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Top Experience Reaps Rewards For All

July 9, 2013

There’s got to be more than just a little excellence going on when students at the EIT Tairawhiti grape growing and winemaking course had input into 10 medal-winning wines at the recent Gisborne Regional Wine Awards.

They even won a silver medal for their own 2012 Waimata Chardonnay Viognier and a bronze for the 2012 Cognoscenti Chardonnay. The rest of the medals went to wines they do on contract for producers from throughout the region.

Lecturer Brent Laidlaw is no stranger to having a hand in top wines, with more than 16 years working for industry giant Montana (now Indevin), and he’s proud as punch of his team’s efforts.

“That was a difficult vintage and you learn so much more in a difficult season than a good season, and to get the wines over the line successfully is great.”

While the students are not involved in the decision-making around the wines, they do all the cellar work – right from receiving the grapes, to crushing, de-stemming, pressing, fermenting and fining.

“The instructions all come from the wine maker,” explains Laidlaw, “so when we are doing contract work, it is from their own wine makers, otherwise it comes from me.”

The biggest success went to a 2012 Church House Matawhero Grüner Veltliner which won the Other White Class along with a gold medal.

But also reaping rewards were silver medals for the 2012 TW Black Label Chardonnay, 2011 747 Estate Marsanne and Stone Bridge 40fied while 2012 Stone Bridge Melange and 2012 Matawhero Church House Chardonnay picked up bronze.

Laidlaw’s own wine label – Gisborne Garagiste Wine Company, which he owns with Peter Bristow and Russell Walsh – picked up a silver for its 2012 Gewurztraminer, the trophy for best value wine under $15, and a bronze for their 2012 Chardonnay.

“Experience like this is invaluable for our students because it prepares them to go out into the industry, ready to work,” says Laidlaw. “Even though we are a small winery here, we are doing exactly the same as would happen anywhere in the world.”

And Laidlaw is clear on his expectations from the students.

“I am training them to a standard that I believe is appropriate for the industry – that attention to detail does make the difference.”

The winery is popular for local wine growers because of their ability to do a good job with very small parcels of grapes, which are generally not well suited to the bigger operations.

“We’re filling a niche market, and successfully so.”

The Waimata winery can manage anything from 50 kilograms to five tonnes. They have an ongoing relationship with Stone Bridge and TW, with others on a more seasonal basis.

“The blend of commercial and learning that we offer on this course is key for our students,” he says. “They”ve got that great balance of enough theory to give them a good solid base, but with the hands on practical experience in a true commercial setting.”