Millton Vineyard

Millton Vineyard, Manutuke, Poverty Bay. New Zealand

James Millton is a highly regarded New Zealand Biodynamic grape grower and maker,. He of quality biodynamic wines. He is also a strong advocate of the role of biodynamics in agriculture, and particularly the importance of biodynamic methods in organic grape growing. He has inspired many other people to adopt biodynamic methods, and encouraged many in the perception of biodynamic grape growing and winemaking as a quality system. Tim Marshall spoke James and Anne Millton during a 2004 visit to Manutuke. The Millton vineyard is located close to Gisborne, in an area that grows a large portion of New Zealand Chardonnay, and close to the first reported plantings of vines in the country, in 1850.

From the commencement of this visit it was obvious I had come to a very different and interesting property. Early impressions were formed by the Adobe structures, the well tended garden, the ‘messages’ left behind in the vineyard, evidence of grazing between the rows, the plantings of hyssop against the vine trellis posts, and the surrounding plantations of grevillia and bottlebrush, to attract predatory insects and pollinating birds. At this time of year, the full diversity of the inter-row sward was not evident.

Our conversation started by asking James how he got into grape growing. He said, “At the age of seven I wanted to grow grapes. At the age of 14 I wanted to ferment them. At the age of 21, I was able to visit my personal Mecca, and studied viticulture and winemaking in Germany.”

“We started growing grapes here in Manutuke in 1969, on some land owned by Annie’s father, and we converted to biodynamic in 1984.”

“Actually I have retired now. I often get asked how come I am planting new vineyards and making wine, when I claim to be retired, but in fact it is just what I want to do, so it isn’t work, as such.”

We then discussed the difficulties of growing grapes without synthetic chemicals. It was obvious that James was now onto one of his favourite topics, as he provided plenty of information, with little further prompting from me.

“Some people think that biodynamic grape growing must be really hard in our rainy, humid climate, but we don’t think of this environment as particularly hard. Once you understand that we can create harmony by bringing into balance the four elements of nature, warmth, cold, water and light, using our biodynamic preparations and simple physical management, you see that have a sense of ease about what we are doing.”

“We apply silica to manage water, and at a different time, silica will balance heat and light. If it is cold, we use valerian to warm the ether.”

“We also use equisetum, and sodium silicate, for a drying effect. If it is too dry, we apply bentonite.”

“We also use our own seaweed preparations. In Australia, I suspect that growers should use more seaweed, to bring in the oceanic influence, as Australia is a continent.”

“We still use copper and sulphur for disease protection, but the biodynamic preparations set up the conditions for them to work.”

“Some conventional growers try to say that organic grape growing is not sustainable, because of copper use, but we use only 3 kg of copper per season.”

“We also use talcum power and seaweed to control humidity.”

“For weed control, we use a disk, to move soil up and down against the vine. We have a method to mow the inter-row and mound up the soil at the same time, to reduce diesel use. We collect the pruning waste and mown grass into a modified forest harvester, for composting.”

“For use, compost is the marrow of the bone. All biodynamic producers must use good compost.

“We only use hand harvest, and we don’t use contract pruners, so we have better control over fruit quality.”

“We are totally committed to organic production, but for us that means biodynamic production. I am really happy that we have now acquired our own cattle, to make 500. The 500 is an essential biodynamic input, and having control of your own animals to make it with is an ultimate goal for biodynamic producers.”

Sheep has previously grazed the vineyards during the winter, but four cattle are now used for grazing as well as the sheep.

“For us, the development of biodynamic methods has been like the story of ham and eggs. It is said that the chicken had a passing interest, but the pig was totally committed.”

“We try to be completely committed, which is why we have obtained the cows. We have been making 500, but now we can use our own manure. We also grind our own quartz, to make 501. Eventually we would like to make our own compost preparations.”

Five vineyards make up the Millton estate. Annie’s father in law originally started the 8 hectare Opou vineyard (Chardonnay and Riesling), and James and Annie have planted the others since they took over the 1980’s. including the 3 hectare Te Arai Vineyard (Chenin Blanc and Malbec), the 7 hectare Riverpoint Vineyard (Chardonnay and Voignier) and the 2 hectare Naboth’s Vineyard, a reference to 1 Kings 21, the only vineyard mentioned in the Bible (because the land was inherited from Anne’s father).

The most recently planted vineyard, which incorporate more of the slopes in the Naboth vineyard, has been managed biodynamically from the beginning, and has yet to come into full production. The higher slopes, which get very hot in summer, are planted to Syrah (Shiraz). The cold July day on which we visited, revealed a temperature difference of at least 5-6 degrees between the most and least elevated vineyards.

The older vineyards are currently being remodeled, as they were planted at 3-metre spacing, to accommodate traditional agricultural tractors.

In 1995, a Ruapeahu volcano erupted, leaving behind a layer of volcanic ash over the district. This prompts James to say, “We are really growing on very new soils, as they have been rejuvenated many times over by the volcano.”

James’ assistant Shane helps with management of the 27 hecares of vineyard. He has worked in the viticulture industry for 12 years, and has completed a postgraduate Diploma in Horticulture and Oenology at Lincoln College. He came to Millton five years before, ostensibly for six weeks of pruning work. At that time he was not interested in biodynamics, although he says he did have an open mind.

Shane says, “Since I have been here, I have definitely seen a benefit from biodynamics for the vines, and for the wine.” He continues, “Working biodynamically is easier than conventional. We are not so nervous about sprays being washed off, and we don’t have to handle the sprays.” Shane has the main responsibility for compost manufacture, which is not easy in the wet conditions. The compost is made from vine prunings and grass, collected as the grass is mown (see photo of the harvester), winery waste and green waste from the entensive gardens. It is turned at least twice, at six week intervals, and leachate is captured, and either reapplied to compost, or applied to the vineyards as compost tea. Shane called the leachate “the blood of the compost.”

Chris Hunt also assists James, as winery manager and assistant winemaker. The wines are named and made according to the origin of the grapes. The winery is on the Millton Vineyard, and estate grown BIO-GRO Certified Organic wines are bottled under the Millton label. Grapes include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Malbec and Reisling. Clos de St Anne is the label used for the grapes from Naboth’s Vineyard. It is managed under biodynamic culture and dry-grown. James also makes a ‘Growers Series’, from selected conventionally grown grapes from various producers in the Gisborne region. The growers are all members of the Sustainable Wine Growing (SWG) scheme.

Wines are sold from the cellar door and by mail-order, and in selected wine stores and restaurants. They are exported to Australia, UK, USA and at least five Asian countries.

James Millton Winery promotes a personal and family philosophy in his wine marketing, which is to; “produce a selection of specialized table wines. These wines should give an expression of the natural flavours found in the grapes harvested from our vineyards in the Gisborne region. I wish as well, to enhance the life quality of the land we are responsible for and in doing so leave it in an improved condition for future generations. Far from being a convenient way to market out wine, it is the protection of our own health and the environment in which we work which motivates us to pursue this direction. Wine. After all, is a natural art form to be enjoyed in moderation by all people”.

James Millton wines have won many awards. James is often asked to judge at wine shows. He was one of only two Southern Hemisphere producers to exhibit at the the first Bio-dynamic Winegrowers exhibition, in conjunction with the Vinexpo Exhibition, in Bordeaux, France. The other exhibitor was Julian Castagna, from Beechworth, Vistoria. James has also been instrumental in establishing the Certified Organic Winegrowers of New Zealand (COWNZ).