24 November 1997 Viticulture and Wine Science courses serve up success for graduates

Graduates of the viticulture and oenology programmes at Lincoln University have the world at their feet, says Reader in Wine Science Dr David Heatherbell.

"There's no question that New Zealand is holding its own in the world of wine," he says. "The future of the industry is assured, our wines have a high flying image overseas and this spins off into respect and regard for Lincoln's graduates who are finding jobs not only in New Zealand but in Australia, France, Germany, England and North America.

At the heart of Lincoln's viticulture and oenology programme in recent years has been the one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology. This eight unit programme allows candidates flexibility in the final qualification through being able to specialise in either viticulture, oenology, marketing or some other relevant programme offered by the University.

While Lincoln now offers (from 1998) a bachelor's degree in viticulture and oenology, the Postgraduate Diploma remains as a particularly valuable qualification for those wishing to add an industry-specific qualification to an existing degree, or those seeking to change careers and enter the world of grape growing and wine making, says Senior Lecturer in Viticulture, Dr Mike Trough.

"It's not an either/or choice, the bachelor's degree has its niche more among school leavers and those with no experience or background in the industry, while the Postgraduate Diploma is for those with a first degree who may have already been in the workforce in some capacity for some time."

In addition to the bachelor's degree and Postgraduate Diploma Lincoln still offers a range of higher degrees – Ph.D., Master of Applied Science and Master of Horticultural Science – in viticulture and oenology.

The history of grape and wine research at Lincoln goes back over 25 years, however in recent times there has been a significant increase in the level of activity associated with the flourishing of the South Island wine industry and the international respect now accorded the wider New Zealand industry.

Two years ago a new winery was developed on the campus and the old research vineyard has been overhauled and the area of vines doubled.

The winery operates as a micro-vinification unit where students learn the art and science of wine making by carrying out every step of the process from cropping to bottling.

Among research in the wine science area at Lincoln University has been work on a reduced alcohol wine. The research had its first public airing in a paper presented at the 1996 joint conference of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology and the New Zealand Biotechnology Association.

Titled "Characterisation of reduced alcohol wine made from glucose oxidase treated must", the paper was co-authored by Gary Pickering, a Ph.D. candidate and part-time wine science lecturer, and Dr Heatherbell. It summarised a project the pair have been working on since 1993, which has been followed with interest by the industry. The presentation won the Bronson and Jacob Cup along with a cash prize of $1000 for the best paper at the conference.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand