Warm Hawke's Bay autumn praised for great wine growing season

Villa Maria Hawke's Bay regional viticulturist Jonathan Hamlet with Cabernet Sauvignon on the vines at the company's Gimblett Gravels vineyard. Photo/Supplied

Hawke's Bay vineyards are relishing in a warm start to autumn which has been perfect for red grape varieties.

Vineyards throughout Hawke's Bay have nearly finished their harvest season and good weather meant they were able to leave reds on the vines until the optimal moment.

Hawke's Bay Winegrowers deputy chairman Xan Harding said the recent warm weather had been perfect for red varieties and some great red wines would be able to be made from them.

"The last few weeks have been absolutely fantastic."

The warm temperatures had meant the red grapes could develop a good flavour and a lot of the Cabernet Sauvignon was still growing, he said.

"We're able to choose the perfect moment to harvest, it's a fantastic end to the season."

Villa Maria viticulturist Ollie Powrie said his staff had been revelling in the "incredibly warm, dry finish to the Hawke's Bay grape growing season".

"The golden weather is perfectly timed for the all-important red grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah."

While more than 70 per cent of the company's Hawke's Bay Merlot had already been harvested the remaining blocks were ripening beautifully, he said.

"Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are later ripening and need a longer season to truly ripen so this is a perfect finish.

"With the current forecast, harvest decisions can be made purely on the ripeness and flavour of the grapes rather than the pressure of wet weather.

"The Chardonnay lovers can also rest easy as it has been an excellent year for this variety."

Black Barn Vineyards winemaker Dave McKee was also enjoying the warmer weather.

"We're very, very pleased with the harvest leading up to Easter.

"It was a very, very good tail end of the season."

The change in weather from the wet spell in early March to the excellent settled period following enabled the grapes to be as good as they had been in previous seasons, especially the Pinot Gris and Cabernet Sauvignon, he said.

"The quality is certainly up."

Craggy Range's Hawke's Bay vineyards finished harvesting yesterday and chief winemaker Matt Stafford said he was happy with the season.

"There have been no low lights this year. Harvest was a week earlier than the last three years and a day earlier than 2014.

The warm weather was great for the reds and Chardonnay but the humidity and warm nights had meant the acidity was a little lower than usual, he said.