One local lad has powered into study mode as he prepares for the Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year national final at the end of the month.
Ben Richards, after a day of driving tractors, picking out diseases in the vines, formulating irrigation equations and budgeting, was selected to represent Hawke's Bay in the 2017 final, held at Villa Maria in Marlborough.
At 14, Mr Richards was told to get into the wine or beer industry and after studying wine science and viticulture at EIT and working at Indevin "fell in love with it".
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"I had never really thought about getting into viticulture until I realised it comprised everything I enjoy, science, travel and the outdoors."