'Kind spring' so far for viticulturists

Spring has so far been kind to vineyards.

The "gods are smiling" on Waitaki Valley wine growers  this spring.

Waitaki Valley Wine Growers Association chairman Andrew Ballantyne said the North Otago wine region was experiencing "one of the best starts" he had seen.

While frost was always a concern, most growers in the valley had frost protection. The Bobbing Creek viticulturist and co-manager said the cold start to the week had not affected vines in the valley, but the warm days at the end of October had been a boon.

"The start of the season has been really good for us," Mr Ballantyne said yesterday.
"We had a good winter with a good amount of rain, and we had almost 10 days solid of [temperatures in the] mid-20s."

Before the end of October, Otematata hit 30.1degC.

And the plants  had "taken off". Ostler Wines co-founder Jim Jerram agreed it had been a "kind spring" and said he was not aware of any frost damage.

"Usually we get a frost event around the full moon in the first week of November. This morning was close but OK."

A full moon occurred on November 4. The vines were in the "month of grand growth" when shoots would extend "nearly an inch per day".  During this period they were vulnerable to all weathers, "particularly wind and frost".

The Waitaki Valley, New Zealand's newest wine-producing region, has  about 41ha of vineyards and produces about 12,000 cases a year.