Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science

November 20, 2024

EIT student wins Top Student Wine at Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

22 seconds ago

EIT student Ngaun Siau (right) won the EIT Top Student Wine Award at this year’s A&P Society’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards. She is pictured at the awards ceremony with EIT’s Head of the School of Viticulture and Wine Science.

A second year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student at EIT has won the award for the Top Student Wine at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.

Ngaun Siau, 26, won the award at this month’s A&P Society’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards for her wine – Dalan Cabernet Franc 2024. The student wines are judged by the same criteria as all the other classes and Ngaun’s wine received 95 points from the judges – a Gold medal.

Ngaun, who is from Taiwan, says that she was very excited that her wine was chosen as the Top Student Wine, sponsored by EIT, and says that she enjoyed the awards evening.

“I made four red wines this year. The award-winning Cabernet Franc was harvested from the Te Awa vineyard, where I worked for the summer.”

“It took me three days to harvest and a month to make my wine. The grapes were hand-harvested, partially whole bunch fermented for a fruitful wine style.”

She got the name for her wine, Dalan, from the language of a tribe in Taiwan.

“It means ‘roads’ in Puyuma, but it’s more like the things that your heart is calling; the path you take to follow your dream.”

Winning the award was a highlight of what has, at times, been a challenging, but reward two years at EIT Hawke’s Bay.

Ngaun arrived in New Zealand to begin her first year one month before Cyclone Gabrielle struck last year. She moved into EIT student accommodation where she made friends with other students.

“We received a lot of help from the Hawke’s Bay community after the Cyclone. I appreciate how people here care for each other.”

“The most difficult thing was that we were not able to use the wine-making resources on campus since we had all moved online.”

Ngaun says that she comes from an agricultural background with her family having grown rice and other crops for centuries.

“Agriculture has always been fascinating to me. What caught my eye about viticulture was how everything starts from a small vine and becomes an aged wine.”

Ngaun says that it was New Zealand’s approach to organic and regenerative agriculture that attracted her to study here.

“I realised that it would be a good place for me to study and understand more about sustainable wine growing.”

After school Ngaun worked in the construction industry and also in farming, but soon decided that studying viticulture and wine science was what she wanted to do.

“Once the worst of COVID-19 had passed, I decided to make the move to New Zealand. I did my research and really liked what EIT had to offer, especially its strong practical component.”

Ngaun credits her success to the nurturing and supportive environment at EIT.

“The staff are really friendly and the lecturers’ doors are always open. Our school winery staff, the winery manager and the lab staff there are quite amazing. They always have new ideas or something they would suggest us to try.”

“We share a strong connection with the local wine industry, where our lecturers have worked or are still involved. There is no boundary for us in accessing the industry.”

“It is a very supportive programme for me to study here. In this environment I can fully immerse myself in my studies, knowing that the entire programme will have my back.”

Sue Blackmore, EIT Head of School for Viticulture and Wine Science said: “The whole V&W Team are excited that Ngaun received a Gold for her student wine.”

“She spent long hours in the winery tinkering with ‘Dalan’. And as the wine name suggests Ngaun is passionate about winemaking and her future in the wine industry. We wish her well”.

“All Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science students get a chance to make wine from year one of the degree, work a commercial internship in year 2 and complete a research project aligned with industry in year 3.”

November 20, 2024

EIT Viticulture and Wine Science student wins A&P Society Young Vintners Scholarship at Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

1 min ago

EIT Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student Tammy Madigan has won the A&P Society’s Young Vintners Scholarship at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.

A third-year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student at EIT has won the A&P Society’s Young Vintners Scholarship at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.

Tammy Madigan, 37, is an adult student who has had to juggle family life to complete the degree. She relocated from Australia in 2021 to do her qualification at EIT in Hawke’s Bay.

Tammy, who grew up in the Blue Mountains of Western Sydney, but lived for many years in Brisbane, was awarded the scholarship at a ceremony earlier this month. The scholarship includes money towards her fees, the opportunity to work on a vintage at Craggy Range Winery and the opportunity to be an associate judge at next year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.

She says that she was honoured to be selected as the scholarship recipient and excited to accept the award at the Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards surrounded by the leaders and legends of the industry.

Having worked for many years in the retail industry in Australia, as the years went by, she became progressively more interested in viticulture and decided that she wanted to pursue her studies at EIT. She has moved over with her husband Niall, who works as a cardiac sonographer at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, and her three children – two girls and a boy.

“Although it took a while for me to be able to commit to full-time study, I made the decision to permanently re-locate to NZ with my family in January 2021.”

“I’m a very practical kind of person and I really enjoyed the idea of doing a degree that also had a lot of practical learning. I’m more of a hands-on learner and enjoy learning on the job. There’s a little tiny vineyard on campus and there is just a lot of practical elements that I really enjoy.”

“I am extremely grateful that I am finally pursuing the dream, and I now consider Hawke’s Bay home. Since arriving I have immersed myself in various aspects of the industry while studying to obtain as much knowledge as possible.”

This has included stewarding for the Wine Awards and various DISH tasting events, cellar door work at Clearview Estate, a vintage internship at Te Mata Estate in 2023, and as a field technician for Croptide, an agricultural technology company specialising in real time crop monitoring solutions.

Tammy says that all these experiences have provided invaluable knowledge and connection to various people in the industry while developing a love for the Hawke’s Bay region

“While my interest in the industry was sparked by viticulture, I discovered a love for winemaking and would like to gain more experience and knowledge in this area as I pursue the goal of becoming a winemaker in my own right.”

She says that while Cyclone Gabrielle did disrupt her studies last year, especially having to move online and then off campus for a while, she and her cohort were not too badly affected.

“It was definitely a pretty interesting time. Initially it probably didn’t impact as heavily, being that I was in my second year and I was out doing the vintage at Te Mata Estate, which I was able to continue doing.”

With a hectic life of family, work and study, Tammy had to move her studies part-time for a semester last year, so will complete her degree during the second semester next year. She is also looking forward to taking part in the harvest at Craggy Range, which is part of her prize.

One thing is for sure, she is grateful that she chose EIT for a degree and she plans to stay on in Hawke’s Bay after she finishes her studies.

“I would like to purchase a house and settle in Hawke’s Bay for a little while. I might be able to duck off for some short stints to get some experience overseas or back home in Australia, but primarily, I’ll be basing myself here in Hawke’s Bay.

As for what path she wants to pursue in the future – viticulture or winemaking – Tammy says that she is unsure because she likes them both.

Sue Blackmore, Head of School for Viticulture and Wine Science says: “The V&W School wants to congratulate Tammy on this great opportunity provided for EIT students by the A&P Society and Craggy Range. Tammy is a very worthy recipient who as an adult student has managed to juggle the balance of a busy home life, full-time study and part-time work. Congratulations Tammy!”

November 7, 2023

EIT | Te Pūkenga graduate youngest to win Young Winemaker of the Year | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

Alena Kamper, a graduate of the Bachelor of Viticulture & Wine Science Concurrent at EIT | Te Pūkenga, is the 2023 Tonnellerie de Mercurey North Island Young Winemaker of the Year.

An EIT | Te Pūkenga graduate has been named the 2023 Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year.

At 22 years old, Alena Kamper, who now works as a Cellar Hand at Sacred Hill Winery in Hawke’s Bay, is the youngest person to win the coveted title.

“I am over the moon. It still feels quite surreal,” Alena says.

“Especially with the calibre of the contestants this year, I think it could have been anyone’s game. So incredible to take it out. I feel very very honoured.”

The national final took place at The Bone Line in North Canterbury on Tuesday (October 31). The three finalists delivered their speeches at the Altogether Unique Wine Industry Celebration in Christchurch the following evening, when the overall winner was announced.

It comes just a year into Alena’s career, having completed the Bachelor of Viticulture & Wine Science Concurrent at EIT | Te Pūkenga at the end of last year, and graduated in August.

Alena was initially nervous to enter the competition but is glad she took the plunge. She first won the North Island Young Winemaker of the Year in September, qualifying her for the national final.

“I definitely felt like I was quite the underdog in the situation. So just so surreal when they called my name out. It’s been an incredible experience. I’ve learned so much.”

Alena won two section prizes; the Fruitfed Supplies best speech and the Indevin Wine Judging Section.

The speech topic was: “Why is your region unique and how does it complement other regions to make New Zealand wine altogether unique?” Each contestant had the same topic and had to speak on their specific region.

“That was definitely a highlight, especially when you get the chance to talk highly of your region. It just felt so easy to write and I truly believe that Hawke’s Bay is the best wine region of New Zealand, so it was awesome.”

Alena looks back at her time at EIT | Te Pūkenga with fondness, saying the programme was recommended to her by an old science teacher of hers at the school she attended, Sacred Heart College.

She says she loved the degree and was pleased that the lecturers gave one-on-one help to students.

“I think it’s just been the perfect launch platform. They give you just so many skills to be able to ask the questions and interpret all the things that you come across in the industry. It gave me great connections to start off with and it’s been awesome.”

As NZ Young Winemaker of the Year, Alena took home a prize package that includes $1000 cash, a visit to the Tonnellerie de Mercurey cooperage in Burgundy, France, and the opportunity to be an associate judge in the 2024 New World Wine Awards and review some of her favourite wines in DrinksBiz magazine.

The Head of the EIT | Te Pūkenga School of Viticulture and Wine Science, Sue Blackmore said they are so excited for Alena.

“An incredible achievement for someone less that a year out of study. We wish her all the best for what will be an amazing career in the Wine industry.”