Bragato exchange students (left) Mirko Rasera, Italy, and Kiwi, Douw Grobler meet over a coffee at the EIT Hawke’s Bay campus.
This year’s Bragato exchange students know one another rather better after meeting at EIT and exploring wineries and vineyards together in Hawke’s Bay.
Studying viticulture and oenology at the University of Padua, Mirko Rasera was 10 days into his month-long tour of New Zealand wine regions when he was introduced to his New Zealand equivalent, EIT concurrent viticulture and wine science degree student Douw Grobler, who heads off for his month in Italy early in the New Year.
Mirko studied at the same high school as Romeo Bragato, the legendary Italian viticulturist who, more than 100 years ago, recognised New Zealand’s potential for winegrowing.
The 21-year-old has a long association with wine – his father Silvano has worked in a winery in Italy’s Prosecco region for the last 30 years.
Like Mirko, Douw – in the third year of study for EIT’s School of Viticulture and Wine Science’s two bachelor degrees – also aspires to a career in winemaking but came to that decision rather more circuitously.
The 25-year-old was born in South Africa and was 16 when his family moved to Palmerston North. Completing his schooling in a horticultural area, he gained his Bachelor of Science with double majors in chemistry and animal science before deciding to pursue viticulture and wine science studies at EIT.
Both young men enjoy the rigour of wine competition.
Two years ago, Mirko took part in the European Wine Championship and, with 80 entered from wine regions around the Continent, he was delighted with his 20th placing.
This year, Douw was one of two EIT students entered in the North Island Young Viticulturist of the Year. A first-time entrant and up against more experienced competitors, he was pleased to have topped two categories – appraising wines and blending a rosé for the British supermarket trade.
Once he graduates, Mirko wants to work a harvest abroad to see different methods for making wine and to improve his understanding of technical English terms.
“Today there is only English,” he says of a language that is ubiquitous in the wine industry. “It is used everywhere and in Italy that can be a big problem.”
Since hearing about his scholarship Douw, whose first language is Afrikaans, has been learning some Italian to use on his trip. Enjoying living locally and working part-time at Trinity Hill, he would like to shape up a career in Hawke’s Bay.
Finding they have much in common, not least their passion in wine, the two students are looking forward to meeting again early next year in Italy.