Regional differences in the quality of this year’s wines are inevitable after Cyclone Gabrielle hammered the North Island in early- to mid-February. Following record rain during the growing season, some producers have stated their premium reds will not be made in 2023. But in the South Island, the picture was brighter.
In Auckland, Puriri Hills, a top red wine producer, predicts its wines will be “lighter than in preceding years”.
Mark Thompson, chief winemaker at GisVin, a contract winemaking plant, believes Gisborne lost 40% of its crop to the cyclone. He heard some “good news stories” about chardonnay and reds, but also about “a huge amount of compromised aromatic whites”.
Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers indicated 25% of the crop was lost. Floods destroyed or damaged vineyards and winery buildings in the Esk Valley, where Petane Wines reported “mud to mid-canopy, posts and wires wrapped up in knots”.
Winemaker Tony Bish noted in late February that parts of Hawke’s Bay not directly hit by the cyclone had still received “way too much rain, which at this time of year is the last thing we want”. The latter part of the season brought more settled weather, but cabernet sauvignon struggled to ripen.
In the Wairarapa, the very wet season created disease pressure, slowing ripening. Nga Waka, at Martinborough, predicted “lighter, pretty” pinot noirs, “without the structure and complexity we require for our top labels”.
Marlborough, however, enjoyed a “very, very good” vintage, according to Simon Waghorn, of Astrolabe Wines. His enthusiasm reflected the long, slow, ripening season, lack of disease and clean fruit at harvest.
The cyclone left the country’s leading wine region almost unscathed. Greywacke winemaker Richelle Tyney was especially excited by chardonnay, along with sauvignon blanc, which developed “great flavours”.
In Nelson, Seifried Estate reported a wet season ended with a sunny harvest, yielding “really good” sauvignon blanc. North Canterbury experienced 70% more rainfall than usual in the three months to mid-April, leading Pyramid Valley to describe 2023 as “a tough season”.
However, in Central Otago, Misha’s Vineyard, at Bendigo, reported the growing season was “excellent”, with “warm temperatures and very little rainfall”. Grasshopper Rock, near Alexandra, was “thrilled with the result”.
Wine of the week:
Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 ★★★★ ½
Mouthfilling, crisp and dry, with impressive vibrancy and intensity, this is an auspicious sign for the new season’s sauvignons. (13.6% alc/vol) $23-$25.
