Annabel Angland from Peregrine Wines has been awarded the Corteva Central Otago Young Viticulturist of the Year 2020 following the competition held at Otago Polytechnic Central Campus in Bannockburn.
Congratulations also goes to Liam Burgess from Viticultura who came second and Jordan Moores from Felton Road who came third.
“It was one of the closest competitions, we’ve ever seen” said regional organiser Nick Paulin.
“It was a very cold, dull day with temperatures barely reaching 2oC, but this didn’t dampen the spirits of the contestants who wholeheartedly threw themselves into every challenge.”
Competitors were tested on all aspects of vineyard management, including trellising, pruning, machinery, pests and diseases, irrigation and budgeting. There was also a blind wine tasting and an interview.
Annabel Angland will go on to represent Central Otago in the National Final in October being held in Martinborough this year.
It is being held in conjunction with the 15 Year celebrations of the Young Vit competition.
The practical day will take place on 7th October and the national finalists will give their speeches at the conference the following day.
The fifteenth winner will then be announced at the celebration dinner. There will be a total of six finalists, with the others coming from Northland, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough and North Canterbury.
The national winner will not only become the Corteva NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year 2020 but will win an amazing prize package of a Hyundai Kona for a year, an Ecotrellis Travel Grant, a Corteva educational trip to Australia, Bahco golden secateurs, a leadership week and cash.
There are also cash prizes from AGMARDT for the top three national finalists’ research projects.
“These competitions bring the whole viticultural community together,” said Nicky Grandorge, leadership & communities manager at New Zealand Winegrowers, “and we are delighted they could still go ahead this year, despite being a little later than usual”.
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