As part of the Top of The South Trades Academy Wine Cellar Operations, students in the course made their own wines with great results in the Wine Marlborough Wine Show.

These wines are judged blind (eg the judges don’t know which winery the wine comes from) and they are judged in their classes, against actual commercial wine.

Lucas Strong had the highest scoring student wine at the Marlborough Wine Show so he won the Ginkgo Trophy, awarded by NMIT and the staff from Wine Marlborough.

Lucas made a wine from the Muscat grape variety so his wine was judged against all the other ‘alternative whites’. He received 89 points out of 100 for his wine, which is 1 point off a silver medal!

Lucas has been at NMIT and part of the Wine School for the past 2.5 years. He also works part time at Babich Winery and is planning on returning next year to NMIT to study the degree in Viticulture and Winemaking.

Two other wines also received bronze medals - Spencer Holmes with a Pinot Gris and Jack Fransen + Galesau Roebeck with their Verdelho.

The success of these students against other degree students and commercial wines highlights the knowledge and opportunities these courses offer our students. The experience and knowledge they have gained from vintage, and the Trades Academy course, have proven MBC offers opportunities for them to find their place where they thrive and succeed.