Upcoming

Vine Genetics: Presentation and Roundtable Discussion

This event is at full capacity

Hawke’s Bay - Wednesday, April 22nd, 3 - 5 pm Paritua Boardroom

Topics

  • The domestication of Vitis – from 11,000 years ago to today, genetic diversity & erosion

  • Mutations & epigenetics – current understandings & implications in vegetatively propagated vines

  • Massale to clonal selection – the driving forces behind the 20th century shift to clones

  • The NZ context – how to seek out the best mother vines & opportunities for community collaboration

  • Roundtable – is it time to begin telling the story of our wines starting with vine genetics uniquely shaped by NZ terroir?

About: Raquel Kallas is a Hawke’s Bay-based viticulturist with over a decade of experience in research, extension, and industry. She holds a master’s degree from Cornell University and undertook advanced ampelography training overseas with the OIV in July 2025.  In December 2025, she became recognized as NZ’s only Grade 1 Ampelographer by New Zealand Wine.