26 May 2010 Scientist's 'oddball idea' celebrated at inaugural wine industry dinner

Pioneering contributions by Lincoln University horticultural scientist Dr David Jackson to Canterbury’s wine industry will be celebrated in Christchurch on Thursday night (27 May) with the inauguration of an annual dinner.

Associated with the "David Jackson Dinner" will be the introduction of an annual David Jackson Prize, recognizing innovative research by a Lincoln University viticulture and oenology student.

The event, a collaboration between Wines of Canterbury, Lincoln University, Waipara Valley Winegrowers and Lane Neave Lawyers, is being held in the Canterbury Club.

Cool climate grape growing and wine making in Canterbury is now a significant component of New Zealand’s billion-dollar export wine industry and had its origin in research initiated by Dr Jackson at Lincoln University in 1973.

In that year Dr Jackson received a $500 research grant for what he has described as, at that time, an “oddball idea” - growing grapes and producing wine commercially in Canterbury.

With the grant he and Lincoln University colleague Graeme Steans planted a small area with 20 grape varieties. The work was contrary to the prevailing wisdom of the day which was  “No grapes south of Cook Strait” because temperatures were too cold.

Dr Jackson found the traditional approach to climate assessment was flawed and with another Lincoln colleague, Dr Neil Cherry, he devised a “latitude temperature index” which took into account Canterbury’s longer growing season.

Further important figures in the story at this stage are winemaker Danny Schuster, Lincoln University microbiologist Professor Paul Mulcock who had an interest in fermentation, and the President of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association Bill Turner.

To fund some of Mulcock’s fermentation research, Turner suggested an approach to the NZ Fruitgrowers’ Federation. Schuster’s name was mentioned in the research application and he was taken on by Lincoln College to assist Mulcock with the project.

It was in this period that Dr Jackson and Danny Schuster met. Dr Jackson was receptive to Schuster’s suggestion that Canterbury could have microclimates suited to growing some German grape varieties. 

The initial 1973 plantings by Dr Jackson and Graeme Steans did not do well - for reasons beyond the scientists’ control  -  but the pair persisted and the Lincoln University vineyard was extended to accommodate 60 cultivars. Results started to show promise and microvinification work began.

Seminars, workshops and courses were held to give interested parties information on what was being learned from the experimental programme.

In 1978 four further important figures come into the Canterbury wine story - Belfast orchardist Bill Turner, business associate Ernie Hunter, and brothers Robin and Norman Mundy of Coutts Island.

The first grapes from Lincoln College cuttings were planted that year in an area at Turner’s Lochbuie Orchard, followed soon after with plantings by Robin and Norman Mundy who had recently established St Helena Estate. The Mundys, previously potato growers, made an enterprising switch to grapes after their business was devastated by nematode cyst infection.

St Helena produced its first commercial vintage in 1981, employing Danny Schuster as winemaker, and in 1983 it won a gold medal in the Air New Zealand Wine Competition for its 1982 Pinot noir. That winning St Helena wine also contained fruit from a small area of Pinot noir established in the Kaituna Valley by Dr Jackson’s colleague Graeme Steans and wife Caroline.

St Helena’s gold medal, together with silver and bronze medals won by Turner and Hunter, brought the country’s attention to Canterbury as a wine producing district.   

From “oddball idea” to award-winning wines, the story comes full circle this week as the industry in Canterbury pays tribute to Dr David Jackson and scientific work which has borne fruit … and been bottled.

Dr Jackson went on to become a Professorial Fellow at Lincoln University and foundation Director of its Centre for Viticulture and Oenology. He retired in 2000.

The present Director of the Centre, Dr Roland Harrison, says he is delighted that the Canterbury wine industry has come together to celebrate an “excellent example of the way research and practice can combine successfully.”

“We have a fine crop of current students enrolled in our viticulture and oenology programmes and Lincoln University’s relationship with the industry continues to thrive."