Emma Taylor is an enthusiastic viticulturist in her early thirties. Since winning the Young Viticulturist of the Year Award in 2007 Emma has been pruning and harvesting her way to the top as Hawks Bay Company Vineyards Manager for the prestigious Villa Maria. We ask Emma what its like to work for an acclaimed New Zealand company and how she worked her way into the charming and lucrative industry of wine making.

I heard you won the Young Viticulturist of the year Award in 2007, what was that like?

It was a great feeling – in the wine industry awards are a big deal. There are always lots of trophies and awards given to wines and winemakers and Villa Maria always does well in wine competitions, but it was great to stand up and be recognised as a viticulturist too.

I heard you took out four from five categories, which ones were these?

There were seven categories. I won Sustainable Winegrowing/Machinery; General Knowledge; Pruning; and Pest Management/Plant Identification. There was also a presentation question, a budgeting question and a ‘Horty Sport’ activity.

Who were you working for in 2007 and what did your job consist of?

I have worked for Villa Maria for nearly 10 years now. The same year that I received the award I had just taken maternity leave from my role as Company Viticulturist – heading up the Viticulture department for Villa Maria. This role involved managing the intake of all Villa Maria’s grapes throughout New Zealand (Auckland , Gisborne, Hawkes Bay , Marlborough , Waipara and Central Otago ), overseeing more than 100 contract growers as well as the team that works with our growers and on our vineyards.

When did you get into viticulture?

When studying for my Masters of Science I was advised to choose a topic that would hold my interest for the two years that I needed to study it. I was doing a geography degree and knew that soil science was going to be my area, but decided to look specifically at the wine industry and the impact of vineyards on soils – in particular copper concentrations of the soil. Research for my thesis took me around the country touring all the wine regions sampling soils. On the way we tasted some great wines and met some fantastic people. Apart from the great romantic notion of working in the wine industry the people in the NZ wine industry are really innovative and open to new ideas – that was really attractive to me.

What qualifications did you need before entering the industry?

I have a MSc in Physical Geography from Otago. I graduated 10 years ago – at the time the Lincoln degree was only new and an industry specific degree was not require. Geography is a great qualification for viticulture as it encompasses hydrology; climatology and soil science. My undergraduate degree comprised some basic botany. Now though the competition is a lot fiercer and when we look for new graduates we expect them to have an industry specific degree – from Lincoln, Auckland or EIT (which offers a degree programme from Charles Stuart University in Australia.)

What is your current role at Villa Maria?

Hawkes Bay Company Vineyards Manager

What does a day in this role consist of?

Based in the Hawkes Bay, I work directly with the six managers we have here on our own company vineyards. At this time of year, it is working with them and the winemakers to plan next year’s harvest. We have only just tucked the harvesters back in the shed and are already thinking of the 2010 harvest and what our volume and wine style requirements are. We are about to start pruning and that is a crucial time in the calendar as it sets the scene for the entire next season.

There must be a few good perks for working for Villa Maria?

Apart from the great wines that Villa Maria makes, it is fantastic working for a wholly NZ-owned and family run wine company. The team at Villa Maria all know how to work hard and are proud of the wine that we make. From my point of view Villa Maria also owns some of the best vineyard land in New Zealand, so it is great to work with that.

What is your opinion on the NZ wine industry in terms of product growth? 

The wine industry in New Zealand has boomed in recent years, both in terms of size and geographic distribution. New Zealand produces world class wines and our Sauvignon Blanc has put us high on the international stage. We need to make sure that we take the opportunity to prove that we are world class with other varieties too – our Pinot Noir from Martinborough and the South Island and our Syrah and Bordeaux Blends from the Hawkes Bay are also exceptionally good. So long as the New Zealand wine industry never looses sight of its commitment to producing high quality wines the product will speak for itself.

Who are Villa Maria’s main exports?

The UK is our largest export market; Australia and America are also very important to us. We also export to a range of countries including Japan, Canada, Russia and Vietnam.

What is your favourite wine?

My favourite wine changes depending on the season. I am loving Syrahs this autumn, the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah is my current favourite.