NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS RESEARCH CENTRE - Key Persons
When Daniel Le Brun first visited Marlborough in 1978, he was "immediately convinced" the region had the potential for great wine.
Pete and Alanna Chapman's wine label 27seconds is named for UNICEF's estimate that 1.2 million children are sold into slavery every year. "We loved this idea of being able to make a difference", says Pete about the Waipara Valley charitable business, which has donated all its profits - $47,000 over the past three years - to Hagar New Zealand, a not-for-profit that works with victims of human trafficking, sexual exploitation and slavery.
Founder and winemaker of 3sixty2 wines, Alice is conducting research funded in equal parts by the Glass Packaging Forum (GPF) and AGMARDT through its Capability Development Grant.
Alice started the research as part of the Kellogs Rural Leadership Programme. Through her work, she hopes to drive awareness about using glass made in New Zealand in the wine industry.
Alice Rule is a force to be reckoned with. An emerging young leader in sustainability, she is seeking to drive the circular economy of glass in the New Zealand wine industry.
Alice Rule, founder of 3sixty2 and known in the winemaking industry for shaking up the status quo has done it again. 3sixty2 are the first winemakers in New Zealand offering carbon offsetting to customers at checkout.
Andy Anderson decided to enter his first wine show in 2017, taking out the major Pinot Noir Trophy. Showing it was not a one-off, Anderson has done it again this year.
Andy Frost has spent nearly 40 years weaving science and research into the practical business of growing and making wine, with ground-breaking consequences for the wine industry.
Clifford has helped create a point of difference for the North Canterbury wine region, she is the principal of a wine company where the two major roles are held by women, and is the current CEO of Eat New Zealand.
Organiser Anna Polson says "BCNZ approached us to ask about using the event to raise a bit of profile for helping with the prevention of bowel cancer. Over the past 6 years the Saint Clair Vineyard Half Marathon has raised around 150K - most of which has used to lift awareness about early detection and subsequent treatment."
Job Titles:
- Future Leader in Viticulture
Annabel Bulk: Future Leader in Viticulture
Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year, Annabel Bulk from Felton Road Wines has taken out another competition to be crowned New Zealand's Young Horticulturist of the Year 2018.
Brad Frederickson is the creator and winemaker behind Outside the Box Wines, an experimental brand that questions traditional winemaking. "I've always questioned the rigid ways that wine has been made because ‘this is how it's always been done'," he says. "I like experimenting to see what else is possible."
Job Titles:
- Market Consultant - Australia
North Canterbury's Waipara region is a wine rebel's paradise. The birthplace of some of New Zealand's most ambitious wines, it's also home to Dom Maxwell, the winemaker at the acclaimed Greystone Wines.
Dr David Jordan has spent his career taking science into New Zealand vineyards, while heeding the knowledge and experience of those in the field.
Dr Jo Cribb is a powerhouse. Her current portfolio includes five board roles, as well as her coaching and consultancy practice that focuses on governance, strategy, diversity and inclusion.
Job Titles:
- General Manager Sustainability
Elise Picot recently graduated with a Viticulture & Bachelor of Wine Science Concurrent Degree. We asked Elise why she chose EIT and what her plans for future in the wine industry are.
Job Titles:
- Founder and CEO of Loveblock Wine
Erica Crawford is the founder and CEO of Loveblock Wine. Originally from South Africa, she is an industry legend, founder of one of New Zealand's biggest export brands. Her career in the wine industry was quite by accident, she began working as a medical research scientist in Cape Town until she attended a wine festival and met a kiwi called Kim.
We teamed up with podcast creator Lawrence Francis of Interpreting Wine to provide in-depth coverage of our annual tasting in London and interviews with Jamie Marfell, Warren Gibson, Sam Bennett, Kevin Judd, Rebecca Gibb MW, Ronan Sayburn.
Ivan Sutherland is an Olympic medallist and also one of the early pioneers of the Marlborough wine region. He and his wife Margaret purchased their vineyard in the late 1970s as Sauvignon Blanc was being discovered.
Originally from Oregon, Jen Parr, winemaker at Valli Vineyards, now calls Central Otago her home. Like many people in the wine industry, her career did not follow a straight path. She began in financial software sales and is now an award-winning winemaker and recent finalist in the Gourmet Traveller NZ Winemaker of the Year award.
Jeremy Hyland is a viticulturalist who has championed the hard work New Zealand's RSE workers and viticulture teams do over the winter months through the Silver Secateurs competition.
Joe Babich was on track to become pharmacist, when he defied his mother's wishes and joined New Zealand's nascent wine industry instead.
John Clarke helped represent New Zealand's wine industry throughout periods of major change, including geographical diversification, growing exports, and the "intense" time of Covid-19.
Jules Taylor has just been awarded Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine's NZ Winemaker of the Year. The Judges said, "Jules is one of New Zealand's modern pioneers. She produces outstanding wine, is fiercely proud of her region, and mentors the up-and-coming breed of Kiwi winemakers."
Job Titles:
- Owner and Passionate Vintner
It takes a lot of gumption to take on a vineyard and wine label that is etched into New Zealand's wine history. But Kirsten Searle was not phased by the prestige that was associated with the name Matawhero.
Kirsty Harkness's innovative cover crop
Kirsty is the first grape grower in New Zealand licensed to grow industrial hemp, thanks to legislation passed in November 2018 allowing the seed to be grown as a food product. As well as extra income, hemp is proving to be an excellent cover crop, attracting insects and nurturing the soil.
Lee Winston is the founder and winemaker of the daring, new Untitled range offering a white, pink and red blend.
Job Titles:
- Programme Manager - Sustainable Winegrowing NZ
Job Titles:
- External Relations Manager
Central Otago winery Peregrine has won Champion Organic Red Wine and Champion Organic White Wine for their Peregrine Pinot Noir 2017 and Peregrine Riesling 2018.
Rob Burley had been working in Australian wine for a few years when he began to feel like "a cog in the wheel".
Job Titles:
- Founder of Quartz Reef, Rudi Bauer
Founder of Quartz Reef, Rudi Bauer, has made an extraordinary contribution to his adopted nation, having pioneered the Bendigo subregion, helped forge a reputation for Central Otago wines, and nurtured conversations about Pinot Noir, Central Otago, organic viticulture, and the place of winegrowing in New Zealand culture.
Job Titles:
- Apprentice at Accolade 's Woolshed
Rylee Adams is an apprentice at Accolade's Woolshed Vineyard in the Wairau Valley, indulging her passion for large machinery while learning about everything from trunk disease to fluorescence counts.
Job Titles:
- General Manager Advocacy & General Counsel
Meet Siobhan Wilson from Marisco. A passionate wine marketer, Siobhan started her career in the vineyard and transitioned into the office.
She has worked for Montana, Lion Breweries and is one of the key people responsible for making The Ned into one of New Zealand's most popular millennial brands.
Job Titles:
- Biosecurity & Emergency Response Manager
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Manager of Blank Canvas
Sophie Parker-Thomson is co-founder and manager of Blank Canvas wines and New Zealand's newest Master of Wine. In celebration of Sauvignon Blanc Day, we asked her about what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for New Zealand wine and Sauvignon Blanc.
Despite having no formal qualifications in viticulture, Tina George has spent the largest period of her working life in the field. From vineyard development, to working amongst the vines, to managing all aspects of running a vineyard, she's done it all.