The Glasnevin soil (left) is formed in the sandy gravels of the Waipara basin and there are many vineyards developed on the soil. The Omihi soil (right) is formed in the clayey floodplain sediments that form a significant part of the Omihi valley and there are a number of well established vineyards on this soil. The Omihi soils have a horizon of calcium carbonate in the subsoil and underlying gravelly sands also have free calcium carbonate. These two soils express part of the range of soils to be found in the Waipara area.
Plans are underway for an upcoming project that would interpret the geology, landforms, and soils of the North Canterbury winegrowing regions of Waipara and Waikari.
Over the past twenty years, information characterizing the soils of North Canterbury has been collected thanks to the efforts of Mr Trevor Webb of Landcare Research, and Drs Philip Tonkin and Peter Almond of Lincoln University. Though much of this information has been presented in revision of soil maps, reports, and informal publications, a comprehensive record does not currently exist. The aim of the proposed project is to collate the existing information from vineyard surveys conducted over the past two decades to compile all of the information in a comprehensive manner. This project will serve to identify the incredibly diverse soil types of the region’s vineyards. The final form of this compilation is yet to be determined, but is intended to be comprehensive and readily accessible. In addition, the consolidation of existing information will allow for the identification of gaps and limitations in the available knowledge, targeting future soil studies in the region.
Another goal of the project is to assemble a history of the North Canterbury region from information about the region’s geology, landforms, and soils. This will help to identify, define and characterise the region’s unique terroir. This terroir characterisation will be beneficial for use in defining the style and unique character of North Canterbury wines, to the benefit of the local wine industry. In addition, Dr Tonkin hopes to use this opportunity to clarify the language used to describe landform and soil characteristics, establishing a common vocabulary between soil professionals and the public in order to accurately identify vineyard soil types in the popular lexicon.
Dr Tonkin is a retired Pedologist who currently holds the title of Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Soil and Physical Sciences at Lincoln.
Dr Marlene Jaspers has recently completed a series of research reports for New Zealand Winegrowers. The reports summarize recent findings from research projects investigating Botryosphaeria dieback disease and Cylindrocarpon black foot disease in New Zealand vineyards.
The Botroyosphaeria report comprises three sections. In the first, the species of Botryosphaeriaceae present in New Zealand, as well as their distribution in New Zealand wine regions, is reported. This is followed by an investigation of the epidemiology of Botryosphaeria diseases in grapevines, including an analysis of infection processes, infection risk factors, disease development, and the production and dispersal of spores. The third section reports on an investigation into the role of grapevine propagation nurseries in the spread of Botryosphaeria, and begins the dialogue about the development of control strategies.
The Cylindrocarpon black foot disease report describes the identification of the pathogens in New Zealand, investigations into the pathogen’s disease cycle, risk factor assessment, infection mechanisms, and possible control mechanisms. Though the research demonstrates that eradication and control of the disease is difficult, the report outlines several control methods whose integration is believed to provide effective defence against the disease.
In an effort to link undergraduates more closely with the research focus of the Centre for Viticulture and Oenology a freshman-level course, “Introduction to the Winegrowing Industry,” will be offered second semester to serve as an introduction to viticulture and oenology for first-year students. The course provides first years with an opportunity to learn the basic principles of viticulture and winemaking, as well as an introduction to wine marketing and wine tourism, in both the global and New Zealand context. The course unites all aspects of research that are encompassed by the Centre and introduces first year students to current research projects in viticulture and oenology at the Centre. The course will also include a field trip to cellar door operations in the Waipara region as part of the marketing and tourism component.
Course Examiner Dr. Glen Creasy, Senior Lecturer in Viticulture at Lincoln University, said the establishment of the course is a significant milestone for the programme. “For Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology students, this course represents an expansion of the grape and wine-related information available to them in their studies.” In addition, “for students in other programmes, such as science or commerce, this course represents an entry point for learning about how wine is made, marketed and incorporated into regional tourism.”
Dr Roland Harrison, Director of the Centre for Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University, is also pleased with the new course. “The involvement of researchers in the Commerce and Tourism areas as lecturers in the programme means much wider exposure of the Centre’s investigations in those areas, which are of importance to the industry.”
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Professor Jordan (right) receiving the Honorary Doctorate Diploma.
Professor of Plant Biotechnology Brian Jordan travelled to Sweden in February to receive an honorary doctorate from Örebro University. He was recognized for his many achievements during the two-day graduation ceremony, where he shared the honour with two other honorary doctorate recipients.
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Scott Sharp-Heward is a Master’s student working with Dr Peter Almond in the Soil Science department. After completing a Bachelor’s of Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln, he decided to pursue a project investigating the effects of landscape recontouring in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. In recent years, landscape recontouring has been undertaken in many areas of Marlborough to expand the area available for planting vineyards, but the impact of this practice is not well characterised.
A vineyard in the Awatere Valley . The large cuts visible in the hillside are the result of recontouring processes.
Scott will work to map the soils in affected areas and build a database of the physical and chemical properties of three types of sites: the untouched soil, the soil that has been moved from the ridges or crests of hills into basins and gullies, and the soil that is now exposed on the surface of sites that were formerly ridges. He also plans to investigate the stability of recontoured slopes using soil engineering tests that provide insight into the infrastructure and erosion potential, and the increasing problem of soil creep in these areas.
He is conduction the research with support from the Marlborough District Council, and expects to see long-term benefits of this research as the project will elucidate “how landscape recontouring affects plant growth and erosion processes” which he hopes will lead the New Zealand wine industry to choose sustainable land management practices in the future.
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The Centre for Viticulture and Oenology was well represented at the 6th International Conference of the Academy of Wine Business Research (AWBR), held at the Bordeaux Management School in June. Two Lincoln lecturers, Sharon Forbes and Jo Fountain, were chosen to present their papers in a plenary session on Wine Sustainability, the theme for the conference. Other conference sessions included such topics as consumer behaviour, social media, sustainable business strategy, and wine culture.
Sharon Forbes presented work analysing the use of formal environmental management systems (EMSs) in New Zealand wineries. The plenary paper focused on the use of multiple EMSs and on assessing the tangible environmental, social, and economic benefits of EMS implementation in the wine industry. Despite not finding significant marketing and economic benefits through the use of EMSs, the study did find significant environmental benefits from the use of EMSs. In particular, the findings suggest that many New Zealand wine companies choose to implement multiple EMSs. The widespread use of multiple EMSs could indicate areas where individual EMSs are seen to be insufficient in their ability to improve environmental performance, which could lead to improvements in the individual programmes.
In the same plenary session, Jo Fountain presented a study on the impact of the Greening Waipara biodiversity trails. The Greening Waipara project was launched in 2005 in an effort to re-establish native flora in the wine growing region of Waipara and to encourage sustainable agricultural practices in the Waipara wine industry. One component of the project was the construction of biodiversity trails near the cellar door or restaurant of several Waipara wineries, with the intention of educating visitors about the importance of restoring biodiversity in the vineyard environment. The study, based on the PhD research of Lincoln postgrad Jean-Marie Tompkins, examined the effectiveness of the trails as both educational and marketing tools, and found that the trails had a positive impact on the overall visitor experience, effectively conveyed knowledge about biodiversity, and often resulted in an increased sense of connectedness to the winery, but this did not necessarily translate directly into an increased likelihood of purchasing wine from the winery.
Lincoln was represented by several other papers presented at the conference as well, including papers on Generation Y wine consumption practices and socialisation, sustainable wine production practices in New Zealand, and place-based marketing and wine tourism. All of the articles from the conference can be found on the AWBR website and the Lincoln research archive.
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My winemaking career started with a postgraduate Diploma of Viticulture and Oenology (after completing degrees in Arts and Law) at Lincoln. From there a thirsty desire to learn and experience the diversity of the wine world has taken me around the globe, as I worked all over Australia, the USA, Italy, and Spain before joining Tower Estate in January 2010.
I have continued my education through the Advanced Wine Assessment Course at the Australian Wine Research Institute and as a scholar at the prestigious Lens Evans Tutorial in 2002. Following this training, I have become a regular and respected senior wine show judge and panel chair at wine shows throughout Australia.
My philosophy for trying to make great wine is simple. Firstly, regional, varietal and stylistic integrity are essential; and secondly, winemaking is an ongoing learning process with constant experimentation in both viticultural and vinification techniques which are fundamental in the quest to transform good wines into great wines.
This philosophy combined with my winemaking skills and educational background has led me to be highly rewarded, most recently with the prestigious title of International Red Winemaker of the Year at the 2007 International Wine Challenge in the UK.
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In May, Roland Harrison was invited to teach a Master Class at WineSkills, a program hosted by Plumpton College in the UK. The course focused on Wine Analysis and Oxidation, and encompassed laboratory, tasting, lecture, and discussion components.
WineSkills is an EU-funded project that aims to provide training for the rapidly growing UK Wine Industry. WineSkills hosts workshops, master classes, and mentorship opportunities that bring global expertise to UK wine industry professionals.
Over the past several years, Lincoln University has established links with Plumpton College. Recently, Belinda Kemp finished her PhD from Lincoln on “the Effect of the Timing of Leaf Removal on Berry Ripening, Flavour, and Aroma Compounds in Pinot Noir Wine” and took a position at Plumpton as wine lecturer and the Wine Department Research Coordinator, strengthening the link between the two institutions. Dr Harrison’s involvement with WineSkills served to further strengthen this relationship and helped to bring Lincoln’s cool-climate wine expertise to Great Britain’s burgeoning wine industry.
Zhijing Ye is currently working on his Master’s thesis as a joint project between Lincoln University, where he is advised by Dr Roland Harrison, and the University of Otago. His project stems from a preliminary study characterizing bioactive compounds in wine waste products. The preliminary study analyzed lees from white wines and marc from red wines, both common winery waste products, for their potential as a source of natural antioxidants. The antioxidant potential of grape skins, stalks, and seeds has been investigated, but little work has been done to characterize lees and marc in this way. In addition to providing a potential source of antioxidant compounds, utilization of these waste products would prove beneficial to the wine industry, as the use of lees and marc as compost materials has been shown to have negative environmental effects. His Master’s thesis will apply the information gleaned from the preliminary study to analyze samples that were subjected to different wine processing methods, thus analyzing the effect of vinification on antioxidant composition of wine wastes.
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In July 2010, the Foundation for Research, Science, and Technology renewed funding for the Sauvignon Blanc Research Programme. The Programme involves scientists from Plant and Food Research, Marlborough Wine Research Centre, the University of Auckland, and Lincoln University. The new phase of the Programme, dubbed “Sauvignon Blanc 2: ‘novel wine styles for new markets’” has been funded through 2016. The programme continues work of the successful Sauvignon Blanc 1 programme, which ran from 2004-2010.
The programme takes an integrated approach to developing knowledge and methodologies for manipulating the flavour of Sauvignon Blanc at all stages of production – at the level of the grape vine genome, vineyard management and grape production, through to winemaking and sensory perception. “With this programme we are delivering industry the ability to create novel flavour combinations and sensory experiences in a way that maintains the quality and consistency of supply that is needed to consolidate New Zealand’s global reputation as a wine producer,” says Dr Roger Harker of Plant & Food Research, who is leading the programme.
Planned research includes investigation of environmental factors in the vineyard and biochemical processes in Sauvignon Blanc grapes, in the context of their impact on the ultimate flavour profile of Sauvignon Blanc. In addition, the programme aims to develop a “juice index” to predict flavour and aroma of a finished wine based on the chemical composition of the grape juice.
Lincoln University’s Professor Brian Jordan is leading the “Tailored vine management for flavour development” component of the Programme. This encompasses work investigating the impact of viticultural practices, particularly canopy management and control of UV radiation, on the biosynthesis of various flavour and aroma compounds in Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Dr. Jordan is also on the programme’s management committee. Additionally, the programme has allowed Dr. Jordan to pursue an international collaboration with the Institut de la Vigne et du Vin in Bordeaux, where he recently held a visiting Professorship. Drs Chris Winefield and Roland Harrison are also involved with the programme.
