NUDGEE COLLEGE VINEYARD LAUNCHES WINE LABEL
Story prepared by Fiona McGree, Communications Manager Nudgee College

Story Added : April 2006

At 1.30pm February 21 in Brisbane, a new wine label was launched. The first drop of the first batch of wine was sampled, made from grapes which were harvested and bottled last year. Hon Margaret Keech, Minister for Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development represented the Premier and several other heads of departments were in attendance, but perhaps more importantly, the producers of the wine were honoured, namely the school boys and their teachers who made it all possible.

St Joseph’s Nudgee College is one of seven Gateway to Wine Industry Schools - a term describing schools in wine regions throughout Queensland that have developed curriculum around the wine industry. They are closely linked with the Queensland College of Wine Tourism at Stanthorpe and will use their facilities in block periods to further students’ skills.

The boys at Nudgee grow ‘Chambourcin’ grapes in a small vineyard on the college’s 136 ha property. ‘Chambourcin’ was chosen to ensure success of the crop,” said Mr Terry Donaghue, Head of Senior School Studies at Nudgee. “It’s a French, light red variety, selected because of Brisbane’s humid conditions and its resistance to fungus,” he said.

Trestles were built and 120 vines planted six years ago by a group of Year 8 Nudgee boys. Five years later, those same boys were there for the harvest. Now newly graduated, they will come back to sample the fruits of their labour at the launch, alongside current students involved in the project.

Over the past five years the school boys managed the vineyard as an enterprise, spraying herbicides and fungicides, pruning and netting the vines. They also frequent the commercial vineyards to see the whole process in action. Ron Field from Archer Falls Vineyard near Kilcoy, north of Brisbane, has been instrumental, providing help with crushing and bottling at his winery.

‘Chambourcin’ is often blended with many wines because of its generous fruit flavours and sugar content, though it seldom receives any credit on the label. ‘Chambourcin’ also oaks and ages reasonably well,” Mr Field said.“Typically five bottles of wine are produced from each vine, and the College has 120 vines,” he said. “This first run will be called ‘NC First Vintage’ to commemorate Nudgee’s first foray into wine making.”

Because of its success, the college vineyard will be expanding, with this year’s Year 12 boys being given the task to research another variety, probably a white, suitable for Brisbane’s conditions.The partnership between Education Queensland, Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE and the University of Southern Queensland, means students will be able to gain qualifications from entry level through to Diploma and Bachelor degree across the spectrum of skills underpinning the wine industry, including viticulture, food processing (wine), tourism, hospitality and business.

The Queensland Wine Industry Association Inc. has also been working with the Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development, Education Queensland and the Department of Education & Training to develop the Wine Tourism College in Stanthorpe.

“Nudgee has a reputation for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Minister Keech. “I congratulate the students and teachers for their initiative and hard work to date. I know their efforts will prove to be a success.”

16 Hospitality students from Nudgee’s Year 12 class were also involved in the launch, making good use of the fully operational commercial kitchen and linking in well with the new curriculum. Students brushed up on their hospitality skills, serving official guests.

Minister and students view the vineyard