Winegrowing Experience Winegrowing Experience 2008/20092008/2009

Rhys EvansRhys Evans

SACRED HILL WINES LTD

Vineyard ProfileVineyard Profile• Sites I worked onSites I worked on::

• Deerstalkers vineyard: 2648 State Highway 50, Deerstalkers vineyard: 2648 State Highway 50, HastingsHastings

• Riflemans vineyard: 1223 Dartmoor Road, Riflemans vineyard: 1223 Dartmoor Road, Dartmoor.Dartmoor.

• Thunderpark vineyard: 48 Gimblett Road, HastingsThunderpark vineyard: 48 Gimblett Road, Hastings• Moteo Pa vineyard: 138 Moteo Pa Road, OmahuMoteo Pa vineyard: 138 Moteo Pa Road, Omahu• Vicarage vineyard: 681 Omaranui Road, OmahuVicarage vineyard: 681 Omaranui Road, Omahu

• Dartmoor vineyard: Darmoor Road, DartmoorDartmoor vineyard: Darmoor Road, Dartmoor

Vineyard ProfileVineyard Profile• Varietals Grown:Varietals Grown:

• Deerstalkers & Thunderpark: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Deerstalkers & Thunderpark: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, SyrahCabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah

• Riflemans: ChardonnayRiflemans: Chardonnay• Moteo Pa & Vicarage: Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Moteo Pa & Vicarage: Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon,

Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon

• Production Size: 850TProduction Size: 850T• Vineyard Managers:Vineyard Managers:

• Mike ConnorMike Connor• Johnny La TrobeJohnny La Trobe

Rifleman’s VineyardRifleman’s Vineyard

Work ExperienceWork Experience• Work Period: 16/01/09-20/04/09 Work Period: 16/01/09-20/04/09 • Completed Operations:Completed Operations:

• Bird scaringBird scaring• Irrigation maintenance (sub-main sealing)Irrigation maintenance (sub-main sealing)• Irrigation operatingIrrigation operating• Irrigation integrity checking (checking joint stability)Irrigation integrity checking (checking joint stability)• Virus identification (GLRaV-3)Virus identification (GLRaV-3)• Shoot thinning/leaf pluckingShoot thinning/leaf plucking• Crop thinning and declumpingCrop thinning and declumping• Bird nettingBird netting• Vigour control (closing off drippers)Vigour control (closing off drippers)• Vigour control (marking vigourous troughs for thinning crews)Vigour control (marking vigourous troughs for thinning crews)• HandpickingHandpicking• Sampling (cluster counts of chardonnay on Ngatarawa block)Sampling (cluster counts of chardonnay on Ngatarawa block)

Experience HighlightsExperience Highlights

• Virus IdentificationVirus Identification• Particularly GLRaV-3Particularly GLRaV-3• Developed a good eye for the symptoms/signsDeveloped a good eye for the symptoms/signs• Gained an understanding for virus pattern developmentGained an understanding for virus pattern development

• Vigour ControlVigour Control• Closing off drippers in particularClosing off drippers in particular• Isolated the means for compositional variability on the super Isolated the means for compositional variability on the super

premium sitespremium sites

Experience HighlightsExperience Highlights

• Handpicking Super Premium SyrahHandpicking Super Premium Syrah• Rewarding picking the fruit that would be used to make the Rewarding picking the fruit that would be used to make the

company's flagship wine and knowing that I had put plenty of company's flagship wine and knowing that I had put plenty of work into it (vigour control, shoot/crop thinning, netting, work into it (vigour control, shoot/crop thinning, netting, sub main repairing)sub main repairing)

• Working as site managers assistantWorking as site managers assistant• Allowed me to experience a vast range of operations in a Allowed me to experience a vast range of operations in a

short space of timeshort space of time• Assigned my own tasks which was good for my practical Assigned my own tasks which was good for my practical

problem solvingproblem solving

Experience LowlightsExperience Lowlights

• Repairing irrigation sub-mainsRepairing irrigation sub-mains• Digging to depths of 2m on the gravels was toughDigging to depths of 2m on the gravels was tough

• Bird Scaring Bird Scaring • Boring when you don’t have your gun licenseBoring when you don’t have your gun license

• Vigour controlVigour control• In particular marking the troughs on the deerstalkers siteIn particular marking the troughs on the deerstalkers site• Mentally draining as there were numerous small river Mentally draining as there were numerous small river

skeletons running through the siteskeletons running through the site• My mistakes had important ramifications as marked zones My mistakes had important ramifications as marked zones

determined the degree of crop thinning that would be applieddetermined the degree of crop thinning that would be applied

Experience LowlightsExperience Lowlights• Machine ExperienceMachine Experience

• Tractor involvement was limited in my role due to the actions of a Tractor involvement was limited in my role due to the actions of a previous employee (accidents)previous employee (accidents)

• Some mowing was performed but no trimming, spraying or mulchingSome mowing was performed but no trimming, spraying or mulching• Was given education on calibrating procedures for sprayers (positive)Was given education on calibrating procedures for sprayers (positive)

• Crop thinningCrop thinning• Feb/March was particularly wet this growing season so crop thinning was Feb/March was particularly wet this growing season so crop thinning was

ongoing rather than a once off. Thinning was for the removal of ongoing rather than a once off. Thinning was for the removal of BotrytisBotrytis moulds rather than for yield reductionmoulds rather than for yield reduction

• Disappointing constantly removing what was good quality fruit because Disappointing constantly removing what was good quality fruit because of infection in the clumped areas. May have been averted if yields were of infection in the clumped areas. May have been averted if yields were reduced at pruning.reduced at pruning.

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Moteo Pa, Early Morning in SpringMoteo Pa, Early Morning in Spring

Deerstalkers Entrance, SH50Deerstalkers Entrance, SH50 Dartmoor Vineyard Dartmoor Vineyard