5 March 1993 Second Grape Production Seminar Offered by Lincoln

"Sell-out" attendance at a recent Lincoln University seminar on grape-growing and wine science has led to the prompt organisation of a second session, scheduled for Saturday 27 March.

Almost 200 applied for Lincoln's introductory seminar in February but only 160 could be accepted because of space constraints.

Now there's another opportunity for those who missed out and those who would like to hear further from Lincoln's grape and wine scientists.

"Overseas buyers cannot get enough of our wine and exports are increasing dramatically," says Dr David Jackson, the pioneering scientist behind the establishment of grape growing in Canterbury and other South Island areas.

"The wine industry will be short of grapes until the year 2000 but the enthusiasm shown in the recent seminar will ensure that plenty of growers are at work meeting the demand.

"The theme of the first seminar was 'Optimism with Realism'. The optimism stems from the way the industry is progressing in Canterbury and, indeed, the whole of New Zealand.

"But optimism without realism can be a recipe for disaster. That's why we are telling growers that if a vineyard is to be successful then the whole operation must be carried out professionally. Growers whose vineyards take a long time to come into production and whose yields are below a certain figure are unlikely to succeed. Good husbandry and sound management are the only way to success and that's the central message we will be stressing at the seminar on 27 March.

"Efficiency, technology and grape quality are the key elements to a successful vineyard, and we'll be talking about all three during the course of the day."

All grape growers and prospective grape growers who would like to attend the one-day seminar at Lincoln University on Saturday 27 March should contact Don Crabb, Centre for Continuing Education, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, or telephone the Continuing Education Unit on (03) 3252-811.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury.