Published articles

An Aromatic Quintet

pdf | 181 KB | by Nick Hoskins and Geoff Thorpe (This article first appeared in Marlborough Winepress)

In recent years, alternative aromatic white varieties have generated interest from wine writers, found a niche on restaurant wine lists, and, in some cases, moved toward mainstream status. That raises a question: which variety will become the “next big thing”?

Clones of Classic Varieties: The Sauvignon Blanc Portfolio

pdf | 219 KB | by Nick Hoskins and Geoff Thorpe (This article first appeared in Marlborough Winepress)

It’s the variety that single-handedly brought Marlborough to the attention of wine critics and consumers around the world. Yet, although our industry invests heavily in research on Sauvignon Blanc’s flavour compounds and viticulture, surprisingly little effort has gone into evaluating clonal selections.

Clones of Classic Varieties: The Chardonnay Portfolio

pdf | 174 KB | by Nick Hoskins and Geoff Thorpe (This article first appeared in Marlborough Winepress)

Clonal blending provides the backbone for many great White Burgundies, including Corton-Charlemagne.

Clones of Classic Varieties: The Pinot Noir Portfolio

pdf | 231 KB | by Nick Hoskins and Geoff Thorpe (This article first appeared in Marlborough Winepress)

“It’s a hard grape to grow – it’s thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. Pinot needs constant care and attention. It can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked-away corners of the world. And only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can coax it into its fullest expression.”

Clones of Classic Varieties: The Pinot Gris Portfolio

pdf | 147 KB | by Nick Hoskins and Geoff Thorpe (This article first appeared in Marlborough Winepress)

An Australian winemaker once said, “Making Pinot Gris is like painting a picture using only white paint.”

The clones behind Corton-Charlemagne

pdf | 1.2 MB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli (NZ Grapegrower)

Grapevine Trunk Disease Review

pdf | 420 KB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

The spores are out there: Observations from the 6th International Workshop on Grapevine Trunk Diseases

Sauvignon Blanc selection in Sancerre

pdf | 212 KB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli and Nick Hoskins (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

Verticillium Wilt in New Zealand Vines

pdf | 218 KB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli and Susan McGregor (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

Managing Virus in New Zealand Vineyards

pdf | 688 KB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli and Nick Hoskins (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

The Botryosphaeria conundrum - a New Zealand perspective

pdf | 677 KB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli and Susan McGregor (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

New Zealand update on blackfoot disease

pdf | 602 KB | by Dr Roderick Bonfiglioli (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

Gold Medal Vineyard in the making

pdf | 161 KB | by Nick Hoskins (On the Vine)

What can a vineyard achieve in just one year? If the vineyard in question is Te Awanga Estate & Winery Limited in Hawke’s Bay, then the answer is, “plenty”

Graft incompatibility syndrome in New Zealand Merlot vines involves another possible variant of GLRaV-2

pdf | 96 KB | by R. Bonfiglioli , F. Edwards , N. Hoskins and A. Pa (Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker)

Syrah in Marlborough

pdf | 131 KB | by Tessa Nicholson (First published in Winepress September 2014)

Syrah is very much an alternative red variety for the Marlborough region. But small though the plantings may be, the ensuing wines are more than capable of standing on their own.

Arneis in Marlborough

pdf | 111 KB | by Tessa Nicholson (First published July 15, 2014 Winepress)

Currently there are 4.5 hectares of Arneis growing in Marlborough – which ensures this variety falls very much into the “alternative” category for winemakers.

The White Wave

pdf | 145 KB | by Joelle Thomson (This column was first published in Your Weekend magazine in The Dominion Post, The Christchurch Press and The Waikato Times on Saturday 5 July 2014)

There is a groundswell of obscure new wine styles here in New Zealand. The fourth Gisborne Regional Wine Awards in May highlighted this trend. Where else in the world would albarino, arneis, chardonnay, chenin blanc and gewürztraminer grow in the same area and taste great, to boot?

Tempranillo in Marlborough

pdf | 181 KB | by Tessa Nicholson (June 18, 2014 by Tessa Nicholson, Winepress)

This famous Spanish grape is best known for its inclusion in Rioja, the country’s most famous wine. But it is also making an appearance in Marlborough, as a stand-alone variety.

Fiano NZ First

pdf | 137 KB | by Joelle Thomson

This year Hawke’s Bay winemaker Jenny Dobson became the first New Zealand winemaker to commercially bottle a wine made from the little known Italian white grape, Fiano.

Berry Positive Pinot Gris

pdf | 241 KB | by Annabelle Latz (Winepress April 2014)

Flavour profiles available from the newest Pinot Gris clones are creating new enthusiasm about the variety within the New Zealand wine industry.