The Bragato Exchange Scholarship

At the instigation of  Club member Kevyn Moore, a Life Member New Zealand Grape Growers Council, the Club has been co-sponsoring the Bragato Scholarship to foster an ongoing link between the Scuola di Viticultura ed Enologia, Conegliano, Italy and the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), Hawke’s Bay New Zealand. Recently the Rotary Club of Conegliano has joined the programme as a co-sponsor. The Club makes a contribution of $1000 to assist the outward bound New Zealand scholar.

The Bragato Study Exchange Award recognises an historical connection between Conegliano and New Zealand, dating from 1895 when Romeo Bragato, an ex student of the Regia Scuola di Viticultura ed Enologia dei Conegliano, visited New Zealand.

Scuola di Viticultura ed Enologia, Conegliano, Italy

EIT Wine Institute

Romeo went on to become the New Zealand government viticulturalist from 1902 to 1909. He recognised the potential for the New Zealand wine industry, identified many grape growing areas, made international award winning wines, held field days for growers, lectured widely and published booklets on viticultural and wine making practices.

Many of the ideas expounded by Romeo Bragato still form part of the modern New Zealand wine making industry.

Since 2003, students from Italy have travelled to NZ to study NZ viticulture based at EIT and NZ students have been to Italy in exchange.

Dott Giacinto Feletto, Principal of La Scuola Enologica di Conegliano

On August 24th, 2005, Dott Giacinto Feletto, Principal of La Scuola Enologica di Conegliano, his wife Egidia Bottega, were welcomed to a special evening held in the Matariki Cellars. He was introduced to members by Kevyn Moore.

Giacinto explained that he has been the school's principal since 2000 and is in his final year before retirement. The school which was established in 1876, is in fact a secondary school  where students arrive at age 14 to study viticulture and oenology in a 6 year course. However they are faced with change in trying to adopt standards common within the EEC whereby students would be required to complete 3 years of university education to gain their qualification. Giacinto is justifiably proud of the growth of the school which has seen the roll increase from 640 students in 2000 to 1030 in 2005.

Giacinto thanked Kevyn Moore for his organisation of the exchange programme and also thanked the Taradale Rotary Club for its initiatives in promoting the technical and friendship aspects of the programme. He also acknowledged the participation of EIT and their wine faculty. Giacinto presented the club with a picture of the school along with 2 scrolls; the first being a 1921 scroll which contained the signatures of those dignitaries present when the school's first stone was laid; the second being an 1886 scroll giving notice of the opening of the school.

Bragato Scholarship Winners

Italian Scholars

New Zealand Scholars

Andrea Miotto

Andrea was the first recipient of the Bragato Scholarship. He returned to NZ for “THE 2008 VINTAGE”. When he came initially, he had no idea that wine was made in NZ. - his grandfather thought NZ was about “sheep and things”! He had his first week in Auckland, followed by Hawkes Bay, Marlborough with the fourth and final week in Wellington and Martinborough before returning to Italy for a final year of study. Since then he has visited and experienced wine areas in Argentina and California’s Napa Valley. This was capped off by 3 more years at university to attain his degree. He now has his own vineyard. Back in Italy he has had an ongoing involvement with Bragato and has met all the Exchange Students.

Alberto Gianduzzo

Alberto, 19, came from San Dona di Piave about 40km north east of Venice and in the heart of the Piave DOC region - famous for raboso, , cabernet and merlot red wines.

Grant Roberts

Grant went to Conegliano, Nth Italy, for a month long visit to learn all aspects of the Italian Viticulture industry. He currently has his own vineyard in Dartmoor and produces his own wine.

Bruno Cecchetto

Bruno is from Soffratta, a small city of Mareno di Piave, near to Conegliano. It is located in Treviso province, in the region of Veneto. His father cultivates major northern Italian varieties: Grey Pinot, Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon, Prosecco and two of native varieties: Raboso Piave and Verduzzo Trevigiano.

Hayden Penny

Hayden did a double degree in Viticulture & Wine Science and has achieved outstanding  academic results.

He has been a member of the Taradale Volunteer Fire Brigade since 2003. He was captain of the Napier Old Boys Marist premier rugby team and a member of the Westshore Surf Lifesaving Club.

Elisa Ferarri

Elisa comes from a family of four and her father is a grape grower in the Treviso area. Their vineyard covers 6 hectares. The premier grape of the area is the Proseco variety which grows well on the sandstone soils with good drainage. The grapes are harvested by hand and gently pressed before being chilled, separated and fermented.

Renee Dale

Renee comes from Auckland.  She has represented New Zealand in soccer, both at Secondary School and Women’s age group. She is 19 years of age and is in her 2nd year at E.I.T., studying Bachelor of Wine Sciences.  She is an excellent student academically and a personable, quiet achiever.  She is highly motivated and has been an excellent ambassadress for both E.I.T. and Taradale Rotary. 

Enrico Battiston.

Enrico comes from Musile di Piave, a little village about 50 kilometres from Venice. He attends the fifth year of Cerletti’s school, agricultural and oenologist college in Conegliano.

During the week he lived in Conegliano and after school had a job in the “Veneto agricoltura’s” winery, an experimental centre inside the school’s winery.

Desirée Janson

Desiree grew up in a rural community, Maungatapere, not far from Whangarei where the green pastures were plentiful and the only grapevines to be found were in people’s backyards. "I have a younger sister and brother  My mother and father ran an agricultural and horticultural contracting business. My first experiences of winemaking were my Poppas homebrew barrels and his many experimentations, which occasionally resulted in exploding flagons!."

Chiara Masiero

Chiara writes "My name is Chiara Masiero, I’m 18 years old and I live in a small village, called Breda di Piave, in the province of Treviso near Conegliano. I’m an only child.

I studying in the fifth year at the “G.B. Cerletti”school  of Viticulture & Oenology in Conegliano. I enjoy the oenology course because the subjects are very interesting.

When I finish my studies at the Conegliano school in 2009, I am going to university and then I plan to work in a winery."

Alex Roper

Alex writes.."I grew up in Hamilton and attended Knighton normal school. I moved onto Southwell School between the ages of 9 and 12, then went to Fairfield College all the way through to the end of 7th Form. I am working part time at the Mission Estate Winery cellar door, and I am extremely pleased with my choice to study wine and viticulture. The topics fascinate me and I have learned a huge amount. That once far-fetched idea of becoming a winemaker seems very achievable now."

Alessandro Zanetton

"I live in a small village, called San Giovanni in Valdobbiadene, in the province of Treviso, 30 kilometres from Conegliano. My family has 30 hectares of vineyards and sometimes I work there at weekends and in the holidays. My village is into the DOC Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, an Appellation of origin in the Veneto region. My father Gottardo (48) works the farm assisted by my mother Marcella. We grow Prosecco, a white grape variety, we have a small winery. 

 Matt Fox

Matt writes: "My commitment is to achieve well. I am an enthusiastic and committed student with a real passion for the industry. This is evident as while studying I have immersed myself in the grape and wine industry by having jobs in both areas. These include my many vintages both in New Zealand and overseas, plus the many years I have spent working in vineyards."

Mattia Spagnol

"I come from the region of Treviso in the north of Italy. I live in a small village called Colbertaldo. I like jogging and playing soccer, I love reading and listening to music. I like traveling also and meeting new people and sharing opinions about everything. During the time I’m not studying I work with my brother and my dad in cellar or in the vineyards."

Tom Lovelock

Tom has lived in Australia and travelled extensively through Europe, the United States, Mexico and Central America, before migrating to the Hawkes Bay at the start of 2009 and enrolling in concurrent wine science and viticulture degrees at the Eastern Institute of Technology. Since early 2009 he has had a permanent part-time position at Moana Park winery, with roles in both the winery and vineyard.  

Nicola Manzan

"I live in Oderzo, a small town in the province of Treviso about 30 kilometers from Conegliano and about 50 kilometers from Venice."

"My passion for studying oenology was born during my holiday in Tuscany, especially in the “Chianti Classico” area, where I remained impressed by the local quality, viticulture, and wine making techniques."