Wine: Rapt with our raptors

Tanned, clean-shaven, freshly blow-waved and resplendent in front of a huge plate of saucy potato wedges, Chris Gambitsis (Gambo), dressed in expensive jeans, crisp shirt (half-unbuttoned) and a dapper sport coat with leather patches on the elbows, is all about attracting the birds. Sometimes known for kitting himself out in Harley Davidson gear, today he's holding court at The Dux Live bar in Christchurch where he's invited members of the trade to taste his new Lake Chalice wines.

It's important that he does a good job of encouraging these people to list them in their establishments because without this ongoing support Lake Chalice couldn't continue its work helping to re-establish wild falcons in Marlborough.

Twenty three years ago, when the ex-restaurateur/engineer was establishing his vineyard, he watched a pair of native falcons perform their intricate courtship ritual above Wairau Plain. Like hawks, falcons are streamlined, fast-flying birds of prey sometimes referred to as raptors. The term "raptor" is derived from the Latin word "rapere", meaning to seize or take by force.

Inspired by the endangered birds' powerful air battle, he chose a falcon emblem for his brand and, over the years, has developed a sponsorship deal with Rotorua's Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust.

WBPT and Lake Chalice are working to preserve the endangered karearea, or NZ falcon (once the top predator in our skies) by helping injured birds and re-introducing them to the Wairau Valley via a captive breeding programme. They've even named one of their stoniest sites the Falcon Vineyard, and Lake Chalice's top-tier wines are known as the "Raptor" series.

"We've always been very passionate about sustainability. We've got a great team, we've done our apprenticeship, experienced the highs and lows and sailed close to the wind financially in the early days," says Chris. "But we really put the hard yards in and as we don't have any romance or riches behind our brand, for us to get to this point, where we can do things like this, is simply hard work, time on the road, time on planes and time in front of the people that matter."

What also matters, according to scary population statistics, is that the native falcon is on the brink of extinction. It's now thought to be rarer than the kiwi and numbers continue to decline - which is cause for real concern because, if something isn't done to preserve their survival, they could die out in our lifetime.

For years, I've been desperate to see one of these birds up close so, when the call came from Brancott Estate to come and see some of the work they, too, are doing to encourage the species back into Marlborough through the Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust, I was there like a shot.

Actually, it was less of a shot and more of a bumpy, buzzy ride into Blenheim on a plane no bigger than a pencil case. But the promise of lunch at Brancott Estate Heritage Centre made it worthwhile. The stunning, Fearon Hay-designed centre is on a ridge overlooking the Brancott Valley on a rocky outcrop once known as Rob's Knob (email me, I'll tell you the story), and while waiting for my falcon date, it was almost impossible to tear my eyes away from the jawdropping view across the sprawling vineyard.

Driving through the vines later that day, tasting the ripening fruit with Mike Insley, Brancott's national viticulture manager, I was gobsmacked to see "Stop" and "Give Way" signs dotted around the property - it's that vast.

Brancott Estate's chief winemaker, Patrick Materman, pulled out a number of new-release wines for us to taste, many of which have undergone stylistic and label changes. However, I'm especially interested in the four "Living Land" series wines. The company, formerly known as Montana, has been a leader in establishing sustainable winegrowing in New Zealand and this range of wines has been crafted to reflect its commitment to protecting the environment.

In addition to their replanting of native vegetation and revitalising wetlands, encouraging the native falcon population back into the area has also become a major sustainability effort for the Brancott team. One dollar from every Living Land Series wine sold in New Zealand goes to the Living Land Fund, which directly benefits the breeding programme of Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust. As of March this year, over $200,000 has been donated to the project. Radio tracking equipment to help falcon research has also been provided and they're insulating more than 40 transformers found responsible for more than a few falcon fatalities.

I'd just sipped the new 2011 Living Land Sauvignon Blanc, when falcon handler Diana Dobson arrived with a regal, leather-bootied bird on her arm. "His name is Wilson" she said.

He was smaller and daintier than I imagined a falcon would be, and had beautiful nostrils. I reached out to stroke him and all hell broke loose.

"He doesn't like being touched," Diana quipped apologetically. Awkward. I should have known your average avian predator wouldn't be keen on being patted.

Apart from the possibility of extinction, I wanted to know why Lake Chalice and Brancott Estate are so passionate about increasing the falcon population in Marlborough?

As grapes ripen they become very sweet and starlings, finches and all manner of birds find them extremely tasty. Unchecked, birds can cause major damage by feeding on the fruit. Netting the vines is only partially effective at keeping birds out and they reduce the ability to do further canopy management before grapes are harvested.

As Marlborough's vineyards expand, so does the population of these hungry, non-native birds. Ensuring the natural balance of things, falcons prey on these birds and deter them from ever coming back; good news for vineyard managers.

"It's a bit like finding a shark in your pool," says Diana, giving Wilson a morsel of meat. "I wouldn't swim there."

For information see: http://www.wingspan.co.nzhttp://www.facebook.com/Marlboroughfalcons