Hot on the heels of the final tally of the 2008 Australian grape harvest comes news that the 2008 crop over the Tasman in New Zealand was also very much more generous than in the previous year.
A total of 285,000 tonnes of grapes were harvested in NZ in 2008, 39 per cent more than in 2007. Vineyards have been planted at such a rate in New Zealand that the 2008 crop is 3.6 times bigger than the size of the harvest just 10 years ago. It does not take a genius to work out that the average vine age on the North and, especially, South Islands is extremely low.
Official body New Zealand Winegrowers comment, however, that “the increase is due to a combination of an increased producing area and favourable growing conditions in most regions over the summer months, which bodes well for the new season’s wines”.
Yet again, the increase in volume is substantially accounted for by the sustained popularity of Sauvignon Blanc, although both Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris recorded substantial increases in volume too – again boosted by strong demand in export markets. Poor old Cinders Chardonnay – its 2008 harvest was actually smaller than in 2007 (see my Feb 2007 article on this phenomenon Sauvignons without the Sauvignon flavour?).
“The increased harvest is a real opportunity to grow sales in new and existing export markets in the year ahead towards our target of $1 billion of exports by 2010. At the same time, the larger harvest will present a challenge to winery sales and marketing efforts to ensure that New Zealand’s premium image continues to go from strength to strength,” was NZ Winegrowers CEO Philip Gregan’s careful comment. It must be marvellous to have exports dependent on a variety that requires no oak ageing and can be released so soon after harvest.
The Marlborough region produced 195,000 tonnes of grapes in 2008, up 61 percent from 121,000 tonnes in 2007. Frost and a cool flowering shrunk the Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay harvests by eight and 18 per cent respectively, however.
Other regional increases included Central Otago up 177 per cent, Wairarapa (greater Martinborough) up 111 per cent, Waipara (northern Canterbury) up 304 per cent, Canterbury up 304 per cent and Nelson up 35 per cent.