At Novum Wines in Marlborough, William and Rachel are focused on producing the best wine possible, starting with pinpointing the best fruit.
While many wineries will harvest entire blocks at a time, William says they’ve learnt that the best fruit usually comes from just a small pocket of a good vineyard, due to soil type, microclimate, and other variables. “It might be just a few rows, the eastern side of a slope, or a rocky swale running through a vineyard. Pinpointing these pockets takes additional time, but in our experience, it’s these tiny parcels of fruit that produce the most intense and interesting wines.”
Their careful approach extends to how they manage disease in the vineyard. One of their preferred tools is Organic JMS Stylet-Oil from UPL, used to control powdery mildew, Botrytis, mealybug and mites, an alternative to traditional sulphur sprays.
“We use JMS across all our vineyards,” says William. “It worked so well in the 2024-25 season in Syrah that we only used JMS – with amazing results. It’s better for the people working in the vineyard, the grapes, and the soil.”
Alex Easton, UPL NZ Regional Manager Upper South Island, explains, “This food-grade mineral oil is very effective for early season clean-up applications to eradicate any over-wintering powdery mildew and helping reduce mealy bug populations which can cause sooty mould and spread grape leaf roll virus.”
Organic JMS Stylet-Oil eradicates powdery mildew on contact and provides approximately seven days forward protection early season. Once vine growth slows and the canopy matures, this can extend to 10 days. However, new growth isn’t protected, so timing and coverage are key.
While Organic JMS Stylet-Oil is popular with vineyard owners, Alex believes it’s still probably undervalued in the industry. “The potential for greater use is there as it’s highly effective against powdery mildew, provided thorough coverage is achieved.”
JMS is best applied with Du-Wett or Du-Wett Organic Super-Spreader at low water volumes for the best coverage and results at the lowest cost. There’s no pre-harvest interval, making it a flexible option.
For more information on Organic JMS Stylet-Oil, talk to your local Fruitfed Technical Representative.
