Eye on the sky

Palliser Estate 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. Photo / Babiche Martens

Ominously grey clouds are moving slowly across the Martinborough skies as I don my boots for a day's work on this year's vintage. It feels like rain, the weather most wine folk fear at this time of year. However, I'm assured by those in the know - who've let me and a motley assortment of media and trade loose in their vineyards and wineries - that it should definitely stay dry. And as I wend my weary way back to my hotel at the end of my travails, I have to concede that not one drop has fallen.

Across the country, this year's grape harvest is well underway, with winemakers and viticulturalists keeping a very close eye on the weather. A warm and dry autumn is what they want to bring grapes to perfect ripeness, while cold and wet weather can create problems with ripening, disease and dilution in the wines.

Last year, heavy rain fell when some growers still had a sizeable amount of fruit left on the vine. And this year Mother Nature has thrown another curve ball of challenges across many New Zealand regions.

It all started auspiciously, with many regions experiencing the successful flowering required for a good-sized crop - sometimes an issue in our cooler winegrowing climate. Vineyards then basked in hot dry January, which caused the developing crop to race ahead. However, the subsequent months have likely given growers the odd grey hair.

There have been localised incidents such as the hail that damaged the crop in some southern Waipara vineyards and some nasty frosts that hit Hawkes Bay in particular. But the main headache this year has been the unseasonable wet, cool weather that loured over many regions from February, which slowed everything down and made vineyards breeding grounds for botrytis rot.

These clouds may yet have a silver lining, especially in our largest wine-producing region of Marlborough. Last year it was hit by a "sauvalanche", which pushed both its infrastructure and market capacity close to their limits. This experience and the current economic crisis made wineries wise up to the fact that it would be prudent to keep crops small this year, with harvest expectations trimmed further after the removal of botrytis affected bunches. If yields had been larger then grapes may well have struggled to ripen in this year's cool conditions.

Over in Martinborough, they're nearing the end of what looks to be a successful vintage. Just as the clouds never burst during my stint there, much of the more extreme weather seems to have passed over the region.

Its doughty vignerons deserve a decent year. "It's a long time since we had two good years next to each other in terms of volume," says Palliser chief winemaker and viticulturalist, Allan Johnson, as we collect sauvignon bunches from his well-fruited vines. This decade the weather has meant Martinborough has had small harvests one year out of every two... until now.

I'm often asked whether I've ever considered setting up my own vineyard. If that romantic notion ever entered my head, it was swiftly ushered out as I became aware of the hard graft and nerves of steel required to grow good grapes, especially in a somewhat capricious climate like ours. While I'm happy to assess and enjoy the delicious fruits of others' labours, one day in the vineyard suits me just fine.

Winning wines from the Wairarapa

Aromatic elegance

Palliser Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $19
This vibrant but elegant bone-dry sauv from major Martinborough winery Palliser has a lush palate of crushed green herbs, passionfruit, apple and spice wrapped around a core of crunchy lime and mineral.
(From Caro's, Glengarry Ponsonby, Herne Bay Cellars, La Barrique, Fine Wine Delivery Company, Peter Maude Fine Wines.)

Seductive sibling

Ata Rangi Petrie Wairarapa Chardonnay 2008 $27-$35
This is the extremely attractive little sister of Ata Rangi's revered Craighall Chardonnay, that has wonderfully pure peach and mandarin fruit seasoned with subtle toasty notes over a fresh seam of citrus and mineral.
(From Caro's, Glengarry, Scenic Cellars, Accent on Wine.)

Te Muna trailblazer

Te Hera Estate Te Muna Road Martinborough Pinot Noir 2007 $36
One of the first to plant in the new Te Muna Road sub-region of Martinborough, John Douglas has released a stream of impressive pinot noirs under his Te Hera label. It's a seductively supple specimen with rich but tangy dark plum and berry fruit layered with savoury, earthy notes, roasted spice and smoke.
(From Farro Fresh, Point Wines, Gladstone Wines, Hauraki Corner Cellars, Liquor Galaxy Kingsland, Waiheke Wine Centre, Onehunga Premium Liquor.)