Winetitles reports that a new Marlborough Circular Wine Programme will convert winery lees into soil amendments rather than sending the waste to landfill or wastewater systems. Led by Bragato Research Institute, the four-year NZ$6.98 million initiative combines NZ$2.79 million of government funding with industry investment and aims to divert more than 3,500 tonnes of solid lees annually, avoiding an estimated 4,700 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions. Researchers will test whether the commercial-scale model can safely return organic matter and nutrients to vineyard soils and potentially be replicated in other wine regions.
New Zealand
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Marlborough Wine & Food Festival Put on Hold After 40 Years
1News reports that the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival has been put on hold after nearly four decades, with organisers deciding that the substantial cost and resources required to stage it are no longer the best use of Wine Marlborough’s funds. The 2027 event had been scheduled for 13 February but tickets had not gone on sale, and Wine Marlborough says it will instead concentrate resources on activities that directly support growers and wine companies, particularly Marlborough’s international reputation and export market. The festival began in 1985, when the region had only four wine companies, and had become one of New Zealand’s best-known wine events.
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Sam Neill, founder of Two Paddocks and Jurassic Park star, dies aged 78
The Drinks Business reports that actor and winemaker Sam Neill has died suddenly aged 78, leaving a significant legacy in New Zealand wine through Two Paddocks. Neill established the Central Otago estate in 1993 and developed it into a respected organic producer specialising in site-specific Pinot Noir, with vineyards across Gibbston, Alexandra and Bannockburn.
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Marlborough Wine Industry Faces ‘Dire’ Years
Radio New Zealand is reporting on how an accountant has warned that Marlborough’s wine industry faces several “dire” years due to a persistent oversupply of wine and weakening global demand, which are driving down export values and forcing grape growers to cut production, reduce spending, and potentially mothball vines. He predicts many growers will make losses for several years, meaning no tax payments and wider economic impacts across the region, especially if property values fall without corresponding reductions in council rates. While industry representatives agree the sector is under pressure and must rebalance supply and demand, they remain cautiously optimistic about long-term prospects, noting continued international demand for New Zealand wine and a focus on harvesting only the highest-quality grapes to restore profitability over time.