Wine harvest
Montana's Marlborough vineyards showed a big increase in production last season, with a total intake of 7500 tonnes, largely as a result bf a good summer and some areas reaching optimum yield. An extra IM litres of capacity is to be added to the winery before the next vintage to cope with this large tonnage increase. Another factor contributing to the good yield 1 has been trickle irrigation for Marlborough grape vines. This has been a great success for. both quantity and quality, with one of Montana's irrigated ‘'varietals,’' the 1980 Montana Marlborough Rhine Riesling, winning a gold medal at the 1981 national wine competition. A severe drought in 1974 killed many newly planted vines and caused a major rethink on irrigation in the area, then in 1978, after much research by the company. two Montana contract growers established the first Marlborough plantings to be started with trickle irrigation. These did exceptionally well and the company started its own programme the following year. In the dry 1980 season,; irrigated vines yielded up to
five tonnes a hectare .of extra crop, with a higher sugar content and a better acid-sugar balance, compared to vines without trickle irrigation.
By the end of last year, more than 80 per cent of Marlborough’s Montana vineyards had been supplied with irrigation. The varietals for which Montana’s Marlborough output is best known in NewZealand are probably Riesling Sylvaner. Cabernet Sauvignon. Rhine Riesling and Pinot Noir, and these are beginning to become known overseas.
Having established an export,department in mid-1980, Montana is now a leading exporter of New Zealand wines.
One of the company's latest confirmed orders is from a West German importer wanting a minimum of 10 containers of wine over two years. Each container holds 1000 cases and the varieties requested include Montana's premium reds: Montana Pinolage. Marlborough Cabernet Sauvignon and Marlborough Pinot Noir.
Other varieties grown in Marlborough are Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay. ■
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Press, 11 August 1982, Page 29
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322Wine harvest Press, 11 August 1982, Page 29
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