Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Kenex, in conjunction with Hawkes Bay Winemakers Ltd, is developing a
predictive model to ascertain the most suitable places to grow certain varieties
of grapes. This pilot study will use modern climate and rainfall
statistics,
specific regional soil and horticultural information, and existing freely
available data in conjunction with expert knowledge from the local industry and
grape growers. The resulting model will
not only identify the best places to grow grape varieties but could also be used
to manage water resources, fertilisers, pests, diseases, weeds, and even be used
for risk assessment and agro-biochemical planning. It is hoped that the
success of this pilot study will lead to targeted and more detailed modelling of
the prospective areas. These detailed models would allow owners to more
efficiently develop their businesses by reducing investment risk at the initial
stages and to manage their enterprises in a more ecologically and
commercially sustainable way.
Hawkes Bay has been producing wine since the arrival of
the first settlers in the 1850's and by the early 1920's some of the well known
producers such as Te Mata Estate, Mission Estate and Glenvale Winery (now Esk
Valley Winery) were established in the area. Hawkes
Bay has over 80% of New Zealand's plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Syrah grapes and is the leading producer of red wines with a reputation for
superior quality. The warm maritime climate and
varying landscape is ideal for grape growth and fine wine production and the
area supports over 4000 hectares of wine producing grapes. The earliest
vineyards in Hawkes Bay were established on the coast and in areas close to the
major towns but later development saw movement towards the lower reaches of the
Tutaekuri, Ngaruroro and Tukituki rivers. More recent development has even
seen hillside sites surrounding the alluvial planes used for smaller plantings.
It is hoped that this study will identify the most ideal locations for further
vineyard development and enhance the sustainable development of Hawkes Bay wine
making.
Contact Matt here at Kenex for more information about this exciting new project.
