Anna Kelland was more than a decade away from being legally able to drink when she declared she wanted to be a winemaker when she grew up.

“My parents definitely encouraged me. I grew up surrounded by Hawkes Bay wineries, and while they don’t work in the industry, they do enjoy the product,” the now 25-year-old jests. “I was seven when I decided I wanted to make wine. At that age you draw a picture of what you want to be, and for me I was either a pop star or in a lab coat.

“I was definitely nosey as a child. I was very much a ‘why’ toddler. Why this? Why that?”

As well as asking why, she also asked why not, and pushed boundaries even at primary school.

“When they didn’t have a core science competency session in the New Zealand curriculum, I got some intermediate level books at primary school and started learning for myself.”

That thirst for knowledge has paid off, with the viticulture technician becoming a finalist in this year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year, being held in November.

But Anna, who won a scholarship from Constellation Brands and now works for the company in Marlborough, always thought science would be the focus, not agriculture.

“But this is definitely the side that I want to be on,” Anna, who is working towards a masters in agribusiness at Massey University, says. “With the Young Horticulturist competition, it’s a lot of work, I do have a pretty chocka schedule for the next few months.”

Anna has been fortunate to experience several sides of winemaking in the Constellation business, including a stint as vintage assistant winemaker, in the lab, and has also worked in the cellar door – learning about customer palates.

“When I was 17 and I started studying, I was very much in a similar boat to a lot of wine drinkers that begin having sweet wines or a rose. Studying viticulture and doing tasting courses helped develop my palate.”

Her day to day role as a viticulture technician involves data collection in the field, and analysis in the office, presenting it to senior management and operators, along with yield estimation, pest and disease management and monitoring, and nutrition planning for approximately 500 hectares of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

“I love the science side of it,” Anna says. “This is farming and there is quick problem-solving to do with the weather because you are at the mercy of the climate. I get to run trials, try new technologies, and collect the data, analyse that, and present it. I can find something that I think will have potential payback for the business, and see if that is an avenue we can try to improve our operations.”

Aware that the Young Horticulturist competition is an intense challenge, she has decided to pause her love for performing, usually she gets involved in local choir and theatre productions.

Instead, she is filling her limited downtime learning more about making other types of beverages.

“I have some projects at home, making wine and cider with a homemade press using a bucket with holes drilled in it and a car jack. I’ve just bottled some from this year, and it’s worked out pretty well.”

She is looking forward to the competition that is in its 21^st year. Run by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture Education Trust (RNZIH Ed Trust) with the support of official sponsors Woolworths, T&G Fresh and Fruitfed Supplies, it showcases the industry’s most promising young professionals and helps them develop the skills, knowledge and leadership needed to shape the sector’s future. Having taken out the Young Viticulturist of the Year, Anna will compete in a series of technical, practical, business and leadership challenges, with four others across the wider horticulture sector.

“Making large-scale sauvignon blanc is quite a different story to working towards some organic, small volume products that you might get in different regions, like Central Otago. So having discussions with people from different regions, different sized businesses – there’s a lot of learnings. The competition is good to network with people my age – that has been just really invaluable.”

Grand Final Awards Dinner

Celebrating the achievements of the 2026 finalists across the horticultural industry.

https://www.younghort.co.nz/young-horticulturist-of-the-year