Switch to organics pays off

John Clarke and Aynsley Quenault with some of their award-winning wines.

A battle with kikuyu and a change over to organics proved to be two challenges that a Kerikeri vineyard triumphed over this year.

John Clarke and Aynsley Quenault at Ake Ake Vineyard have scooped four awards at the New Zealand International Wine Show.

It's the largest wine show in New Zealand with more than 2000 wines from around the world entered and Ake Ake took home silver and bronze.

"We are especially pleased with the bronze and silver medals we won for our 2014 Pinot Grigio and 2013 Chambourcin.

"These wines were made using only grapes grown in our first and second year of conversion to organics and are unfined, meaning they are clarified without any dairy, fish or animal products," said John.

"The pinot grigio is a crisp, dry Italian style of pinot gris, a little different to Ake Ake's other pinot gris and most other New Zealand pinot gris."

Ake Ake Vineyard is about to enter its third year of growing grapes organically and is audited by Organic Farms New Zealand.

"Controlling mildews and pests has not been too much of a problem but controlling the weeds, especially kikuyu, has been hard work."

He said bud burst had been late this year due to the heavy rain over the past couple of months but "once the sun comes out the vines will be away and hopefully another award winning year".

The team at Ake Ake produce chambourcin, pinot gris, syrah, chardonnay, tempranillo and sauvignon blanc, also sourcing grapes from small Far North vineyards.

They have completed eight vintages and are now in their first year of full conversion to organic grape growing, using a soft spray regime on the vineyard.

"Most of the wines are unfined and are suitable for vegans."