Vintage 2010 started on Easter Sunday, 2009.  At least that is when the clean up began from vintage 2009 (with which we are particularly happy!) and the first real planning for the following season began in earnest.

Now, as we count down to vintage, we can reflect on what has been a long and very unusual year in many ways indeed.  While we made good progress during winter pruning (a job that grows as our younger vines start to get their roots more established each year) we thought we were well set when we had a short series of frosts right at the end of July. In fact, in the so-called “winterless north”, we have been known to have chardonnay budburst as early as July, only to experience a rare August frost. Our site is slightly more protected than most in the area, keeping it warmer when the wind is blowing (but reducing the strength of the sea breezes), yet a little cooler at nights. 

In any case, you may therefore imagine how we felt when we were hit by a sharp frost on the 5th of September, when several varieties were already growing shoots vigourously.  Worst affected were our chardonnay, sangiovese, viognier plus pockets of cabernet franc and merlot. These have suffered reduced, late and often uneven fruit sets.

Paradoxically (especially considering the season to come) the late frost seems to have been good for our cabernet sauvignon and syrah, resulting in more even budding and fruit set than can sometimes be the case.

Our winter and early spring of 2009 was also a lot wetter than usual, keeping the water table high to the benefit of early season growth.  As spring progressed, dry but windy and cool from October, the typical spring pattern prevailed: the water table drops fast and, as so often, we are in effective drought by December.

Only this year was even drier than normal.  Very little rain at all after early October meant that by December we had to get the irrigation on the save already stressed younger vines.  Our older vines with well established roots were fine, although canopies have been more restrained as a result of less water.

The pattern of the summer was set.  January was dry as well; and February the same, marked by a procession of warm, sunny days.  Northland is still very much in drought mode!  What few rain events we have had have been limited drops of a few millimetres, with the wind and warmth drying things up rapidly. 

There have been positives: the bunches are small and relatively even, the berries are tiny, spray requirements have been drastically reduced.  Veraison came on us fast in January, and ripening appears surprisingly even across all varieties.

So now we continue to hope, watch the weather forecasts paranoically, and wait for the right time to pick.

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