Efficient, expert
vineyard care
Viticulture Services
Grapeworx Marlborough Ltd provides both labour and machinery to businesses in the viticulture industry in Marlborough.
We are proud to be a member of New Zealand Ethical Employers, which means we are committed to fostering a collaborative relationship that drives continuous improvement. We take pride in knowing our partners and aligning with their expectations to deliver exceptional quality through strict adherence to industry standards.
Our long-term labour strategy includes proactive risk mitigation to ensure a stable workforce, backed by strong supervision, structured training, and transparent tracking systems to monitor work outputs efficiently. With a strong commercial approach, our industry expertise ensures we deliver value while maintaining high operational standards.
We uphold clear communication, timely execution, and continuity of our core team, ensuring we are appropriately resourced to meet deadlines. Sustainability remains a key priority, with a leading approach to minimizing our environmental impact and supporting the communities we work in.
Labour
We provide comprehensive contracting services for the viticulture industry, meeting the unique needs of each season in both established and new development vineyards. Whether the task is large or small, we have the expertise to handle it all. For clients unsure how to approach a particular job, we offer guidance from initial planning through to successful completion, ensuring every aspect is managed with precision and care.
Developing a new vineyard site is an exciting process that involves laying the groundwork for a thriving vineyard. Our work starts with precise layout planning and installation, including driving posts, running support and irrigation wires, and securely fastening each component. Once infrastructure is in place, we manage the planting of young vines, followed by essential early-stage training to encourage strong, healthy growth. As the vines establish, we carefully remove protective guards and make ongoing adjustments to support and lift wires as needed, ensuring each plant has optimal conditions to flourish. This comprehensive approach sets up a new vineyard for long-term success and productivity.
The new season begins the moment green shoots burst to life, marking the start of increased labour demand. Early tasks include bud rubbing and shoot thinning, followed by precise spraying, wire lifting, and essential bunch and crop thinning. As the vines mature, canopy management becomes crucial to optimize airflow and sun exposure. Finally, as the season progresses, we move into the peak of hand and machine harvesting, ensuring every cluster is handled with care. Additional summer tasks, such as leaf plucking and irrigation monitoring, help maintain vine health and fruit quality, setting the foundation for an exceptional harvest.
Winter in the vineyard is a critical time for setting the stage for the next season’s growth. As the vines go dormant, our work begins with careful pruning to shape the vines and control yields. This is followed by training young vines, tying down canes, and repairing trellis systems to ensure strong support for future growth. We also focus on mulching, nutrient management, and weed control to enrich the soil and maintain healthy vine rows. In the background meticulous equipment servicing ensures everything is ready for spring.
Machinery
Our machinery services offer top-tier support for every stage of vineyard management. Our fleet includes well-maintained John Deere tractors and three advanced GL8.4 Gregoire grape harvesters, ensuring reliable performance for a variety of vineyard tasks. Additionally, our gondolas provide smooth, efficient grape transport during harvest, supporting high-quality outcomes for each vineyard we work with. Our klima gen 2 machines make easy work of stripping out the old vines, that we don't hand strip out. And for the bigger jobs, our 3-ton digger comes in handy.
Regular servicing and fleet updates keep all machinery in peak condition, maximizing efficiency and minimizing downtime. All operators are fully qualified, with Grow Safe chemical handling accreditation, to manage spraying safely and effectively.
During the summer, our tractors play a vital role in keeping vineyards thriving. Key tasks include mowing between rows to manage weed growth and maintain clean vineyard floors, leaf plucking to enhance sun exposure and air circulation, and precise spraying for pest and disease control, all performed by our Grow Safe-accredited drivers. Additionally, our tractors are used for canopy management and assist with crop thinning to ensure optimal fruit quality. Each task is performed efficiently and safely, thanks to our well-maintained fleet and skilled operators. As harvest season begins, our tractors work seamlessly with our grape harvesters, transporting gondolas filled with fresh grapes to ensure minimal handling and preserve quality.
In winter, our tractors help to maintain and prepare vineyards for the next growing season. We utilize Klima equipment to efficiently strip out vines that we don't hand strip, ensuring a clean slate for wrapping down, ready for new growth. Our team also performs barrel pruning cutting the old canopy down for spur pruning, promoting the health and productivity of remaining vines. For vineyards scheduled to be ripped out and replanted, our tractors facilitate the removal process of plant, post, and wire, setting the stage for new plantings. We also replace posts. With our skilled operators and well-maintained fleet, we ensure that every task is completed efficiently, positioning our client's vineyard for success in the upcoming season.