International wine experts for Canterbury

Press, 15 January 1988, Page 13

International wine experts for Canterbury

World experts in grapegrowing for wine production will visit Canterbury this month for a viticulture seminar at Lincoln College. The Lincoln seminar will follow this week’s International Symposium for Cool Climate Viticulture and Oenology in Auckland. The seminar will have a special purpose distinct from the main symposium, according to Mr Rodney McMillan, the college’s extension officer. It will bring together grape-growers from new districts, such as Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Central Otago and Martinborough so they can exchange ideas and experiences with each other and with experts from older-established regions. Special focus will be paid to cool climate grape-growing.

Three topics are planned for the seminar on January 25 — climate and site selection; specific problems; and developing new districts. The influence of site climate on vine development, berry maturation and wine quality will be discussed by Mr Norbert Becker, of West Germany, and the topic of vine pruning to reduce winter injury and spring frost damage will be addressed by Mr Werner Koblet, of Switzerland.

Other overseas speakers include Messrs Gerard Bentryn, Stanley Howell, Robert Wample and Ken Brown, of the United States, Messrs John Vielvoye and Andy Reynolds and Ms Helen Fisher, of Canada, Messrs Klaus Wahi and Helmut Becker, of West Germany, and Mr Andrew Pirie, of Australia.