Vintage Reports

1993 was an unusual year, with a harvest at least three weeks later than average.  However, from Easter onwards we enjoyed an Indian Summer, and left grapes on the vine because we were able to, resulting in attractively flavoured and weighted wines.  Vineyards needed to have had intensive management inputs to harvest quality fruit, but
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The season started well with very good bud break, but then the cold November and cool December reduced the set at flowering, especially with those varieties such as merlot and chardonnay which tend to react adversely to cold winds in the late Spring.  In January, we had the same sunshine hours as for 1991, but
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The season was early, with a very hot December and the quickest flowering we have ever experienced, followed by prolonged settled weather, one quite heavy rainfall on the 9/10th April and thereafter clear weather until harvest was completed on the 27th April.  We consider the year to be our best yet; the wines, in technical terms, have
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Vintage was in mid-season as far as timing went, starting in late March and finishing on the 3rd May.  We had only 30mm of rain in April and providentially were missed by the deluges that hit Taranaki and Wanganui.  The relative merits of 1989 and 1990 compare to those of 1983 and 1982; 1989 and 1983,
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1989 was a dry year.  There was scarcely any rain during a warm and early spring; we had intermittent showers over the week between Christmas and New Year, and then following a cool and cloudy but quite dry January no further rain until well after harvest.  The total rainfall for the 1st October to 30th April growing
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Certainly not as bad as made out by media who dismissed it well before harvest.  Fruity, forward wines, with good colours and flavours.  Chardonnay and reds may surprise with their quality.  Similar to ’80-’81.

Very good.  Low yields, intense colours and flavours with low pH’s.  Great cellaring wines with length and breadth of flavour.  A year where rain in February enabled fruit to ripen to full maturity without dehydrating.

A year of big crops and very forward, fruity wines, with rich flavours but lacking backbone and length.  Higher pH’s, especially in Chardonnay.  Therefore, not so much wines to keep, but very good current drinking.

Very good.  Great balance of rain and warmth right through growing season.  Wines of good colour, low pH musts and ample phenols.  Elegant wines of good keeping qualities.

Cool spring, summer. Late budburst and harvest.  Elegant wines, lacking a little weight in chardonnays and reds but elegant sauvignon blancs.