|
Wi Pere Vineyards is a contract grower of quality wine grapes for Montana Wines and Tohu Wines. The Trust currently employs a Vineyard Manager and a permanent worker who are supported by casual vineyard workers as required throughout the year.
Wi Pere Trust's 50.1 ha of plantings consist of two blocks, one located at the intersection of Tiniroto and Pipiwhakao Roads, in close proximity to Te Tipu Citrus, and the main vineyard on Lavenham Road about 6 km north of Patutahi.
The growing season commences in September with bud break and ends in May with leaf fall. Work during the winter concentrates on vineyard maintenance and vine pruning (approximately 90,000 vines).
The vineyards are currently planted in white wine grapes of the following varieties:
Early Season
Reichensteiner (4.3 ha) - a heavy cropping, bulk grape variety used in cask wine.
Muller Thurgau (10.2 ha) - a bulk grape variety which is normally used in cask but may also be used in lower priced bottled wine.
Mid Season
Chardonnay (26.6 ha) - a grape variety which is starting to dominate plantings within the Gisborne area (Chardonnay capital of NZ). Wi Pere vineyard has three clones of this variety clone 15, clone 6 and Mendoza.
Late Season
Chenin Blanc (4.5 ha) - later ripening this grape can also be difficult to grow in Gisborne, succumbing to Botrytis and sour rots in wet seasons. All of the vineyard's plantings were on their own roots and therefore subject to attack from Phylloxera which has limited the potential of these plantings. A replanting programme now focuses on replacing these vines with more favourable grape varieties
Semillon (4.5 ha) - produces a style of wine similar to Sauvignon Blanc but can also suffer quality loss due to autumn rain and berry splitting.
A replanting programme is currently underway to increase the long-term profitability of the vineyard. This will focus on removing old and diseased vines, vines which are not planted on rootstock and bulk wine varieties which will be replaced by Chardonnay.
Climate
The Gisborne climate is best suited to early and mid season grape varieties, as in most years sufficient growing degree days can be accumulated to achieve good ripening of the grapes. The tendency towards late summer/autumn rains can result in later varieties being badly affected by wet, humid weather which increases disease problems and reduces quality.
Soil
The vineyard soils are highly fertile alluvial clay loams with high water holding capacity. There are few requirements for fertiliser additions as the soils tend to be of a suitable pH with good nutrient levels available to the vines.
A range of natural products has been used with some success to overcome the devastating effects of Phylloxera in the Chenin Blanc block. These products also appear to have improved the overall health of the vines and their resistance to disease. Trials are continuing.
Vine Management
The high fertility and good water holding capacity of the vineyard soils tends to promote very vigorous vine growth. This attribute has been used in the past to heavily crop vines in the Poverty Bay and the region became known for its ability to produce high yields of bulk wines. This attitude to grape growing in the Poverty Bay is now changing with the region becoming increasingly well known for its ability to produce well-balanced Chardonnay grapes of high quality. This is increasingly the focus for Wi Pere Vineyards.
While many of these practices can be done by machine, there is also a steady input by casual workers who shoot thin and leaf pluck by hand in premium Chardonnay blocks. Demand for skilled vineyard workers is high and finding enough suitable workers is a challenge to be faced by the whole industry in the future.
This style of vine management assists in reducing chemical inputs, such as sprays, in the vineyard and promotes sustainable viticulture as a long-term goal.
Integrated Wine Production Scheme (NZIWP)
Wi Pere Vineyards participated in the Gisborne pilot scheme that was launched by the New Zealand Wine Industry to promote sustainable vineyard practices.
With an emphasis on exporting New Zealand wine as "the riches of a clean green land" the aim of the IWP programme is to develop a sustainable method of grape production which is free from chemical inputs.
While the ultimate expression of 'sustainable viticulture' would be organic grape production, in the case of Wi Pere vineyards, organic production on such a large scale is not considered economically sustainable. It is the aim of the Wi Pere vineyard to minimise chemical inputs through good viticultural and soil management practices, including vine and soil testing and monitoring for pests and diseases to reduce the need for spray applications.
Vineyard Manager - Dexin Huang
P.O. Box 12
Patutahi
Home: 06 862 5773
P/Hou: 06 862 5825
Fax: 06 862 5424
Cell: 025 649 9268
Email: dhuang@xtra.co.nz
|
|
