Vine Literacy: Ampelography Workshop for Wine Professionals

$200 + GST per person - raquel@naturalselection.co.nz to sign up

Martinborough event - Ata Rangi, February 17th, 1 – 4pm

Hawke’s Bay event - TBC, first week of February

Other regions - get in touch!

What: Ampelography is the science of grapevine identification.  Learn the methodology that will enable you to decipher any vine variety, anywhere; understand what makes each variety unique and the familial relationships that tie in to wine culture, history, and linguistics.

Who: This professional development opportunity is not just for viticulturists – winemaking, sales, marketing, and cellar door team members are encouraged to attend!

Why: “While blind wine tastings are standard procedure for penetrating past the label to the true nature and character of wine, one rarely follows suit in the vineyard.  We tend to be wine and grape knowledgeable but vine ignorant... For most people, including many grape growers, the leaves of a vineyard during the growing season form a more or less undifferentiated mass of green.  For the student of ampelography, however, they wave like flags in a parade proudly announcing their place of origin.” Lucie T. Morton, A Practical Ampelography 1979

Note: This workshop does not confer attendees Grade 2 Ampelographer status for the purpose of the Grapevine Grafted Standard

About the Instructor: 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.