Countdown is on for NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year

The countdown is on for the 2023 Young Viticulturist of the Year National Final, with five finalists set to take part in the competition on 30 August at Paritua Vineyards in Hawke’s Bay. The finalists will deliver speeches at the awards dinner on the following evening, where the overall winner will be announced.

The finalists are: Tai Nelson, Soljans Estate, Auckland; Nick Putt, Craggy Range, Hawke’s Bay; Zac Howell, Indevin, Marlborough; Tristan van Schalkwyk, The Bone Line, North Canterbury, Waipara; and Nina Downer, Felton Road, Central Otago.

Each of them will be tested on everything a viticulturist needs to know to run a vineyard. The BioStart Hortisports race and the Fruitfed Supplies BBQ will also take place on the day.

The finalists have been working over the last few weeks on their research report. This year, they had to consider options for establishing and managing a vineyard that would still run successfully in 2050, with wines being exported to the UK market.

Winning the New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year title comes with many rewards and may help catapult the winner’s career. The prize package also includes a Hyundai Kona for a year, an Ecotrellis Travel Grant, a Fruitfed Supplies educational trip, Electrocoup secateurs, a leadership week and cash. This year’s winner will also go on to represent the wine industry in next year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.

This year’s competition is also linked to a viti conference and a field trip titled ‘Weather — the good, the bad and the ugly’. The finalists will spend the morning of the trip at Linden Estate in Esk Valley, which is recovering from the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle. Andrew Lorrey from NIWA will open the conference and there will be presentations on riparian planting to mitigate flooding and on how weather can be used through regenerative energy. The day will finish in Gimblett Gravels, looking at recent vineyard trials along with a wine tasting to mark Hawkes Bay’s recent accolade of being named a Great Wine Capital of the World.

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