Young Viticulturists

Tai Nelson, 23 - Vineyard Manager for Soljans Estate Winery, Auckland/Northland Regional Winner

What attracted you to viticulture?

Honestly, it was a lucky coincidence. I had been working casually in the vineyard for a few years and after a year fulltime in hospitality I was looking to get out. With the previous Vineyard Manager retiring, I put my hand up to give it a go and come on fulltime. A year later, and I'm absolutely loving it.

I enjoy the work outside and with such a long and rich history soaked in tradition, there is just so much to learn. I like the problem-solving aspect as well, having to plan around the weather and change plans as you work - it's a constant challenge.

Explain a great day at work. And a bad one!

A great day at work would involve an hour in the morning for planning, budgeting, emails and coffee, and then the rest of the day outside in the vines getting a whole lot of canopy management work in. It's great to work at such a small winery that I can be really involved with every aspect of the job.

What isn't ideal is having machinery breakdown during spraying or mowing, or the weather sending me in and out every hour or so. The worst days are when I am all over the show and don't end up getting much done, but I try to take each day fresh as it comes.

What are the most exciting developments in viticulture?

From what I've seen, there has been a trend towards combining traditional methods and techniques with modern technology, which is the kind of development I'm so passionate about. Always learning from the past and improving on it to create the future.

And what are the greatest challenges?

The greatest challenge at the moment is staff shortages, primarily due to Covid-19. During harvest, grapes have just been left on the vine because there isn't anyone to pick them. A close second is a dramatic increase in extreme weather events and global changes to weather patterns. As a viticulturist, being able to predict and understand the weather is paramount, which is impossible when one week you have flooding and the next hot sunshine.

How do you envisage the future of New Zealand's wine industry?

I believe the world will soon discover just how much we have to offer. With some industry-leading technology being developed by New Zealand companies, as well as constant refinement and innovation in winegrowing and making. I can't wait to see international supermarkets with more on their shelves than Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc!

Sum up a career in viticulture in 10 words or fewer.

Perfecting the balance between vine, soil, sun and weather.

Laura Marston, 22 - Viticulture Cadet at Craggy Range, Hawke's Bay Regional Winner

What attracted you to viticulture?

I love science and knew I wanted to work in the outdoors, so viticulture was the perfect option for me. The variation in the industry really appealed to me - no two seasons are the same, which continually brings new challenges. To kickstart my career I went to Lincoln University to study a bachelor of viticulture and oenology.

Explain a great day at work. And a bad one!

If I learn something new in the vineyard, it's a great day at work. I'm surrounded by a supportive and passionate team who are generous with sharing their knowledge. A bad day is when it's high humidity and raining in the middle of harvest!

Laura Marston

What are the most exciting developments in viticulture?

Growers choosing to implement and incorporate organic principles into their vineyards. We are future-proofing our vineyard by giving back to our land through techniques such as composting, eliminating herbicide and establishing cover cropping. It is also exciting to see 'soft pruning' being more widely adopted to maintain healthy sap flow and encourage vine longevity. I am interested in the move towards using a less frequent irrigation to encourage the vines roots to grow deeper and become more self-reliant, which can be assisted using a pressure bomb for vine stress measurements.

And what are the greatest challenges?

Glyphosate is used widely across conventional vineyards and the potential threat of it being removed from the spray schedule is very real. This means growers are being challenged to come up with innovative ways to manage their weed control. Such as, different native species are being trialled to fill the undervine area to out compete the weed, while not taking the vines' nutrients and water.

How do you envisage the future of New Zealand's wine industry?

With cost of production steadily increasing and labour becoming progressively more expensive, producers will be forced to increase the price per bottle. To compete with other countries, New Zealand will need to ensure the quality of the wine matches the higher price. I think the New Zealand wine industry's future will be producing higher quality wine and with producers choosing to use organic principles. I think this will continue to grow a strong brand internationally.

Sum up a career in viticulture in 10 words or fewer

The perfect 'blend' of science, outdoors, variety and being challenged.

Katie Cameron, 27 - Technical Assistant at Escarpment Winery, Wairarapa Regional Winner

What attracted you to viticulture?

I've always had a passion for plant science and love working outdoors so a career in viticulture seemed to have the right balance of both. I began my wine career at Lincoln University, undertaking a bachelor of viticulture and oenology. After catching the travelling-harvest bug, I interned in Central Otago, Hawke's Bay, California and Tuscany before accepting a scholarship to study a master of viticulture and oeneology based in France then Italy. My first harvest at Escarpment in 2020 cemented my love for the New Zealand wine industry and in particular the Wairarapa wine region.

Explain a great day at work. And a bad one!

For me, the most rewarding aspect of work is the end product. Knowing that all the problem solving, small wins and hard work, together with an amazing team, creates a tangible product that we can all be proud of. Of course, in contrast, a tough reality of viticulture is that we're often at the mercy of weather events during critical growing stages, despite best efforts.

What are the most exciting developments in viticulture?

As climate change continues to be front of mind for viticulturists, I'm really excited to see the industry look for improvements in how we sustainably grow grapes. Native cover crop species, vineyard mapping and technology are area of viticulture I'm particularly interested in seeing develop in New Zealand.

And what are the greatest challenges?

Biosecurity threats are always going to be a challenge to navigate in the future, along with pest and disease resistance and management.

Katie Cameron

How do you envisage the future of New Zealand's wine industry?

The hope is that the New Zealand wine industry will continue to focus on producing high quality wines with distinctive regional character that rival the very best wine growing countries.

Sum up a career in viticulture in 10 words or fewer.

Ever rewarding yet challenging, surrounded by like-minded people.

Tahryn Mason, 29 - Vineyard Supervisor for Villa Maria Estate, based in Awatere Valley, Marlborough Regional Winner

What attracted you to viticulture?

The blending of art and science. For a field that is so informed by science and technology, its application can be very subjective. It can all depend on the direction you're trying to take things.

Explain a great day at work. And a bad one!

A great day for me is being out in the yards, assessing how the vines are progressing and looking for issues. A bad day always involves machinery that won't work and a trip to TRS.

What are the most exciting developments in viticulture?

I think the uptake of technology in the sector is great - especially with regard to labour/staff management and vine data collection. Having that information at your fingertips helps us make the best decisions at the right times.

And what are the greatest challenges?

Finding staff can be a real challenge post-Covid. Making sure that we have enough to effectively run our yards for the season has become harder.

How do you envisage the future of New Zealand's wine industry?

I'm sure we'll continue our steady growth in export markets, as the demand for New Zealand wine doesn't seem to be slowing internationally. I'd like to think an industry wide move towards softer chemistry and lower impact land usage is over some not-too-distant horizon. Especially considering changing perceptions regarding 'acceptable' chemistry in some of those markets.

Sum up a career in viticulture in 10 words or fewer.

It's farming, but the end result tastes better than milk!