Winegrowers highlight fruit quality in spite of bad weather

Recent weather has had an impact on this year's vintage, but the earlier hot, fine conditions means what fruit survived is of good quality. Photo/Duncan Brown

Some Hawke's Bay vineyards have not been harvested at all this year due to the wet weather in recent weeks, but winegrowers are confident that the fruit that has been picked is of a high standard.

Hawke's Bay winegrowers chairman and Trinity Hill chief executive Michael Henley said he could not put a number on those who were most badly affected but that most growers had taken a hit to some extent.

"People have had their crops declined because they did not get to the level some companies wanted.

"At Trinity Hill we have lost some harvested fruit but you just have to take it on the chin and hope next year is different."

He added that the situation was not as bad as in 2012 when it never got warm during the summer months.

"January was a record hot, dry month - we were talking about having one of the great vintages but the rainy weather events in late February, followed by humid conditions with heavy rainfall throughout March and April, ensured that vintage has become a challenge for the whole industry to overcome."

Wet weather during the harvest period, however, was a regular event in Hawke's Bay, which local winemakers and growers were prepared for, he said.

"As the Hawke's Bay industry matures we are able to cope better with whatever the conditions at the time of harvest, and can still produce great wine despite difficult conditions."

Many Hawke's Bay winemakers were confident that the quality of the fruit that had been harvested was of a generally high standard and that 2017 would be able to produce some outstanding wines.

Trinity Hill chief winemaker Warren Gibson said this was again due to the very hot start and middle of the season.

"This meant most of the fruit was actually very good. It was a low sugar year but the flavours are definitely there."

The defining aspect of this year was the need to protect the quality reputation of the region's wine, even if it meant some fruit was rejected.

Grower Xan Harding said in years like this it was the industry's collective responsibility to ensure that only premium quality wine was produced.

"This definitely causes grief for all but is necessary for the long term benefit of the Hawke's Bay wine industry."