Grape season of two halves

NEARLY DONE: There are just a few blocks of red grapes to be picked and the 2023 harvest in this district will be finished. Gisborne Herald file picture

The grape harvest for the 2023 vintage is nearing its end and Gisborne Winegrowers chairman Mark Thompson says the outcome is better than expected.

Talking on Thursday, Mr Thompson estimated that up to 96 percent of the Gisborne crop had been harvested to date.

“We’re still going but there’s only a few reds still to be picked. It’s definitely been a season of two halves.

“The first half was very wet. We had six times the average rainfall in January and February, and we saw a lot of compromised fruit in that period.

“Some of the flood-affected vineyards we have not been able to harvest. The grapes have just been left to rot on the vines and a significant amount of crop lost.”

Mr Thompson said Patutahi, Manutuke and Te Karaka were the worst affected.

“The other half of the season has seen some really good chardonnay and albarino grapes come in. The red grape varieties are tracking well.

“From the grapes we’ve harvested, the prospects for the vintage are good,” he said.

“It’s definitely better than we had expected, given the serious impact of cyclones Gabrielle and Hale, plus the other rain events, on growers.”