Rain at harvest time can make it a very stressful operation.
I've just spent the second week of April in Blenheim. It's an insanely busy time for anyone in the wine business there because the harvest is heaving forth after what's been a dream ripening season.
There was a healthy flowering in spring, followed by a good fruit set and a long, even growth period in January and February. March was hot, dry and dusty enough during the days and cool enough during the nights to ensure the fruit reached optimum ripeness and that the balance between natural sugars and acids was ideal.
Marlborough sauvignon blanc is the fuel that powers the engine room of the industry and, generally speaking, by the second week of April it's ripe and ready to go.
However, on the 7th it began raining. It got heavier and heavier and by the 10th it still hadn't stopped. If you'd been watching the news that week you'd think the only reason this could possibly be a problem would be that it might make things a bit bleak for the royal visit. But, as one winemaker told me, there's a billion-dollar business at stake when this sort of weather event occurs. If you are in the wine game rain is the last thing you want at harvest time. Apart from the fact that working in it is downright depressing, at this crucial period every day the fruit is left on the vine during rain increases the risk that the plant will absorb too much water from the ground, possibly causing the berries to swell and dilute the sugar and acidity levels.
Having droplets of water in the canopy and on the bunches when the harvesting machines roar through or rain falling into the gondolas as they are filling with fruit means that water might leach into the juice and possibly dilute the concentration of flavour.
But for the past few weeks, I've been hearing from so many different growers that the sauvignon blanc crops are looking spectacularly ripe, so the thought of a little bit of rain didn't appear to be stressing anyone out too much. There's a lot of fruit out there, too, meaning it will be a much bigger harvest than anticipated, even with widespread crop-thinning occurring earlier in the season.
A few producers managed to bring in all their grapes by the first week of April, but most were just a third to halfway through. Vineyard managers and winemakers - already sleep-deprived and running on adrenaline, long blacks, pies and pizza - had to dig deeper and stretch their decision-making skills for a few more days.
When the rain began many wine producers stood their harvesters down, thinking that it might dry out the next day - but it didn't. This led to the call going out throughout much of the region to just plough through it, work day and night through the rain and just get it all in while the ripeness levels were still intact.
There was the inevitable scramble for harvesting machines, tractors, and gondolas and enough trucks to take the fruit to the wineries. I heard that one truckie unknowingly caught the tailgate of his trailer on a vineyard post in his haste to get out of the vineyard and off to the winery. The impact knocked the latch off its hinge and 15 tonnes of freshly harvested fruit spilled on the road. That could have happened rain or no rain. The very real threat now is that unless Marlborough's rain is followed immediately by hot, windy weather, then botrytis could take hold and devastate what could be a great vintage.
Winegrowing is similar to farming in that you work all year for that one shot to get it right - and even then nature can send you sideways.
Another tasty optionWe've been lucky enough to film some fantastic craft breweries and cider producers around the country for Thirsty Work.
However, it's always a bittersweet exercise for our director because she has coeliac disease and beer is mostly made from wheat, rye or barley. So although she loves the taste of good beer, if she gets glutenised then she's as crook as a dog within seconds of it passing her lips. Scott's brewery in Oamaru has been doing a sensational job of producing gluten-free beer for years, but finally there's another very tasty option out there, called Auro, from Kereru Brewing in Upper Hutt. Made with sorghum, rice, corn, hops and yeast, it's a 5 per cent golden ale with rich, tangy, caramelised characters and a clean, clear, refreshing mouthfeel. So all you beer-deprived gluten-sufferers now have another option.
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012, $24 1/2With aromas of sweet black tea, ripe cherry, plum and raspberry, it's hard to take your nose out of the glass for long enough to have an actual sip. This is a deliciously succulent, spice-laden drop with a velvet texture and a long, persistent finish. Great stuff, and excellent value for money. arawines.co.nz
MIllton Riverpoint Vineyard Gisborne Gewurztraminer 2013, $28 1/2 Aromas of dried mango, lychee, fresh ginger and a whiff of anise. Luxurious and slippery in the mouth, the wine has clean, vibrant acidity to counter the natural sweet edge on the finish. Lovely stuff indeed and gorgeous with gingerbread and blue cheese. millton.co.nz
Brancott Estate Special Reserve Fume Blanc 2013, $19 Freshly baled hay, bacon, marshmallow, fresh tangy nectarine and passionfruit curd characters combine into a chaotically delicious sauvignon blanc that's fresh, mouthfilling and destined for steamed mussels with lashings of garlic and parsley. brancottestate.com