Multi-race staff make an interesting bouquet

The range of Asian, European, Australasian and African nationals lining Marlborough vineyards makes the vines look like a mini United Nations, a vineyard contractor says.

Rhonda Cox has nearly every continent covered in her vineyard gang and the range of languages flitting between grapes sounds much like the queue in an international airport.

"It's like travelling the world yourself," she said. "The stories you hear and the different cultures you meet, finding out how things are. There is chatter and a lot of laughing. I love it."

With 33 permanents in her gang it was easy to add a handful of backpackers, Ms Cox said.

Picking last week were 10 backpackers, including German woman Alexandra Neumayer, Czech man Mirko Procs and Briton Greg Smith who came here for the picking.

Add six Japanese travellers and students bolstering their bank accounts plus Korean and Malaysian pickers and the gang has covered a lot of territories.

Included in her permanent gang are 10 Iraqi men and Somalian Yusaf Kahled who came to New Zealand together nine months ago and are working the harvest to help find their feet here.

"Just until we see the alternatives," Mr Kahled said.

Recent rainfall in the grapes has meant sporadic work. But for the Iraqis, rainy days were a chance to catch up on the horrific events back home, Adnan Al Ezze said.

- NZPA