After regionals for each competition, the finals took place at the Bragato Conference, with the winners being announced at the Gala Dinner.
Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year
By the end of his speech at the Bragato Wine Awards dinner, Cameron Price admitted that he had managed to not only insult his wife, but also the region of Marlborough. Not that anyone was upset, given his three minutes behind the microphone discussing “How do we create and maintain value for the future of our industry”, was a very good summary, one that had people nodding their heads and laughing throughout. For many at the dinner, this was their first chance to view the six Bayer Young Viticulturists of the Year competitors and all were impressed. As mentioned above, if these are the industry’s future, we are in some pretty decent hands.
Cameron, who is the vineyard supervisor working on Villa Maria’s Ngakirikiri, Vidal and Twyford Gravels vineyard in Hawke’s Bay has been a regular in the regional finals for the past three years. However he never expected to take out the national title at his first go.
“I thought it would take me two or three years having a go at it,” he says. “To do it this year, I was pretty impressed with myself.”
Growing up in Palmerston North, he didn’t even know what a viticulturist was, until one came to his school to discuss careers.
“I thought I should go and have a look at what this person had to say, and here I am.”
He was encouraged by his father, who had already told him that he needn’t think he was going to follow the family tradition and become a plumber.
“He said there was no way I was going to be a plumber like him and his father. He told me I had more brains than that.”
So off to EIT in Hawke’s Bay where he began the concurrent Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science. It became obvious very early on that the viticultural side of the industry was where he wanted to be.
“There was too much stainless steel in the winery for someone like me. I am very much an outdoors person. I love viticulture. Somedays you are outside, the next you are in an office. And you are always learning. I don’t think you are ever going to get to a point in this industry where you are going to say, ‘I don’t think there is anything else I can learn.”’
In May this year he began working for Villa Maria, a job he had coveted for some time.
“The opportunity came up and I welcomed it with open arms and haven’t looked back. In the first week I didn’t meet anyone that had been here for less than 10 years. That says a lot and was part of the reason why I wanted to join the Villa group.”
Having now knocked off the Bayer National Young Viticulturist of the Year, Cameron is concentrating on learning everything he can for the upcoming Young Horticulturist of the Year competition, being held in November. It means there is no sitting back on his laurels or his latest win.
“I think my social life has gone out the window for the next few months,” he joked a few days after winning the national title.
With the lease of a Hyundai Sante Fe for the next 12 months, plus a $5000 travel prize, things are likely to get a lot busier for this 26-year-old. The travel prize in particular may make up for him commenting about his wife during the competition.
“We are looking at France and touring around the European wine regions. We were meant to go away two years ago for eight weeks, but decided that we would use the money for a house deposit. So I had better pay my wife back.”ν
Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year
2016 is a year Jordan Hogg won’t forget in a hurry. His son Oscar was born in April, he turned the grand old age of 30 in July and he took out the New Zealand Young Winemaker title in August. Quite a bit to get his head around he admits.
The assistant winemaker at Seresin Estate in Marlborough had one and only one chance of gaining a regional and national title, given his age. The rules of the competition mean all those competing must be under the age of 30 as at January 1st.
“It was my first and last chance, so it put me under a bit of pressure,” he admitted the day after being crowned the winner.
Coming from Marlborough, it isn’t surprising that Jordan had visions of being involved in the wine industry in some way. He undertook a BSc at Canterbury University, and came back to Marlborough to work in the laboratory at Wither Hills.
“That was my introduction to the wine industry, and I loved it. After a year there I decided to pursue winemaking through the post grad course at Lincoln.”
After completing that degree, he worked at Muddy Water/Greystone Wines in Waipara prior to moving into the assistant winemaker role at Seresin. It is no accident that both companies have a strong organic background.
“I did pick my path with producers who had great values and make wines that I love,” he said.
After winning the Marlborough regional final, Jordan said his immediate reaction was to celebrate.
“Then it dawned on me the next day that I had to do it all again. The nationals were a big step up.”
There were a number of challenges for the four competitors, but the toughest one for Jordan was having to complete a capital expenditure in just 45 minutes.
“We had to consider three filters and make the choice of which one was better, but we had to analyse it on financial and the production ability of the different components. That was tough, especially in just 45 minutes.”
What made him laugh afterwards, was the fact his father who is an accountant for a wine company, said he would probably have taken a few weeks to complete such a task.
Now with the finals behind him, Jordan is planning on relaxing for the rest of the year and considering just how he will spend the $5000 travel scholarship presented by Tonnellerie de Mercurey.
“I think we have to go to France - how terrible would that be?,” he joked. “But maybe next year I can coincide a harvest and take Kim (partner) and Oscar with me – that would be great.”
