2022 was the most enjoyable harvest for many years with no weather pressure and perfectly clean and ripe pinot noir grapes. The vintage was slightly warmer than average. 972 growing degree days versus our average of 942. During flowering in December, the weather was cloudier and wetter than normal which caused temperatures to drop and there was less flower germination. The poorer fruit set meant less berries per bunch and more open bunches when it came to ripening which was a good thing. Average bunch weights were marginally lower than average, and the total harvest was down 5-10% on average. March and April were outstanding months of perfect weather for ripening and picking pinot noir grapes and I don’t recall such a perfect last 30+ days to harvest.

2021 vintage, in summary, was a cool spring and January followed by a warm dry autumn which perfectly ripened a smaller than average crop. The grape volume was down by 20% as was the average bunch size. We picked a week earlier than normal due to the excellent ripening period and a smaller crop. Covid-19, and changes in the availability of skilled vineyard staff, made vineyard work more difficult.

2020 was one of the more difficult vintages due to the cold weather and the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Spring started normally but weather events turned against us. An unusual atmospheric phenomenon known as Sudden Stratospheric Warming turned everything upside down. A hailstorm hit the vineyard on 16 November and contributed to some flower damage. December, when the vines are flowering, was one of our coldest on record. It was the first time we have recorded lower temperatures in December than November. Average bunch weight (ABW) of 65 g vs long term average of 108 g. The most comparable vintage is 2007 when December was cooler and ABW even lower. The weather did improve, and conditions were excellent for ripening in more typical Central Otago weather of hot dry days and cool nights. The quality of the fruit going into the winery was excellent. 

2019 A slightly warm year but despite this there were a couple of anomalies. 12/13 October delivered the most severe October frost we have experienced in at least 15 years and, at the start of harvest, around 4 to 6 April, we experienced further frosts of -3 to -4 degrees. The events would have been devastating but our vines are well protected by frost fighting sprinklers. Spring was significantly wetter than normal but did not cause problems. February was unusually cool and veraison was slow and spread out. March was warmer than February which is not something we have experienced before and helped progress the ripening process. In total the January through to March period was 10% warmer than average. Similar in seasonal character to 2015 and 2008. Fruit set was good. Overall average bunch weight was 126 g versus historical average 114 g. (The same bunch size as 2013). Frosts at harvest, when fruit was ready to be picked, did cause minor delays in picking but the fruit held up well and was of excellent quality.  Harvest 5 to 12 April. Read more

2018 One of the hottest Central Otago summers on record. The heat, early flowering and ripening and rain in February created more challenges than normal. Despite the challenges the fruit was picked in excellent condition with full flavour development and above average volumes. Temperatures in November, December and January were above average. Growth rates in late November and December were exceptional and it was difficult to keep up with vine training and shoot thinning. Flowering was 2-3 weeks early and the perfect conditions meant excellent fruit set resulting in large tight bunches. Veraison was three weeks ahead of normal. Cooler late afternoon breezes took the heat out the day and slowed ripening. Harvest started on 23 March and finished 31 March, three weeks earlier than normal. Read more

2017 The coolest vintage for at least 15 years.The unusually warm September was followed by a good October and then a period of below average temperatures through until late February. Fortunately flowering was good but the cooler weather during berry development meant bunch sizes were below average. 90 gram average bunch weight which is the lowest since 2007 and 2010 vintages. Picking started on 8 April. 2017 season seems to have favoured Alexandra which ripened earlier than sub-regions to the west. Fruit quality was excellent although yields down on average.  Read more

2016 The strong El Nino produced more cool south and southwest weather than normal in the spring and early summer. Fortunately the weather was fine during flowering and fruit set was good. The cool spring meant bunches were a little smaller than recent years, which is not a bad thing. In February the heat really picked up producing our hottest February ever and was just what was needed to keep the season on track. March and April were ideal for ripening grapes. The quality of fruit picked was excellent and volume was right on target. Overall the season will be remembered for the cooler than normal spring and the particularly warm February plus the persistent winds, the extra low rainfall and the high number of frosts. Harvest dates identical to 2015. Read more

2015 The season started cooler than normal with October and November temperatures below average and a number of frosts requiring frost fighting. The cool conditions slowed flower development. December warmed up and provided a small but perfect window for the critical flowering period. While the weather at flowering was ideal, the cool spring conditions had meant some flowers proved infertile or set weak berries which did not develop. The result was smaller and more open bunches than normal. January was one of our warmest ever and February and March were good apart from a couple of early frosts. The end of March and early April were exceptionally warm and hand picking commenced earlier than normal finishing on 16 April. Fruit was similar in quality to 2014 but bunch weights were slightly lower. Read more

2014 A warm start to the season with early bud burst. A number of frost events in mid October left young shoots undamaged but flower development was checked. October to December was exceptional kind resulting in an excellent fruit set. January turned out to be one of our coolest experienced and February and March were slightly cooler than average. Despite the slow finish to the season it remained dry and frost free. Harvest was completed on 22 April with excellent quality fruit going to the winery. Read more

2013 A cool vintage with an extremely cool spring but the saving grace was perfect weather at flowering which maximise fruit set and early berry development. February and March were ideal for ripening fruit and although some parts of Otago had fruit ripening earlier than expected we did not start harvest until 22 April. Clean and open bunches and a promising vintage. Read more

2012 After an outstanding warm start with ideal spring flowering and fruit set the weather deteriorated, as it did in all NZ winegrowing regions. By the end of February total solar energy had been only average and in March temperatures drop dramatically putting us on a very slow ripening path. The large tight bunches and heavy rainfalls in summer increased the disease risk and raised fears of a difficult harvest. Fortunately the weather changed and from 12 March we had no rain, hot days and cool nights creating a perfect finish to the season and one of our best harvests ever. Harvest: 18 and 27 April. Already proving to be one of the great vintages. Read more

2011 Spring and summer heat was above average. Outstanding fruit set. Large bunches and berries. Rainfall during February was significantly higher than average throughout Central Otago, increasing the disease risk. 2011 was one of our warmest vintages and the first grapes were picked on 30 March 2011 and in our earliest harvest ever. A difficult vintage in Central Otago due to the summer rain and large tight bunches, however the Alexandra sub-region, with its lower rainfall, produced some excellent quality grapes. 2011 produced a ripe, refined and elegant expression of Grasshopper Rock.. Read more