Vintage Report 2010

This year was typified across the country by a cool spring and early summer with plenty of frost fighting opportunities early on. The weather after veraison was ideal with no rain to speak of and no pressure to pick.

Hawke’s Bay

Cool spring temperatures meant a late start – with slow canopy growth. Cool and wet conditions persisted throughout most of summer and the dry warm weather that was affecting most of the country did not arrive until mid-February which significantly delayed veraison. Thankfully though, the warm dry Indian summer leading up to and through harvest meant the fruit was clean, ripe and not particularly late.

Gimblett Rd - The Chardonnay looks very primary and focused and, though not as yet as full as some years, the weight is building. Sauvignon Blanc is weighty, rich and tropical. The Merlot and Syrah look outstanding with the Cabernet Franc and Malbec providing fine blending options as is the low cropped Cabernet Sauvignon. The Gimblett Rd vineyard was severely frosted just after the last grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon), were harvested.

Fernhill – The Sauvignon is solid and as usual will take some time to reveal its depth and typical red current notes. The Chardonnay wine is very fruit forward and the Viognier intensely flavoursome and pungent with good viscosity and volume.

Marlborough 

A cool spring (4-5 frosts) resulted in quite late bud burst in all varieties. Good soil moisture, but continued cool temperatures through to late spring early summer developed poor flowering and set (i.e low crops), in the Cowslip Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Other vineyards were less affected. Flowering in Sauvignon Blanc was good across the board and thinning was required. The weather improved midsummer resulting in above average temperatures and very low rainfall which accelerated ripening - a vintage that was looking up to 10 days late was actually about average come harvest and the degree days ended up as average over the season. 

The stand out wine thus far is the Cowslip Pinot Noir - superb concentration and darkly coloured. The Pinot Gris looks perfumed and powerful and the overall quality of the Sauvignon Blanc is very high with less pungency (thiols) than 2009 but greater weight and more tropical fruit.