Vine-Growing In New Zealand.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XII, 20 September 1902, Page 753

Vine-Growing In New Zealand.

THE GOVERNMENT VITICULTURIST IN THE KAIPARA. The newly-appointed viticultural expert, Mr. R. Bragato, for thirteen years Government Viticulturist in Victoria, is energetically carrying out the duties of his office. He is at present visiting the Kaipara district, and in the neighbourhood of Whakapirau, where Mr. W. H. Jackman, the most successful vigneron in this province, has established his flourishing vineyard. Mr. Bragato has visited a large number of young vineyards. In the Whakapirau Riding of the Otamatea County there must be altogether nearly fifty acres of land planted with vines. The immediate object of Mr. Bragato"s present visit to the district was to advise as to the proper mehods of pruning the vines. Most of this work had been completed this season before his arrival in the Kaipara, as his visit had been unavoidably delayed owing to his absence in Victoria, where he had to wind up his business matters before taking up his permanent residence in this country. However, he informs us that he has been well pleased with the manner in which the pruning operations have been carried out in most of the vineyards he has inspected, the local vine-growers having had a good guide in Mr. Jackman, who has well mastered the principles to be followed in this important part of the vine-growers’ work. Mr. Bragato considers the Otamatea County one of the most promising districts in the Auckland province for the wine-making industry. The excellent wines, both white and red, made by Mr. Jackman at Whakapirau are a positive proof 3T’'tlie suitability of both soil and climate for the making of choice light wines of dry quality. These wines have recently been tested by Mr. Bragato to ascertain their alcoholic strength, and he has been agreeably surprised at the very favourable result of these tests. He considers that in this respect these New Zealand wines compare favourable with the best wines of the same character

made in Europe. Unlike the Australian wines, their .commercial value does not consist in their adaptability for the purposes of blending with the vintages of the Continent, but they are fitted to be placed on the market to go into immediate consumption without any manipulation whatever. Without the addition of sugar or any “fortification” some of the wines made at Whakapirau and at the Government station at Wairangi, have an alcoholic strength equal to the strongest wines made in the South of France or in Italy, while their leverage strength does not go beyond what is desirable in the best light wines of the Continent. , ;/, ■ •

The quantity of wine that can be made from an acre of vines of the proper kind, and properly tended, does not fall below 400 gallons, while a far larger return may be expected in favourable seasons. At present the best wines that have been made here have a ready sale at from. 8/ to 12/6 per gallon; but even - if, owing to the fact of a greatly increased output, the price for the less choice vintages should fall as low as 2/6 per gallon this would represent a return of £5O per acre per annum from a properly managed vineyard, yielding the low estimate of 400 gallons per acre.

It is, of course, essential that the the ground should be thoroughly prepared for the planting of a vineyard, and systematic cultivation and spraying with fungicides must be carried out throughout the whole period of growth and development, and continued after the vines come Into hearing in from four to six years after planting. But it is plain that an annual return of £5O per acre will warrant all the cost of this absolutely necessary work and expenditure. of capital. If up to the bearing period a. vineyard of, say, five acres, lias cost in labour and cash perhaps £250, this return would represent a very high rate of interest on the investment.

Mr. Bragato is thoroughly convinced of the future commercial success of the wine-making industry in the North Island, and means to leave

no stone unturned to place viticulture upon a proper footing in this country. The Government are to be congratulated on securing the services of so competent and enthusiastic an expert in vine-growing and wine-making, and one who is familiar both with the scientific and the practical side of his profession. We understand it is Mr. Bragato's intention to make before long a complete analysis of New Zealand wines, which it is to be hoped will assist materially in placing this country high on the list of the wine-producing countries of the world. ,