2007 Wine Hall of Fame

Sauvignon Blanc and viticulture link 2007 Wine Hall of Fame inductees

The pioneering of Sauvignon Blanc and new viticultural techniques were common achievements that linked this year’s inductees to the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame. Their names were announced by the chairman of the Hall of Fame Trust, Michael Brett, during the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards Dinner at the ASB Showgrounds on 24 March.

Michael Brett said that the principal objective of the Hall of Fame is to recognise and commemorate individuals who have made major contributions to the development and enhancement of the national domestic- and export-based wine industry in New Zealand.

The 2007 inductees are:

JOSEPH ANNIS CORBAN MBE. FWINZ

The passing of Joe Corban in December 2006 at the age of 77 brought to an end a life of incomparable service to New Zealand viticulture and to his communities. He was ahead of his time, and arranged for a Corban vineyard to be made available to MAF for trial plantings of untried new varieties such as Pinot Gris, Muller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Gewurztraminer, which became the source of cuttings for winemakers wishing to move to new styles and varieties of wine.

When the family company pioneered contract grape growing by persuading maize growers in Gisborne to convert to grapes, it was Joe Corban who provided the planting material and the practical help and advice in the establishment of the new vineyards. Back home in Henderson, he became the fount of viticultural knowledge to whom young winemakers turned as they moved into unfamiliar territory of varietal table wines from classic varieties.

When ownership of Corbans Wines Ltd passed from the family, he bought a company vineyard at Riverlea, on which he struck out on his own as a nurseryman, his company Corbans Viticulture Ltd become one of the leaders in its field.

Joe Corban’s service to the industry earned the award of MBE and Fellowship of the Wine Institute of New Zealand.

DR RICHARD SMART

Dr Richard Smart, an Australian, served as Government Viticultural Scientist in the 1980s helped to change the way New Zealand grew grapes to make quality wine

Dr Smart led the programme to provide the industry with clean vine material. He set up a virus testing and elimination programme, imported new clones and new rootstock, established clonal selection and brought all the information together into a variety register. He sorted out the national vine collection with its inherent naming confusion and mis-labelling.

Dr Smart’s other major contribution in New Zealand was in canopy management. He demonstrated that efficient canopy management improved yield and wine quality.

He was instrumental in bringing to Auckland in 1988, the Second Cool Climate Wine Symposium, which he chaired. From his base in Launceston (Tasmania) he has maintained contact with several New Zealand companies and is currently involved in a co-operative research programme at EIT in Hawkes Bay.

ROSS RODERICK SPENCE, QSO, FNZW

Ross Spence produced New Zealand's first Sauvignon Blanc grapes in 1974 from cuttings sourced from Te Kauwhata Research Station. New Zealand Sauvignon is now regarded as being the world leader in that variety, and it accounts for 76% of the country’s total wine exports, now in excess of $600m per year.

With his brother Bill, Ross Spence founded Matua Valley Wines Ltd. He served for 23 years on the industry body, Wine Institute of New Zealand, becoming deputy-chairman, 1990-1996, and chairman 1997-1999.

He was awarded the QSO in 2000 for services to the industry, and last year became the first recipient of Fellowship of New Zealand Winegrowers.

Ends

© Scoop Media