Funding of $3.79m from the Provincial Growth Fund cements Marlborough’s place as the epicentre of New Zealand wine industry research and innovation.
Marlborough Research Centre Chief Executive Gerald Hope says the funding is the culmination of more than a third of a century’s work.
“We’ve been on a journey since 1984 to put Marlborough on the national research map. Today’s announcement acknowledges how far our wine and viticulture industry has come. We will now have the facilities to host and learn from the best wine scientists and industry innovators from New Zealand and around the world.”
Fletcher Tabuteau, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development, today announced $3.79m from the Provincial Growth Fund towards creating Te Whare ā Waina Aotearoa – the New Zealand Wine Centre. It will be built on the existing shared campus of the Marlborough Research Centre and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology.
The Marlborough Research Centre is funding another $3.79m towards the development.
Gerald Hope says the National Wine Centre will integrate the existing Plant & Food Research laboratories, the Bragato Research Institute winery and NMIT educational facilities.
“It will add open access areas to drive more industry engagement and participation in research. We will have hot desks and laboratory space for winemakers and others from the industry to engage with visiting students, professors and viticulture researchers.
“The funding will also allow us to build attractive accommodation on campus for visiting international researchers and academics.”
Today’s announcement follows June’s Memorandum of Understanding signed by Eastern Institute of Technology in Hawkes Bay, Otago Polytechnic and NMIT to collaborate on research with the Bragato Research Institute and Marlborough Research Centre.
This collaboration will now extend across the New Zealand Wine Centre.
Contact: Gerald Hope 027 433 1059