2024 Vintage Report
06 Aug
We’re pleased to share with you a report from our winemaking team, outlining all of the details about the wonderful 2024 vintage.
Happy reading!
2024 VINTAGE REPORT
HAWKE’S BAY – All our vineyards headed into the growing season with good soil moisture levels but with the unknown impacts of the cyclone that happened in 2023. All things being equal, hopes were high for a return to a typical Hawke’s Bay harvest (low rainfall and warm, clear days).
2024 was slightly warmer than the long-term average temperature and rainfall was at long term average. Interestingly, rainfall in the 2024 growing season was half of what was received in 2023.
We were certainly rewarded with an easy growing season and exceptional fruit quality. Even when compared to the previous year with impacts of cyclones and flooding, the crop level of vintage 2024 was low. However, the winemaking team is extremely happy with the wines, which all exhibit amazing fruit concentration on the nose and a broad richness and weight on the palate. Definitely a ‘winemakers vintage’ in the Hawke’s Bay!
MARLBOROUGH – 2024 was going to be a difficult act to follow after the exceptional 2023 harvest in Marlborough. Nobody would claim 2024 to be the total opposite of 2023, but nor would they group them as similar.
2024 was slightly warmer than the long-term average temperature but the rainfall was half of what we would expect over the long term.
The 2024 growing season was very dry and early which did make for some nervous moments for growers. The winery kicked into action a full two weeks earlier than a typical year and picking was completed by the end of March. The winemaking challenge was to retain the aromatic thumbprint of the Hãhã Sauvignon Blanc style in a year that favoured intensely concentrated wines (which incidentally is great for Pinot Noir). Crops were lower than average because berries were smaller. Again, a ‘winemakers’ vintage in light of recent years but for the ‘old timers’ 2024 was a typical Marlborough summer just like the old days!
Until next time,
Ant
