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Viticulture & Wine Research

Our laboratory facilities and access to working vineyards allow us to conduct research into production of grapes and wine.

Plant & Food Research is based at the Marlborough Wine Research Centre (MWRC) and operates the centre in partnership with New Zealand Winegrowers, the industry body representing grape growers and winemakers in New Zealand. Our researchers have expertise in both traditional and sustainable viticulture, irrigation, soil/plant/atmosphere interactions, nitrogen balance, flowering, vine physiology, plant pathology, yield prediction, frost, precision meteorology and analytical chemistry.

Plant & Food Research scientists at the MWRC carry out research trials in the centre's 10 hectare Rowley Vineyard, located near the Blenheim-based facility as well as in conjunction with many of the local commercial vineyards.

The MRWC facility also has a chemistry laboratory specially set up to carry out analysis of juice and wine samples, including a WineScan^TM Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The centre also has a research winery capable of preparing small batches of wine from the grape samples, for evaluation by trained wine panels.

Viticultural research, particularly in the area of pest and disease management, is also undertaken at our Auckland site, with significant involvement of scientists from the Bioprotection Portfolio. Plant & Food Research’s Winegrape Viticulture Team also work closely with scientists in the Sensory & Consumer Science Team to examine the influence of viticulture practices on wine quality.