Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand’s proactive environmental management system captivated a group of Italians who recently toured four of this country’s wine regions.
Enjoying a wine tasting at EIT, from left, Annamaria Finarelli, Giuliano Boni, Carlo Rinolli, Sara Pedron, Emilio Celotti and School of Viticulture and Wine Science head Sue Ross.
The tour, which included winemakers, winery owners, sommeliers, vineyard managers and industry researchers, was led by Giuliano Boni of SIVE, the Italian equivalent of the New Zealand Society of Viticulture and Oenology.
SIVE promotes and disseminates technical information on viticulture, winemaking and related sciences for the benefit of the grape growing and wine industries in Italy.
The eight-day tour set a cracking pace.
It started with the 18 Italians attending research topic presentations by senior lecturer Dr Bruno Fedrizzi and post doctorate students at the University of Auckland. The group also visited Villa Maria at Mangere and Te Motu Vineyard on Waiheke Island.
In Hawke’s Bay, the tour took in Mission Estate, Craggy Range and Elephant Hill wineries and facilities at EIT’s School of Viticulture and Wine.
The school’s presentation on Sustainable Winegrowing attracted a great deal of interest and prompted many questions. Wine science lecturer Elise Montgomery pointed out that Hawke’s Bay has the highest percentage of accredited wineries of any of New Zealand’s wine regions.
Reflecting on the trip four days in, Annamaria Finarelli was very impressed by New Zealand producers. She found them very respectful of colleagues in the industry and noted that they cooperated in offering help and advice.
“This is very special,” she said. “It’s huge.”
From Verona, Finarelli studied as a sommelier and was eager to come to New Zealand to try more of the country’s wines and experience the culture.
With just two fleeting visits to New Zealand in the last 16 years, Giuliano said he had finally succeeded in returning for longer.
“The idea was to show the party as many wine regions as possible in a few days.”
Passionate about Pinot Noir, Boni was looking forwarding to sampling Central Otago examples.
In the final year of study for an oenology degree, Carlo Rinolli said curiosity sparked his trip to New Zealand. After graduating, he hopes to return and to perhaps work a vintage.
All of Sara Pedron’s family work in the wine industry in Italy’s far north and when she said she was heading off on the New Zealand tour, her father and brother decided to join her.
The group’s visit to EIT included a tasting of Hawke’s Bay wines selected by Montgomery as atypical varieties for the region. They included Sileni Gewurztraminer, Alpha Domus Viognier, Lime Rock Gruner Veltliner, Esk Valley Verdelho and Junction Pinot Noir.
The Italians responded in gifting an array of their own wines to the school’s cellar.
The tour schedule for Marlborough took in the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research and provided for visits to the Brancott, Cloudy Bay and Giesen wineries.
In Central Otago, Grant Taylor, winemaker and director at Valli Vineyards, had the tourists booked for a tasting of Pinot Noirs. Their exploration of Central Otago also included visits to Terra Sancta, Mt Difficulty and Peregrine wineries.