminars 16 Refereed papers 16 Popular press / Conference & workshop papers / Fact sheets / Posters 16 NEW STAFF 19 SCIENCE REPORTS Yield management and prediction 20 Light, photosynthesis and carbohydrate management 25 Characterisation of volatile and non-volatile fruit composition and quantifi cation of the infl uence of fruit processing and winemaking on their concentration 33 Infl uence of soil texture, moisture and fertility on volatile and non-volatile composition of fruit 39 Vine and fruit health 53 Miscellaneous 61 FINANCIAL REPORTS for the year ended 30 June 2006 76
2 MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT PERSONNEL
AS AT 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre Trustees John Marris Chairman Edwin Pitts Trustee Bernie Rowe LL.B Trustee Gerald Hope Executive Offi cer
Marlborough Research Centre Board Members Edwin Pitts Chairman Francis Maher Marlborough District Councillor Michelle Williams B.Hort.Sc(Hons), PhD HortResearch Ivan Sutherland VFM(Lincoln), ANZIV Marlborough District Council Appointee
Marlborough Wine Research Centre of Excellence Board Ivan Sutherland VFM(Lincoln), ANZIV Dog Point Vineyard (Chairman) Andy Frost BSc(Hons) Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd Brian Jordan BSc(Hons), PhD Lincoln University Philip Manson BSc, DipBus NZ Winegrowers Damian Martin PhD Winegrowers of ARA (seconded) Bruce Campbell B.Agr.Sc(Hons), PhD HortResearch Lily Belabun BSc, PhD (London) Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Ken Rogers Framingham (Retired)
Marlborough Wine Research Centre Employees Mike Trought BSc(Hons), PhD Research Leader Wendy Parr BA(Hons), PhD Senior Research Offi cer: Wine (Wine Science & Psychology) Sensory Science Christina Balmori MSc(Hons) Laboratory Manager Kerrie Stronge BS, M.Appl.Sc(Hons) Winery Technician Jeff Bennett BSc(Hons), PhD Research Offi cer Trevor Skilton Field Technician Joanne Brady Science Associate [Resigned December 2005]
Trust Support Staff Serena Cheesman Executive Support Administrator Cherryl Fitzgerald Financial Administrator
HortResearch (Tenant) Rob Agnew BAgrSc Liaison Scientist Cherryl Fitzgerald Research Centre Administrator Marc Greven BAgSc(Hons), PhD Scientist Dion Mundy BSc, MSc(Hons) Scientist Sue Neal DipHort, DipFieldTech Research Associate Margaret Roberts BHSc Technician Bruce West Technician
RMH & Associates (Tenant) Richard Hunter Scientifi c Offi cer
Marlborough Winegrowers Assn Inc (Tenant) Tom Trolove BCom, MBA Marketing Manager Sarah Booker Administration & Events Manager
Sustainable Winegrowing NZ (Tenant) Sally van der Zijpp M.Appl.Sc(Hons) National Coordinator Karen Bryant Administrator
Rowley Vineyard Alan Robertson Vineyard Manager
3 MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT FUNDING CONTRIBUTORS
Funding Contributors To Marlborough Wine Research Centre as at 30 June 2006
New Zealand Winegrowers Kaituna Valley Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd Kim Crawford Wines Ltd Ager Sectus Lawson’s Dry Hills Wines Ltd Allan Scott Wines & Estates Ltd Marlborough Bottling Company Ltd Babich Wines Ltd Matua Valley Wines Ltd Cellier Le Brun Ltd Mud House Wine Company Ltd Charles Wiffen Wines Ltd New Zealand Wineries Ltd Clifford Bay Estate Ltd Nobilo Wine Group Ltd Cloudy Bay Vineyards Ltd Ormond Nurseries Ltd Delegat’s Wine Estate Ltd Riversun Nursery Ltd Domaine Georges Michel Ltd Sacred Hill Wines Ltd Forrest Estate Winery Ltd Spy Valley Wines Fromm Winery The New Zealand Wine Company Ltd Goldwater Estate Tohu Wines Ltd Highfi eld Estate Vavasour Wines Ltd Huia Vineyards Ltd Villa Maria Estate Ltd Hunter’s Wines (NZ) Ltd Whitehaven Wine Company Ltd Jackson Estate Ltd Wine Marlborough
4 MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST & MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE BOARD
Chairmen’s Report
We are delighted at the way the wine research projects will be delegated to sauvignon blanc grapes by public tender Marlborough Research Centre has grown the Marlborough Wine Research Board, resulted in competitive pricing. and widened its research activities in just effective from 1 July 2006. After two full over two years since its establishment at the years of trading activity managed solely Rental income from Grovetown Park and Budge Street premises. by the Trust, it is appropriate that the the Budge Street campus remained steady Board should take over responsibility for and consistent with 2004/05. Grovetown Capability was boosted during the wine research, including identifi cation of Park has retained all sitting tenants. year with the appointment of several new research areas capable of attracting The one offi ce that remains untenanted new Centre staff, and HortResearch is major funding. However, legal and fi ducial is available to a compatible business or planning to establish two new positions responsibility ultimately remains with the organisation. at the Centre in 2006/07. Between them, Trust. A separate set of operating accounts these appointments will increase the total will be set up for wine research and will Capital reserves have been consolidated research team by 50 percent. be managed by the Research Leader in where appropriate into secure term deposits conjunction with the Executive Offi cer. with Bank of New Zealand. As the Centre’s capacity increases, we need Further delegations will be handed down to monitor demands in terms of space. To to project managers to ensure hands-on Primary revenues during the year were: this end, the Trust’s cash reserves have been involvement in funding matters and more built up to allow a staged and affordable direct responsibility for specifi c research • Research revenue $847,000 growth path. contracts. They will report back to the • Grape sales $222,000 Wine Research Board which, in turn, will • Rental income $142,000 Our highly successful Rowley Vineyard report to the Trust. • Marlborough District has provided a good source of capital for Council grant $110,000 investment into research, complementing Appropriation of working capital and • Interest received $60,000 other revenue such as the annual grant requests for capital items will be referred the Trust receives from the Marlborough to the Trust. Annual reporting on Marlborough District Council Grant District Council. Inevitably, there will be research progress and fi nancial position Approved research allocation summary substantial calls on capital in future years as and performance remains with the Trust A schedule of research programmes the Centre goes from strength to strength. through a consolidated set of accounts. approved by the Marlborough Research Accordingly, we are very mindful of the Centre Board and Trust for horticulture, need for careful management of fi nancial Financial Performance viticulture and agriculture is based on resources. Trust income during the year remained existing Trust allocation policy. That policy positive, with a healthy increase in revenue is for 60 percent of Council funding being During the year we carried out a fi nancial from Rowley Vineyard as a result of volume applied to horticulture/viticulture and 40 planning review, from which it was increasing by 33 percent, from 60 tonnes percent to agricultural pastoral research. decided that the future management of in 2005 to 80 tonnes in 2006. Sale of the
5 MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST & MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE BOARD
Project summary: It has also given the Trust an opportunity Horticulture/viticulture to plan ahead in a manner that fi ts with the Meteorological data recording and dissemination 15,000 strategic direction and future growth set by Long-term vineyard sustainability 20,000 the Wine Research Board. These plans will Investigation of grapevine trunk diseases 15,000 be referred to the Trust for consideration The effects of CCA on grapes, soil and water 15,000 of methods of funding and the timing Agriculture of capital investment to meet the desired Winter-active pasture species 15,000 increased research capability. Seasonal performance of a range of clovers 20,000 Starborough Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group 10,000 Asset Additions $110,000 While the Trust has decided that any
Research Activities Accommodation expansion of facilities will be in a While the thrust of the Centre’s work is Accommodation is an ongoing issue at the measured manner, we fully accept the wine research, refl ecting the importance of Wine Research Centre. need to continue to improve the Centre’s viticulture to Marlborough, agricultural/ capability via the provision or acquisition of pastoral research remains a key and, In the 2004/05 year the Trust was very equipment or plant to support the scientifi c indeed, expanding activity, in keeping with aware of the pressure that research staff were team in achieving their goals. the Trust’s Deed and the long history of under to deliver on research contracts. To agricultural and pastoral farming in the support researchers in achieving outcomes, A total of $93,000 was spent on asset district. This research has a particular focus additional winemaking facilities and offi ce additions during the year, the largest items on retaining and improving sustainability accommodation will be required in the being completion of the wine sensory and profi tability in our traditional future. room fi t-out, the purchase of a large new pastoral areas. For example, the work that coolroom and upgrading refrigeration of Centre tenant Richard Hunter of RMH However, Centre management believed the existing coolroom in preparation for the & Associates is undertaking with the the existing facility could be better utilised, planned provision of a microvinifi cation Starborough Flaxbourne Soil Conservation including agreement from new staff the unit. Ongoing purchase of new scientifi c Group has identifi ed various critical issues Centre planned to appoint during the equipment to replace or renew items of that have resulted in the Centre initiating year to share offi ce space, and with further plant will be budgeted for in future years. and being involved with a widening investigation and planning on laboratory network of external agencies. Further development options and the design of a The latter, together with the construction agricultural/pastoral research programme purpose-built microvinifi cation unit. The of additional storage capacity, is included development is also under way with Lincoln consolidation in the use of the premises in capital investment proposed for the University, Argyle and Cummings Trust has, we believe, not undermined research next fi nancial year. Draft plans for both and Meat & Wool New Zealand on clover output nor created unmanageable pressure have been prepared by Wilkie & Bruce, as a preferred pasture species. on facilities. Christchurch.
6 MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE TRUST & MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE BOARD
Focus On Science over fi ve years, to fund a visit by a leading John Marris With the new Centre now well established, scientist. The fellowship will cover travel “My satisfaction the Trust recognises the need to focus and accommodation. Applications will is in seeing the Marlborough annual reporting activity mainly on be invited and the fellowship awarded on Research Centre the Centre’s achievement of scientifi c merit. continue to fulfi l the outputs and its establishment of a credible aims and aspirations laid down so many reputation as a focal point for wine and Staff Change years ago by a small, dedicated group grape research. The Wine Research Centre Jill Binsted, the Centre’s Executive of like-minded people, for research into a broad range of primary production brand has been promoted and endorsed by Administrator, resigned during the year within Marlborough. One of this year’s the Wine Research Board and adopted by to take up a new position. Jill made a highlights, for me, was working alongside the researchers and others working under substantial contribution to the Centre Gerald Hope, our Executive Offi cer, and Andrew Bartley of the Liquorland Top that brand identity. from opening day organisation through to 100 Wines, on a joint-funded fellowship, administering several boards’ activities as and successfully entering a fi ve-year The Trust’s role is primarily in the well as compiling various reports, including sponsorship arrangement. This type of investment illustrates the expanding background, providing a stable governance the annual report. profi le of the Marlborough Research overview on progress, working with the Centre.” - John Marris Wine Research Board and ensuring strong Serena Cheesman, who replaced her, brings fi nancial and management support. to the Centre a sound background in Edwin Pitts “Every year the fi nancial and legal administration. Centre appears Both the Trust and Marlborough Research to grow both in confi dence with Centre Boards work closely together Board Membership applied research to ensure consistency and coherence of HortResearch Quality Systems Manager activities and in direction in support of the science research Dr Michelle Williams replaced Dr Pauline recognition of the place it has earned in primary production research. It has also group. Mooney from HortResearch on the grown in stature and expanded those Marlborough Research Centre Board, after activities. Marlborough Environment Award Dr Mooney resigned to take up a new A highlight for me this year was the In conjunction with HortResearch the Trust position in South Australia. confi dence implied by HortResearch continues to provide a premier sponsorship in planning to place another scientist and technician in Marlborough to work totalling $3,000 for this biennial award, the All in all, it has been an excellent year. in the Centre. next of which is in 2007. John Marris Edwin Pitts The Centre can be proud of its Chairman Chairman achievements, particularly the Liquorland Top 100 Wine Fellowship Marlborough Research Marlborough Research collaborative nature of its research, A $40,000 sponsorship package was Centre Trust Centre Board and can look with some optimism to formalised with Liquorland during the year. achieving more quality research outcomes in the future.” – Edwin Pitts It will be used on an annual basis, spread
7 MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE BOARD
Chairman’s Report
With the second year of the main sauvignon expenditure, and income generated by the contribution while others have only made blanc research programme completed, Trust. two, due to the staggered dates of their the Marlborough Wine Research Centre commencement of funding. Board has been concentrating on building Effective from 1 July 2006, members of the a new programme area to submit to the Wine Research Board will direct research Total contributions from the industry Foundation for Research Science and policy and make appropriate fi nancial remain close to the targeted $300,000 per Technology (FRST). decisions independent of the Trust on a year. month-by-month basis, allowing strategic Even though there are four years remaining alignment of research programmes to During the year a contribution by The of FRST funding for the sauvignon blanc capital requirements. Crossings Vineyards was discontinued as programme, it is essential that further a result of the company being taken over The Wine Research Board will determine by Ager Sectus, who are an existing funder its own direction and be accountable and who have reconfi rmed their fi nancial for managing its sources of funding and commitment. approvals of expenditure. The Research Leader will have overall management Any funding shortfalls will be met by responsibility, reporting monthly to the additional funds being made available from Board. We, in turn, will report to the Trust. the Marlborough Research Centre Trust on Ivan Sutherland Chairman a case-by-case basis. Marlborough Wine Research Centre Board Annual reporting of fi nancial performance will remain through the Trust and will Sustainable Winegrowing research direction is identifi ed and funding require the level of accountability expected This national programme operating from secured. of any professional organisation. An annual Marlborough is going extremely well. audit, reporting to the Trust accountants Feedback from members of the programme To achieve a clear growth path for research, and fi nal annual fi nancial reports will be is that it is effectively managed and being the Wine Research Board has undertaken consolidated under the one report, as has readily adopted. an extensive review of research programmes previously been the case. and brought together a strategic plan for New Staff 2006 to 2010, when the sauvignon blanc Industry Financial Contributions Appointments were made to three new programme ends. Local and national New Zealand wine positions during the year, signifi cantly companies and organisations continue to strengthening our science capability. These Financial Review underpin the day-to-day fi nancial operation were: As noted in the Trust chairmen’s report, of the Centre, with 36 having committed a decision was taken during the year to to making a contribution for fi ve years. • Christina Balmori, Laboratory Manager. separate research income and related Some have now made their fourth annual Christina spent the previous seven years with Genesis Research & Development
8 MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE BOARD
as a scientist in its Plant Molecular Board to facilitate strategic and business Biology Group, having worked earlier planning for the Centre. for HortResearch in Auckland and Hamilton. My thanks to Board members for their • Kerrie Stronge, Winery Technician. support during the year. Kerrie was previously a commercial winemaker. We meet frequently, generally over a full • Trevor Skilton, Field Technician. Trevor day. As chairman, I much appreciate the worked previously as a teacher and, prior commitment of Board members and the to that, in motor vehicle engineering backing they receive from their respective research and development. organisations in allowing them the time for Board business. Board Membership “I am extremely pleased that we have been able to establish over the past year I also acknowledge the commitment and Various changes occurred during the year a suffi ciently strong fi nancial base to to the membership of the Wine Research effort of our small team of researchers enable us to progress with confi dence Board. towards the extensive range of research on projects beyond the sauvignon blanc research programme which has been the programmes the Centre undertakes. On my initial mainstay of our operation. • Ken Rogers, former General Manager many visits to the premises I always take of Framingham Wine Company pleasure in the positive atmosphere, and That sound fi nancial base, complemented by our Board’s development of a strategic Ltd, resigned from the Board, having collegiality of the place. plan to 2010 and our excellent quality relocated to Auckland as a result of of staff – headed by Mike Trought, Framingham being purchased by Pernod It is also pleasing to see the mix of skills Christina Balmori and Kerrie Stronge - gives us the ability to advance and plan Ricard New Zealand Ltd. and qualifi cations at the Centre. The blend with confi dence. • Dr Bruce Campbell, General Manager of commercial and research activity taking Science for HortResearch, was appointed place provides good professional interaction HortResearch’s decision to place two further staff here – a senior scientist and a to the Board. Dr Campbell was formerly and allows easy access to locally based technician – refl ects its confi dence in our Science Leader of plant breeding and researchers. These factors augur well for our infrastructure and is a huge compliment genomics at AgResearch, Palmerston future. both to the Centre and to the local wine industry.” – Ivan Sutherland North. • Dr Lily Belabun, Blenheim Campus Manager, Nelson Marlborough Institute Ivan Sutherland of Technology, was co-opted to the Chairman Board. Marlborough Wine Research Centre Board • Dr Claire Hall, Business Leader, HortResearch, was seconded to the
9 MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE
Research Leader’s Report
We have had an extremely busy year; a year in the world – and its price point - is endless run of gold medals at prestigious of consolidating while also continuing to becoming ever more important. international events. expand our research activities. Looking back on 2004/05, I think we were operating to a We cannot afford to rely on our existing A highlight of the year was the Centre’s large degree on adrenalin as we settled into reputation. In future we will have to do our contribution to the International Cool the operation of the Centre. The year under best to over-deliver in terms of both quality Climate Symposium for Viticulture and review saw us getting systems fi rmly in and consumer expectation. Oenology in Christchurch in February. place and building our capability through The symposium brought together more the establishment of, and appointments to, While the New Zealand wine industry than 600 researchers and industry people two signifi cant new positions. as a whole is growing, it is growing faster from around the world to discuss the here than anywhere else – 81,000 tonnes production of cool climate wines, with produced in 2005, 113,000 tonnes this the Marlborough Wine Research Centre year, a 40% increase and 62% of New taking a very high profi le. We made two Zealand’s total vintage. Other areas may be keynote presentations, provided 14 – or 15 growing at higher percentages, but from a percent – of the 84 posters on display, and far smaller vineyard base than we have. contributed to, or helped organise, four focus sessions.
Dr Mike Trought With all the most obvious and many of Research Leader the marginal planting areas already taken, The conference over, we returned expecting Marlborough Wine Research Centre some of the land about to be planted will briefl y to resume research activities, only present a challenge to those developing it. to have this year’s harvest begin two weeks All our research activities are generally However, the industry can take heart from early, with the fl urry of testing that harvest running very smoothly, particularly the six- the fact that multi-nationals are among involves. year sauvignon blanc research programme, those involved in planting new areas. We which has now completed its second year, can fairly safely presume that such planting Some of the delegates at the conference and we were delighted to secure three new is part of a long-term marketing strategy: subsequently spent weeks and in some cases research contracts. They have confi dence in the future of several months in New Zealand looking Marlborough wine. We can take great at the wine industry as tourists, including With another approximately 2,000 hectares confi dence from that. visiting our Centre. We hosted one group being planted in grapes throughout of 11 for an afternoon as part of their two- Marlborough this winter, taking total We also take confi dence from the day stay in Marlborough. Individuals we plantings to some 14,000ha, research continuing success of our wine in welcomed included Professor Stan Howell, into what the industry needs in order to international competition, with a seemingly Professor of Horticulture at Michigan maintain the position of sauvignon blanc State University, for two weeks, and Andy
10 MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE
Reynolds from Brock University, Ontario, We secured three new research contracts. the American Society of Enology and Canada. Andy, who also spent a fortnight Viticulture in California, followed by a here, is internationally recognised for his Two were for New Zealand Winegrowers presentation to the sixth international work on grapevine canopy management. looking at virus diseases in sauvignon terroir conference in Bordeaux, France. He assisted with various research trials. blanc vines and investigating whether early pruning of sauvignon blanc vines has a Centre personnel also made various Some interesting results are emerging from negative impact on bud-break and vine presentations at numerous seminars and the sauvignon blanc research programme development. workshops in New Zealand, including the funded by the Foundation for Research annual Romeo Bragato Conference, this Science and Technology (FRST), in The other new contract, funded by FRST, year held in Gisborne. particular those that challenge long- is looking at vineyard health and life accepted interpretations of yields and expectancy in terms of acceptable levels of As our reputation grows, so too does the impact of yield on the fl avour and aroma productivity. This research has a particular extent of our collaboration with other of sauvignon blanc. As the research is still focus on older vines – ie those in the 20-25 research organisations. This includes: in its relatively early stages it would be year age group, of which there are an ever- premature to stick one’s neck out too far, increasing number in Marlborough. Many • My working with Dr Rob Bramley of but the fi ndings suggest that getting the vineyards were replanted in the early 1990s the CSIRO in Australia on precision fruit ripe is more important to fl avour and when they were affected by phylloxera. viticulture, whereby multi-spectral aerial profi le than the size of the yield. Understanding the consequences of this will photographic techniques are used to map help anticipate management needs. vineyards and detect, for example, soil The most surprising result from this type changes and areas that are stressed research was that pruning vines from four The Centre’s reputation for wine research because of too much/too little water to two canes advances fl owering and fruit continues to grow. This is best illustrated by or for other reasons. Dr Bramley and a development. It well illustrated the fact that invitations to address international events number of other Australian researchers research is not about “eureka”. Rather, it is or make presentations at various seminars contributed to a “From gumboots to about establishing a data set then fi nding and workshops in Australia. For example, satellites; measuring and managing that it produces results you were not Marc Greven will make a presentation at vineyards” workshop at the Centre. This expecting. an international conference in Chile in considered alternative ways of assessing October on sustainable viticulture and vineyard performance. As indicated by Our sauvignon blanc research featured for winery waste management; Wendy Parr the title of the workshop, the use of 10 minutes on the Saturday morning Rural participated in an international workshop remote techniques will become more Delivery agri-science programme on TV1 in Paris; and I was a keynote speaker at common over time. It beats walking in May. two Australian workshops and, at the around in gumboots or driving a tractor end of June, gave a keynote address to to assess vineyard health. Since the
11 MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE
workshop, signifi cant areas of the Wairau our desire to build up our winemaking Plains have been fl own by Specterra and wine analysis, particularly in terms of Services from West Australia, giving a sensory work. multi-spectral image of vineyards. • Our scientists, particularly Dion Mundy, Previously our work had revolved around working with Australian wine groups, the existing and historically fi eld-based especially Charles Sturt University in HortResearch science team. The two new Wagga Wagga, on vine disease. positions are part of our own capability • Wendy Parr collaborating with scientists building and will add much value to our at research institutions in France (Paris activities. and Dijon) on sensory research. She spent two periods there during the year. We were disappointed by the resignation mid-way through the year of our Research All Centre staff continued to contribute Offi cer Joanne Brady, but were fortunate to the Focus Vineyard project funded to be able to appoint to the role Dr Jeff Two key by the Sustainable Farming Fund and Bennett from Lincoln University, who had managed at the Centre by Richard Hunter. been working with us part-time in research, It is proving a very useful extension of teaching and other activities. Already appointments other Centre activities because it gives knowing the ropes of the place meant that our scientists an opportunity to talk Jeff had a very smooth transition into the during the year... to the wine industry locally about the job. research we are undertaking. All our add much value scientists have addressed at least one of Various students have been working with the Focus Vineyard seminars on the likes us, in particular: of disease management, irrigation and to our activities frost protection. The latter was by far the • Tim Mills, a Masters student from best attended, with 140 present, and well Auckland University, who completed his showed the meaning of “standing room thesis on differences in soil texture in only” in the Centre’s theatrette. vineyards and the relationship between these differences and vine growth. Two key appointments during the year were • Anne Maurer, from Montpellier Christina Balmori, as Laboratory Manager, University, France, who studied and Kerrie Stronge as Winery Technician. infl orescence or bunch numbers on Christine’s appointment will greatly different vineyards and the effect on vine improve our capability for fruit and juice growth of different bunch numbers. This analysis, while Kerrie’s appointment refl ects included taking canes from fi ve vineyards
12 MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE
with two different cropping levels (two As we have grown, space at the Centre “New Zealand and four canes), from which she grew has become increasingly tight and we are Winegrowers is 1600 individual nodes. This has shown developing a four-year strategic plan to really pleased to see the collaboration in that bunch numbers on emerging shoots address accommodation matters. We’re not Marlborough between are related to the size of the cane laid busting yet but are on the verge, especially the wine industry and down at pruning. This may partly explain given that HortResearch is planning to a range of research providers. It will be of huge benefi t to the industry. why over-cropping in one year and its engage additional staff. impact on shoot development may result Prior to the establishment of the in lower yields in the following year. We retain a good relationship with Marlborough Wine Research Centre, the industry interacted with research • Andrea Watt, a PhD student from the Nelson Marlborough Institute of providers on a more ad hoc or individual Melbourne University, who was looking Technology (NMIT). The sharing contract basis. Now we are seeing a greater focus on longer-term objectives at the effect of the environment on of facilities and provision of learning through working together. sauvignon blanc vine infl orescence opportunities for their students works well development shortly after initiation. for both parties. Centre staff enjoy their Through New Zealand Winegrowers, all growers and wine companies contribute • Melissa Sutherland and Robyn Dixon teaching and seminar contact with students. to the industry research programme. In from Lincoln University, who looked Marlborough we also see direct voluntary at the infl uence of soil type on fruit The Research Centre Trust and Research investment from both local and national wine companies in the ongoing operation composition, and Rebecca Ford, also Centre Board remained very supportive of of the Centre. Industry investment into from Lincoln, who studied the infl uence all that the Centre has been doing. I thank the Centre is a very clear statement that the industry is serious about research. of shading on fruit composition. their members for that.
Dialogue between industry and the Students are a most welcome addition to I look forward to the next 12 months. research community will ensure researchers know precisely what the the Centre. They come here for specifi c We have come a long, long way in the industry’s needs are, and can tailor research, very enthusiastic about what they two and a quarter years since the Centre their programmes to match. The are doing and totally focused. I sometimes was established. HortResearch’s planned commitment of resources by the Centre’s research partners to the industry research feel envious at their ability to concentrate appointment of additional staff during that programme should also be acknowledged. entirely on one project, rather than become period will add to our existing breadth of We’re now getting more focus and more sidetracked into the wider work of the experience and increase our capability as depth to grape and wine research. The Centre. we work on an increasingly wide range of Centre’s scientists are able to hone in research projects on key issues, putting applied research alongside more basic research. That’s The students, together with the sauvignon providing real impetus for moving our blanc research programme, continue to industry research programme forward. enhance our relationships/collaboration Mike Trought Philip Manson with staff at Lincoln and Auckland Research Leader Science and Innovations Manager universities. Marlborough Wine Research Centre New Zealand Winegrowers
13 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
The Year in Review
Research visitors · Russell Johnstone, Orlando Wines, Seminars/workshops held at MWRC · Tim Mills, Masters student, Auckland Australia · Dion Mundy and Rob Agnew, University · Chris Kirk, Deputy Vice Chancellor, HortResearch Marlborough: Grass grub · Anne Maurer, student, Montpellier Lincoln University damage to young vines and the role of University, France · Len Knoetz and Marinda Swanepoel, mulches in vine establishment. · Andrea Watt, PhD student, Melbourne Wescorp Wines, South Africa University, Australia · Michael Lay-Yee, International Business · Paul Fourie and Francois Halleen, · Robyn Dixon, Masters student, Lincoln Manager, HortResearch Stellenbosch University, South Africa; University · Terry Lee, Consultant, EJ Gallo, and Marlene Jaspers, Lincoln University: · Rebecca Ford, Masters student, Lincoln California Black foot disease. University · Andrew Malcolm, Specterra Services, · Manu Maggu, Masters student, Auckland Australia · Mike Trought, Marlborough Wine University · Helene Nieuwoudt, researcher, South Research Centre; Marc Greven, · Roy Titheridge, Royal Society Fellow Africa HortResearch Marlborough; Rob · Paul Petrie, Fosters Wine Estate Bramley, CSIRO, Australia; Richard Visitors · Dr Andy Reynolds, Brock University, Hamilton, Fosters Australia; Tony Profi tt, · Rt Hon Jim Anderton, Minister for Canada Phylloxera Council, Australia: Precision Trade and Enterprise · Dr Mervyn Smyth, Centre for viticulture. · Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Minister of Sustainable Technologies, University of Education Ulster · Mike Trought, Marlborough Wine · Dr Rob Bramley, CSIRO, Australia · David Straada, New Zealand Research Centre; Marc Greven, · Tom Cannavan, UK wine writer Winegrowers US Marketing Manager HortResearch Marlborough; Rob · Nick Dalgety, MAF Policy · Dr Tony Wolf, VirginiaTech, USA Bramley, CSIRO, Australia; Richard · Mark Downey, DPI Australia, Paul · Melanie Weckert, National Wine & Hamilton, Fosters Australia; Tony Profi tt, Smith, AWRI Australia and Kirsten Grape Industry Centre, Wagga Wagga, Phylloxera Council, Australia: From Skogerson, UC Davis NSW gumboots to satellites, measuring and · John Grey, Charles Sturt University, managing vineyards. Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia Visiting groups · John Harvey, AGWRI, Adelaide · 15 International Masters of wine · Focus Vineyard · Prof Stan Howell, Michigan State · New Zealand Winegrowers Research - Mike Trought: Frost protection in University, USA Committee vineyards. · Patrick Iland, Australia · Representatives from New Zealand Trade - Mike Trought: Yield prediction. · Nancy Irelan, Vice President, Enology and Enterprise - Marc Greven: Irrigation management. and Viticulture Technology, EJ Gallo, · Foundation for Research Science & - Dion Mundy: Pest and disease. California Technology Quality New Zealand Wine Management Committee
14 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Other presentations Robyn Dixon: Within vineyard variability. Wendy Parr: Making sense of fl avour: Wendy Parr; James Green, K. Geoffrey Wine fl avour and aroma workshop, 11th psychological aspects of taste and smell. White: Wine judging, context, and New New Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato Olives NZ Annual Conference, Nelson, Zealand sauvignon blanc. International Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. October 2005. workshop on psychology of perception, sensory evaluation and context, Paris, Tim Mills, Jeff Mauk, Mike Trought and Wendy Parr, James Green and K. France, July 2005. Marc Greven: Relations among geology, soil Geoffrey White. Elucidating the concept type and sauvignon blanc vineyard variation Marlborough sauvignon blanc: Wine Mike Trought: Hitting an n-dimensional in Marlborough, New Zealand. 11th New professionals’ perceptions of typicality. 6th target in moving space: How a knowledge Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato International Cool Climate Symposium for of grapevine physiology helps produce Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. Viticulture and Oenology, Christchurch, exquisite wines. Rod Bieleski keynote paper February 2006. to New Zealand Society Agricultural and Valerie Saxton, Glen Creasy, Adrian Horticultural Science convention, Lincoln Paterson, Mike Trought: How do birds Mike Trought: Keynote speaker on grape University, July 2005. choose which grapes to eat? 11th New crop estimation. American Society of Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato Enology and Viticulture, Sacramento, USA, Mike Trought: Fruit set – Possible Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. June 2006. implications on wine quality. Keynote paper at ASVO (Australian Society of Mike Trought: Understanding regional Wendy Parr: Typicite of Marlborough Viticulture and Oenology) workshop, expression of wine fl avour and aroma. sauvignon blanc. Centre Europeen des Mildura, Australia, July 2005. Wine fl avour and aroma workshop, 11th Sciences du Gout, University of Burgundy, New Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato France, June 2006. Rob Agnew: Sub-regional variation in Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. Marlborough sauvignon blanc. Wine Other events fl avour and aroma workshop, 11th New Mike Trought: Scent of Heaven – why Rob Agnew, Dion Mundy, Joanne Brady, Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato aroma must be grown in the vineyard. Margaret Roberts, Roy Titheridge: Judges Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. Presentation to King Valley Vignerons at the Marlborough Regional Science Fair, Growing great grapes seminar October September 2005. Jeff Bennett: The infl uence of over- 2005. wintering carbohydrate reserves on Dion Mundy, Sue Neal, Margaret Roberts, the return bloom and yield of mature Mike Trought, Rob Agnew, Marc Roy Titheridge: Judges at Marlborough chardonnay grapevines. 11th New Zealand Greven, Joanne Brady, Christina Balmori: Girls’ College Science Fair, September Winegrowers Romeo Bragato Conference, Attendance at FRST sauvignon blanc 2005. Gisborne, August 2005. project workshop, Waiwera, north of Auckland, October 2005.
15 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Grapegrower & Winemaker 33rd Annual Technical Issue.
Parr W. Quantifi cation of wine quality: 20 versus 100 points. New Zealand Winegrower, October/November 2005.
Parr W. Sensory sauvignon blanc work bears fruit, Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker, February 2006.
Agnew R. From the Cellar interview, Winepress April 2006.
Trought M. Unlocking the secrets of sauvignon blanc, New Zealand Winegrower, Refereed papers Sivakumaran S., Davidson P. and Clothier April/May 2006. Hupet F., Trought M., Greven M., Green S. B. 2005. Leaching of copper, chromium and Clothier B. 2005. Data requirements and arsenic from treated timber vineyard Agnew R., Greven M., Green S., Mills T., for identifying macroscopic water stress posts in Marlborough, New Zealand. Neal S., Mundy D. and Clothier B. 2005. parameters: A study on grapevines. Water Science of the Total Environment 364(1-3): The water-saving value of mulches in Resources Research, 41, W06008, 1-15. 113-123. vineyards. WISPAS 90: 1-2.
Bennett J., Jarvis P., Creasy G. and Trought Clothier B., Green S., Vogeler I., Greven Conference and workshop papers M. 2005. Infl uence of defoliation on M., Agnew R., van den Dijssel C., Neal S., Bennett J., Jarvis P., Creasy G. and Trought overwintering carbohydrate reserves, return Robinson B. and Davidson P. 2006. CCA M. The infl uence of over-wintering bloom, and yield of mature chardonnay transport in soil from treated-timber posts: carbohydrate reserves on the return bloom grapevines. American Journal of Enology pattern dynamics from the local to regional and yield of mature chardonnay grapevines. and Viticulture, 56:4, 386-393. scale. Hydrology and Earth Systems Science Discussions 3(4): 2037-2061. 11th New Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato Conference, Gisborne, August Mundy D., Alspach P. and Dufay J. 2005. 2005. Grass grub damage and mycorrhizal Popular Press colonisation of grapevine rootstocks. New Parr W., Green J. and White K. 2005. Mills T., Mauk J., Trought M. and Greven Zealand Plant Protection 58: 234-238. Aroma and fl avour of New Zealand M. Relations among geology, soil type sauvignon blanc. Australian & New Zealand and sauvignon blanc vineyard variation in Robinson B., Greven M., Green S.,
16 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Marlborough, New Zealand. 11th New Marie Curie, Paris, France, July 2005. Howell G., Trought M., Friend A. and Zealand Winegrowers Romeo Bragato Dami I. Keeping out the cold: frost damage Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. Saxton V., Creasy G., Paterson A. and prevention and recovery. 6th International Trought M. How do birds choose Cool Climate Symposium for Viticulture Mundy D. and Agnew R. Vineyard which grapes to eat? 11th New Zealand and Oenology, Christchurch, February mulches: Key research fi ndings, costs and Winegrowers Romeo Bragato Conference, 2006. savings from three years of investigation Gisborne, August 2005. in New Zealand. Conference proceedings, Trought M., Dry P., Dunn G., Heazlewood 12th Australian Wine industry Technical Trought M: Keynote address. Living on the J., Watt A. and Petrie P. No two seasons Conference, Editors R. Blair, P Williams edge: the opportunities and challenges of are alike: understanding and managing and I. Pretorius. Australian Wine Industry cool climate winegrowing in New Zealand. the impacts of seasonal variation in cool Technical Conference Inc, South Australia, 6th International Cool Climate Symposium climates. 6th International Cool Climate Australia. 2005. for Viticulture and Oenology, Christchurch, Symposium for Viticulture and Oenology, February 2006. Christchurch, February 2006. Mundy D. and Weckert M. (2005). Mycorrhizal fungi in vineyards: A method Howell G., Pool R. and Trought M. Vogeler I., Green S., Dijssel C., Davidson developed for the staining of grape roots Managing cold, frost and other weather P., Greven M., Clothier B., Agnew R., Neal for microscope observation. Conference related grapevine damage - a review. 6th S., Chicota R. and Sivakumaran S. 2006. proceedings, 12th Australian Wine Industry International Cool Climate Symposium for Leaching of CCA from treated vineyard Technical Conference, Editors R. Blair, P Viticulture and Oenology, Christchurch, posts. Implementing sustainable nutrient Williams and I. Pretorius. Australian Wine February 2006. management strategies in agriculture: Industry Technical Conference Inc, South Combined conference/workshop, New Australia, Australia. Gubler W., Edwards J., Sosnowski M., Zealand Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Research Mugnai L., Jaspers M. and Mundy D. Association Incorporated, Fertiliser & Parr W. and Trought M. (2005). Wine Grapevine trunk diseases. 6th International Lime Research Centre, Massey University, science research in New Zealand: An Cool Climate Symposium for Viticulture Palmerston North. Pp. 27. (Abstracts). overview with focus on wine sensory and Oenology, Christchurch, February February 2006. analysis. New Zealand Institute of 2006. Food Science and Technology Annual Posters Conference, Christchurch, June 2005. Frost A., Parr W., Lund C., Lesschaeve Greven M., Trought M., Agnew R. and I. and McCord J. Perception of fl avour Brady J. (2006). Effects of viticultural Parr W., Green J. and White K. (2005). in wine. 6th International Cool Climate practices on berry size - implications for Wine judging, context, and New Zealand Symposium for Viticulture and Oenology, fl avour and aroma compounds in sauvignon sauvignon blanc. International workshop Christchurch, February 2006. blanc. 6th International Cool Climate on psychology of perception, sensory Symposium for Viticulture and Oenology, evaluation and context, Université Pierre et Christchurch, February 2006.
17 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Agnew R., Trought M., Greven M. and Greven M., Neal S., West B., Green S., Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Brady J. The impact of site selection and Clothier B. The use of partial rootzone Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. vine management on sauvignon blanc fruit drying in sauvignon blanc grapes in and vine development within Marlborough. Marlborough. 6th International Cool Naylor A., Trought M. and Frampton 6th International Cool Climate Symposium Climate Symposium for Viticulture and C. Effect of shoot and bunch position on for Viticulture and Oenology, Christchurch, Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. juice composition of sauvignon blanc (Vitis February 2006. vinifera L.). 6th International Cool Climate Greven M., Trought M., Brady J. and Symposium for Viticulture and Oenology, Bennett J., Trought M. and Brady J. Agnew R. The importance of berry size on Christchurch, February 2006. The infl uence of training system on the the fl avour and aroma profi le of sauvignon performance of cool climate sauvignon blanc wine. 6th International Cool Climate Saxton V., Creasy G., Paterson A. and blanc grapevines. 6th International Cool Symposium for Viticulture and Oenology, Trought M. More to grapes than you think Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Christchurch, February 2006. – a bird’s eye view. 6th International Cool Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Greven M., Robinson B, Green S,. Agnew Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. Dixon R., Trought M., Brady J., Agnew R., Neal S., Clothier B. and Davidson P. R. and Greven M. The terroir of a The leaching of CCA from vineyard posts Trought M. Assessing frost risk on new Marlborough sauvignon blanc vineyard: in Marlborough. 6th International Cool vineyard sites. 6th International Cool the infl uence of soil textural changes on Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Climate Symposium for Viticulture and vine development. 6th International Cool Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. Climate Symposium for Viticulture and
Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. Mundy D., Beresford R. and Trought Mundy D., Agnew R. and Beresford R. M. Yeast available nitrogen development 2005. Seasonal timing of canopy wetness Fox N., Saxton V., Trought M. and Holland over time for maturing sauvignon blanc drives severity of Botrytis bunch rot in wine J. Falcons for grapes. 6th International Cool fruit of differing nitrogen treatments. 6th grapes. Innovations for sustainable plant Climate Symposium for Viticulture and International Cool Climate Symposium for health: The 15th biennial Australasian Plant Oenology, Christchurch, February 2006. Viticulture and Oenology, Christchurch, Pathology Society Conference handbook. February 2006. Geelong, Victoria, Pp. 342. 26-29 Friend A., Trought M. and Creasy G. September 2005. Impact of spring frost on the fruitfulness of Mundy D. and Manning M. Investigation chardonnay grapevines. 6th International of fungi isolated from trunks of 23-year- Cool Climate Symposium for Viticulture old cabernet sauvignon grapevines in and Oenology, Christchurch, February Marlborough. 6th International Cool 2006.
18 THE YEAR IN REVIEW
New Staff
Christina Balmori – Laboratory Kerrie Stronge – Winery Technician Trevor Skilton – Field Technician Manager Kerrie completed her Bachelor of Science in Trevor’s initial education was here in Christina has had extensive experience microbiology in 1991 at Massey University Marlborough, after which he moved to since 1989 with the following organisations and then her Master of Applied Science in Essex, England where he continued his - MAF Ruakura Campus in the viticulture 2001 in wine science (fi rst class honours) studies while working as an Engineering group involved in the development of the at Lincoln University. She has strong wine Cadet in the Research and Development ELISA technology for the detection of industry, research and microvinifi cation Department of Ford Motor Company. GLRaV-3; Mount Albert Research Centre experience. Her Master’s thesis investigated After returning to New Zealand he moved (HortResearch) in the Plant Molecular different juice treatments of pinot gris and into teaching and has recently taken leave Virology laboratory; Scientist at Genesis their effects on the resultant wine. Kerrie to explore other fi elds. Research and Development Ltd working in has been commercial winemaking for four the Molecular Forestry Program and then years. In addition to this, she has worked researching the molecular interactions of vintages in local Marlborough wineries Botrytis cinerea strains. and in the Hunter Valley, Australia. Prior to entering the wine industry Kerrie was employed as a laboratory technician in the oil and gas industry in Taranaki.
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Yield management and prediction
Grapevine yield is central to determining in 1927 that “we can with fair accuracy, previous season. the profi tability and quality of predict the size of a crop by taking into winegrowing. Despite this fact, the industry account the weather conditions (rain and National average yields of New Zealand is very poor at anticipating and managing heat) during the preceding twelve months sauvignon blanc have varied approximately yield. Scientifi c literature over the past 80 and the size of the crop”. Despite this, the twofold and chardonnay threefold years has contained many research reports ability to anticipate potential yields and between 1990 and 2004. The year-to- discussing the impact of weather conditions moderate crops to achieve a consistent crop year differences suggest that much of this at fl owering and during the initiation of level remains poor. Understanding the key variation can be attributed to weather bunches, and the role of over-wintering factors determining potential yield, how events occurring at critical times during reserves on the subsequent development this potential yield may be infl uenced by the season. In some cases these may be of the vine and the potential crop levels. events during the season and then acting catastrophic events, such as frosts in 2003, While it must be accepted that in some on this information is key to achieving however, in other seasons; more subtle seasons catastrophic events such as a frost consistency in yield from season to season. events are likely to be the cause. or hailstorm may have an unpredictable infl uence on yield, a yield estimate should Grapevines are perennial plants. The yield Key results from this year be possible using weather (which largely at the end of a particular season is the The temperatures during the initiation of determines bunch number and weight) and culmination of events that have occurred infl orescence primordia and fl owering are cropping (which determines over-wintering in at least the preceding 18 months and of particular importance in a cool climate. reserves) records in the current and previous possibly longer, and is the product of a As these events occur at approximately season. The Centre’s yield management number of components: the same time of year (late spring), low and prediction research programme seeks temperatures at this time can reduce to understand factors infl uencing grapevine · shoots per hectare fruit set in the current and infl orescence yield, with the aim of developing a robust · infl orescences per shoot initiation (and as a consequence bunch yield prediction system that enables the · fl owers per infl orescence number per shoot) in the following season. industry to adapt vineyard practices to · fruit set Using a stepwise, multiple regression ensure consistent grape supply. · berry weight technique a model has been developed to predict yield from temperature Shoots per hectare refl ect the vineyard data in December and January. This Project: Yield design (eg vine spacing, training, uniformity provides a preliminary estimate of yield modelling sauvignon of bud break). Of these, only bud break and 12 months before harvest date, with a blanc in Marlborough subsequent shoot development is likely to risk analysis using historical fl owering vary between seasons, probably refl ecting temperatures. The yield estimate is updated the over-wintering carbohydrate and following fl owering in the current season Background nutrient reserves in the vine, which in turn (approximately four months pre-harvest). Abraham Perold, the pioneer of modern potentially refl ect the cropping level in the While meteorological data can be used South African viticulture, commented
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to estimate future yields, any prediction Project: Infl orescence and Brancott Valley) vineyard sites. This is needs to be taken with a degree of care as complemented by morphological studies of the variability in short-term catastrophic primordium infl orescences at fl owering. weather conditions (eg a frost or rainfall) development of may cause unpredicted responses. sauvignon blanc Key results from this year Preliminary analysis shows differences in Publications Background infl orescence morphology (infl orescence · Trought M. Fruit set – Possible Grapevine infl orescence initiation starts at length, fl ower number, rachis length etc) implications on wine quality, 2005. about fl owering, some 18 months before at fl owering between the vineyard sites. Proceedings of Australian Society harvest. Many factors infl uence bunch Dormant buds have been investigated using Viticulture Oenology workshop, number and morphology during initiation the scanning electron microscope (Figure Mildura, Australia. and subsequent development. Microscopic 1) to determine whether the differences at · Trought M. 2006. Living on the edge: examination of buds can provide specifi c fl owering have occurred by bud-burst. the opportunities and challenges of cool information on bud fruitfulness and the climate winegrowing in New Zealand. impact of environmental conditions on Infl orescence morphology in the dormant Key note paper, International Cool factors such as branch architecture. Using bud will be investigated in the coming Climate Symposium on Viticulture and a scanning electron microscope, the season to determine the extent to which Oenology February 2006 Christchurch, morphology of infl orescence primordia of it can be related to subsequent bunch New Zealand. sauvignon blanc is being investigated on development. · Trought M. 2006. Grape crop vines from two contrasting (Lower Awatere estimation, experiences with forecasting sauvignon blanc yields in Marlborough Figure 1: Scanning New Zealand. American Society Enology electron micrograph and Viticulture, 57th Annual Meeting, of a sauvignon blanc infl orescence July 2006 Sacramento, USA. IP primordium from Seaview Vineyard, November 2005 (x 344). The apex Key funding source (A), infl orescence BP primordium (IP), · Marlborough Wine Research Centre branch primordium BrP (BP), bract primordium (BrP) and leaf primordium Key staff involved (LP) are indicated. · Mike Trought Marlborough Wine Research Centre
Contact A LP [email protected]
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Key funding sources and yield monitors on grape harvesters; canopy collaborating companies density monitors; remote air-borne Key results from this year · Marlborough Wine Research Centre sensing of red and infra-red wavelengths Vine yields, canopy density and plant cell · Melbourne University to give plant cell density [PCD]), can give density were all successfully measured using information on vineyard and, in many a range of tractor, harvester or aircraft Key staff involved cases, individual vine performance. mounted monitoring systems. The remotely · Andrea Watt, Greg Dunn, Snow Barlow, collected data is being related to ground- Peter May While most vineyard managers are aware truthed information collected from specifi c Melbourne University of the variation in soils and vines within sites in vineyards to determine the extent their properties, understanding the spatial to which fruit development in particular variation by remote sensing can lead the can be related to data collected early in the · Mike Trought, Joanne Brady grower to take advantage of this variability season. The plant cell data (see photograph Marlborough Wine Research Centre by adopting site-specifi c management 1) clearly shows the impact of soil type on practices at a more localised scale. vine vigour (the dark blue areas are vigorous
Contact vines, the red areas low vigour vines) and [email protected] marked differences in variety and rootstock. [email protected]
Photograph 1: Aerial plant cell density measurements of vineyards in Marlborough late Project: Characterising February 2006 spatial variability and remote sensing Marlborough vineyards
Background New technologies have been developed in recent years to investigate the spatial differences in vine performance within a given area (often a vineyard). The advent of low cost global positioning systems (GPS) linked to a range of sensors (for example, electro-magnetic soil surveys [EM38];
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Key funding sources and Figure 1. Infl uence of cane crop load and cane diameter on bunch number per cane Wairau Valley collaborating companies 35 · Marlborough Wine Research Centre · John-Paul Praat, Lincoln Ventures, 30 e
Hamilton n 25 · Andrew Malcolm, Specterra Services,
Western Australia 20
· Rob Bramley, CSIRO, Australia ber per Ca
um 15 · Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd ch N 10 un
Key staff involved B 2-cane pruned vines 4-cane pruned vines · Mike Trought 5 Marlborough Wine Research Centre 0 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Contact Cane Diameter (mm) [email protected] to be a refl ection of the size of the cane average of larger diameter than 4-cane retained post-pruning. pruned vines, the infl orescence number per Project: Infl uence cane was similar when canes of equivalent Key results from this year diameter were compared, regardless of the of cane size on Large- and small-diameter canes were previous season’s training system. infl orescence taken from vines on four sauvignon blanc initiation and vineyard sites on the Wairau Plains (see Data suggests that factors that result in thin morphology “characterisation of the effects of regional canes retained at harvest - for example over- variation on the fruit composition and cropping vines or water stress - may result wine style of sauvignon blanc” for details in a reduced bunch number per shoot and Background of the sites). At each site half the vines were less fruitful vines. While much of the seasonal fl uctuation pruned to four canes and half to two canes in yield can be attributed to changes in in the previous season. The infl orescence Key funding sources and temperature, cropping levels and over- number per 10-node cane was determined collaborating companies wintering carbohydrate concentrations in two ways - by using a single node-cutting · Foundation for Scientifi c Research & in the perennial parts of the vine can be technique, in which the cuttings are grown Technology (UOAX0404) important in determining yield potential. in water in a heated glasshouse, and by · Marlborough Wine Research Centre Low reserves can result in poor and measuring infl orescence number on canes · Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd uneven bud break, and smaller and fewer that were laid down at pruning. While · Villa Maria Estate Ltd infl orescences. In some cases this appears the canes of 2-cane pruned vines were on · Oyster Bay Vineyards Ltd
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Key staff involved Key results from this year International Cool Climate Symposium for · Mike Trought, Joanne Brady, Jeff Using a phenological model, the date Viticulture and Oenology (ICCS), February Bennett of 50% bud break and the point at 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand. Marlborough Wine Research Centre which vines become vulnerable to frost damage was assessed over 69 years using Howell G., Trought M., Friend A. and · Anne Maurer temperature data from Lincoln University. Dami, I. Keeping out the cold: frost Montpellier University, France This was compared to the date of the damage prevention. Poster presentation last frost (chosen as an air temperature of ICCS. Contact -0.5oC). In 21 years, the calculated date [email protected] of bud break was before the last frost and Howell G., Pool R. and Trought M. damage could be expected. Comparing the Managing cold, frost and other weather- dates of bud break and the last frost suggest related grapevine damage - a review. ICCS. Project: Assessing that, while a cool spring may result in later frost risk on new bud break, the date of the last frost is also Key funding source vineyard sites later. · Marlborough Wine Research Centre
A method has also been developed using Key staff involved Background short-term spring temperature records to · Mike Trought Spring frosts are a constant risk to cool compare frost risk from new vineyard sites Marlborough Wine Research Centre climate vineyards. Damage to young shoots with those of the regional meteorological as a result of spring frost can decimate the station. Contact crop. While expensive frost protection [email protected] systems are available, consideration needs to Publications be given to the frequency with which frost Trought M. Assessing frost risk on new may occur. The potential for damage in any vineyard sites. Poster presentation at the season depends on the time of the frost and the phenological stage of development of the vine. While there is little information regarding the date of bud break in New Zealand, many regions have long meteorological records. These enable mean and seasonal variation in bud-break dates to be estimated using phenological models.
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Light, photosynthesis and carbohydrate management
Light infl uences grapevine development marketing ploy invoked by vineyards with in two main ways. Firstly, the quantity old vines. The objective of this project is and quality of light intercepted by leaves to test the hypothesis that increasing the infl uences the rate of photosynthesis amount of perennial wood per vine as the and, in turn, the vine’s accumulation of result of vine aging or manipulation of the sugars. Secondly, light intercepted by the training system used increases the storage developing fruit infl uences the composition of carbohydrate reserves in the trunks of the berries and, in turn, the juice. and cordons. This hypothesis, in turn, an increase of carbohydrate reserves provides Photosynthesis by the vine during the an energy capacity within the vine which growing season produces sugars which can be drawn upon during periods of Key results from this year are either accumulated as sugars in the carbohydrate shortage - for example during Both training systems and crop load had developing fruit or as storage reserves, post-veraison berry ripening. signifi cant impact on yields and fruit particularly in the roots and trunks of the composition (Table 1). Spur-trained vines vine. In the spring, early season shoot A trial investigating the infl uence of along with the two alternative systems had development depends on remobilisation perennial wood (grapevine reserve system) more bunches per vine and yielded 0.7kg of these reserves. Understanding the on the ripening and yield of mature pinot more fruit than conventional 2-cane vines factors that determine the partitioning and noir (clone 777) grapevines was established (Table 1). Mean bunch and berry weights subsequent utilisation of carbohydrates to in a cool-climate region of Marlborough were similar across all the training systems the fruit, roots, shoots and storage organs (Waihopai Valley). Alternative training and were unaffected by crop loading. - is important for balanced cropping. systems were designed and imposed on Crop loading had signifi cant, albeit small, previously 2-cane trained vines in 2001 effects on berry maturation and ripeness at Project: Infl uence with the aim of changing the proportion harvest, whereas training systems, despite of crop load and of perennial wood in the vine system the differences in yield, did not. Reducing relative to number of nodes per vine. The the crop load advanced 50% veraison (of perennial wood four training systems used included two basal bunches) by approximately a day volume on pinot noir conventional systems (2-cane and Spur) and (Figure 1) and resulted in fruit with higher two alternative systems that used a bilateral Brix level and juice acidity (pH) at harvest Background permanent cordon with two canes trained compared to no thinning (Table 1). The The infl uence of vine age on fruit inwards or outwards from the end of the effects of training systems and crop load on composition is the subject of much cordons. The training systems all utilised other juice composition parameters such discussion. In general, it is suggested that vertical shoot positioning during the as organic acids and skin colour pigments older vines produce better fruit. However, growing season. The impact of crop load, (anthocyanin concentrations) will be this has not been tested in a rigorous way by means of apical bunch fruit thinning investigated in the future. and any mechanisms are vague. In some pre-veraison, was introduced to the trial in cases, it is suggested that it is simply a 2004.
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Table 1: The main effect of grapevine training systems (perennial wood volume) and crop load on Key staff involved pinot noir (777) yield components and fruit composition harvest 2006 · Mike Trought, Jeff Bennett Bilateral Bilateral cordon - Marlborough Wine Research Centre Training system 2 cane Spur cordon canes Crop load cane inward outward Contact Perennial wood Low High Med-high Med-high Thin No thin volume [email protected] Yield components: [email protected] Bunches/vine 29 b1 35 ab 35 ab 37 a 28 b 40 a Yield/vine (kg) 3.3 b 4.0 a 3.9 a 4.0 a 3.2 b 4.5 a Mean bunch weight (g) 115.2 116.2 113.8 109.3 114.4 112.9 Mean berry weight (g) 1.50 1.52 1.49 1.53 1.51 1.51 Harvest fruit composition: Project: Infl uence of Brix 23.9 23.7 23.7 23.8 24.0 a 23.5 b Juice pH 3.30 3.30 3.29 3.29 3.32 a 3.28 b training system on Titratable acidity (g/L) 8.3 8.1 8.4 8.3 8.2 8.4 yield components 1 Means within the same row for either training system or crop load with the same letter are not signifi cantly different at LSD(5%) and sauvignon blanc
Figure 1: The effect of crop load (thinning) on veraison progression in pinot noir fruit. ripening Error bars = LSD(5%).
100 Background 90 The production of Marlborough sauvignon 80 blanc grapes over the past decade has been red berries) red
u 70 60 primarily based on training grapevines
(colo 50 to a high-yielding, 4-cane Vertical Shoot n 40 Positioned (VSP) system. In cooler or 30 Thin higher-yielding seasons this system has t Veraiso 20 n No Thin 10 led to diffi culty in achieving desired fruit
Perce 0 ripeness levels (ie, low Brix and high acid 6 06/2 13/2 20/2 content). Altering yields or crop loads by Day / Month 2006 changing the training system is one way of Publications Key funding sources and controlling ripeness levels, but has received · Yearly (2004, 2005, 2006) client reports collaborating companies little research attention in Marlborough. to New Zealand Winegrowers. · New Zealand Winegrowers An ongoing trial has been established with · Trought M. and Bennett J. (2005) · Marlborough Wine Research Centre the objective of determining the infl uence Infl uence of the volume of perennial · Edward Ensor (Tyntesfi eld Vineyard) of fi ve commercial training systems on wood on pinot noir fruit composition. · Villa Maria Marlborough yield components and fruit ripening of Internal report, Marlborough Wine sauvignon blanc. Research Centre.
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The research trial is located at the Villa Key results from this year Figure 1: Infl uence of cane-pruning systems on yield and harvest Brix level 2006 Maria Estate Winery vineyard block and Training system had signifi cant impact on 24 has been monitored over the past three yields and fruit composition (Table 1). The 22 20 seasons. Five grapevine training treatments low-yielding systems were 2-cane and 4- to 18 16 (Spur, Mid-height Sylvoz, 2- and 4-cane, 2-cane, while the high-yielding systems 14 12 10 and Scott Henry) were imposed in July Brix Level were Sylvoz and 2- to 4-cane, which out- 8 4 cane 6 2 cane 2 to 4 cane 2003 on mature sauvignon blanc vines yielded the existing 4-cane system even 4 50% veraison 4 to 2 cane 2 Error bars = LSD 5% previously trained to 4-cane VSP. Over though it was pruned to a similar node 0 30/1 6/2 13/2 20/2 27/2 6/3 13/3 20/3 27/3 3/4 each growing season vine phenology, number. Scott Henry, Spur and 4-cane had Day / Month 2006 fl owering, fruit ripening, yields and similar intermediate yields. Bunch number pruning weights were monitored. Since the per vine was the primary determinant of Figure 2: Negative correlation between Brix accumulation 2006 winter of 2004 two additional treatments yield, but some variation in mean bunch 25 have been included – ie, the conversion weight was also a contributing factor to 24 23 of some vines from 2- to 4-cane and 4- to yield. The pattern of Brix accumulation for 22
21 2-cane. Potential bud fruitfulness and cane-pruned vines over the ripening period Scott Henry Spur 20 Sylvoz 4 cane the over-wintering carbohydrate reserve illustrated that differences in harvest Brix 19 4 to 2 cane
it Brix Level at Harvest it Brix Level 2 cane
u 2 to 4 cane 18 status of the cane-pruned vines have also levels were the combination of changes Fr
0 been assessed during the dormant period in the rate of accumulation and the date 0 1234567891011 to establish the impact of crop loading on of veraison (Figure 1). Fruit Brix levels at Vine Yield (Kg) vine carbohydrate reserve levels and vine harvest were negatively correlated to yield Publications development. – ie, low-yielding 2-cane and 4- to 2-cane · Yearly (2004, 2005, 2006) client reports were able to achieve higher Brix levels to New Zealand Winegrowers and Villa than high yielding Sylvoz and 2- to 4-cane Maria. (Figure 2). · Bennett J., Trought M. and Brady J. (2006) The infl uence of training Table 1: The effect of grapevine training system on yield and composition at harvest (30/03/06) system on the performance of cool
Training system Scott Spur Sylvoz 4 cane 2 to 4 4 to 2 2 cane climate Marlborough sauvignon blanc Henry grapevines. Poster presentation at the Yield components: International Cool Climate Symposium Yield/vine (kg) 7.3 7.5 8.6 7.6 8.9 4.4 5.8 for Viticulture and Oenology, February Bunches/vine 63 63 89 71 79 40 47 Mean bunch weight (g) 115.7 119.9 96.7 107.4 113.6 108.3 125.2 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand. Fruit composition: Brix 22.2 22.3 20.7 21.9 21.1 23.5 22.4 pH 3.07 3.09 3.07 3.06 3.06 3.13 3.07 Titratable acidity (g/L) 8.4 8.5 8.5 9.1 8.3 8.9 8.9
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Key funding sources and Measurements were made on phenological cane. The 20-node vines were found to collaborating companies: development (BBCH code until fl owering), be 10% greater in diameter than any of · New Zealand Winegrowers fl owering score, cane diameter at third the other internodes (Table 1). This was · Marlborough Wine Research Centre node, percent veraison, Brix development expected, as this was the second year that · Villa Maria Estate Ltd Marlborough and harvest parameters: bunch number, the 20-node vines had been laid down, yield per vine, weight per bunch and hence the shoots from the 20-node canes in
Key staff involved bunches per count node. 2005 were bigger than the shoots from the · Mike Trought, Jeff Bennett 4-cane vines, which were used for the 40, Marlborough Wine Research Centre This pilot trial consisted of eight bays of 60 and 80 node treatments. vines added to the intra-vineyard variability
Contacts research at Squire vineyard. Of the eight Veraison was measured from 31 January [email protected] bays, four were pruned to 6-canes with 60 to 21 February. After two weeks the two [email protected] nodes, and the other four were pruned to 6- highest node treatments started lagging canes with 80 nodes. These were considered behind the 20- and 40-node ones but these together with four bays of the 4-cane vines differences were not signifi cant. By 21 with 40 nodes, and four bays of the second February full veraison was reached for all Project: The effect year 2-cane vines with 20 nodes to give the treatments. of crop load on four treatments. This trial will be used to establish whether it is necessary to set up a Pre-veraison berries from all treatments fruit and vegetative larger scale trial next year. had soluble sugars of about 5 Brix. Soon development after veraison the 40-node vines increased Key results from this year fastest in Brix, followed by the 20-node Background There was a signifi cantly faster development vines. From mid-February onwards, these To fi nd out whether crop load had an of the standard 40-node vines during the two treatments showed signifi cantly higher infl uence on fruit quality in sauvignon early part of the season. Closer to fl owering, Brix than the 60- and 80-node treatments. blanc wine grapes, a trial was set up where phenological development stages for all By the time of harvest on 13 March 2006 four crop loads were compared for fruit treatments were similar. All fl owering the 20-node vines showed slightly higher and vegetative development. All vineyard happened over a 14-day period, with the soluble sugars (22.2 Brix) than the 40-node management practices were executed 20-node vines fl owering during days 1-10 vines (21.8 Brix) while the 60- and 80-node according to commercial standards for all and the rest during days 4-14 (data not vines were less mature and reached only the treatments and the whole grape block. shown). 20.1 Brix (Table 1). All vines were irrigated, Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) trellising was used, and The diameter of each cane was measured rows were trimmed twice during summer. from the third internodes of the top north
28 SCIENCE REPORTS
Table 1: Harvest parameters, cane diameter and Brix development on sauvignon blanc grapes under different crop loads Project: Infl uence
Diameter °Brix of ripening and Bunches Weight Bunches Yield 3rd node °Brix 13/03/2006 Nodes /vine /bunch /node kg/vine 8/02/2006 (Harvest) fruit shading on 20 38 87 1.9 3.31 11.10 10.08 22.23 fl avour and aroma 40 60 84 1.5 5.02 10.10 11.20 21.75 60 75 89 1.2 6.73 10.16 8.58 20.10 development in 80 89 85 1.1 7.56 10.21 9.15 20.10 sauvignon blanc
At harvest, the bunch numbers per vine had Conclusions from the research are grapes a close linear correlation with the numbers that: of nodes laid down. However, yield for the · Increasing the number of nodes Background 80-node vines was relatively low, although laid down from 20 to 80 decreased Scientifi c literature indicates that key linearity was clearly shown for the lower the number of bunches per node fl avour and aroma compounds in grapes three node number treatments, with yield and increased yield linearly, but the in general are infl uenced by exposure to increasing from 3.3kg/vine for 20 nodes, productivity of each individual node fell. light and the ripeness of the fruit. It is 5.0 for 40 nodes, to 6.7 for 60 nodes but · Despite the increases in crop load, there anticipated that the fi nal composition of reaching a plateau with 7.6kg/vine for 80 were no differences in bunch weights. berries (and, hence, wine) in respect of nodes (Table 1). This was because of the · Pruning to only 20 nodes the previous the key constituents that give sauvignon reduction in bunches/nodes with increasing year resulted in heavier canes being laid blanc its distinctive aroma and fl avour node numbers showing an increase in blind down. (Brix/ethanol, malic acid, methoxypyrazine buds. Changing the numbers of nodes did · An increase in the number of nodes (MP) and precursors/volatile thiols) will be not affect the weight of individual bunches, caused a reduction in the rate of berry strongly infl uenced both by the timing of which was steady at around 86g per bunch maturation, as measured by Brix. grape development and light interception (Table 1). by the cluster (and/or adjacent leaves).
Key funding source For example, MP concentrations in Although at the time the range in number · Marlborough Research Centre sauvignon blanc berries reach a maximum of nodes laid down was thought to be (up to 100ng/L) at veraison and then suffi ciently wide, the resulting data show Key staff involved decline as the berries ripen, with most that no maximum value has yet been · Marc Greven, Rob Agnew research suggesting that the reduction in established. Further work will be needed HortResearch Marlborough concentration occurs under the infl uence in which a 100-node treatment should · Jo Brady, Jeff Bennett, Mike Trought of light exposure. Relatively little is be incorporated. Using the 20-node vines Marlborough Wine Research Centre known about viticultural infl uences on the which had already been through a previous concentration of volatile thiol precursors in season as 2-cane vines also compromised Contact sauvignon blanc grapes. the results and will have to be avoided in [email protected] the future.
29 SCIENCE REPORTS
leaf area measurements indicated that 2005 for the 2-cane and 4-cane treatments, differences in canopies were in line with the respectively. trial design expectations. The number of Figure 1: Fruit samples selected for analysis by canes per vine in the 4-cane treatment was GC-MS were collected on 15 February (pre- almost double that in the 2-cane treatment veraison), 8 March, 22 March and harvest date. The 8 March sample was selected on the basis (3.64 and 1.93, respectively). The number that this was close to the date of veraison, but subsequent analysis suggests that veraison of shoots per cane was slightly greater in occurred earlier.
the 4-cane treatment (9.3 cf. 8.7) so that, 24 22 overall, the number of shoots per vine was 20 18 almost exactly double that in the 2-cane 16 14 treatment. Leaf area per vine was also very 12 A trial was designed to determine the º Brix 10 similar (7.56 and 6.99m2 in 2- and 4-cane 8 2-cane effect of crop load and fruit exposure on 4-cane 6 treatments, respectively). berry components (Brix, malic acid, MP 4 2 07/02/05 21/02/05 07/03/05 21/03/05 04/04/05 18/04/05 and volatile thiol precursors). In addition, Date At harvest, mean bunch weight, mean quercetin concentrations were monitored berry weight and the number of berries to assess whether these were related to The results of analyses for IBMP indicated per bunch were not signifi cantly different, bunch exposure. In order to remove the that there were no signifi cant differences while the total harvest from 4-cane vines confounding effect of differences in leaf (P>0.05) between treatments on any of was 170% of that from 2-cane vines, so that area at different levels of bunch exposure, the four selected dates. The average IBMP the leaf area/crop yield ratios were 10.4 and it was decided to remove all leaves from concentration on 15 February (two weeks 19.4cm2/g, respectively. Thus, 4-cane vines the fruit zone and to apply the exposure after leaf removal and ± shading) was would be classifi ed as having moderate-high treatments using shade cloth. This allowed 47.5ng/L, in line with other work. The vigour and 2-cane vines high vigour. exposure treatments at each level of average concentration had declined to crop load to be compared, however, leaf 9.7ng/L on 8 March. Although it seems The date of veraison did not appear to area/fruit load values would differ for high that this date was post-veraison, this differ signifi cantly between treatments, crop load and low crop load treatments. concentration is below commonly quoted as indicated by measurement of juice pH For the 4-cane treatment, only leaves from values for minimum IBMP concentrations and Brix, and occurred from 22 February the lower canes were removed, and only in wine. By harvest the average to 2 March 2005. However, there was a bunches from these canes were monitored. concentration had declined to 2.4ng/L. difference in the rate of Brix accumulation. Fruit from both the lower and upper canes This was contrary to expectations, as a were harvested and vinifi ed. Although treatment differences were not leaf area/crop yield ratio of 10.4 would statistically signifi cant, post-veraison IBMP not be expected to limit the rate of sugar Key results from this year concentrations for the 100%-exposed accumulation in these vines. Harvest was at Pruning data (collected after harvest) and treatments were consistently less than those 21.5 Brix and occurred on 7 and 14 April for the 50%-exposed treatments. Overall
30 SCIENCE REPORTS
these results were somewhat contrary to Key staff involved · spread of the symptoms (if they are expectations. Further analysis of samples · Brian Jordan, Roland Harrison, Glen pathogenic) to other vines in subsequent collected between 15 February and 8 March Creasy, Rebecca Ford seasons will be undertaken to determine whether Lincoln University · adverse and uninformed publicity higher maximum concentrations were · Mike Trought about an unknown “problem” with reached closer to veraison. Marlborough Wine Research Centre Marlborough sauvignon blanc
Analyses of organic acids (including L-malic Contact After discussion with industry and acid) have been completed but some re- [email protected] local researchers, three hypotheses were integration of HPLC peaks remains. Initial developed as potential causes of restricted inspection of the data shows that malic acid growth: concentrations declined from 15.5-16.6g/L Project: Vines with on 15 February to c. 3.7–5.2g/L at harvest. short shoots 1. That the cause(s) was the result There appears to be an effect of both crop of pathogens. In this case it was load, with lower malic acid concentrations hypothesised that vines would express Background at harvest of 4-cane fruit, and exposure, similar symptoms between seasons. The short shoot project was initiated after a with lower concentrations for 100%- 2. That the cause(s) was largely large number of Marlborough grapegrowers exposed fruit. physiological - for example, a lack of reported a high incidence of vines with carbohydrate reserves following a high short, weak-growing shoots in the spring Publications crop. In this case, it was hypothesised of 2004. · Centre for Viticulture & Oenology, that over-cropped vines would show Lincoln University (http://www.lincoln. stunted growth symptoms in the A number of issues could arise from stunted ac.nz/section671.html) following season, whereas after a low growth. These include: crop they would not. In this case,
Key funding sources and the symptoms of poor growth should · inability of affected vines to carry collaborating companies not persist from season to season on adequate crop loads during the season · Foundation for Research Science & individual vines, but may become · inability of affected vines to ripen the Technology (UOAX0404) apparent on “healthy” vines in the same fruit they do carry · Marlborough Wine Research Centre vineyard, refl ecting over-cropping of · increased variability in fruit ripening · HortResearch those vines. · poor cane choice for the next season · Auckland University 3. That pathogens were debilitating the and, hence, a carry-over effect on crop vine, effectively over-cropping it even at quantity and quality in subsequent relatively low yields. seasons
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Key results from this year The main outcome of the research and Publications At three of the fi ve sites studied, the discussion with industry partners was a set · Article written for New Zealand number of vines with short shoots of recommendations and comments for WineGrower decreased in 2005. Many of the vines in growers with young vines on how to avoid the second season of the study could not be short shoot symptoms. These were: Key funding source distinguished from the surrounding vines · New Zealand Winegrowers (Figures 1 and 2). At one site, the number 1. Prevention of short shoots is best of vines with short shoots increased, but achieved by not stressing young vines Key staff involved very few vines had short shoots in both the year before. · Dion Mundy seasons. At the fi fth site, the number of 2. Growers need to make use of the HortResearch Marlborough vines with short shoots increased and expertise of consultants and viticulturists almost all the vines with short shoots in to answer vineyard problems. Contact 2004 were also short in 2005. The same 3. Short shoots are likely to be the result of [email protected] symptom of short shoots, seemed to be different stresses at different sites. the result of different types of stress on the 4. Young plants are particularly susceptible young vines. Each site seemed to have a to stress. This should be reduced as different set of conditions that led to the much as possible. short shoot symptom. This meant that 5. Growers should remember that different at least one example of each of the three rootstocks have different irrigation hypotheses was observed. management requirements. Water stress during establishment can be a major source of problems for young vines.
Figure 1: Short shoot grapevine Site 1 November 2004 Figure 2: Short shoot grapevine Site 1 November 2005
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Characterisation of volatile and non-volatile fruit composition and quantifi cation of the infl uence of fruit processing and winemaking on their concentration
The balance of a multitude of volatile and May. Grapes from the trials were generally non-volatile chemicals determines wine harvested between 21.5 and 22.0 Brix. style. In many cases the precursors of the They were crushed and de-stemmed, then chemicals in wine originate in fruit and are held on skins for three-and-one quarter released during the winemaking process. hours. This skin contact time was an The degree of release may be modifi ed by important step in assisting the extraction of the techniques used during winemaking aromatic compounds from the skins into (yeast type, fermentation temperature, skin the juice. It also refl ected the approximate contact time etc). The Centre’s research skin contact time of machine-harvested duly progressed through to completion. seeks to characterise and understand both fruit between transport and arrival at the There was very little variability between the the chemistry and sensory properties of winery. trials in terms of fermentation time. On fruit and wine, the relationship between average, replicates fi nished fermentation the fruit composition and wine attributes, The must was transferred to the 160l press. in 21 days, with an average fermentation and the extent to which the latter may be The new press greatly enhanced winery temperature of 12.6°C. modifi ed by winemaking. effi ciency during vintage. Its larger capacity meant that it could easily accommodate In preparation for the subsequent chemical 250kg of crushed fruit at one time. and sensory analysis, the micro-vinifi cations Project: Winemaking, are cold-stabilised, fi ltered and bottled. 2006 vintage The same pressing regime was used with each trial, pressing up to a maximum Key funding sources and pressure of two Bar. A press cut was not collaborating companies Background made, resulting in both the free-run juice · Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd Small-scale winemaking techniques were and pressings collectively being added into · Nelson Marlborough Institute of used to produce sauvignon blanc wine from the tank. The juice was left to cold-settle Technology vineyard research trials. The development and then racked for fermentation. · Marlborough Wine Research Centre of a standard protocol ensured consistent processing practices for each of the trials. At this stage, each trial was split into three Key staff involved replicates for fermentation. With the · Kerrie Stronge Key results from this year addition of an extra replicate for topping, Marlborough Wine Research Centre Vintage 2006 commenced with the fi rst this equated to a total of 80 ferments for harvest of fruit on 13 March and concluded the season. The juice was inoculated with Contact with the last ferment fi nishing in mid- EC1118 yeast and all the 30L ferments [email protected]
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Project: Sensory winning wine in the stimulus set (ie among as being within the concept, spanning its the 15 wines included in the study) was the range. evaluation of wine: wine most frequently reported as a good A psychological example of Marlborough sauvignon blanc. The second experiment was conducted interpretation at University of Burgundy, Dijon and Wines judged as good examples of The Centre Européen des Sciences du
Background Marlborough sauvignon blanc were also Goût (CESG: European Flavour Science Appreciation and judgment of wine quality rated highly in terms of being varietal (ie Centre) in France. The study investigated depends not only on the quality and having “good varietal defi nition”). While cultural differences (ie behaviour as a quantity of the wine’s fl avour and aroma the perception of both “green” and “ripe” function of prior learning experiences) components, but also on the experience characters in a wine were essential to a on the evaluation of French and New and background of the person undertaking wine’s classifi cation as having typicality with Zealand sauvignon blanc wines by two the evaluation. Experiments have been respect to Marlborough sauvignon blanc, groups of participants (oenologie students conducted to investigate wine-evaluation neither “ripe” nor “green” on its own was a and “trained” in-house panel members behaviour from a psychological perspective good predictor, and nor was “good varietal at the Flavour Research Institute of the with the aim of understanding how humans defi nition” a simple equation of “green plus University of Burgundy). These data will be perceive the complex fl avour and aroma ripe”. analysed in the near future. A replication characters that determine wine quality. of this study, employing the same wines Wines judged marginal to, or outside, the to the degree possible and New Zealand
Key results from this year concept included those that were rated participants, is planned for later this year. Two studies were conducted. The fi rst highly on “mineral/fl inty” and “stalky/ involved an experiment in September 2005 vegetal” characters, as well as those wines An experiment with a strong psychological in conjunction with the FRST-funded considered to be at the extreme ends of base in perception of wine has been sauvignon blanc project. This sensory ripe and/or green. The two French wines planned with Dr Isabel Urdapilleta at the evaluation project has a strong theoretical in the study (one each from Pouilly sur University of Paris 8, France, in the latter base in cognitive psychology. Loire and St. Bris) were judged the poorest part of 2006 at the Marlborough Wine examples of Marlborough sauvignon blanc Research Centre. Data resulting from it
The characteristics important to good (which they objectively were, given that will be sent to University of Paris 8 for examples of Marlborough sauvignon they were outside the formally defi ned analysis by specialist software and within a blanc, as conceptualised by New Zealand catgeory), while one Marlborough 2004 particular model developed there. wine professionals, were specifi c fruity wine was judged marginal. The three notes (passionfruit, citrus, tropical), older Marlborough wines (2003 vintage), Publications specifi c green/vegetal notes (grassy, green contrary to an hypothesis based on the · Parr W. Perception of fl avour in capsicum, herbaceous) and boxwood. It was stereotype that youthfulness is an essential wine. Workshop, International Cool interesting to note that the sole gold-medal component of the concept, were judged Climate Symposium, February 2006,
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Christchurch, New Zealand. Project: Development the importance of talking and sharing · Parr W. Cognitive aspects of wine experiences with other research institutions evaluation. May 2006 seminar, Lincoln of methodologies that encounter similar issues (eg AWRI in · Parr W. Cognitive aspects of wine and protocols for Australia, ICV at Montpellier in France) so evaluation June 2006 seminar to sensory evaluation of that, in future, a systematic knowledge base researchers and academics from various research wines will be developed and published. French research institutes on the University of Burgundy, France. Second, it was clear that it was neither easy Background nor wise to write a “recipe book”. Each A review of recent scientifi c literature on Key funding sources and context where research wines require some the sensory evaluation of wine, particularly form of sensory evaluation will dictate the collaborating companies research wine was undertaken. From this best options for that situation. The protocol · New Zealand Winegrowers review, a Sensory Evaluation Protocol has has, therefore, been written to equip · Lincoln University been prepared to provide researchers with relevant professionals with the rudimentary · International Science & Technology a summary of the alternative methods of skills and knowledge - and some confi dence Linkages Fund (administered by the wine sensory analysis. Royal Society of New Zealand) - so that they can approach sensory evaluation procedures in an informed way · CESG (Flavour Research Institute, Key results from this year University of Burgundy) and, in so doing, make informed decisions The literature review (Part 1 of the about how to progress their research. protocol) is based on papers published in a Key staff involved range of wine industry and scientifi c media The protocol emphasises the investment · Wendy Parr that address fundamentally important (in particular, staff time) necessary to Marlborough Wine Research Centre methodological and theoretical issues. The successfully undertake rigorous sensory · Dr Dominique Valentin practical aspects of the protocol (Part 2) evaluation of wine. CESG, Dijon, France outline the advantages and disadvantages of · Professor Catherine Dacremont alternative sensory methods and protocols, Publications ENSBANA, University of Burgundy, and give examples of techniques, along with · Agnew R. et al. 2006. Effect of France sources of further information. · Dr Isabel Urdapilleta viticultural practices on sauvignon blanc aromas. Paper for presentation at August University of Paris 8, France Preparation of the protocol raised two 2006 Romeo Bragato Conference, main issues. First, it was clear from the Queenstown, New Zealand. Contact literature that there is very little published · Protocol prepared for publication on [email protected] work concerning sensory evaluation of the Marlborough Wine Research Centre research wines, apart from technical details website. such as how to make replicates. This shows
35 SCIENCE REPORTS
Key funding sources tested as substrates for the GSTs. The compounds, one aimed at describing the · New Zealand Winegrowers expression of genes, enzyme activity etc will GSTs involved in the formation of the · Marlborough Wine Research Centre be tested throughout grape development cysteinylated precursors and the other and in response to the environment. This at elucidating the production of the Key staff involved information will be used to assist vineyard carbon backbone (C5 or C6 compound · Wendy Parr management to give consistent levels of derivatives). Marlborough Wine Research Centre thiol aroma precursors. Key results from this year Contact The biochemical pathway(s) leading to the Using publicly accessible genomic databases [email protected] formation of cysteinylated precursors of 4- (http://www.tigr.org/tigr-scripts/tgi/ methyl-4-mercapto-pentanol/one (4MMP) T_index.cgi?species=grape) the researchers and 3-mercapto-hexanone (3MH) and identifi ed fi ve independent grape bGSTs Project: Genetic 3-mercaptohexyl-acetate (3MHA) (found expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a control of fl avour and only after fermentation) are most likely range of V. vinifera varieties throughout those utilising the breakdown of fatty acids berry development. Four of these GSTs are aroma development and phospholipids in berry tissues during expressed at some stage through sauvignon in sauvignon blanc berry development and ripening. The blanc berry development. Studies are grapes presence of cysteine conjugates indicates under way as to whether the fi fth sequence that glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) that cannot be amplifi ed from RNA/
Background are involved in the terminal stages of the cDNA is not expressed or, rather, that its Thiol aroma precursor biosynthesis may be formation of these compounds. expression is limited to specifi c stages of changed during grape development and in berry development and that in the current response to the environment. Glutathione- This project has taken two approaches to experimental system the levels of this GST S-Transferases (GSTs) target compounds describe the formation of these precursor mRNA are below the limits of detection. within the plant cell to be removed to the vacuole for catabolism. GSTs Figure 1: Proposed biochemical pathway for thiol production in wine are known to associate with the aroma Grape Metabolism through Berry Development Changes precursors. This research programme will during Must Fermentation isolate GST genes used to synthesise the S-glutathione transferase enzyme. Subsequent biochemical studies Lipids 5/6 eg, S-3- Non Volatile Release of will identify the precursors of the aroma and Carbon (hexan-1-ol) s-cysteine Aroma Fatty Lipoxygenase etc Backbone glutathione Conjuate Volatiles Acids compounds they glutathionate. The Precursor by Yeast second part of the project will isolate Cell signalling induced carbon backbone precursors that can be changes due to development, Targeted to environmental stress etc. Vacuole
36 SCIENCE REPORTS
From work conducted internationally, a An integral part of the formation of this fi rst attempt to describe the function of number of GSTs have been isolated from group of thiol aroma compounds is the this pathway in grapes. Cloning the full berry suspension cell cultures. From these formation of the C5 or C6 backbones of length cDNAs is under way and these will sequences, this project has identifi ed a 3MH, 3MHA, and 4MMP. From a study be functionally characterised in terms of further four GSTs that appear to also of the literature it is evident that the most in-vitro biochemistry, outlined for the GST be expressed in sauvignon blanc berries. likely pathway for the formation of the C6 sequences. This result is being validated. If correct, backbones is that initiated by the activity of it means the identifi cation of a total of lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. This class of Publications nine independent GST sequences that are enzyme is ubiquitous in plants and forms Winefi eld C., Cartwright J., Mitchell N., expressed during berry development, one or part of the Green Leaf Volatile (GLV) Trought M. and Jordan B. Characterisation more of which project researchers expect are pathway an integral part of the oxylipin of the biochemical pathway responsible involved in the glutathionation of 4MMP pathway, a pathway leading to the very for the formation of glutathione-aroma and 3MH precursor compounds. important stress-related phytohormone, compound conjugates from sauvignon Jasmonic acid. The production of C5 blanc grapes. August 21-25 2006. 8th The researchers are cloning full-length backbones is somewhat more diffi cult to International Congress of Plant Molecular cDNA clones for all nine GST sequences predict. However, there is some literature Biology, Adelaide, Australia 2006. and have so far obtained PCR fragments suggesting that these backbones can also that will allow cloning of the complete be derived from the LOX pathway. Project Cartwright J., Jordan B., Winefi eld C. and open-reading-frames for all nine sequences. researchers have, therefore, initiated a Trought M. Isolation and characterisation This process has involved the use of PhD programme to investigate cloning of genes involved in aromatic volatile PCR-based approaches utilising both and characterising the LOX enzymes and formation in sauvignon blanc. Literature isolated RNA (RT-PCR, 3’-RACE) and hydrogen peroxide lyase (HPL) enzymes review for FRST contract UOAX0404. genomic DNA (GeneWalker technology which generally catalyse the next confi rmed from ClonTech). There are currently step in this pathway. A single LOX and Centre for Viticulture & Oenology, Lincoln 3’RACE products for fi ve of the nine GSTs HPL that are expressed in berries during University (http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/ and project researchers are sequencing development have been identifi ed so section671.html) these clones and cloning the remaining far. Most, if not all, studies to date have
PCR fragments. This will allow primers characterised these enzymes in green Key funding sources and to be designed so that DNA fragments leafy tissues of plants and have identifi ed collaborating companies corresponding to the open-reading-frames that they exist as multi-gene families. · Foundation for Research Science & of all nine GST sequences can be amplifi ed It is interesting to note that in the EST Technology (UOAX0404) and cloned into E. coli vectors to facilitate collections there are multiple sequences · Marlborough Wine Research Centre the production of recombinant protein for present but, of these, only single enzymes · HortResearch in-vitro biochemical studies of function. are found to be expressed in berries. To · Auckland University project researchers’ knowledge, this is the
37 SCIENCE REPORTS
to press the fruit. Winemakers typically Publications consider free-run and lightly pressed juice Maggu M. 2006. Implementation of a as the premium quality and will make laboratory method for the quantifi cation wines separately from different press of thiol precursors present in Vitis vinifera fractions. Laboratory scale and winery scale cv. sauvignon blanc must. M.Sc. thesis, experiments were undertaken to investigate Auckland University. the impact of skin contact time and pressing on the release into juice of a range Key funding sources and collaborat- of volatile and non-volatile components of ing companies the fruit. · Auckland University · Marlborough Wine Research Centre Key staff involved Key results from this year · Professor Brian Jordan, Dr Chris In a commercial winery operation, 3MH- Key staff involved Winefi eld, Jennifer Cartwright S-cysteine concentrations in juice fractions · Manu Maggu, Paul Kilmartin, (resigned), Ganeshan Vellesamy, Andriy increased signifi cantly when the press Laura Nicolau, Robert Winz Podolyan was operating as a higher pressure. The Auckland University Lincoln University increase was attributed to the cumulative · Mike Trought · Mike Trought effect of longer skin contact time and the Marlborough Wine Research Centre Marlborough Wine Research Centre pressure used for the pressing. Experiments
conducted to study the effect of skin Contact Contact contact and pressing pressure in the [email protected] [email protected] laboratory did not show clear trends. This was attributed to the small sample size. However, there was a general trend of Project: Infl uence of increases in 3MH-S-cysteine concentration fruit processing on in must with skin contact. the thiol content of sauvignon blanc juice Among the clones of sauvignon blanc investigated in this study, namely Mass select, BDX 316 and BDX 317, initial Background observations suggest that must of grapes The release into the juice of volatile and from the Mass select clone has higher levels non-volatile components in grapes is of 3MH-S-cysteine. infl uenced by factors in the winery such as skin contact time and the pressure used
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Infl uence of soil texture, moisture and fertility on volatile and non-volatile composition of fruit
The Centre’s research is looking at the caused by water stress, on the development acidity (TA) was lowest in berries from the relationship between soil environment, vine of fl avour and aroma compounds in the IR-0 treatment, and this remained lower growth and fruit composition. Water stress berries. throughout the season, while there were at key developmental stages of vine growth almost no differences in berry TA between can infl uence both vegetative and fruit This is the second year of research. the IR-20, IR-60 and IR-100 treatments. development. The degree of stress depends In 2005/06, controlled production Berry pH from the IR-0 treatment was on soil water availability, determined by experiments were set up in containers, 0.1pH unit higher than those from all vine rooting volume and soil type, rainfall with more intensive study of the effects other treatments throughout the season, and evapotranspiration and may be of timing of water stress on berry size but this is unlikely to cause any important modifi ed by management factors such as and distribution. To link the container differences in terms of winemaking or wine irrigation and canopy management. experiment with fi eld results, the 2004/05 quality (Table 1). fi eld work was repeated. Both at harvest Project: The infl uence and during the season, grapes were Irrigation had little infl uence on yield of irrigation and vine harvested and juiced for chemical and parameters (Table 1). There was, however, sensory analysis. Four irrigation treatments a signifi cantly higher proportion of small size on berry size were implemented: Control (IR-100), 60% berries produced by vines under the IR-20 distribution and its of control (IR-60), 20% of control (IR-20) and IR-0 treatments, while more big berries infl uence on grape and rainfed only (IR-0). were produced by the IR-60 and IR-100 yield and quality treatment vines (Figure 1). Key results from this year Trunk circumference was used as an Background Berries from the lowest irrigation treatment (IR-0) were initially higher in soluble integration of environmental conditions In 2004/05 an extensive fi eld trial was set sugars, but at harvest all berries were during the lifetime of the vine. In general, up to fi nd out if different irrigation rates between 21.9 and 22.4 Brix, with those smaller vines produced more small berries could affect berry size in sauvignon blanc in the IR-60 treatment having the lowest and fewer big berries. grapes. It was found that severe water values. In contrast, at veraison titratable stress reduced berry size, but the impact of this reduction in berry size on grape juice quality is unknown. It was also unclear Table 1: Yield and quality parameters for sauvignon blanc grapes at harvest time when the biggest impact occurred during Bunch weight (g) Bunches/vine kg/vine Brix pH TA the development of the grapes. Therefore, IR-0 64 48 3.1 22.0 3.26 7.36 this season berries were harvested at IR-20 73 39 2.8 22.7 3.18 8.57 regular intervals after veraison in order to IR-60 75 48 3.6 22.4 3.19 8.35 determine the effect of reduced berry size IR-100 73 46 3.3 22.8 3.15 9.26
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Figure 1: The effect of irrigation (IR-100 = control, IR-20 = 20% of control) on berry size distribution in sauvignon blanc grapes Project: Effects of IR-100 1R-20 timing of water stress 45%
e 40% on berry size and g ta n 35% distribution 30% 25% ber Perce 20% um Background 15% This project is studying the infl uence of 10% 5% water stress on sauvignon blanc grapevines Berry Size N 0% and fruit during various growth stages. 10 10 10 10 18 18 18 18 17 17 17 17 16 16 16 16 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 8.2 8.2 8.2 8.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 11.2 11.2 11.2 11.2 28/02/2006 6/03/2006 14/03/2006 17/03/2006 Such research would never be possible in Date / Berry size (mm) the fi eld because of interference from the weather, especially rainfall. Brix reduced linearly with increasing · No differences were found between berry size (R2 = 83.4), while TA increased irrigation treatments for Brix or juice The infl uence of pre-fl owering drought, with berry size (R2 = 85.4). A quadratic pH, but juice TA was higher all through post-fl owering pre-veraison drought relationship was found between berry size the season for the lowest irrigation rate. and post-veraison drought on physical and pH. The results from the smallest · Severely reduced irrigation affected yield berry growth and the development of 7.2mm berries were noted but not taken only marginally. chemical constituents of the berry is being into the relationship, because they equated · Bigger vines produced bigger berries than investigated. to <1% of the fruit. Both the sensory small vines. and chemical analyses of the fruit will be · Brix decreased and TA increased with Regulated defi cit irrigation is defi ned as reported in due course. berry size, while it did not affect pH. an irrigation system where mild stress is applied during different phenological Conclusions from the research are Key funding source stages. The aim is to reduce excess that: · Marlborough Wine Research Centre vegetative growth and potentially to · A reduction of irrigation to 20% of that improve wine quality. Infl uencing berry size of the control reduced mean berry size Key staff involved through irrigation management is likely signifi cantly. · Marc Greven, Bruce West to have an important infl uence on wine HortResearch Marlborough quality. This work expands on the irrigation · Jeff Bennett work that has been done in the fi eld for the Marlborough Wine Research Centre past fi ve years, but with much more control over water inputs. Contact [email protected]
40 SCIENCE REPORTS
Key results from this year Table 2: Yield and quality parameters
Sauvignon blanc grapevines have been Treatment Yield (g) Bunch_ Bunch # pH Brix TA grown in containers for one season, making weight 1 1,238 97 13 3.05 22.2 10.76 them mature enough to carry fruit for the 2 573 50 11 3.09 21.8 11.02 2005/06 season. The vines were pruned 3 752 64 12 3.13 21.4 10.52 to eight nodes. Six irrigation regimes 4 1,015 81 12 3.09 21.7 10.86 were imposed, each to be applied to six 5 1,084 94 12 3.12 23.6 11.09 randomly selected vines in one vine row. 6 1,039 84 13 3.12 22.9 10.91 The vinegrowing season was divided into six four-week periods, each period allocated Plant measurements were pre-dawn leaf weights were 50 and 64g (Table 2). These to six vines within one treatment. Each water potential, photosynthesis, stomatal values were signifi cantly lower than the group of vines had its own dry period. conductance and point quadrat. Berry yields and bunch weights from all other During the dry periods, it was attempted development was measured, together with treatments, which had yields above 1000g to keep the moisture level at –15 bar, while the number of leaves, number of bunches, per vine and bunch weights of 80 to 97g during the rest of the season moisture was fl owering times and yield parameters. Brix, per bunch. Despite the high standard errors kept at fi eld capacity for those particular pH and titratable acidity (TA) of the juice that were found in the berry distribution vines. Periods of soil moisture stress were were also measured. data, there were signifi cant differences pre-fl owering, post-fl owering pre-veraison especially between treatments IR-2 and IR- and post-veraison, pre-harvest or none. No differences were found for the number 3 and all the other treatments. Both these Soil moisture levels were measured daily by of leaves, bunch number or fl owering treatments resulted in signifi cantly lower means of a 60cm Green Light – Red Light development. Nor were there any berry weight for berries in all categories (GLRL) [Datafl ow systems, Christchurch, signifi cant differences in point quadrat bigger than 14mm in diameter. Despite the New Zealand] probe and adjusted where canopy measurements. Yields for treatments differences in yield, bunch weight and berry necessary. IR-2 and IR-3 were only 573 and 752g distribution among the treatments, no per vine respectively, while the bunch differences were found in any of the juice quality aspects that were assessed – ie, pH,
Table 1: Irrigation schedule, both planned and actually implemented Brix and TA (Table 2).
Reduced Planned start Actual start Planned end Actual end Irrigation It is too early to draw hard conclusions Treatment from this trial, as it turned out to be very IR-1 24/11 24/11 15/12 14/12 diffi cult to keep the individual treatments IR-2 15/12 14/12 05/01 11/01 at their designed soil moisture level. Despite IR-3 05/01 11/01 26/01 15/02 some variance in the soil moisture within IR-4 26/01 15/02 16/02 Harvest the treatments, the means were a good IR-5 16/02 No stress 9/03 No stress IR-6 No stress No stress No stress No stress refl ection of the design. Reduced water
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availability around veraison seems to have resistant rootstocks. While the choice of south transect of the valley, which can result a big impact on berry development, while rootstock was extensive, the infl uence of in marked differences in vine phenotype, water stress later in the season and before rootstock on the growth and development phenology and fruit development. fl owering did not have such an impact. The of the vine was poorly understood. importance of this reduction in berry size Decisions were largely based on literature In order to investigate the impact of is clear for yield but more research will be from overseas. However, there are a number rootstock on vine development, and needed in order to elucidate the effects on of distinctive characteristics of viticulture the interaction with soil type, replicated fl avour and aroma compounds. in Marlborough, which mean that transfer trials were established on a commercial of this information into a Marlborough property on the Wairau Plains. Two sites Key funding source environment needs to be undertaken with were established in 1992 and compared on · Marlborough Wine Research Centre care. For example, most rootstock trials contrasting soil series. described in the literature are conducted
Key staff involved in non-irrigated conditions, whereas in Key results from this year · Marc Greven, Bruce West Marlborough vines are typically trickle- Vines growing on ARG1 rootstock HortResearch Marlborough irrigated. The geological river channels that exhibited symptoms of Phylloxera damage formed the fl ood plain of the Wairau Valley after two years. Therefore, this treatment
Contact mean that marked differences in soil texture was excluded from subsequent years of the [email protected] are observed. On average, these differences trial. can be identifi ed every 50m on a north-
Project: Impact of Table 1: Infl uence of rootstock and soil type on vine development and yield in the 2006 harvest Rootstock Nodes Yield Bunch Berry Berries/ Bunches/ rootstock and soil retained (kg/ No./ weight weight bunch node post vine) vine (g) (g) texture on vine pruning development and 101-14 Mgt 52 3.92 191 82.7 2.09 39.7 0.91 fruit composition SO4 52 4.93 219 89.4 2.09 42.8 1.05 in a Marlborough Schwartzmann 53 5.06 207 97.6 2.31 42.5 0.99 ARG1 - 2.70 163 65.9 2.08 31.9 vineyard 3309 Couderc 53 4.53 185 98.3 2.19 45.1 0.88 125 AA 52 5.63 213 106.2 2.1 50.7 1.03 Background P 0.723 <0.001 0.003 <0.001 0.046 <0.001 0.047 The widespread discovery of grape LSD 0.79 38 11.1 0.16 6.0 0.1 Phylloxera (Daktulosphair vitifolii) in Soil Type Marlborough vineyards in 1991 resulted in Gravelly 53 4.73 202 92.7 2.17 42.8 1.00 a major replanting programme from vines Silt 52 4.19 190 87.3 2.12 41.4 0.94 on their roots to vines grafted to Phylloxera- P 0.07 0.09 0.196 0.304 0.367 0.20
42 SCIENCE REPORTS
Inter-seasonal differences in average yield highest where vines were grafted to Key staff involved were measured across the whole trial. The Schwartzmann rootstock and lowest when · Sue Neal, Mike Trought, Marc Greven, lowest yield was in 2000 (an average yield grafted to SO4. The pH of juice was also Bruce West 3.06kg/vine), while in 2002 the yield was highest and TA lowest from berries where Marlborough Wine Research Centre almost three times that at 8.48kg/vine. vines were grafted to Schwartzmann In general, different rootstocks produced compared to any other rootstock. Soil Contact only small and insignifi cant differences in type had no consistent signifi cant effect or [email protected] yield, although 101-14 Mgt appeared to interaction with rootstock. exhibit more season-to-season variability, particularly when compared to a rootstock In the 2006 season the lowest yield was Project: The impact like Schwartzmann. The accumulated yield recorded for ARG1 confi rming fi ndings of differences in over the nine seasons measured through in previous years, followed by 101-14 the trial was small and not signifi cant, with (Table 1). The lower yields were caused by soil type on vine 125AA giving the highest accumulated a combination of fewer bunches per vine, phenology, growth yield (62.6kg/vine) and 3309C the least lighter bunches and smaller berries. ARG1 and fruit composition with 58.8kg/vine. was least mature at harvest and 101-14 of sauvignon blanc ripened fastest (Table 2). in a Marlborough Rootstocks had small but signifi cant impacts on fruit composition. For example, Key funding source vineyard average berry weight was consistently · Marlborough Wine Research Centre Background Marlborough sauvignon blanc has rapidly Table 2: Infl uence of rootstock and soil type on berry composition at harvest (20 March 2006) gained an international reputation for 1 Soluble solids TA (g L- pH Berry weight style and quality. The extent to which this Rootstock (Brix) tartaric acid) (g) can be attributed to the climate, soils or 101-14 Mgt 22.4 10.5 3.04 2.09 vineyard management is at present unclear. SO4 21.7 11.5 3.02 2.09 Schwartzmann 21.5 10.1 3.07 2.31 However, the young alluvial soils of the ARG1 20.9 9.5 3.05 2.08 Wairau Plains are considered to play an 3309 Couderc 22.3 10.3 3.08 2.19 important role in determining this unique 125 AA 22.5 10.7 3.04 2.1 wine style. Marked changes in soil texture P <0.001 <0.001 0.023 0.05 occur on the Wairau Plains over short LSD 0.59 0.73 0.04 0.16 distances and within a single vineyard. Soil Type These changes refl ect the historical braided Gravelly 22.2 10.2 3.06 2.17 nature of the Wairau River, and often run at Silt 21.6 10.7 3.04 2.12 right angles (east-west) to the north-south P 0.07 0.08 0.24 0.30 orientation of vineyard rows.
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gravelly soils, in particular time of fl owering workshop, New Zealand Winegrowers (by three days), veraison (by seven days), seminar, November 2005, Blenheim, New soluble sugars at harvest (by 11 days) Zealand. (Figure 2) and the onset of leaf senescence (by 60 days). The conclusion from this Dixon R., Trought M., Brady J., Agnew is that within a vineyard, the higher the R., Greven M. 2006. The terroir of a proportion of gravelly soils, the more Marlborough sauvignon blanc vineyard; advanced the vine phenology and the riper the infl uence of soil textural changes on the fruit and ultimately wine style will be vine development. Poster abstract, 6th on a particular date. International Cool Climate Symposium for Key results from this year Viticulture and Oenology, February 2006, Trunk circumferences varied from Publications Christchurch, New Zealand. approximately 130-250mm within rows Trought M., Dixon R., Mills T., Greven M., of vines in a vineyard on the Wairau Agnew R., Mauck J. and Praat J-P 2006. Key funding sources and Plains. The distribution of circumference The impact of differences in soil texture collaborating companies was not random and refl ected vine within a vineyard on vine development · Foundation for Scientifi c Research & vigour, as measured by canopy density and wine quality. VI International Terroir Technology (UOAX0404) and pruning weight, and correlated to an Congress, Bordeaux, France, July 2006. · Marlborough Wine Research Centre electromagnetic (EM38) soil survey of the · New Zealand Tertiary Education property (Figure 1). Vigour was increased Trought M., Dixon R., Mills T., Brady J., Commission (UOAX04049) with the depth to gravel, while fi ne root Greven M., Agnew R., Rankin D., Praat · Rod Brailsford, Pernod Ricard New density was greater in the gravelly phases of J-P. 2005. Infl uence of soil variability Zealand Ltd the soil profi le. Vine phenology was more on sauvignon blanc vine and fruit advanced where vines were growing on development. Gumboots to Satellites
Figure 1: Relationship between EM38 and trunk circumference Figure 2: Infl uence of trunk circumference on fruit soluble solids
240 25
) Circumference = 100mm + 17.5*EM value Target Soluble Solids r2 =0.692
mm 220 20 ce ( n 200 15 ere Veraison umf 180 10 XS vines S vines
k Circ M vines 160 Soluble Solids ( Brix) 5 un L vines
Tr XL vines
140 0 0 34567 40 60 80 100 EM 38 Soil Conductivity (mS m-1) Days from January 1
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Key staff involved Figure 2: Flowering progression for 2- and 4-cane vines across fi ve regional vineyards – December 2005 · Mike Trought, Joanne Brady, Jeff Bennett 100 Marlborough Wine Research Centre 80 · Robyn Dixon Lincoln University
(%) 60 · Tim Mills ng 40
Auckland University Floweri · Marc Greven, Rob Agnew 20
HortResearch Marlborough 0 · Mike Tuohy, Massey University 29 Nov 2 Dec 5 Dec 8 Dec 11 Dec Palmerston North Squire 2 Squire 4 Villa Maria 2 Villa Maria 4 Brancott 2 Brancott 4 Oyster Bay 2 Oyster Bay 4 Awatere 2 Awatere 4 · John-Paul Praat, Lincoln Ventures Hamilton Project: Sauvignon blanc regional Contact vineyard evaluation [email protected]
Background Differences in sauvignon blanc wine styles within Marlborough are attributed to sub- Figure 1: Map of the central Wairau Plains and Awatere Valley showing the location of the fi ve regional variation in environmental factors regional vineyard trial sites (climate and soils). However, the extent to which the environmental factors contribute to differences in fruit composition and wine style is at present poorly understood. In order to gain a better understanding of the effects that environment has on sauvignon blanc wine style, fi ve regional vineyards were selected in the spring of 2004 for trials.
The vineyards are: · Pernod Ricard NZ – Awatere Estate – Seaview Block (SBL F) · Pernod Ricard NZ – Brancott Estate – Booker Block (SBL K)
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· Pernod Ricard NZ – Squire Estate Figure 4: Brix development for 2- and 4-cane vines across fi ve regional vineyards 2006
Rapaura (SBL D) 25 SQ 2 Harvest Duration 24 Days SQ 4 · Villa Maria Winery Block 20 GRAPH TO COME VM 2 VM 4 · Delegat’s Airfi elds – Oyster Bay Block 15 BR 2 (OYB F) Brix 10 Veraison Duration 10 days BR 4 OB 2 5 OB 4 Key results from this year AW 2 0 AW 4
06 Vineyard temperature n 7 Feb 06 4 Apr 06 31 Ja 14 Feb 06 21 Feb 06 28 Feb 06 7 Mar 06 14 Mar 06 21 Mar 06 28 Mar 06 Regular air temperature measurements indicate that the Seaview site in the Awatere 2005 than in 2004. The earlier fl owering vines were in their second season of this Valley had the warmest average winter observed on 2-cane versus 4-cane pruned treatment and results from previous work in temperature (April to September), but vines in 2004 was less noticeable in 2005, this area suggest that productivity per node then was relatively cool during the growing except on the later-fl owering Awatere increases as vines adjust to the new pruning season from October to March. In contrast, vineyard (Figure 2). regime. In 2006, the Brancott, Villa Maria, the Villa Maria site recorded the lowest Oyster Bay and Awatere vineyards had daily minimum winter temperatures and Yield comparisons between 2005 signifi cantly higher yield for both 2- and 4- highest average summer temperatures of the and 2006 cane vines than the Squire vineyard (Figure fi ve sites. Temperatures over fl owering in the 2006 3). The low yield of the Squire vineyard was season were much warmer than in the possibly the consequence of the high yield Phenology 2005 season, resulting in better pollination recorded there in 2005. Flowering commenced one week earlier in and fruit set. Likewise, the 2-cane pruned The lower yield on the Squire vineyard was a refl ection of lower bunch weight Figure 3: Yield per vine across fi ve regional vineyards March/April 2006. Different letters above bars (within individual year and cane number) indicate that yields are signifi cantly different (berry number per bunch and average berry (p<0.05) weight) when compared to the other sites 10 in the trial. 8 AAA a B e) ab Maturity indices n 6 b /vi C g c In the period from pre-veraison to harvest, 4 d the maturity of the fruit was monitored on Yield (k 2 a weekly basis using the standard industry measurements of Brix, titrateable acidity 0 2-cane 4-cane (TA) and pH. · The date of veraison ranged from 7 to 17 Brancott Villa Maria Oyster Bay Awatere Squire
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Figure 5: 3MH-Cys levels in grape juice for 2- and 4-cane vines – 2005 February 2006, some 20 days earlier than 40 that recorded in 2005. 35 · The harvest date (at 21.5 Brix) was 30 similarly advanced in 2006. 2-cane 25 /L) pruned vines were harvested between one g µ 20 and nine days ahead of 4-cane pruned
15 vines on the same vineyard. 3MHcys (
10
5 Measurement of varietal aroma
0 compounds in sauvignon blanc Brancott Oyster Bay Awatere Squire Villa Maria grape juice 2-cane 4-cane The varietal aroma of sauvignon blanc is Figure 6: 3MH levels in wine for 2- and 4-cane vines – 2005 dominated by a few aroma compounds. 1600 Two groups of compounds that are being 1400
/l) monitored are the methoxypyrazines, which
ng 1200 (
n are responsible for capsicum aromas, and 1000
tratio the volatile thiols, which are responsible n
ce 800 n for the cats pee, broom and passionfruit 600 aromas. 400 3MH Thiol co 200 Wines were made at the Marlborough Wine
0 Research Centre in 2005 and 2006 using Brancott Oyster Bay Awatere Squire Villa Maria a standard protocol (see elsewhere in this 2-cane 4-cane report) using grapes harvested from the Figure 7: MIBP levels in wine for 2- and 4-cane vines – 2005 18 trial plots at each regional trial sites. Juice
16 and wine samples from the 2005 season
14 were analysed at Auckland University
12 to determine the levels of the aroma /l)
ng 10 compounds.
8 MIBP (
6 The 3MH-cys in the juice is the precursor
4 for 3MH (3-mercapto-hexan-1-ol) in wine
2 and linked to the passionfruit aroma in
0 wines. Approximately 10% of the 3MH Brancott Oyster Bay Awatere Squire Villa Maria precursor in the fruit was measured in 2-cane 4-cane
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Conclusions Marlborough sauvignon blanc. Part Marked differences in fl owering and of regional expression of wine fl avour ripening were observed on the different and aroma workshop at 11th New vineyard sites in Marlborough. While Zealand Winegrowers, Romeo Bragato the earlier ripening was expected when Conference, Gisborne, August 2005. vines were 2-cane pruned when compared · Dixon R. Within vineyard variability. to the 4-cane pruned vines, this was Part of regional expression of wine associated with advanced phenology fl avour and aroma workshop at 11th throughout the season and generally earlier New Zealand Winegrowers, Romeo fl owering. In most instances differences Bragato Conference, Gisborne, August the wines (Figures 5 and 6), and fi nal in the concentrations of 3MH and 2005. concentrations in the wines were generally methoxypyraxine in the wines from 2- and · Trought M. Understanding regional lower than those measured in commercial 4-cane pruned vines within a vineyard expression of wine fl avour and aroma. Marlborough sauvignon blanc. The were small when compared to between Part of regional expression of wine concentration in the juice also appeared to site differences, suggesting that site has a fl avour and aroma workshop at 11th have little relationship to those found in the bigger infl uence on fruit composition than New Zealand Winegrowers, Romeo equivalent wines. The reasons for this are cropping level, when fruit is harvested at Bragato Conference, Gisborne, August as yet unexplained, and are the subject of the same Brix. The trials are continuing to 2005. ongoing research. see how consistent these results are between · Agnew R., Trought M., Greven M. and seasons. Brady J. The impact of site selection Concentrations of MIBP found in the and vine management on sauvignon wines from the fi ve regional vineyards Publications blanc fruit and vine development within were also low compared with those · Parr W., Green J. and White K. 2005. Marlborough. Poster presented at 6th expected for Marlborough sauvignon Wine judging, context and New Zealand International Cool Climate Symposium blanc. The concentration in the Awatere sauvignon blanc. International workshop for Viticulture and Oenology, wine was noticeably higher than those on psychology of perception, sensory Christchurch, New Zealand, February from the Wairau vineyards (Figure 7). evaluation and context, Paris, France, 2006. This observation was supported by the July 2005. · Greven M., Trought M., Agnew R. sensory evaluation, where the Awatere · Parr W., Green J. and White K. 2005. and Brady J. Effects of viticultural wines also scored higher for the capsicum Aroma and fl avour of New Zealand practices on berry size – implications aroma known to be associated with the sauvignon blanc. The Australian & New for fl avour and aroma compounds in methoxypyrazines. Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker, sauvignon blanc. Poster presented at 6th 33rd annual technical issue. International Cool Climate Symposium · Agnew R., Trought M., Greven M. for Viticulture and Oenology, and Brady J. Sub-regional variation in Christchurch, New Zealand, February 2006.
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· Trought M. Living on the edge: the Marlborough Wine Research Centre Figure 1: Temperature sensor in screen and node aerial mounted on a vineyard post opportunities and challenges of cool · Laura Nicolau, Paul Kilmartin, Richard climate winegrowing in New Zealand. Gardner Presentation at 6th International Cool Auckland University Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Oenology, Christchurch, New Zealand, Contact February 2006. [email protected] · Trought M., Dixon R., Mills T., Greven M., Agnew R., Mauk J. and Praat J. The impact of changes in soil texture and vine development within a vineyard on Project: Wireless wine quality. 6th International terroir Vineyard conference, Bordeaux, France, July 2006. · Nicolau L. Determining the key aromas Background of New Zealand sauvignon blanc wines. The Indigo Systems wireless vineyard Presentation at 6th International Cool provides a low-cost way to collect plant and Climate Symposium for Viticulture and environmental information over a vineyard Oenology, Christchurch, New Zealand, using a wireless mesh network. A trial of the February 2006. system was performed on the Squire Estate The trial system consists of 19 mesh Sauvignon Blanc D block with the twofold Key funding sources and network nodes deployed as shown in aims of testing the wireless mesh network collaborating companies Figures 1 and 2. Unlike a traditional technology as a means for collecting remote · Foundation for Research Science & wireless telemetry system which would information while also adding valuable Technology transmit information from any given node data into the larger vineyard variability · Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd directly back to the base station, the wireless study conducted by the Marlborough · Delegat’s Wine Estate Ltd – Oyster Bay mesh network only transmits information Wine Research Centre. The wireless mesh Wines N Z Ltd to the nearest node in the network. This network trial has successfully tested the · Villa Maria Estate Ltd information is then routed through the technology. The system has shown good network to the desired destination - in this potential for collecting information both Key staff involved case the offi ce, where the data is collected in real time, which is important for frost · Rob Agnew, Marc Greven, Margaret and stored on a PC. The advantages of the protection applications, and also over the Roberts, Bruce West mesh network include: longer term to better defi ne the state of HortResearch Marlborough the vineyard with the aim of improving · Mike Trought, Wendy Parr, Jeff Bennett, · Improved reliability: If a node stops management techniques. Kerrie Stronge, Christina Balmori, Trevor working for any reason the data will Skilton
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Figure 2: Map showing location of nodes in vineyard and wireless communication links Figure 4: Thermograph showing the between the nodes temperature variation over the Squire D block on 10 October 2005. The minimum 12 temperature was 1.5° C (shown in blue) and 9 0966 6589 N the warmest temperature at that time was 2.2° 11 C (shown in red) Office 7 8 0044 OE3C 7EA7 7CE8 21 5 6 7D2D 4955 Relay (no sensor) 22 10 13 148B 57D6 6341 NO966 N6589 14 23 7857 07C9 N7EA7 20 173B 15 79F3 17 7D94 N57D6 16 N148B 33F9 18 Node with sensors 0B8D Soil moisture sensor 166D 19 NO7C9 N7857 Wireless link 100m
automatically try to fi nd a path around due to its wireless nature. N79F3 the defunct node. · Indigo’s mesh network nodes are · Longer battery life, because the nodes designed for long range, typically 100m transmit a shorter distance and also, due or more between each node. This to Indigo’s intelligent routing and control makes the capital cost of a network very NOB8D algorithms, the nodes use little power. affordable. · The system is easy to install and expand Key results from this year The average daily soil temperatures for the season are shown in Figure 3. These Figure 3: Average daily soil temperature at 30cm depth on three different soil types at Squire D results show a clear spatial variation in soil block (2005/06) temperature across the vineyard on three 25 different soil types.
20 Little spatial variation in air temperature re (ºC) re u was observed across the vineyard on a
perat daily basis. However, it is particularly m 15 interesting to plot the distribution of the
Soil Te air temperature over the vineyard at a given point in time, as shown in Figure 4. 10 This kind of information is particularly 1 Oct 1 Nov 1 Dec 1 Jan 1 Feb 1 Mar valuable for frost fi ghting as it clearly and Stones to Surface Silt over Stones Deeper Silt immediately shows the coolest points in the
50 SCIENCE REPORTS
vineyard and, therefore, allows the vineyard Project: Irrigation manager to best allocate resources. The temperature thermograph can be updated research at Squire as fast as once per minute. Estate (year three)
The wireless mesh network has proved a Background particularly simple, cost-effective and useful The project originated after the means to collect data and control devices Marlborough District Council asked across the vineyard. HortResearch in 2001 to investigate how to optimise irrigation in Marlborough.
Key funding sources and Since then the project has been modifi ed collaborating companies many times, in that more severe irrigation · Indigo Systems Ltd treatments were added and an irrigation · Marlborough Wine Research Centre system called Partial Rootzone Drying or The objective of the research is to reduce · Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd PRD was introduced. Results from this vineyard water use without reducing, or research have been reported previously to only minimally affecting, yield, while
Key staff involved the Council and to other participants such maintaining or improving fruit quality and hence wine quality. For this last year the · Dave Rankin as the Marlborough Research Centre Trust, trial was reduced to three treatments, these Indigo Systems Ltd, Christchurch New Zealand Winegrowers and Netafi m being control (IR-100), 60% and 20% of · Rob Agnew NZ. control (IR-60 and IR-20 respectively). HortResearch, Marlborough · Mike Trought Marlborough Wine Research Centre Table 1: Yield parameters for sauvignon blanc grapes · Stuart Bell Trmt Bunch_weight Yield Bunch no. Trunk circ. Frontier Mapping (g) (kg/vine) /vine (mm) IR-20 0.080 4.4 55 210 Contact IR-60 0.079 4.4 55 207 [email protected] IR-100 0.076 4.1 54 207 No sign of differences for any of the parameters
Table 2: Juice quality parameters measured at harvest for sauvignon blanc Trmt irrig % Berry Soluble pH TA (g/L) weight (g) sugars (Brix) IR-20 20 1.73 22.50 3.08 8.43 IR-60 60 1.82 22.70 3.05 9.09 IR-100 100 1.90 23.10 3.06 9.00 No sign of differences for any of the parameters
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differences were found among the irrigation levels applied. These varied between 100%, 80%, 70%, 60% and 40% to 20% of control.
Publications · Previous research from this trial is in Marlborough Research Centre annual reports 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05
Key funding sources · Marlborough District Council · HortResearch Bio-digital Funding
Key results from this year treatments. One half row that was irrigated Key staff involved The 2005/06 season was warm early in at 20% had a failing irrigation valve and · Marc Greven, Sue Neal, Bruce West the year and phenological development did not get any water in early January. HortResearch Marlborough was considerably faster than the previous Berries in this row stayed signifi cantly year’s. During the growing season smaller than anywhere else in the block, as Contact no signifi cant differences were found reported in the berry size trial. After four [email protected] between the treatments for phenological years of differing irrigation no differences measurements as were fl owering date, were found in stem circumference among veraison date, canopy development as the treatments (Table 1). measured by Point Quadrat. Harvest was two to three weeks earlier than expected Conclusions in an average year. Despite the differences No signifi cant differences were found in in irrigation (500, 300 and 100 L/vine yield or fruit quality for sauvignon blanc respectively), no differences were found grown under different levels of irrigation, in yield values (Table 1) or fruit quality whereby at the highest irrigation treatment parameters (Table 2). Regular rains during fi ve times the amount of water was applied the season and some good rains during compared to the lowest treatment. January and February compensated for the reduced irrigation in the IR-20 and IR-60 For fi ve successive years only small,
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Vine and fruit health
Vine and fruit health research at the Centre of GLRaV-3 on sauvignon blanc by seasons. With the continuation of this has three main objectives: comparing a number of leaf and fruit project, a number of additional activities characteristics on 20 vines with, and were recommended that were outside of the · To control and manage seasonal diseases, 20 vines without, this virus. Signifi cant scope of the project in its fi rst season. to ensure that fruit is sound and free of differences in leaf colour (Figure 1), berry disease and chemical residues. weights and juice nitrogen concentrations Key funding source · To develop management strategies to were observed. Fruit from vines with the · New Zealand Winegrowers minimise losses to pests, including birds. virus had larger berries, yellower leaves and
· To maximise vineyard longevity through lower juice nitrogen than fruit from vines Key staff involved the control of virus and wood-rotting without the virus. The possible implications · Dion Mundy diseases. of these observations were compared and HortResearch Marlborough contrasted with the results of four published Project: Virus effects papers dealing with the impacts of GLRaV- Contact on sauvignon blanc 3 on three white grape varieties. [email protected] wine quality The main recommendation from the investigation report is the continued Background monitoring of these vines for another two Little has been reported on the impacts of Grapevine Leaf Roll type 3 Virus (GLRaV- 3) on white grapes and HortResearch is Figure 1: Leaf colour values as measure with a SPAD leaf chlorophyll meter (SPAD-502, Minolta Corp., Jersey, NJ, USA). These meters are calibrated to measure the chlorophyll content in not aware of any published studies on its the leaves rapidly and non-destructively. Measurements were made on vines with and without Grapevine Leaf Roll Virus type 3 in Marlborough sauvignon blanc grapes before harvest in 2006. impact on Marlborough sauvignon blanc, SPAD values of 20 or lower indicates a yellowing leaf that has started to senesce. Measurements New Zealand’s fl agship white wine. A plotted are the means from 80 vines sampled. recent survey of the wine industry showed clean 40 that growers in Marlborough perceive the virus risk of GLRaV-3 spread in Marlborough as 35 low, and that the impact on Marlborough sauvignon blanc would be low, as its vine 30 does not show red leaf symptoms like red Spad grapes. 25
20 Key results from this year The investigation conducted in the 15 2005/06 season measured the impact 22 Feb 9 Feb 15 Mar Date
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Project: Optimising and increase evaporative potential (air Project: Biodigital movement) in and around the developing the effectiveness of bunches. The integration of such cultural – Yeast available ® BOTRY-Zen under practices into a BZ programme can only nitrogen (YAN) commercial fi eld improve BZ management of botrytis. This conditions is worthy of further study. Background This project measured the yeast available
Key results from this year nitrogen (YAN) of six Marlborough Background This season’s research was designed to sauvignon blanc vineyard sites during the BOTRY-Zen® (BZ) is a biological control investigate a potentially important issue - 2005/06 season. This will be used to model agent (BCA), produced by Botry-Zen Ltd namely, customising BZ-based programmes pre-harvest YAN development. The project (BZL) for the control of botrytis cinerea in to minimise block, cultivar and regional is part of a larger HortResearch programme, grapes. Good spray coverage of the bunch risk factors. Results from these experiments for which one objective is to develop at fl owering is essential for BZ to suppress will be communicated to end-users, for measuring and modelling tools to ensure botrytis, as the BCA relies on competitive optimising the effectiveness of BOTRY- product quality for horticultural enterprises. exclusion of the pathogen from the same Zen® under commercial fi eld conditions. YAN is one of the fruit nutrient parameters ecological niche. measured by wineries to determine how juice will process during winemaking. As In order to achieve good coverage of target Key funding source YAN changes during maturity, the ability tissues when applying at low spray volumes, · HortResearch to model YAN development during pre- new spreading adjuvants such as Du- harvest would be benefi cial for determining Wett® and BondXtra® ought to be used. Key staff involved when to harvest fruit at vintage. The The use of the best possible sprayer/set-up · Philip Elmer ammonium and primary amino acid combination, followed with diligent sprayer HortResearch Hamilton concentrations are added together to maintenance, will also help ensure good · Peter Wood provide the YAN value. spray deposition. HortResearch Havelock North · Rob Agnew, Dion Mundy The project builds on data collected in While adjuvant selection and sprayer HortResearch Marlborough the 2004/05 season investigating the performance are important, it has been infl uence of nitrogen and fruit ripeness demonstrated that bunch coverage is Contact on botrytis epidemiology. This provided most strongly correlated with canopy [email protected] seasonal development of YAN levels for density in the fruit zone. In addition, Marlborough sauvignon blanc in 2004/05 some Marlborough growers are seeking a at one site. cultural strategy to increase bunch coverage
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in primary amino acids from 14 February Project: Biodigital to 20 March 2006. These data will be used to model YAN development during pre- - Development of harvest maturity. decision support tools for prediction Key funding source of botrytis bunch rot · Foundation for Research Science & risk Key results from this year Technology One site was sampled six times to Background provide a detailed understanding of YAN Key staff involved Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and development during the pre-harvest period. · Dion Mundy Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are Figure 1 contains the mean ammonium HortResearch Marlborough key components to the production of safe and primary amino acid values for 20 vines · Tessa Mills, Steve Green food and for compliance with increased during each sampling date. Total YAN HortResearch Palmerston North environmental awareness. Under GAP and values for sites ranged from 192ppm to IPM schemes, pesticides should be used 433ppm at harvest. Contact as a last-resort control measure, which [email protected] leads to the need for advanced disease Figure 1 shows a clear decline of the risk management. The Biodigital project ammonium concentration and an increase revolves around the development of geospatial decision support tools for disease risk management that will enhance disease Figure 1: Sauvignon blanc juice nitrogen content development, Marlborough, February to March 2006 risk assessment and early warning.
250 250 Ammonium The goal of the HortResearch Decision Primary Amino Acid Support System for Disease Risk 200 200 Management (HDSS/DRM) project is to design a system that acquires weather data, 150 150 predicts disease risk, generates decision support information, and interacts with 100 100 end-users (Figure 1). Ammonium (ppm) 50 50 The prototypes of the HDSS/DRM are Primary Amino Acid (ppm) being developed to provide the capability 0 0 14 Feb 06 20 Feb 06 28 Feb 06 6 Mar 0613 Mar 06 20 Mar 06 framework for developing a decision Date of Sampling
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support system for the control of botrytis preliminary validation tests in the stations in the Marlborough and Hawke’s bunch rot on grapes. Marlborough region. Disease infection Bay regions. models associated with this layer are being Key results from this year developed and tested. Key funding sources The HDSS/DRM consists of models, · Foundation for Research Science & geospatial database systems, a map Knowledge layer: The knowledge layer Technology Biodigital Programme server and a web server to predict provides information from which decision- · HortResearch Capability Fund disease risk, manage spatiotemporal makers extract meaningful interpretations data and disseminate information for for the complex problem of disease risk Key staff involved implementation of GAP and IPM. The management. Prototype components of • Kwang Soo Kim, Warwick Henshall, system builds upon four layers: Data, the knowledge layer will be developed in Robert Beresford Information, Knowledge and Presentation. 2006/07. HortResearch Auckland
Data layer: The data layer collects data Presentation layer: The presentation layer • Rob Agnew from automated weather station (AWS) allows users to gather information available HortResearch Marlborough networks via internet weather databases at the information layer and interact with and estimates weather variables at a other layers via the internet. A prototype Contact site-specifi c scale. Data interpolation is web page is being developed to provide [email protected] carried out using inverse distance weight disease risk information over weather scheme and natural neighbour selection to Figure 1: Schematic diagram of the HortResearch Decision Support System for Disease Risk obtain weather estimates at this layer. In Management (HDSS/DRM) preliminary validation trials, estimates of air temperature and vapour pressure were highly correlated with measurements (R2 > 0.95) in the Marlborough region.
Information layer: The information Decision Support Model layer requests weather data from the data Internet Service Weather Information layer and utilises these data to develop information for daily risk prediction. It Spatial incorporates simulation models including Interpolation WWW surface wetness duration models and disease infection risk models. Accuracy of surface wetness duration estimation Weather/Disease Model was approximately 85-90% from the Data Layer Information Layer Knowledge Layer Presentation Layer
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Project: Falcons for grapes
Background Bird damage is estimated to cost the New Zealand wine industry more than $70 million annually in lost and damaged fruit. Photograph 1: Young Traditional methods of bird control include falcon with prey in a Marlborough vineyard shooting, netting and audio disturbance (eg gas guns, motorbikes). The Falcons for young and averaged 0.7 chicks, whereas Four young falcons have been reared in Grapes project seeks to establish resident 100% of the cliff-nesters succeeded and artifi cial nests in vineyards in the western native New Zealand falcons within the averaged 2.0 chicks. A noticeable exception end of the Wairau wine region. These birds vineyard area to protect vines from pest was a successful ground-nesting pair on an have been fl ying since early December and birds. island in the Marlborough Sounds where are monitored by radio-tracking. all ground predators had been removed. Key results from this year Another problem this year has been the hot, The young falcons are fed daily and stay The project has now successfully completed dry spring, which seemed to reduce the fi rst within about 2km of their release sites. its fi rst season in Marlborough. The broods of the small birds such as yellow- They can fl y rapidly across the rows below four-person team, with the assistance of hammers and chaffi nches that falcons prey the vines and are very playful. The project volunteers, surveyed old and new falcon on. As a result, many falcon pairs only team is not encouraging them to hunt sites in the Wairau, Waihopai and Awatere succeeded in rearing one or two chicks. this year because the fi rst priority is their catchments. Some of these sites have been Very few had three chicks and none raised survival and welfare. Wild falcons have monitored since 1974. Signs of falcons were four. Of the chicks that survived, females been seen with these youngsters. One wild seen at 40 sites. Eighteen of these sites had (which are larger) outnumbered males 4.3 youngster was tagged near Tuamarina but pairs attempting to breed but only 10 of to one. the team has had no contact with it since these pairs successfully raised young and the end of December. About two-thirds of productivity was low. Now that occupied sites have been young falcons die in their fi rst year, mainly identifi ed, the project is moving onto its through starvation, so the team is keen to Ground predators such as cats, ferrets and winter schedule, which involves erecting ensure that the birds have suffi cient to eat. possums are still a major issue for the native predator-proof nest barrels on bluffs or trees falcon, though 46% of the falcons surveyed so that the falcons have a chance to nest The project team thanks the many had countered this by nesting in hollows off the ground. Landowners or volunteers landowners who have shown interest in on bluffs. Of the 54% that nested on the interested in supporting falcons in this way the project and allowed their land to be ground, only 43% successfully reared are welcome to contact the team. surveyed for falcons.
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Publications · Programme details at http:// falconsforgrapes.org/
Key funding sources and collaborating companies · International Wildlife Consultants Ltd, UK · Marlborough Wine Research Centre · New Zealand Winegrowers · Sustainable Farming Fund, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry · Wither Hills Vineyards Marlborough Ltd
Key staff involved Photograph 1: Marlborough grapevine head from which fungal isolations were made from · Dr Nick Fox and Colin Wynn the rotted, the stained and the unstained tissue. The 23-year-old cabernet sauvignon vine was International Wildlife Consultants Ltd, collected in July 2005 as one of 100 vine heads sampled.
UK of the vines currently planted. Initial 2.7% appeared to be in poor health. Using investigations of vines in Marlborough a fi gure of 5% loss of production from Contacts have focused on the older vines in the dead or poor health vines for an industry offi [email protected] region. The aim has been to identify fungi grower production model resulted in a [email protected] associated with vine decay, establish a range prediction of 14.1% reduction in vineyard of sites to monitor disease progress and profi tability. calculate the possible cost to the industry of Project: Investigation trunk fungi. During the removal and replanting of of grapevine trunk vines in a cabernet sauvignon vineyard, fungi in Marlborough Key results from this year 100 vines were inspected for decay in July A survey of 3772 vines in a 24-year-old 2005. Many of the vines had no outward sauvignon blanc vineyard assessed the signs of disease but, when the vine heads Background incidence of dead or poorly growing were cut open, they showed substantial The Marlborough vineyard area has vines. It showed that 0.9% of vines had decay (Figure 1). Isolation of decayed expanded very rapidly over the past decade. already been replaced and a further 5.9% tissue was made onto potato dextrose agar Currently, less than 10% of vines are more were either dead or in poor health. At a plates. Botryosphaeria obtusa was the most than 15 years old. Hence, the long-term 10-year-old riesling vineyard, 8.3% of the common fungal species isolated from the sustainability of wine grape production in 1870 vines observed were dead. Another decaying tissue. the region will depend on the longevity
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Investigation of fungi isolated from nitrogen nutrition may lead to problems trunks of 23-year-old cabernet sauvignon during winemaking. For example, low yeast grapevines in Marlborough. In: Creasy available nitrogen (YAN) in berries has been G ed. Sixth International Cool Climate associated with impaired fermentation. In Symposium for Viticulture and contrast, too much nitrogen can contribute Oenology. Christchurch, New Zealand. to excess shoot vigour, reduced fruit set and, reportedly, increased disease incidence. Key funding sources Some of these responses may directly result · Marlborough Research Centre from changes in berry nutrition. Other · Technology New Zealand via the responses may occur indirectly, for example SmartStart fund because of increased shoot growth and canopy shading. This project investigates
Key staff involved a number of components of the impact of Further investigation is required before · Dion Mundy nitrogen nutrition. the exact impact of different grapevine HortResearch Marlborough wood fungi can be determined, but the · Mike Manning Anecdotally, berries with low YAN may possible implications to the wine industry HortResearch Auckland have a lower incidence of botrytis bunch are large, as shown in calculations using rot. Brix (sugars) and physical damage industry data. With additional study, other Contact are also triggers for susceptibility to this areas of interest, such as the quality of fruit [email protected] disease. An understanding of how nitrogen produced from infected vines, could also be levels infl uence susceptibility to disease is determined. Cost-effective management important in the overall management of tools can only be evaluated when the botrytis bunch rot. fungi responsible have been identifi ed Project: Interactions and the potential cost of damage has been between nitrogen, A fi eld experiment in which 200g of urea calculated. sugar accumulation, per vine was applied to free-draining soil wounding and around nitrogen defi cient vines, either at Publications susceptibility to fl owering, at veraison, or at both those · Gubler W., Edwards J., Sosnowski M., times, resulted in a range of increased total Mugnai L., Jaspers M., Mundy D. botrytis bunch rot in YAN concentrations in berries compared 2006. Grapevine trunk diseases. In: Marlborough grapes with berries from vines in the untreated Creasy G ed. Sixth International Cool control. Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Background Oenology. Christchurch, New Zealand. Adequate nitrogen fertility is needed for Key results from this year satisfactory shoot growth, leaf function In a laboratory experiment involving · Mundy D., Manning M. 2006. and fruit nutrition in the vineyard. Poor
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Figure 1: Four graphs showing the number of berries out of 30 that had visual symptoms of botrytis bunch rot following incubation for each of the four treatments used in the experiment (Control -no wounding or inoculation, inoculated only, wounded only and wounded and inoculated). All graphs are plotted on the same axis with yeast available nitrogen (YAN) against soluble sugars (Brix).
14 16 18 20 22 24 Wounded Wounded and inoculated 8 6 600 30 30 28 4 26 500 24 22 28 400 25 20 30 300 2 18 200 20 16 inoculation of detached grape berries 14 12 100 with botrytis cinerea, with and without 15
Control Inoculated ected Berries 26 nf 16 22 28 24 wounding, observed disease was linked to YAN Total 600 20 22 14 10 500 YAN and Brix concentrations (Figure 1). 2
400 26 Botrytis I The data presented in the fi gure do not 5 300 18 provide a simple relationship that can be 10 12 200 8 6 0 2 4 24 22 described with an equation such as x Brix or 100 2 higher gives y susceptibility. The research 14 16 18 20 22 24 Brix will require more data and further detailed analysis in order to develop a model that can predict susceptibility of berries to understanding of nitrogen involvement in Key funding source botrytis in relationship to Brix and YAN producing wine grapes, carried out as part · New Zealand Winegrowers values. of this project (Mundy 2005), shows that there are still a number of aspects of the Key staff involved The nitrogen data collected will be role of nitrogen in producing high quality · Dion Mundy important to the Innovative Foods wine grapes under New Zealand conditions HortResearch Marlborough programme (8653-INNF-UOA), giving an that are poorly understood. · Robert Beresford indication of the differences in YAN that HortResearch Auckland can be produced in the fi eld and how the Publications YAN components develop over time from · Article written for New Zealand Contact veraison to harvest. WineGrower. [email protected] · Review article written and available on These 2005/06 season experiments have New Zealand Winegrowers’ website. provided a starting point for understanding · Mundy D. 2005. Nitrogen/grape/ of the interaction between Brix, YAN pathogen interactions. Blenheim, and berry susceptibility to botrytis bunch HortResearch. rot. The literature review of the current
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Miscellaneous
Project: Vinefax to make informed choices about spray applications based on knowledge of the weather and disease development during Background the season. Vinefax has supported the The Vinefax service was set up in 1997 Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand at the request of the steering committee (SWNZ) programme and encouraged that had operated the Marlborough grape subscribers to follow SWNZ practices. disease management research programme funded by Technology New Zealand. Key results from this year The steering committee wanted a disease Vinefax operated from 24 November 2005 infection model for the 2005/06 growing management service to be available to to 20 April 2006, sending out 22 weekly season, for 13 weather stations used as part the Marlborough grape industry after the issues. Additionally, nine supplementary of the Vinefax service. The duration of a completion of the research programme. issues were sent out in response to botrytis botrytis infection period can have a major infection periods immediately after they bearing on the amount of botrytis infection Vinefax operates as a weekly fax/email occurred. in the grapes. Each time an infection period service from November until harvest. is recorded, a risk index is produced, based A VineWatch summary table provides Table 1 summarises the total number of on the length of the infection period. A details of the previous week’s growing infection periods and the cumulative risk risk index greater than 1.0 indicates that an degree days and rainfall from 14 weather index recorded by the Bacchus botrytis infection period has occurred. One way to stations in the Wairau, Waihopai and Awatere Valleys. Details and the date of Table 1: Number of Bacchus botrytis infection periods recorded during the 2005/06 season from any botrytis infection periods are also 1 November to 30 April, Marlborough. given. Four company vineyards supply Meteorological Station Location Number of botrytis Cumulative details of powdery mildew and botrytis infection periods Risk Index from monitored vineyards. These disease Awatere – Redwood Pass Rd 8 11.6 Awatere – Seaview 16 25.3 data help to alert growers when disease Awatere – Tohu 21 31.2 development is taking place on well- Rarangi 22 35 managed vineyards. Those who receive Blenheim 11 17.9 Vinefax fi nd it very useful for keeping Brancott 13 18.2 in touch with what is happening in the Woodbourne 12 19.1 district’s vineyards and for accessing up-to- Matthews Lane 16 29.1 date information on the spread of disease. Stoneleigh 10 17.7 Pauls Road 14 25.1 Vinefax has helped to educate subscribers Oyster Bay 10 19.6 in aspects of disease monitoring and Waihopai Bridge SH63 – North West Bank 11 17.4 management. It has allowed growers Waihopai Valley near Tyntesfi eld Road 12 19.4
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compare the relative botrytis risk between Project: Vineyard the meteorological stations is to add the total risk index for the season. A higher risk mulches 2005/06 index at a particular meteorological station Background indicates that the wetness sensor used to Large-scale mulching trials were conducted monitor infection events has stayed wet on four Marlborough vineyards from longer than at a station with a lower risk 1999 to 2002. In July 2002 HortResearch index. Potentially, grape bunches would also Marlborough proposed to the Marlborough stay wet longer at stations with a higher risk Grape Growers Association research index and, therefore, the bunches would committee that it continue funding some be more likely to become infected with trials conducted from 1999 to 2002 have aspects of the proposed smaller-scale botrytis. been reported extensively in previous trial continuation of the trials from 2003 to reports and popular articles, as well as in 2005. The committee asked that these Key funding sources and the booklet Mulch for sustainable production trials: collaborating companies (Agnew et al. 2002). Vinefax is a subscriber-based service, with · investigate soil micro-organisms and an annual subscription in 2005/06 of $325. “Healthy” soil is emerging as important for mycorrhizal fungi associated with grape There were 72 subscribers in 2005/06. the longevity of plants grown in the soil. roots and relationships with soil health Pernod Ricard and Cloudy Bay pay the It has been shown that where mulch had · include commercially available mulch phone line rentals to the weather stations been present around the grapevines for four · investigate how vines are affected when on their properties and contribute to the years, the percentage of root tips colonised feeder roots establish in the mulched operation and maintenance of the weather by mycorrhizal fungi was far greater than zone and the area then dries out or is stations. in vines without mulch (Mundy & Agnew disturbed 2004a). Key staff involved Perennial plants such as grapevines prefer · Rob Agnew, Dion Mundy Key results from this year soils with higher numbers of fungi. HortResearch Marlborough Funding in 2005/2006 has allowed However, almost all Marlborough’s the preparation of a research paper for vineyards have been established from Contact publication on the relationship between pasture or mixed cropping land, which [email protected] soil moisture and mycorrhizal fungi for tends to be dominated by bacteria. During mulched vines. This paper will conclude the the large-scale mulching trials, positive current research on mulching of grapes in changes in the soil microbial environment Marlborough. were demonstrated, with the overall ratio of
fungi to bacteria in the soil increasing over The paper currently in preparation links the time. The results of the large-scale mulch
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soil moisture content with the percentage of mulching with vineyard and winery Key staff involved of root tips colonised by mycorrhizal fungi. waste on soil fungi and botrytis bunch · Dion Mundy, Rob Agnew The paper also compares these results rot in Marlborough vineyards. New HortResearch Marlborough with data from another fl oor management Zealand Plant Protection 55: 135-138. experiment in Wagga Wagga, Australia. www.hortnet.co.nz/publications/nzpps/ Contact journal/55/nzpp55_135.pdf. [email protected] Publications · Mundy D., Agnew R. 2002b. Do · Agnew R., Mundy D., Spiers M. 2002. mulched vines produce better wines? Mulch for sustainable production. 11th Australian wine industry technical Project: Analytical Blenheim, New Zealand, HortResearch. conference, Adelaide, Australia. capability of the · Agnew R., Mundy D., Spiers M. 2003. · Mundy D., Agnew R. 2002c. Grape Effects of organic mulch on soil and marc in mulches: the potassium effect. Marlborough Wine plant nutrients. Australian & New Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower Research Centre Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker 473a & Winemaker (March): 59-62. (Annual Technical Issue): 33-38. · Mundy D., Agnew R.. 2004a. Methods Background · Agnew R. Mundy D. 2003. Vineyard for the detection of fungi in New The analytical capability of the mulches for sustainable production Zealand. vineyard soils after a single Marlborough Wine Research Centre has Client Report 11970. Blenheim, New application of mulch. In: Keller KO, Hall been greatly enhanced in the past 12 Zealand, HortResearch. B ed. 3rd Australasian Soilborne Diseases months by the purchase of an Agilent · Agnew R. Mundy D.2004. Vineyard Symposium. Barossa, South Australia. Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) machine. mulches for sustainable production · Mundy D., Agnew R.. 2004b. Shallow Client Report 12164. Blenheim, New roots with mulch maybe, but not at the CE is a very powerful tool for detecting Zealand, HortResearch. expense of structure. Australian & New metabolites within grape juice, wine or, · Agnew R., Mundy D., Spiers M., Greven Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker: 53- indeed, any liquid sample. The separation M. 2005. Waste stream utilisation for 55. of chemicals is achieved by subjecting sustainable viticulture. Water Science & · Mundy D., Agnew R. 2004c. samples to a strong electric fi eld, while Technology. Vol 51 Number 01. http:// Investigation of the effects of mulch on the sample is passed through a narrow www.iwaponline.com/wst/05101/01/ growth and root development of young (capillary) tube. This can result in the rapid default.htm. grapevines in Marlborough. Australian & separation of many hundreds of different · Mundy D. 2005. Developing common New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker: compounds. The versatility and number of methods of detecting soil fungal 91-92. ways CE can be used means that almost all members in Australian and New molecules can be separated and detected. Zealand vineyards Client Report 14058. Key funding source Blenheim, New Zealand, HortResearch. · Marlborough Research Centre The initial focus has been on detecting · Mundy D., Agnew R. 2002a. Effects compounds for which there are established methods. These include organic acids,
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sugars, ethanol and phenolics. In the Project: Focus In addition to new technologies and future it will be possible to detect other information already available, some key compounds involved in the fl avour and Vineyard - what is research issues have also been identifi ed. aroma properties of sauvignon blanc. best practice and These include the costs of production, This may include the precursors of how to improve optimising water usage while improving methoxypyrazines and volatile thiols. As adoption of this best grape and wine quality, improving soil the sample preparation for CE analysis practice condition, understanding the relationship requires minimal volumes of juice and is between soil health/plant health, quite simple and rapid, it is possible to understanding integrated and biological Background analyse many samples precisely and quickly, control of pests and diseases. Between 1994 and 2002 the area under providing very accurate data-sets for grapes in New Zealand increased from metabolites of interest. This should enable The objectives of the Focus Vineyard 6680 to 18,247 hectares and is still the detection of any variation between project, which began in 2005, are: increasing. This rapid increase has in many the fi ve vineyards being studied as part of cases exceeded the wine industry’s ability sauvignon blanc research. · to use three vineyard sites to provide to predict the impact of grapegrowing responses on a temporal (time) and on natural resources. The industry has Key staff involved spatial (area) basis on management undertaken considerable research seeking · Christina Balmori processes provided within the target area to integrate production issues with the Marlborough Wine Research Centre as identifi ed environmental requirements of regulators · to use the project to accelerate the and signals from the international Contact adoption of technologies arising from marketplace. [email protected] research and to demonstrate through measurement and trial those research Despite industry commitment to outcomes sustainable techniques, their adoption by individuals is slow. Currently only one third Specifi c objectives within these key of growers are members of the industry’s objectives are: Sustainable Winegrowing scheme. This proportion has not altered substantively · vine nutrients: to examine vine growth in the past three years. Identifi ed barriers responses against soil characteristics and to adoption include a lack of economic nutrient values justifi cation of the new technologies and · pest and disease management: to move a lack of confi dence by growers in their imposed current (and historical) disease ability to implement sustainable practices management programmes to best practice into vineyard management. methods
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· vine water requirements: to make best Publications Marlborough Express February 2006. use of current water resources to balance · Potential for Helicopters to Collide. · Three vineyards and one spotlight. Grape the sustainability of the resource while Nelson-Marlborough Farming. Grower Autumn 2006. producing high-quality products · Frost Management a Hot Topic. Nelson- · Report: Edward Ensor, Marlborough · grape yield assessments: to measure Marlborough Farming. Focus Vineyard – Proceedings Cool grape yield responses under current · Under the Microscope Vineyard practice. Climate Symposium Grape Growing. management practices Wine Technology Summer Harvest 2005. Ensor Tyntesfi eld Estate, March 2006 · economic and benchmarking: to identify · Growers urged to estimate yields. Christchurch. the internal performance standards of Marlborough Express 9 December 2005. · Report: Marlborough Focus Vineyard each focus vineyard and provide some · The focus vineyard project nearly one fi eld day survey to identify the value of understanding as to their effectiveness in year on. Vineyard Development 2005 the day. revealing best practice standards Marlborough Express. · RM Hunter, RMH & Associates, · The Regions Marlborough Wine Marlborough Research Centre. Key results from this year Research Centre MWRC Unique in Blenheim. GH Forshaw, GortVintners, In the past year this project has: NZ. NZ Winegrower October/November Marlborough Research Centre Blenheim. 2005. March 2006. · provided a venue to identify, implement · Frost protection high on the agenda. NZ · What’s happening in Marlborough? and integrate research results into existing Winegrower December 2005. Highlights of the vineyard focus fi eld day. management systems and then monitor · Frost protection high on the agenda. NZ NZ Grape Grower April/May 2006. progress Winegrower December 2005/January · Review of value of fi eld days in · provided a forum for the exchange of 2006. Marlborough; RM Hunter, RMH & ideas between the industry and industry · Wine without residues. Nelson- Associates, Marlborough Research providers Marlborough Farming February 2006. Centre. Blenheim, GH Forshaw, · showed and compared sustainable · Grape yield assessment. Winepress GortVintners, Marlborough Research practices over a wide range of topics, such February 2006. Centre Blenheim. June/July 2006 pp 49- as pest and disease, yield assessments, · In pursuit of more accurate grape yield 50. vine nutrient requirements and vine assessment. Over the gate Marlborough · Rural Delivery Series 2, Episode 10 TV1 water requirements Winepress January 25 2006. May 2006. · ascertained from surveys that · No regrets at giving up grapes. the industry knowledge base and Marlborough Express February 6 2006. Technical information provided for understanding has increased by 12% as · Vineyard fi eld day. Marlborough Express Winegrowers New Zealand website: a result of fi eld day presentations and February 17 2006. information supply for this period · Demand grows for our water. · Marlborough nutrient requirement Marlborough Express, February 27 2006. methodology · Southerly blast brings snow, hail.
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· Marlborough trunk circumference Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand methodology · Max Gifford · Stembridge trunk circumference results Stembridge Vineyard · Stembridge nutrient results · Edward Ensor · Tohu trunk circumference results Tyntesfi eld Estate · Tohu nutrient results · Jeremy Hyland/John Eade · Tyntesfi eld trunk circumference results Tohu Vineyard · Tyntesfi eld nutrient results · Mike Trought Marlborough Wine Research Centre Field days · Marc Greven · Frost Protection – September 2006, HortResearch Marlborough
Marlborough Research Centre · Andrew Naylor Research Centre provides to the local · Grape Yield Assessments - December Pernod Ricard, Blenheim community. 2005 Marlborough Research Centre · Heather Davis
· Pest and Diseases – January 2006, Tohu Summerhouse Vineyard, Blenheim The objectives of the project are: Vineyard, Marlborough Focus Vineyard · Dominic Pecchinino
· Vine Water Requirements - February Viticulturalist, Blenheim · to continue the operation of the offi cial 2006 Tyntesfi eld, Marlborough Focus · John Turner climate station for Blenheim Vineyard Consultant, Hills Laboratory · to maintain a database of meteorological · Marlborough Focus Vineyard, After · Philip Manson information for Blenheim that is Two Years – May 2006, Marlborough NZ Winegrowers, Auckland accessible by the local community and Research Centre can be used for scientifi c research in Contacts Marlborough Key funding sources [email protected] · to supply data to the media and clients · Marlborough Research Centre on an ongoing basis · MAF Sustainable Farming Fund · New Zealand Winegrowers Key results from this year · Wine Marlborough Project: Extension Meteorological Rainfall Key people involved The total rainfall for 2005/06 of 516.2mm · Richard Hunter RMH & Associates, Background was 80% of the long-term average of Marlborough Research Centre This project has been ongoing for 647mm, in contrast to 715mm recorded · Robin Hammond approximately 15 years. It is funded in 2004/05. Eight months recorded less Grapegrower, Blenheim annually and is recognised as one of the rainfall than the long-term average while · Sally van der Zijpp essential services that the Marlborough only two months recorded above-average rainfall (Figure 1).
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Figure 1: Blenheim’s monthly rainfall for 2005/06 compared to the long-term average magazine of Marlborough Winegrowers,
100 100 issue numbers 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149. ) ) 75 600 mm mm · Vinefax, a service to subscribing all ( all ( nf nf 50 400 Marlborough grapegrowers, published thly Rai thly n lative Rai lative Blenheim weather data on a weekly basis Mo
25 200 umu C from November 2005 to early May 2006.
0 0 · Monthly meteorological summaries Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Rain LTA Month Rain 05/06 Month Rain LTA Total Rain 05/06 Total were provided to The Marlborough Express, Radio Marlborough, Easy FM, the Marlborough District Council Temperature as measured by benchmark for very cold and very warm and agricultural consultant Ian Blair growing degree days seasons respectively for Blenheim. The at the beginning of each month. This A common way of comparing heat 2005/06 season followed an almost information normally formed the basis summation is by calculating growing identical temperature course to 2001/02. of an article appearing in the newspaper degree days (GDDs) above 10°C. GDDs Both seasons were much warmer than or reported on the radio summarising the are calculated by taking the average daily average, especially over December when previous month’s weather. temperature and subtracting 10°C. GDDs grapes were in fl ower. An earlier, warmer · Data from the Blenheim weather station are used to determine whether crops will fl owering resulted in an earlier harvest were made available on the Marlborough grow in a particular region and to compare in March 2006, in marked contrast to Wine Research Centre weather station in one season with another. Figure 2 plots 2004/05, when December was almost the 2006. Data are updated monthly and can GDDs in a particular season in relation coldest on record and harvest was later than be accessed at www.wineresearch.org.nz to the long-term average line, which normal, in April 2005. Data currently available are: runs through zero. If a line is rising the o long-term average data 1930-2000 temperature is warmer than average, or if Publications o monthly summary 1986-2006 falling, cooler than average. Two extreme · A monthly meteorological report o annual fi les from 1996-2006, with seasons, 1992/93 and 1997/98, provide a appeared in Winepress, the offi cial daily meteorological data summarised monthly Figure 2: Growing degree days for Blenheim: Days ahead (+) or behind (-) average (the graph o GDD data monthly from 1987-2006. shows the cumulative GDD difference between the season and the long-term average)
375 97/98 225 97/98 Key funding sources 05/06 01/02 150 05/06 75 01/02 02/03 · HortResearch 0 04/05 04/05 -75 · Marlborough Research Centre -150 -225 92/93 -300 92/93 -375 1 Jul 1 Aug 1 Sep 1 Oct 1 Nov 1 Dec 1 Jan 1 Feb 1 Mar 1 Apr 1 May 1 Jun
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Key staff involved chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As) out of the Monthly analysis of the leachate from · Rob Agnew posts and through the soil. these lysimeters provided the parameters to HortResearch Marlborough calculate the rate of movement out of the Key results from this year posts. This value was used in HortResearch’s Contact To determine the leaching of CCA from Soil Plant Atmosphere Model (SPASMO) [email protected] vineyard trellis posts under controlled to predict the movement of these heavy conditions, a trial was set up in which both metals through posts and out of the posts round and half-round CCA treated posts into the water and the soil, for eight Project: Effects of were placed in 75-litre lysimeters that were different sites in the Marlborough vineyard copper, chromium, fi lled with very porous soil, representing area. The leaching rate for As was found a scenario of maximum likely CCA to be 5mg per post per month, with the arsenic (CCA) on leaching. Further posts were immersed Cr rate about twice that. Literature states soil and water in water to simulate a worst-case scenario that end-grain penetration of CCA is 40 when the bottoms of the posts dip into times higher than lateral penetration. It Background shallow ground water. Results from this can, therefore, be expected that end-grain The Marlborough District Council asked trial showed a clear movement of CCA leaching is also considerably higher than HortResearch to survey copper, chromium from the post into both the water and soil. lateral leaching. and arsenic (CCA) concentrations around The permeability of the soil and its water- vineyard posts in different soils around the holding capacity were measured, as these Publications Wairau Valley and to assess the possible greatly infl uence the leaching penetration as · Vogeler I., Green S., Dijssel C., Davidson effects of any potential leaching of CCA well as the binding to the soil of these heavy P., Greven M., Clothier B., Agnew R., into ground water. metals. Neal S., Cichota R. and Sivakumaran S 2006. Leaching of CCA from treated In 2004 a survey was undertaken of vineyard posts. FLRC Workshop, leaching around vineyard posts in situ in 8-9 February 2006 Massey University, commercial vineyards. The results were Palmerston North, New Zealand. suffi ciently conclusive that CCA was · Greven M., Robinson M., Green leaching from the posts. S. Agnew R., Neal S., Clothier B. Based on these results a project began and Davidson P. 2006. The leaching to further investigate this. A controlled of CCA from vineyard posts in leaching trial was set up in lysimeters Marlborough. Sixth International Cool that were placed in the meteorological Climate Symposium for Viticulture compound at Grovetown Park in order to and Oenology, 6-10 February 2006, obtain, through monthly measurements, Christchurch, New Zealand. the necessary parameters enabling · Vogeler I., Green.S., Dijssel C., Davidson modelling of the movement of copper (Cu),
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P., Greven M., Clothier B., Agnew R., HortResearch Marlborough dry-land farming systems have been based Neal S., Cichota R. and Sivakumaran · Steve Green, Brett Robinson, Brent around breeding ewe/cattle systems, with a S. 2006. Leaching of CCA from treated Clothier, Iris Vogeler, Siva Sivakumaran, focus on lamb fi nishing if seasonal pasture vineyard posts. 18th World Congress Carlo van den Dijssel growth responses allow such progress. of Soil Science, July 9-15, Philadelphia, HortResearch Palmerston North Farming systems have been reliant on the Pennsylvania, USA. provision of simple pasture swards such as · Greven M., Green S., Robinson B., Contact ryegrass, with white clover meeting that Clothier B., Vogeler I., Agnew R., Neal [email protected] demand. Marlborough pastoral farmers are, S., Sivakumaran S, submitted. The impact however, increasingly concerned that there of CCA treated posts in vineyards on are signifi cant limitations in the traditional soil and ground water. IV International Project: The pasture species used under dry-land farming specialised conference on Sustainable evaluation of winter- practices. Traditional farming practices have Viticulture: Winery Wastes and become aligned to poor quality feed values. Ecological Impact Management, 5-8 Nov active pasture 2006, Viña del Marc, Chile. species suitable for The objectives of this project are to: · Clothier B., Green S., Vogeler I., Greven Marlborough hill M., Agnew R., van den Dijssel C., Neal country pastoral · identify a range of winter-active pasture S., Robinson B. and Davidson submitted. environment species that will provide and assist CCA Transport in Soil from Treated- Marlborough farmers to break traditional Timber Posts: Pattern Dynamics from reliance on ryegrass and clover systems Background the Local to Regional Scale. Journal of · identify best management practices The dry-land regions of Marlborough Hydrology and Earth Systems Science, for pasture species that will provide constantly suffer from a defi cit of moisture Special Issue – Pattern Dynamics and and determine optimal productivity, in summer. In general, productive progress Thresholds. composition, quality and persistence, has been achieved by increased fertiliser reproductive responses, nutrient usage, subdivision and increases in stocking Key funding sources and requirement and economic values under rates. Resulting production responses per collaborating companies a whole-farm system. head are extremely variable. Historically, · Marlborough District Council · Marlborough Research Centre Table 1: Results show production comparisons between sown winter-active pasture species. · Nobilo Wine Group Ltd Production Comparisons Between Winter Active Pasture · Pernod Ricard New Zealand Ltd Species Cultivars Bay 800
· Delegat’s Wine Estate Ltd n 600 ctio u
/ha 400 g k Key staff involved 200 DM prod 0 · Marc Greven, Rob Agnew, Sue Neal FA473 Flecha Resolution Prosper Typhoon Meridian Mean Cultivars
69 SCIENCE REPORTS
Winter-active pasture species, Festuca seed-sowing depth, soil temperature, reduced by competition from other species. arundinacea cultivars (cv) Flecha and competition from resident species, Resolute, and Lolium perenne, cv soil nutrient values and post-grazing Persistence of sown species is demonstrated Meridium, were established in February management. Table 1 examines production in Table 2. It shows the production value 2004. Further sites planted in Festuca values from a range of winter-active pasture (sown species, clover, other grass and weed arundinacea spp ranging from one to cultivars. The results are fi rst production contents) and those values as a percentage three years of old were included as sites cuts only, with values (sown species) being of that composite. Sites within these for measurement. Measurements were identifi ed as kg dm/ha (kg dry matter per evaluations vary in age from one year (sites undertaken to determine productivity, ha). Meridian (L. perenne) at this stage of two and three) to fi ve years (site one), with composition, quality and persistence, establishment showed that early production the balance as intermediaries for those nutrient requirement responses and best values exceeded all other sown species by years. Site one shows that fescue composite management practices. 36%. Both Flecha and Prosper provided makes up 57% (4936 kg dm/ha) of the similar values, but were offset by higher total value, while the balance is derived This project, commenced in 2004, is now clover, other grass species and weed content, from other grasses (22%), clovers (16%) completed though a farmer group has been suggesting greater compatibility with other and weeds (2%). set up to progress the research. species. Meridian also contained 13% clover within the total composite. The low Fescue content on sites two and three show Key results from this year production values produced by Resolution total composite at 12% (39kg dm/ha) The establishment of small plots sown with were also linked to higher clover, other grass where as other grasses (67%), clovers a range of winter-active pasture identifi ed a species and weed content (52%), suggesting (10%) and weeds (16%) shows there are range of constraints – ie, timing of sowing, that germination from planting is further signifi cant variations between established
Table 2: Site comparisons of total composite (kg dm/ha), and identifi cation as a percentage of those composite values
Fescue Content Grass Content g e k u 70 100
. Val 60 n 80 50 40 60 d Prod /ha n
m 30
d 40
% a 20 n 10 20 0 0 pariso
m -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 Co
Clover Content Weed Content .
n 25 35 20 /ha
d Prod 30 n m 25 15 d g 20 10
e k 15 u 5 10 posite % a Val 0
m 5
Co 0 -5 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 -2 0 2 4 68 10 12 Sites Sites
70 SCIENCE REPORTS
and establishing values. These sites were management is critical to ensure total Project: Evaluate sown at a rate of 14kg/ha, which suggests composites are maintained in balanced this rate may be at the lighter end of the ratio. seasonal sowing-rate spectrum. performance of Using site four (three years old) as the Publications/communication a range of annual intermediary, fescue composites make up · Farmer Newsletter Kiwi Seeds, Quarterly, clovers (Trifolium 35% (2069kg dm/ha), with the balance of December 2005-March 2006. subterraneum) under the composition made up of other grasses · Marlborough Monitor Farm Community (53%), clover (8%) and weeds (3%). The Day. September 2005. Marlborough dry results suggest that management practices land pastoral hill are critical to retaining high-sown species Key funding sources country values (fescues), in order to prevent other · Marlborough Research Centre Trust composites from dominating the total · Kiwi Seeds Marlborough Background sward. · Farmers Group – Seddon/Ward Sown in the autumn, the annual clover Trifolium subterraneum is recognised as a Winter-active species such as fescues require Key people involved legume that provides superior productivity consistent grazing. Sites four to eight • Richard Hunter (RMH & Associates) and persistence in areas where soil moisture showed dead matter levels of up to 6% of Marlborough Research Centre (Project is consistently low for four to eight months total composite, suggesting inconsistent or Leader) of the year. lax grazing, allowing feed value to decline. • Bruce Clark Dead matter refl ects pasture quality and a Kiwi Seeds, Marlborough Under Marlborough hill country conditions linkage with stock, and stock numbers with • Russell King, South Island Field pasture species consist predominantly of the ability to utilisation feed at the highest Manager, AgriSeeds Ltd, Christchurch Danthonia (D. semiannulari, D. pilosa). It level. • Warwick Lissaman, Farmer, Richmond has low feed and production qualities. A Brook, Haldon Rd, Seddon clover base added may increase values by a The results show that winter-active fescue • Greg Harris, Farmer, Dashwood Rd, further 23-29% in production. may produce up to 8660kg/ha, but can be Seddon as low as 2692kg/ha of dry matter under • Aaron Booker, Farmer, Marfell’s Beach Once established, it regenerates from seed winter conditions. These responses have Rd, Ward each autumn, adding value to pastoral been grown under medium to medium/ • Rick Hammond, Farmer, Waterfalls Rd, systems at low-cost maintenance. It is high soil fertility levels. Seddon able to provide a valuable contribution • Rudd Maasdam, Staete Landt, Rapaura to pasture production during winter The results indicate that winter- and spring and is one of the few clovers active pasture species have a place Contact suitable for dry hill country environments. in Marlborough, and that grazing [email protected]
71 SCIENCE REPORTS
dry south-face slope. Within each site an composite values than Tempello. However, area was over-sown (ie aerial application) the direct-drilling treatment (Dumgree and another by direct drill. The total area only) showed an increased value in clover covered was 10 hectares. Annual clover composite by 17% on the north-face, cultivars (cv) sown were Woogenella (5 compared to the moist/semi-dry south-face kg/ha), Leura (3kg), Dalkeith (2kg), site. Note that both sites were over-sown Tonic (plantain) (500gm) and Balansa in the mid-1970s with cv Mt Barker, the clover (2.5kg). Soil nutrient values were remnants of which are still present as 2-3% determined pre-seed application; and of the total clover composite. fertiliser, recommendations based on these However, in recent years the value of annual results, annual evaluations then providing Establishment competition from resident clovers has been lost. future fertiliser requirements. grass and weed species had greatest impact on the moist/semi-dry south-face site. It can be over-sown directly into competing To identify establishment and treatment Composite values were 20% greater on pasture species at low cost, making annual response, measurements included buried these sites, especially at Tempello. clovers well suited for Marlborough’s seed populations, pasture composition and diffi cult dry land pastoral environments. density. Measurements were undertaken in Buried seed populations were compared The objectives of this project are: autumn 2005 and 2006. against treatment. Samples were collected at random within treatment sites. The · to identify annual clover establishment Half to 95% of sub-clover can be described highest over-sown values were recorded at responses using a whole farm as “hard seed” and generally will not Dumgree. Measurements showed 750-5000 environment germinate in the fi rst autumn. seeds/m2 on the north-face. The moist/ · to manage farming systems to ensure semi-dry south-face site showed only 11% successful seed strike in the fi rst autumn, This project will continue for a further variation in values (the Tempello site had fl owering in spring and subsequent seed three years. a slightly higher value). Seed populations set at the direct-drilled sites (Dumgree only) · to encourage the adoption by farmers Key results from this year contained 67% less in value than the of this knowledge to ensure that annual Results to date show that establishment on over-sown north-face sites, whereas the clovers are made sustainable under a wide the over-sown site at Tempello produced a moist/semi-dry site had similar population range of farm management systems and 16% increase in clover composite on the values. practices. drier north-face site, compared to the site on Dumgree, which showed best increases Soil available nitrogen was also measured The project is sited on two properties of 15% in clover content on the more (kg/ha) within treatments. The over-sown (Tempello and Dumgree). Each contains moist/semi-dry south-face site. The north- Dumgree north-face (200 kg/ha) was found a dry north-face slope and a moist/semi- face site on Dumgree produced 28% less in to contain up to 46% more in available
72 SCIENCE REPORTS
Publications/communication Project: Changing · Update, Sub-Clover Hill Country Project. Marlborough Monitor Farm attitudes and practice Community Group, September 2005. for farming dry land · Identifi cation and Management of in Marlborough Clovers. Clover Workshop, October
2005. Background · Sub-Clovers In Dry-Soil Test The Starborough Flaxbourne Soil – Marlborough proves tough going for Conservation Group (SFSCG) is located nitrogen values than the moist/semi-dry pasture. Hawke’s Bay Today, April 2006. is the Awatere/Seddon District of south south face (145kg/ha). These responses Marlborough. This is predominantly a were similar when the direct-drilling Key funding sources pastoral farming area, with an expanding treatments were also compared, with a 39% · Lincoln University Argyle Trust viticulture industry on the river terraces, increase in value, although total values were · Farmer Initiated Technology Transfer and some cropping on the better soils. slightly less (5%). The results for Tempello (FITT) Funding, Meat and Wool New were also similar in value, with total Zealand Since 1996 there has been lower-than- available nitrogen 28% higher. The greatest average rainfall most years. This has been impact was on the moist/semi-dry south- Key people involved exacerbated by westerly winds leading to face, rather than on the north-face sites as · Richard Hunter, RMH & Associates regular drought and subsequent soil loss, occurred at Dumgree. Marlborough Research Centre particularly from the northerly faces. This · Tony Whatman, Director of Farms, may well be attributed to climate change, Results to date show site variations. Annual Lincoln University, Canterbury and farmers need to manage for climate clovers need to be able to adapt to dry, · Dick Lucas, Senior Lecturer (Agronomy), change within farming systems. sunny faces with free-draining soils. First- Lincoln University, Canterbury year results show that, in the period of · Richard Gorman, Dumgree, Seddon Farmers in the district (66 properties establishment, the best environment has · David Grigg, Tempello, Blenheim covering 100,000ha) are concerned by slight soil moisture. Grazing management ongoing erosion, resulting in degraded in the fi rst year of establishment appears Contacts hillsides and loss of soil. Historically to be critical, requiring lenient set stocking [email protected] economic pastoral units have become during the spring fl owering and seed set in [email protected] uneconomic due to destocking. This has order to maximise seed production into the resulted in hardship and rural decline, and following year. Plant and seed populations grazing pressure beyond land capability. need to be measured to identify persistence. Many now source income beyond their property.
73 SCIENCE REPORTS
The challenges now are to identify both an ecological and economic sense · the need to identify supports and compatible, affordable and effective land · to develop a partnership approach effectively communicate the work of use options to best manage fragile dry (farmers, researchers, agencies) to innovative farmers who are already country in Marlborough, and to explore evaluate and on-farm trial a range of land proactively developing resilient farming farmer’s attitudes and behaviours, with management and land use options and systems with a 40-100 year vision a particular focus on understanding alternatives that can be evaluated through · the need for community-wide education barriers to their uptake of information and whole farm enterprise and landscape and engagement in developing proactive knowledge. modeling techniques and by farmers measures that will help develop within current and future farming catchment, or region-wide, long-term The SFSCG’s mandate is to establish trials systems resilience. and explore solutions to advance a way · to develop a medium- to long-term forward. communication strategy whereby the These fi ndings prompted the organisation “keys to making transitions from the of a climate change workshop for the The objectives of this project, which will current state towards a superior and more SFSCG and the use of questionnaires and continue for a further two years, are: sustainable state” are made available for interviews with key farmers to progress this uptake in nearby land project. · to build on the limited knowledge of soils in the district, to better understand Key results from this year Crisis provides a valuable opportunity to the physical soil properties that constrain Three properties were selected for analysis learn and bring about long-term change land use options and create erosion risk as a whole farm. This analysis has included that will benefi t whole communities. · to support and assist farming families soil taxonomy, physical, mechanical and Results to date have identifi ed farmer’s in the development of more sustainable nutrient characteristics, and their soil current attitudes to sustainable land land use options landscape relationships. These values management, and the barriers that · to improve understanding of present and provided linkages with pasture species, prevent them adopting and implementing future climate, and develop options that fertiliser inputs, soil moisture-holding alternative sustainable land management will support the development of long- capacity and stock-carrying capacity practices. This information provides a term resilience policies. benchmark from which to measure change. · to understand farmers’ capacity to change, and the barriers to adoption of The climate change project, Adapting to Progress to defi ne the “pathway” (costs, sustainable land management practices in Climate Change in Eastern New Zealand impacts, and production responses) that a pastoral farming community has, over the past two years, drawn together farms follow to make the transition from · to identify, describe, and model pastoral a detailed farmer perspective on climate their current state towards a superior and farming “themes” that have superior change. Two key fi ndings of relevance to more ecological and economic sustainable indications of long-term resilience in the SFSCG are: state is being measured. This has involved
74 SCIENCE REPORTS
a range of farming themes across the high Key funding sources · Mike Watson, Farmer, Stirlingbrook, input/low input and lifestyle continuum. · MAF Sustainable Farming Fund Seddon Using a model, the economic outcomes of · Marlborough Research Centre · Geoff Wiffen, Farmer, Ward making these transitions were identifi ed. · New Zealand Landcare Trust · Kevin Loe, Farmer, Ward This involved assessing the likelihood that · Marlborough District Council · Richard Hunter RMH & Associates they will improve farm net worth from · Transpower Landcare Trust Marlborough Research Centre making the choice to take up a transitional · Starborough Flaxbourne Soil pathway. The development and testing Conservation Group Contacts of the model were undertaken on two [email protected] properties. Key staff involved [email protected] · Barbara Stuart, Project Manager Investigation of the potential use of native · John Peter, Farmer, Awatere Valley and exotic plants to improve landscape · Doug Avery, Farmer, Grassmere, Seddon values on production, shade and soil · Andrew Barker, Farmer/Marlborough conservation was completed. Plantings on District Councilor, Seddon the Wither Hills over previous decades are being used as the benchmark.
Publications/communication · Communication via fi eld days, focal areas/sites (eg salt bush trials), regular media articles, project meetings and individual contact. · Annual project newsletter for local farmers, key stakeholder groups and interested parties. · Project website being developed in conjunction with the New Zealand Landcare Trust.
75 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Financial Reports for the Year Ended 30 June 2006
CONTENTS
• Directory 77
• Research Operating Accounts 78
• Research Centre Operations 78
• Rowley Vineyard Operations 79
• Grovetown Park Account 79
• Trust Revenue and Expenditure Accounts 79
• Statement of Financial Position 80
• Asset and Depreciation Schedule 81
• Notes to Accounts 82
• Auditors Report 87
76 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Directory as at 30 June 2006
DIRECTORY
Trustees John Marris, Chairman Edwin Pitts Bernie Rowe
Executive Offi cer Gerald Hope
Nature of Business Administration of research projects
Location 85 Budge Street Blenheim
Auditors Winstanley Kerridge P O Box 349 Blenheim
Solicitors Gascoigne Wicks P O Box 2 Blenheim
Bankers Bank of New Zealand 92-94 Market Street Blenheim
77 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006
Research Operating Accounts - for the year ended 30 June 2006
Sauvignon Wine industry New Zealand Blanc research research Winegrower’s TOTAL Last Year projects projects projects
Revenues Contract research revenues 493,603 493,603 675,000 Wine industry contributions (note 15) 202,324 106,301 308,624 172,125 New Zealand Winegrowers 21,277 21,277 Vinefax subscription 23,564 23,564 25,000 Other revenues (note 15) 16,290 16,290 16,286 Special Grant - MRC Trust 65,000 65,000 558,603 242,177 127,578 928,357 888,411
Costs Personnel 122,645 58,514 19,305 200,465 153,163 Consumables and direct research costs 17,229 14,001 10,342 41,572 46,204 Bad Debt 1,251 1,251 Vinefax cost 50,000 50,000 25,000 Subcontracting Lincoln University 108,987 108,987 133,987 Hort Research 135,000 135,000 119,070 Research Centre charges (note 16) 223,758 107,958 44,200 375,916 320,961 Wine research administration costs 9,322 3,555 1,133 14,010 18,898 616,942 235,280 74,980 927,202 817,282
Net Surplus (Defi cit) - transferred to Equity (58,339) 6,897 52,598 1,156 71,128
Research Centre Operations - for the year ended 30 June 2006
Revenues Rentals 51,735 44,028
Costs Personnel 124,453 92,601 Offi ce expenses (note 10) 42,754 13,193 Administration costs (note 10) 24,863 31,206 Operating costs (note 10) 95,639 126,288 Rates and insurance 1,607 Depreciation 135,347 120,830 424,663 384,118 less - recovered from research projects and operating accounts (510,637) (320,961) (85,974) 63,157
Net surplus (defi cit) from operations - transferred to Trust account 137,709 (19,129)
78 NOTE: This Statement is to be read in conjunction with the Notes to the Financial Statements FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006
Rowley Vineyard operations Last year Revenue Grape Sales 221,903 157,996 Rent - NZ Vine Improvement Group 10,750 10,750 Contracting Maintenance 190 232,653 168,936 Costs Personnel costs 41,314 4,189 Operating costs 13,324 52,550 Administration 87,323 849 Rates and insurance 3,980 4,763 Depreciation 14,040 15,375 159,982 77,726
Net vineyard surplus 72,672 91,210
Grovetown Park account Revenue Rentals 90,342 92,007
Costs Repairs and maintenance 8,557 8,869 Transfer to maintenance provision 2,000 Other expenses (1,598) 53 Depreciation 7,356 7,502 16,315 16,424
Net Grovetown Park surplus 74,027 75,583
Trust Revenue and Expenditure Accounts - for the year ended 30 June 2006 Revenue Interest Received 61,935 25,553 Theatre Hire/Data Projector Hire 1,045 595 Sundry Receipts 409 Marlborough District Council 110,000 110,000 Net vineyard surplus 72,672 91,210 Net Grovetown Park surplus 74,027 75,580 Grant received - Budge Street building 51,284 Net Surplus on Research Centre operations 137,709 457,387 354,632 Costs Net defi cit on Research Centre operations 19,129 Audit fees 4,500 1,500 Grant - RMH & Associates 35,000 45,000 Grant - Hort Research Research Grants 50,000 45,000 Grant - Pastoral East Coast 10,100 1,898 Grant - Focus Vineyards 10,000 10,000 Grant - Vinefax subsidy 65,000 7,846 Grant - Microvinifi cation 4,413 Other costs 51,501 5,432 226,101 140,217
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Surplus - transferred to Equity 231,287 214,416
NOTE: This Statement is to be read in conjunction with the Notes to the Financial Statements 79 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006
Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June 2006 Last year Current Assets BNZ current account number 2 7,554 11,590 Goods & Services Tax refund due 2,116 2,646 Interest accrued 16,458 4,766 Accounts receivable 327,996 108,639 Total current assets 354,124 127,641 Investments BNZ Term Deposit (note 3) 844,787 867,828
Fixed assets Opening Book Value 2,880,743 2,843,859 Additions this year 93,051 180,591 Depreciation written off (156,743) (143,707) Balance at year end (note 4) 2,817,051 2,880,743 Total non-current assets 3,661,838 3,748,571 Total assets 4,015,962 3,876,212
Current liabilities BNZ Current Account 132,859 234,407 Accounts payable (note 11) 34,946 18,713 Wine industry advance contributions (note 7) 119,001 128,375 286,805 381,495 Net assets 3,729,157 3,494,717
Equity (note 8) Wine Research Centre Balance at 1 July 2005 360,549 289,421 Net Surplus Sauvignon Blanc projects (58,339) 87,373 (Defi cit) on Wine Industry Projects 6,897 (16,244) New Zealand Winegrower’s projects 52,598 361,705 360,549 Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Balance at 1 July 2005 3,095,461 2,881,047 Net Surplus for year 231,287 214,416 3,326,747 3,095,463 Reserves Maintenance Reserve (note 5) 16,070 14,070 Revaluation Reserve 24,635 24,635 Balance at year end (note 6) 3,367,452 3,134,168 Total equity (note 8) 3,729,157 3,494,717
For and on behalf of the Trust:
Trustee Trustee
Date: 07/09/06
80 NOTE: This Statement is to be read in conjunction with the Notes to the Financial Statements FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006
Asset and Depreciation Schedule for the year ended 30 June 2006 Accumulated Book Value Depreciation depreciation as at Book Value Cost Price 1 July 2005 Additions charged this year 30 June 2006 30 June 2006 LAND & BUILDINGS Grovetown Park State Highway One 531,723 464,040 6,372 74,055 457,668 Research Centre Budge Street 2,242,927 2,121,245 20,061 87,762 209,444 2,053,544 2,774,650 2,585,285 20,061 94,134 283,499 2,511,212
PLANT & EQUIPMENT Research Centre Budge Street 208,534 158,248 70,069 41,604 91,890 186,713 Vineyard 8,000 7,267 1,599 2,332 5,668 216,534 165,515 70,069 43,203 94,222 192,381
MOTOR VEHICLES Rowley vineyard 10,629 1,661 222 9,190 1,439 Research Centre Budge Street 6,489 6,348 1,650 1,791 4,698 17,118 8,009 1,872 10,981 6,137
FURNITURE & FITTINGS Grovetown Park State Highway One 19,531 3,734 735 16,532 2,999 Research Centre Budge Street 29,818 23,170 2,921 4,587 11,235 21,504 49,349 26,904 2,921 5,322 27,767 24,503
VINEYARD Development expenditure 116,350 81,173 9,385 44,562 71,788 Irrigation 12,073 7,997 1,152 5,228 6,845 Netting 9,128 5,860 1,675 4,943 4,185 137,551 95,030 12,212 54,733 82,818
TOTAL ASSETS 3,195,202 2,880,743 93,051 156,743 471,202 2,817,051
NOTE: This Statement is to be read in conjunction with the Notes to the Financial Statements 81 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006 Notes to Accounts
1. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES The fi nancial statements presented here are for the entity Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust, a charitable trust registered under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust is a reporting entity under the Financial Reporting Act 1993. These Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice.
The accounting principles recognised as appropriate for the measurement and reporting of earnings and fi nancial position on an historical cost basis have been used, with the exception of certain items for which specifi c accounting policies have been identifi ed.
(a) Changes in Accounting Policies There have been no changes in accounting policies. All policies have been applied on bases consistent with those used in previous years. (b) Income Tax The trust is not subject to income tax as per the Income Tax Act 2004, Section CW34. This approval was confi rmed by the Inland Revenue Department on 12 October 2004. (c) Receivables Receivables are stated at their estimated realisable value. Bad debts are written off in the year in which they are identifi ed. (d) Fixed Assets Fixed Assets have been included at cost less accumulated depreciation. Details of fi xed assets are set out in the attached Fixed Asset Register. (e) Depreciation Depreciation has been charged on a cost price or diminishing value basis, in accordance with the method and rates currently approved by the Inland Revenue Department. Details of rates and depreciation claims are set out in the Fixed Asset Register included herein. (f) Goods & Services Tax The Statement of Financial Performance has been prepared so that all components are stated exclusive of GST. All items in the Statement of Financial Position are stated net of GST, with the exception of account receivables and payables. (g) Differential Reporting Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust is a qualifying entity in that it qualifi es for differential reporting as it is not publicly accountable and it is not large. All available differential reporting exemptions have been applied.
2. AUDIT These fi nancial statements have been audited. Please refer to the auditor’s report.
82 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006 Notes to Accounts
3. INVESTMENTS Interest has been accrued to balance date. Investments are as follows: Account # Interest Rate Maturity Date Balance 30.6.06 Balance 30.6.05 3057 6.50% - 41,509 3063 6.50% 01-Aug-06 54,444 52,038 3065 6.50% - 61,603 3066 6.50% - 51,336 3067 6.95% - 51,068 3068 6.50% - 102,137 3070 6.55% - 102,137 3071 6.95% - 50,000 3073 6.95% - 70,000 3074 6.95% - 50,000 3075 6.95% - 36,000 3076 6.95% - 50,000 3077 7.10% 29-Nov-06 155,141 150,000 3078 7.40% 17-Jul-06 54,330 - 3084 7.30% 01-Jul-06 130,872 - 3086 7.29% 01-Aug-06 200,000 - 3087 7.30% 30-Sep-06 250,000 - 844,787 867,828
4. FIXED ASSETS (Refer to Schedule) Land, buildings and improvements were revalued by Valuation NZ as at 1 September 2002. The Trust has not depreciated the buildings portion of the property revaluation. It is the view of the Trustees that such depreciation is not material.
Depreciation rates used are: Grovetown Park Buildings & Amenities - 2% to 3% Cost Price or 4% to 21.6% Diminishing Value Budge Street Buildings & Amenities – 4% to 18% Diminishing Value Plant & Equipment - 12% to 48% Diminishing Value Motor Vehicles – 12% to 26% Diminishing Value Furniture & Fittings – 12% to 39.6% Diminishing Value Vineyard – 6% to 39.6% Diminishing Value
Additions this year include: - Budge Street Sensory room 11,771 - Screw capping machine 6,479 - Laboratory joinery 6,800 - Security system 6,329 - Laboratory AC unit 5,108 - Coolroom 30,076 - Hazardous goods cabinet 3,226 - Solar panels 2,889 - Perpetual software licences 3,320 - Other plant and fi ttings 14,208 - Meeting room AC unit 2,845 $93,051
83 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006 Notes to Accounts
5. POLICIES It is Trust policy that funds be set aside annually for the Maintenance Reserve. A further $2,000.00 has been added to the reserve in this fi nancial year.
6. RESERVES Movements in Reserves are as follows: 2006 2005
Opening Balance 38,705 36,705 Transfer to Maintenance Reserve 2,000 2,000 Closing Balance $40,705 $38,705
7. TIMING OF CONTRIBUTIONS Although industry contributors have agreed to contribute annually for fi ve years, not all contributors commenced payments at the same time and some contributors chose to wait until the new building was completed, the Research Leader appointed and new projects underway. In addition, contributors contribute for a calendar year (1 January to 31 December) which is in confl ict with our fi nancial year 1 July to 30 June. The result is that some contributors will continue to make contributions to the centre beyond the fi nal commitment date of the initial fi ve year period which commenced 1 January 2003.
8. EQUITY Wine Research Centre Wine Industry and Research Grant Funding 2003 193,000 2004 186,225 2005 847,125 Gross income to 30 June 2005 1,226,350
Less Direct Costs 2003 3,403 2004 86,401 2005 775,997 865,801 Balance at 1 July 2005 $360,549
Net surplus (defi cit) on 2006 research projects Sauvignon blanc projects (58,339) Wine industry projects 6,897 New Zealand Winegrower’s projects 52,598 1,156 Wine Research Centre balance at 30 June 2006 $361,705
84 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006 Notes to Accounts
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Balance at 1 July 2005 3,095,461 Net Surplus for the year 231,285 3,326,747 Reserves Revaluation Reserve 24,635 Maintenance Reserve 16,070 40,705 Trust balance at 30 June 2006 $3,367,452 TOTAL EQUITY BALANCE AT 30 JUNE 2006 $3,729,157
9. REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE The items comprising property repairs in this fi nancial year were all small repairs. There were no signifi cant repairs (>$1,000) carried out during the year.
10. OPERATING COSTS Operating and administration are made up as follows:
Offi ce, Administration Costs and Operating Costs Annual Report 13,664 Property repairs 11,507 Accountancy 12,311 Building development costs 10,315 Conference expenses (net) 12,973 Promotional Costs 7,549 Lab and winemaking costs 36,229 Other 15,954 Offi ce Expenses 26,534 Computer Expenses 16,220 $163,256
11. ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 2006 2005 Trade creditors 23,427 14,939 Provision for audit fees 6,000 1,500 Holiday pay accrual 605 - PAYE for June 2006 4,914 2,274 $34,946 $18,713
12. CONTINGENT LIABILITIES As at balance date there are no known contingent liabilities.
85 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence Trust Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2006 Notes to Accounts
13. COMMITMENTS Trustees approved applications for research grants of $75,000 on 28 June 2006. These grants will be paid as agreed with researchers during the 2006/07 fi nancial year. A further $35,000 may be approved pending the results of the winegrowers survey.
As at balance date there are no known capital commitments.
14. EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO BALANCE DATE The Trust is, from 1 July, 2006, maintaining two distinct operating accounts – one for the activities of the Trust excluding Wine Research activities, and one for Wine Research activities. Certain of the Trust’s costs which are deemed to be applicable to Wine Research activities will be allocated to the Wine Research operation.
This change has been made in order to allow more accurate recording and reporting of the funding and cost of individual wine research projects.
In future, therefore, the fi nancial statements included in the Trust’s Annual Report will include a report upon the Wine Research activities, a report upon the other activities of the Trust, and a consolidated report.
15. REVENUES The wine industry has provided funding as follows: 2006 year $308,624 2005 year $172,125 2004 year $186,225 2003 year $193,000
Wine Industry Contributions - $308,624 represents payments received on a calendar year basis which are allocated to the operating year on an accruals basis. Further contributions of $119,001 had been received at balance date. These will be allocated to the next fi nancial year’s operations. These advance receipts are shown under current liabilities in the balance sheet.
Other revenues - $16,290 - this is teaching income received from our research leader and complementary student scholarships.
16. RESEARCH PROJECT RECOVERY Recovered from research projects $375,916. This is the gross amount the MRC Trust recovers from operations at the Wine Research Centre ($223,758 for Sauvignon Blanc projects, $107,958 from wine industry research projects, and $44,200 from New Zealand Winegrower’s projects). These operating costs cover all personnel and overhead costs such as, vehicle costs, subscriptions, travel, staff conference costs etc. The recovery is based on the budgeted annual allocation of costs to each operation. While the 2006 year shows an over-recovery of $85,974, the 2005 and 2004 years were under-recovered by $63,157 and $64,227 respectively.
86 FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2006
Auditors Report
22 SCOTT STREET AUDIT REPORT BLENHEIM To the Readers of the Financial Report of NEW ZEALAND MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE TRUST P.O. BOX 349 for the year ended 30 June 2006 Tel. 03-578 0180 We have audited the fi nancial report on the accompanying pages, and identifi ed with the ‘Winstanley Kerridge Fax 03-578 0327 Audit’ stamp. The fi nancial report provides information about the past fi nancial performance of the Trust and its fi nancial position as at 30 June 2006. This information is stated in accordance with the accounting policies Email set out in the report. [email protected] TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES Website The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of a fi nancial report that fairly refl ects the fi nancial position of www.winkerr.co.na the Trust as at 30 June 2006, and of the results of operations for the year ended on that date.
PICTON OFFICE AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES MARINERS MALL It is our responsibility to express an independent opinion on the fi nancial report presented by the Trust. Tel. 03-573 6411 BASIS OF OPINION An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the fi nancial report. It also includes assessing:
* the signifi cant estimates and judgements made by the trustees in the preparation of the fi nancial report, and * whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the trust’s circumstances, consistently applied, and adequately disclosed.
PARTNERS We conducted our audit in accordance with New Zealand Auditing Standards. We planned and performed PETER J. FORREST our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considered necessary in order to CRAIG A.J. FORSYTH provide us with suffi cient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the fi nancial report is free from material MATHEW B.J. KERR misstatements, whether caused by fraud or error. In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall GREGORY J. KING adequacy of the presentation of information in the fi nancial report. NEIL SINCLAIR Other than in our capacity as auditor we have no relationship with, or interest in, the Trust.
CONSULTANT UNQUALIFIED OPINION ROBERT J. MARKS We have obtained all of the information and explanations that we have required. In our opinion: ASSOCIATES • proper accounting records have been kept by the Trust as far as appears from our examination of those PAUL A. BUSH records; and ANGELA M. WOOD SUE GRANGER • the fi nancial report on the accompanying pages: - complies with generally accepted accounting practice in New Zealand; - gives a true and fair view of the fi nancial position of Marlborough Research Centre of Excellence PRACTICE MANAGER Trust as at 30 June 2006 and the results of its operations for the year ended on that date. DIANNE BELL Our audit was completed on 11 September 2006 and our unqualifi ed opinion is expressed as at that date.
WINSTANLEY KERRIDGE Blenheim
87 88
MARLBOROUGH RESEARCH CENTRE of EXCELLENCE TRUST MARLBOROUGH WINE RESEARCH CENTRE
Private Bag 1007, Blenheim, New Zealand Tel: 03 577 2370, Fax: 03 578 0153 Email: [email protected] www.wineresearch.org.nz