A Year To Remember

Steve Voysey, Indevin consultant winemaker, says;   “Vintage 2013 - superb without exception.”

If I were to pick a key feature of why it was superb, it would be the coolness of the nights. The open skys kept the nights cool resulting in acidity at near perfect levels and providing, bright, fresh and variety pure wines.  

Gisborne is blessed with a long and moderate growing season that supports grape variety and wine style diversity.  Wines from Methode Sparkling (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), lighter whites (Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc and Arneis),  full bodied Whites (Chardonnay and Viognier), Aromatics ( Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer) Reds (Merlot and Syrah) and Sticky late harvests (Semillon and Viognier) without exception have delivered spectacularly.

The brands that Gisborne feeds are accessible and generally excellent value, without doubt this reputation will be enhanced by the quality of 2013 vintage. That’s not to say the winemakers have raced it all through to these early release wine styles. 

The 2013 barrel fermented Chardonnays are going to be something worth waiting for.

And Anita Ewart-Croy, winemaker for the Grower Co-op, GroCo, commented; “All in all the 2013 season has given us clean, ripe and intensely flavoured fruit of all varieties. The Pinot Gris is showing fantastic spice and texture, while Chardonnay is giving full stonefruit flavours and wonderful aromatics. Sauvignon Blanc from Gisborne is truly passionfruit with crisp acidity, while the Gewurztraminer is brimming with lychee and ginger. All of the red varieties, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah have vibrant colour, and wonderfully ripe tannins.

“The perfect weather conditions allowed for well-timed harvest decisions and selection of fruit at optimal ripeness. Everyone involved in the Gisborne wine industry experienced a rewarding harvest, and the general attitude is one of confidence and positivity for the next step, sales!”

On to what’s happening in the district

Gisborne Winegrowers (GWG) has 3 trial vineyard plots across the district, and here we have planted commercial quantities of varieties or clones that our committee thought could be viable locally.  We have 3 clones of Chenin Blanc, Vermentino, Sauvignon Gris, Lagrein and Fiano.  We harvested the first crop off most of these this year and EIT Tairawhiti has undertaken to do the microvin on this fruit.  The wines will then be made available to the local growers at a tasting and analysis forum.  Brent Laidlaw is the wine course tutor and he will be overseeing the small batches of wine for this trial.  

It is worthy of note that enrolments are currently open for the July intake in EIT-Tairawhiti’s Certificate in Grapegrowing and Winemaking (Commercial Practice) in Gisborne with up to 24 students able to enrol. Along with the classroom material, students taking this option will follow the life cycle of the vine from dormancy through to harvest putting theory into practice in the Waimata Vineyard and at the Polytechnic’s 70 tonne winery up to and during harvest in 2014. The vineyard supplies fruit for EIT-Tairawhiti’s own Waimata Vineyards and Cognoscenti labels and are supplemented with grapes purchased from local growers. The Commercial Practice endorsement is only available at EIT-Tairawhiti and recognises the hugely practical aspect of the programme. ν