Saturday, 08 April 2023 15:25

Vintage 2023: Central Otago & Waitaki

Written by 
Grant Taylor Grant Taylor

At the other extreme of the nation's weather stats, Central Otago had low rainfall from December through February, with 44.4mm of rain (37% of the LTA) in the 82 days from 1 December to 20 February.

However, the three days from 21 to 23 February recorded 40.2mm, going some way to alleviate the long dry spell, Rob says.

Valli Winemaker and Owner Grant Taylor says they've experience the driest growing season in many years, and one of the warmest in a while, with only 2018 bringing higher temperatures. "The usual suspects that reduce crop levels - frost and flowering - basically didn't show up," Grant says. "Apart from frost tickling a little early Chardonnay and slightly erratic weather during certain Pinot clones flowering in Bendigo, it has been a dream season." Uniformity of ripeness and cropping levels across individual vineyards is as good as he has seen.

The dry summer did cause some stress on young vines but the late February rain refreshed the outlook. Speaking on 10 March, with harvest of sparkling base well underway, Grant says reports are of "perfectly clean fruit" and yields about 10% higher than estimated. "I expect/hope this will continue through the still wine harvest."

Meanwhile, the region has an excess of labour, with many contractors helping out their North Island peers by taking on unneeded seasonal workers. They now have more than they need, "so I think once harvest is in full swing, we should be very well positioned", Grant says.

Looking to North Otago, Grant says Waitaki Valley started the season well and early, with flowering some time ahead of the Central blocks. "But since then there has been rain more weeks than not so it has gone back to being its usual self and a couple of weeks behind Central." Poor weather during flowering affected yields in the valley, and he is anticipating two to three tonnes per hectare. "The fruit though is looking very clean and, not picking until late April/May, there is all the time needed to achieve desired ripeness," he adds. "So it's fair to say the region is having a 'normal' vintge."

Grant's pick of the subregions for vintage 2023 is, "without question", Gibbston, with flowering coinciding with a period of settled weather, resulting in very uniform bunch and berry size. "And being the coolest Central Otago subregion it's retaining its acidity better."

More like this

The Profile: The Kurow kid

Grant Taylor’s winemaking career owes its genesis to a bunch of pesky worms. Without them, the fruit on his family’s apple tree might never have yielded such formative, jeopardy-rich beverage adventures.

Vintage 2024: Central Otago

With a late frost last year, a hailstorm in February, and frost fighting in March, some subregions of Central Otago have been kept on their toes this season.

Valli Wine Bar

Valli Wines has been growing grapes and making wine in Otago for a quarter of a century, but the Valli Wine Bar recently opened in Kurow by Grant Taylor and Nicole Schofield is the company's first self-owned public face.

Haere Ra 2023: Waitaki

From Te Kano Estate in the Waitaki Valley, winemaker Dave Sutton offers insights into the year that was.

Haere Ra 2023: Central Otago

Matt Connell's winemaking palette includes colours from across Central Otago, from Gibbston and Alexandra, to Bendigo and Bannockburn.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Editorial

Editorial: Look to the vines

Editorial: Look to the vines

OPINION: The plan for this editorial was to applaud the collaborative spirit of New Zealand wine, which was in full…

Popular Reads

Marlborough's Small Town Winery

Marlborough’s 2024 vintage was “a return to form for Marlborough summers”, says Astrolabe General Manager Libby Levett.

Light year impacts profits

A combination of lower grape yields, lower price per tonne, and increasing vineyard operating costs, is hitting Marlborough grapegrowers in…