OPINION: 2020 unleashed Covid-19, and in 2021 we saw the smallest vintage in the past decade – for many wineries, tanks were largely dry by the time vintage ‘22 came along.

OPINION: Every vintage has it’s vagaries, and every season I am struck by how nimble viticulturists, winemakers and grape growers have to be, catching, or at least dodging, the curveballs nature throws.

The start of any new year arrives heavy with expectation, bold declarations, and promises of ‘new’ (presumably better) versions of ourselves.

Trade is important to our industry, whether it’s because 90% of our wine sales are in international markets, because of the international tourists who spend money at our cellar doors, or because of the equipment we source from overseas to operate our wineries and vineyards.

OPINION: There are plenty of “happy accidents” behind the phenomenal success of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, said Winemaker Helen Morrison at the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium in Christchurch last month, in a workshop on the evolution of New Zealand’s flagship variety.

The end of the year is fast approaching, so here are some thoughts on a few of the significant developments during 2025 to wrap things up. Times are tough, of course, but there are some positive stories to think about, as well as the challenges.

OPINION: When I moved to Marlborough two decades ago, I found countless lines of tidy vines, neatly mowed and carefully sprayed, with diligent conventional practices interspersed with the odd organic or cover-cropping outlier, like Te Whare Ra.

OPINION: For much of its modern history, New Zealand wine has been defined by its boldness.