Grower tastes sweet success again

BY MICHAEL BERRY

Stuart Dudley is the Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year for the second year in a row.

The 27-year-old Delegat's Wine Estate grower-division viticulturist edged out six other competitors during a gruelling day of testing on Friday.

The competitors, all aged under 30, were tested on theory and practical skills as well as in the light-hearted Horty Sports race on a day of wind and rain, before a general knowledge quiz and speeches at Wither Hills Winery on Friday night.

Mr Dudley was eight points ahead going into the awards dinner.

He said it was a privilege to take the title again and this year's win was sweeter because there was more for him to lose, so more pressure to win.

He entered the competition for the first time last year and at the time did not realise how much the title meant, he said.

"I like it [the competition] because we work every day and it's good to reflect on the science and theory behind it all."

The competition was well run and the competitors were a good group of people, he said.

Mr Dudley wins $1000 and a barrowful of prizes, as well as the chance to represent Marlborough at the national Young Viticulturist of the Year, being held in Blenheim on August 28.

He came third last year and hoped to do better with more experience this time around, he said.

"I've got a lot of work to do still and we'll see how it goes. I'll do my best," he said. "It's very hard to learn everything and you need to spread the knowledge over lots of things and, hopefully, you'll cover most of them."

Second place went to Nick Wright, of Delegat's Wine Estate, also for the second year in a row, while third and fourth from last year swapped round, with Jacqueline Maclaurin, of Wither Hills Vineyards Marlborough, third and Simon Clark, of Clark Estate, fourth.

Stuart Miller won best speech for his presentation on the benefits of yield restrictions.

Restrictions had worked for decades in the Champagne region of France, stimulating demand and ensuring quality wine and high prices, he said.

Marlborough was moving in that direction.

"Now we control the demand and supply and are the architects of our destiny," he said.

Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens said all the competitors had done well and encouraged people to give the competition a go next year.

"People cook up every excuse in the book to say they can't, but seven people did today and they have benefited tremendously."

Rankings: Stuart Dudley, Delegat's Wine Estate, 1; Nick Wright, Delegat's Wine Estate, 2; Jacqueline Maclaurin, Wither Hills Vineyards Marlborough, 3; Simon Clark, Clark Estate, 4; Mark Kenneally, Delegat's Wine Estate, 5; Kurt Lindsay, Yealands Estate, 6; Stuart Miller, Elders New Zealand, 7.More pictures, page 14

- The Marlborough Express