Rain stops play, so no chance taken.

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 10

Rain stops play, so no chance taken.

When John Baruzzi M.Ag.Sc. heard that rain had stopped the - Australian Cricket match at Gisborne he dashed over there from Auckland by private plane to sample the local grapes. Within thirty minutes of inspection and lasing he gave the order "start picking immediatelv".

I his is part of the RHINESDALES chief winemakers skill — knowing exactly when to commence picking to ensure the very best harvest of grapes. After a dry spell even a small amount of rain can make the grapes suddenly swell and split and reduce the quality of the product:

As chief winemaker he heads a team offour. MrNigei Logosand MrEabian Yukich are now permanently attached to the RHINESDALE site. All are graduates from wine colleges and they are responsible for all the wine types produced at RHINESDALE.

I lie vines are initially under the care of the RHINESDALE viticulturist •team. They give constant reports on the state of the grapes and the responsibility then passes to Baruzzi’s wine making team at the RHINESDAI.E winery. When the signal is given to pick, the

mechanical harvesters go into action and the huge collecting trucks are filled to take their loads to the crushing machines.

The crushing machines throw the grapes one way and the stalks the other and thefree RHINESDALEjuice is run into huge fermentation vats. It was the initiative of the RHIN’ESDAI.E winemaking team to produce New Zealand’s first “light wine” — RHINESDALE LINDEN WHITE • a wine tinted from a premium blend of several complementary grape \arieiies.