Move over Waiheke Cabernet

“Cabernet Sauvignon is just too hard to ripen and too unpredictable,” says Amber Hatton of Soho Wine Co.

The evolution in Soho’s vineyard began in 2012 when all of its Pinot Gris vines were pulled up and replaced with Syrah. The latest replanting saw one hectare of the company’s Cabernet Sauvignon (predominantly) and a little Cabernet Franc both replanted in 2013 with Chardonnay and Syrah. “This is partly due to market demands on the Carter Chardonnay and Valentina Syrah as well as the fact that in some vintages we have difficulty ripening the Cabernet Sauvignon,” says Hatton.