Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
22 seconds ago
EIT student Ngaun Siau (right) won the EIT Top Student Wine Award at this year’s A&P Society’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards. She is pictured at the awards ceremony with EIT’s Head of the School of Viticulture and Wine Science.
A second year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science student at EIT has won the award for the Top Student Wine at this year’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.
Ngaun Siau, 26, won the award at this month’s A&P Society’s Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards for her wine – Dalan Cabernet Franc 2024. The student wines are judged by the same criteria as all the other classes and Ngaun’s wine received 95 points from the judges – a Gold medal.
Ngaun, who is from Taiwan, says that she was very excited that her wine was chosen as the Top Student Wine, sponsored by EIT, and says that she enjoyed the awards evening.
“I made four red wines this year. The award-winning Cabernet Franc was harvested from the Te Awa vineyard, where I worked for the summer.”
“It took me three days to harvest and a month to make my wine. The grapes were hand-harvested, partially whole bunch fermented for a fruitful wine style.”
She got the name for her wine, Dalan, from the language of a tribe in Taiwan.
“It means ‘roads’ in Puyuma, but it’s more like the things that your heart is calling; the path you take to follow your dream.”
Winning the award was a highlight of what has, at times, been a challenging, but reward two years at EIT Hawke’s Bay.
Ngaun arrived in New Zealand to begin her first year one month before Cyclone Gabrielle struck last year. She moved into EIT student accommodation where she made friends with other students.
“We received a lot of help from the Hawke’s Bay community after the Cyclone. I appreciate how people here care for each other.”
“The most difficult thing was that we were not able to use the wine-making resources on campus since we had all moved online.”
Ngaun says that she comes from an agricultural background with her family having grown rice and other crops for centuries.
“Agriculture has always been fascinating to me. What caught my eye about viticulture was how everything starts from a small vine and becomes an aged wine.”
Ngaun says that it was New Zealand’s approach to organic and regenerative agriculture that attracted her to study here.
“I realised that it would be a good place for me to study and understand more about sustainable wine growing.”
After school Ngaun worked in the construction industry and also in farming, but soon decided that studying viticulture and wine science was what she wanted to do.
“Once the worst of COVID-19 had passed, I decided to make the move to New Zealand. I did my research and really liked what EIT had to offer, especially its strong practical component.”
Ngaun credits her success to the nurturing and supportive environment at EIT.
“The staff are really friendly and the lecturers’ doors are always open. Our school winery staff, the winery manager and the lab staff there are quite amazing. They always have new ideas or something they would suggest us to try.”
“We share a strong connection with the local wine industry, where our lecturers have worked or are still involved. There is no boundary for us in accessing the industry.”
“It is a very supportive programme for me to study here. In this environment I can fully immerse myself in my studies, knowing that the entire programme will have my back.”
Sue Blackmore, EIT Head of School for Viticulture and Wine Science said: “The whole V&W Team are excited that Ngaun received a Gold for her student wine.”
“She spent long hours in the winery tinkering with ‘Dalan’. And as the wine name suggests Ngaun is passionate about winemaking and her future in the wine industry. We wish her well”.
“All Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science students get a chance to make wine from year one of the degree, work a commercial internship in year 2 and complete a research project aligned with industry in year 3.”
